Part Two - Muthee and the "Transformations" Franchise

topics

--Militant Anti-pluralism: Who is the Enemy?

--The Queen of Heaven: the Demon of Religious Corruption

--The Prince of Greece: the Demon of Humanistic Thinking

--Militancy

--Use of Reconciliation Events

--Apostolic Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots

--Taking Control of the Kingdom: Business

--The Lonely Resisters: Objecting Fundamentalists and Walkaways

--Transformations Activities in the United States and the World: A Few Examples

Part One provided an overview of the development of the phenomenon of spiritual mapping and spiritual warfare as demonstrated in the Transformations videos. Spiritual mapping provides the scouting and charting of demons that must be confronted and expelled from a geographic area. The major figures in this movement include George Otis, Jr. who heads the Sentinel Group and also appears in the Tranformations series. C. Peter Wagner is the founder of the New Apostolic Reformation and Convening Apostle of the Apostolic Network and the numerous "prayer warrior" networks that fall under this authority. Otis claimed in a recent New York Times article, that "the weapons of this warfare are not of this world, we don't respond with guns and violence."

As demonstrated in Part One, spiritual warfare can and does impact the lives of those in the affected communities and not necessarily in the positive way demonstrated in the videos. The videos view the world strictly through a filter of the benefits to certain "born again" Christians, and even the validity of much of that information is easily challenged. Furthermore the movies completely ignore the effects on those who do not choose to join the movement. This includes those of other faiths which the New Apostolics believe remain unevangelized due to demonic control over their belief systems. This goes far beyond a general belief that others are unsaved and therefore doomed to hell. The process through which demons have supposedly taken control of other religions is spelled out in graphic detail.

The Queen of Heaven - Demon of Religious Corruption

C. Peter Wagner has written extensively about the "Queen of Heaven", a major demon in Satan's hierarchy that they believe prevents Roman Catholics and Muslims from accepting the gospel. Top Apostles and Prophets of the movement go on international spiritual warfare excursions like "Operation Ice Castle" in 1997, to confront this demon. Results of Operation Ice Castle were reported by the chief of strategic operations, Ana Mendez, as including the death of Mother Theresa (as well as Princess Diana, for other demon-related reasons.) This testimony, as well as the Transformations videos accounts, is featured prominently on the website of a Transforming Melbourne, a Christian unity and charitable organization that is supported by a variety of churches, including at least one area Catholic congregation. Their website masthead reads, "Transforming our city through the Unity, Servanthood and Prayer of the Whole Church."

Another spiritual warfare assault against the Queen of Heaven took place at the Santiago de Compostela cathedral in Spain. This was in 2004, a pilgrimage year for the famous cathedral. Apostle Chuck Pierce claims after the excursion that their efforts at disruption had been successful and God had sent many signs including the fraying of the rope by which the giant incense burner swings from the ceiling.

The Prince of Greece - Demon of Humanistic Thinking

The New Apostolic Reformation, and its related networks, is an international movement. Teams of leaders have traveled throughout the continent mapping the spiritual geography and conducting spiritual warfare events. They have concluded that Europe is controlled by not only the Queen of Heaven but by the Prince(s) of Greece. This is the demon that is the source of humanistic thinking and rationalism. Additionally, spiritual mapping by the group is focused on the presence of Masonic activity, which they view as a major source of demonic control in both Europe and the United States.

In 2002 an Apostolic Summit was held by Wagner and other major Apostles and leaders of the Target Europe prayer initiative. In 2003, a Gatekeepers of Europe Convention was held to further unite the efforts of the European network. Apostle George Markakis of Defend Europe, in Athens, Greece, was the host of the event. The conference outline includes the goals of the event. Page 22 outlines the need to stop the Olympic Games,

"In the spirit realm the land of Europe is spiritually one entity. Let us look at the map drawing, which Franz Lippi, Pastor of Exousia Church in Graz, Austria sent me.

Following the map and explanation of the demonic influence of the games, Markakis continues,

'To stop that demonic scheme from happening we need to with stop the Olympic games from taking place, or by dismantling the (spiritual) so-called "Euro-temple," or both. However, both are practically impossible. Having sought the Lord about the Olympics in Athens in 2004, the Lord has not responded with any particular direction for me.'

Projects overseen by Markakis and other European Apostolic leaders have included intercessory prayer movements to impact the European Union Constitutional proceedings and against the 2004 Olympics in Greece. In a newsletter titled "Gatekeepers of Europe" and dated August 2007, Markakis overview plans for gathering an intercessory team in Brussels for spiritual mapping.

"Democracy with its implied absence of author and the inherent need for debate and intrigue is the environment where the Hellenic mindset (i.e. the fruit of the Prince of Greece) thrives and uses to induce anarchy, division and the spirit of the Antichrist within the Church."

Markakis continues under the heading "Who the enemy is,"

"We already know that the "Ruler of Europe" is either the "Prince of Greece" or, some local demonic authority under him (more likely). His presence is apparent; it is mainly manifested through the architecture of public buildings, the powerful Masonic Lodge which rules over most of the political rulers of Europe as well as those of Belgium, and the prevailing humanistic sprit which has shaped the politics and culture of the Benelux area even prior to the unification of Europe." ( Link to PDF file of Gatekeepers of Europe newsletter. )

Apostle Markakis then gives an overview of specific problematic buildings and statuary in Brussels. Numerous articles posted at the Defend Europe website explain the battle that they perceive exists between the "Sons of Zion" and the "Sons of Greece." They view themselves, the fighters for Zion, as a return to a more pure early church before it was defiled by the demon of the Queen of Heaven, who corrupted the early church, and the Prince of Greece, source of the Enlightenment, rationalism, and Freemasonry.

In another Defend Europe Conference report George Markakis states,

"Anti-religious socialist government of the 80s brought such a drought over Hellas, that lack of rain caused water rations in some places, and destroyed vast expanses of forest areas turning the land almost into desert. That was but a physical manifestation of the unrighteousness, injustice and waste of public finances that prevailed in the country."

Militancy

These evangelizing efforts are not only aggressive but increasingly militant. The New Apostolic movement uses military terminology and openly speaks of revolution. Palin's anointers Thomas Muthee and Ed Kalnins frequently make use of the verse "the violent take it by force." Muthee has gone even further in his sermons such as during a 2004 sermon at KingsGate Community Church in the U.K during which Muthee stated, "the more violent you become, the more committed you become, the quicker you will see things happen in this region."

Mary Glazier is a member of the inner circle of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (see bottom of page), and the top Apostle in Alaska as head of the state's Strategic Spiritual Prayer Network, (formerly called the Spiritual Warfare Network, and recently renamed again as the US Global Apostolic Prayer Network.) She claimed in a June 2008 speech at a conference in Everett, WA, that Sarah Palin was called by God to politics while in Glazier's Wasilla network when she (Palin) was twenty-four years old. In this same speech Glazier explains that "God is preparing a people to displace the ones whose sin is rising so that then they tip over and the church goes in - one is removed and the church moves in and takes the territory." Link to article and link to transcript. In a published interview Glazier described her own witch-hunting, and the efforts of her spiritual warfare network to chase a witch from the Alaska prison chaplaincy program. In the linked interview she claims that the network's prayer efforts resulted in success as the woman became ill, maimed, and left Alaska.

Glazier's Florida counterpart, state and Southeastern leader of the United States Global Apostolic Network, Diane Buker, has a ministry named the Battle Axe Brigade. Her website features an animated graphic of an arm swinging a mace and features the verse,

"Thou art My battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; and with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider."

Diane Buker's web site hosts an entire section which attacks the Catholic Church as a "corrupt religious system" and Apostle Buker also makes the following statement, on her site:

"The Lord told me that He hates the false religious structure of Catholicism and in His mercy He wants the people delivered."

Use of Reconciliation Events

Glazier is on the board of the International Reconciliation Coalition founded by John Dawson, International President of YWAM (Youth With a Mission). The reconciliation approach, including reconciliation walks, has been used to gain access to Native American groups in the U.S and Canada, and also to African Americans, Amish, Turkish Muslims, and other groups around the world. Link to "Palin and the Apostles" for an account of New Apostolics in a prophetic ceremony representing the shielding of Native Alaskans from interference from other churches and social services.

Reconciliation is designed to remove the generational curses and other demons which are preventing the target group from being open to evangelization. For instance, a reconciliation walk in Turkey in 1999 was advertised as apologizing for the Crusades to the Muslim population. However, following the reconciliation walk, the New Apostolics embarked on an aggressive proselytizing campaign which included a ceremony in the Ephesus amphitheater. Organized by Ted Haggard and others and with participation of groups from Korea, they chanted Jesus is Lord for four hours in the amphitheater.

"The Centre for International Reconciliation and Peace" is an apostolic ministry in Cairns, Australia. The front page of their website informs the reader that this husband and wife team have been ordained Apostles and Prophets by Bishop Bill Hamon of Christian International, USA, who provides their "Apostolic covering." In the New Apostolic structure, ministries work under the "apostolic covering" or authority and discipleship of leaders above them. The front page of Bill Hamon's website provides a download option for "Releasing the King's Decree." From the decree,

"I, Jesus Christ, issue this decree to all prinicipalities and powers which have worked to hinder CI [Christian International] from its work of restoration. The records in Heaven have been researched and found that King Jesus did commission Bill Hamon/CI to re-lay the Foundation of the Church which is Apostles and Prophets and continue building the Temple until it is finished. Therefore, I command you, Satan, to stay away from CI and hinder them not more. Moreover, I command you to start releasing all the resources CI needs to complete their commission from God. If anyone tries to alter or hinder this decree, they are to be destroyed...." ( from Christian International )

Bill Hamon is a long term leader in the movement, one of the few left from the original New Order of Latter Rain of the 1940s and 1950s, a forerunner of the New Apostolic Reformation that was condemned as heresy by some Pentecostal denominations of that time. These "legal proclamations" are becoming increasingly popular and other examples are included in the last section.

Another associate in Bill Hamon's Christian International is Martha Lucia, head of Watchmen's Network. Lucia is well known throughout the movement for her spiritual mapping skills and has gone on numerous worldwide expeditions to map important locations such as Washington D.C. and Israel. Like others in the movement, Lucia stresses the presence of Masonic buildings and influences as the cause of demon control of a geographic area. On her Watchman Network website Lucia reports her spiritual mapping ventures. In a section subtitled "Heritage Robbed" Lucia states,

"Therefore Freemasonry, to the extent that it became the spiritual undercurrent of the Revolution, also became the spiritual undercurrent of our government. Hence Washington DC, the seat of this new government, was laid out according to Masonic symbology by Pierre L'Enfant. Most of our Nation's most sacred buildings in the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches were dedicated by Masons, with their cornerstones dedicated in Masonic rituals." - Watchman Network

Apostolic Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots

Apostles from Wagner's International Coalition of Apostles (ICA) support aggressive proselytizing of Jews, and provide support systems for Jewish Messianic groups worldwide, including in Israel. The internationally celebrated Day of Prayer for The Peace of Jerusalem as well as many of the other Christian Zionist events are led by Apostolic leaders and in accordance with New Apostolic theology and expectations for Israel. Target Europe leaders and other related "prayer warriors" lead many of the major Christian Zionist events in Europe including Germany.

The Day of Prayer for The Peace of Jerusalem event is co-chaired by Jack Hayford, featured on the Transformations video, "The Quickening," which also features Muthee. The other co-chairman is Robert Stearns, regional director of John Hagee's CUFI (Christians United for Israel) and editor of Kairos, a leading Apostolic journal featuring the top leaders of Wagner's network. Hayford has recently added an Apostolic Messianic Jewish division to his King's Seminary in order to prepare Messianic Jews in "the Redemption of all Israel."

The current large scale celebration of Christianized Jewish holidays, particularly the Feast of Tabernacles, is a product of the Latter Rain movement of the 1940s, which predates the New Apostolic Reformation and plays an important role in its end time theology. The "Restoration of the Tabernacle of David" which is a major theme in current Christian Zionism is also an important feature of the New Apostolic Reformation's end time beliefs. Many Christian Zionist leaders including some associated with John Hagee's CUFI and related activities are apostles in Wagner's International Coalition of Apostles. Tom Hess, head of the Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations (JHOP) is an apostle in the network and is linked to many leaders in this report including John Mulinde, the Apostle from Uganda who is on the board of JHOP.

For more about Tom Hess, see this recent Talk2action.org article, Fishers and Hunters - The Continuing Saga of Christian Zionism which concerns Hess, a well known Christian Zionist, and his book, "Let My People Go" which Hess claims has been mailed to thousands of Jewish homes. The book features a Jewish businessman on the cover chained to a Wall Street sign. It has been printed in numerous languages and distributed worldwide in order to convince Jews around the world that they must leave their homes and move to Israel before it is too late. Hess claims that it is his "deep love" for the Jewish people that inspires him to issue these dire warnings, but throughout the book credits "secular, Reformed and Conservative Jews" with causing many of the evils in American society including abortion and financial manipulation.

(A separate report on the New Apostolic Reformation's increasing control of Christian Zionist activities around the globe will be released later by this research group.)

As mentioned above, the New Apostolics view themselves as returning to the purity of the early church. They see this process as beginning with Martin Luther but reaching fruition in their "Second Reformation," the New Apostolic Age. This often involves the use of Jewish holidays, customs, and terminology in order to more closely resemble the New Testament Christians and this is visible at many of their activities and on their websites. They liken themselves to "Sons of Zion" fighting to return the church to purity and release Christendom from the demons of the Queen of Heaven, and from the Enlightenment and Freemasonry. Unlike Dispensational theology, with its two separate tracks for Jews and the Church, there is no need in the end time theology of New Apostolics to maintain a role for unconverted ethnic Jews. They believe that those Jews who embrace Yeshua will become "one new man" along with born again Christians and share in the rule of the earthly Kingdom, which will be ruled from Jerusalem.

Martha Lucia, mentioned above, has also taken spiritual mapping journeys to Israel and the reports can be found on her Watchman Network site. The following report is listed underneath an Israeli flag and the verse, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

"On September 15, 2005 we went to the new Supreme Court building which was built by the Rothchilds and contains every Masonic symbol and the illuminati. This place was built as a connection to the mind of Satan as this connects to the Knesset and all the government buildings and is to house the Prime Ministers office next door. We knew we sat in a major axis of evil and made many declarations against the mind of Satan ruling this land and the earth. The Word of the Lord says the Law, the Word, and much more will go forth from Jerusalem, but the enemy is setting his kingdom right in the midst of what God has said will be performed. We commanded all to line up with the Word of the Lord. We declared Jesus sovereign in Israel as there is no sovereign. There is so much in this place you have to read about how this place was built to get the impact of what is sitting here."

On Friday, September 16, we went to the home of our guide and enjoyed a Shabbat meal with him and his family."

The conversion of Jews to Messianic Judaism, the conversion of Roman Catholics to evangelical or charismatic faith, and the movement of pastors and entire churches into the Apostolic fold is celebrated in The Voice Magazine, and Charisma Magazine of Strang Publications. Both Lee Grady, editor of Charisma Magazine, and Stephen Strang, of Strang Communications, are apostles in Wagner's International Coalition of Apostles.

The Voice, published by Jonas Clarke Ministries, has featured articles about the "crossing over" of other churches and pastors into the New Apostolic fold including Southern Baptists and Roman Catholics.

Taking Control of the Kingdom: Business

As Muthee explained in his speech prior to anointing Palin, the effort to control the "Kingdom" extends to taking control of business. Muthee states just prior to anointing Palin,

"The second area where God wants us, wants to penetrate in our society is in the economic area. The Bible says that the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous. It's high time that we have top Christian businessmen, businesswomen, bankers, you know, who are men and women of integrity running the economics of our nations.That's what we are waiting for. That's part and parcel of transformation. If you look at the - you know - if you look at the Israelites, that's how they work. And that's how they are, even today."

The New Apostolic Reformation's Seven Mountain Strategy heavily stresses the need to take control of business in order to finance their plans for the "Kingdom." It is widely believed and prophesied that there will be a great "wealth transfer" from the "ungodly to the godly" in order to help facilitate conquering the other six "Kingdoms."

The Word-Faith movement or Prosperity Doctrine is one of the global forerunners of the New Apostolic Reformation. This refers to the belief that God rewards the good with wealth and health and punishes the evil or faithless with poverty and illness. This is reflected in the similar beliefs of the New Apostolics with the addition of the idea that a large "wealth transfer" is guaranteed to the godly in this Apostolic Age. Wagner has set up special Apostolic councils to manage this wealth transfer including a specific category of Marketplace Apostles, the Zion Apostolic Council for wealth distribution, Hamilton Group, and International Christian Wealth Builders. Conventions on the "wealth transfer" and "release of wealth" are being held on a regular basis including the recent Kingdom Economic Summit held in Austin in September, 2008 (link to videos) and the upcoming November conference in Phoenix, Opening the Gate of Supply and Understanding the War over Wealth Transfer.

The June 2008 convention at which Mary Glazier revealed her relationship to Sarah Palin, was titled Opening the Gate of Heaven on Earth: Receiving the New Prophetic Wind for Increase. It was billed as an alignment of heaven and earth that will "produce wealth and dominion for future generations."

Thomas Muthee speaks at events around the world including the International Christian Chamber of Commerce Conference in Orebro, Sweden that was organized by the Swedish National Prayer Network. Another speaker at this event was Ed Silvoso who helped Wagner to develop spiritual warfare strategies in the 1980s when he (Silvoso) "expelled a warlock" from a Catholic area of Argentina that was resisting the efforts of evangelical church planting by his Harvest Evangelism ministry. Silvoso stated at the 2004 conference on the "Kingdom of God - and the Transformation of Society,

"The task is not to get the people into the church, but to get the Kingdom of God into the world... We must use the keys of the Kingdom, find the keyhole and unlock the doors, this is how we attack the gates of hell."

The same International Christian Chamber of Commerce newsletter, "The Market Calling" (link to pdf of newsletter) which featured the coverage of the convention, featured an ad for another convention in Argentina "Nation Transformation through Marketplace Redemption." Silvoso's Harvest Evangelism now has access to the highest levels of Argentine government and according to Silvoso,

"The strength and the vitality of the emerging Argentine prototype has impacted many cities and nations as a result, Harvest Evangelism is now engaged assisting emerging prototypes in Hawaii and Minnesota in addition to soon to emerge ones in other parts of the USA, Canada, the Caribbean region, Mexico and Africa."

(A separate report on the expected "Great Wealth Transfer" expected by the New Apostolic Reformation from the ungodly to the godly will be released later by this research group.)

Leaders of the New Apostolic Reformation are not waiting idly for the Rapture or rewards in heaven - they are taking control of the Kingdom now. However, in the United States, very few outside of the New Apostolic world are paying attention to their progress.

The Lonely Resisters - Objecting Fundamentalists and Walkaways

To date, the greatest resistance to the international Apostolic movement has come from other groups of Fundamentalists and Evangelicals (see end of article footnote) who disagree with New Apostolic theology, and from some whose churches may be threatened by absorption into the movement.

The other significant group is made up of individual "walkaways" that were previously part of the movement. Most objections come from conservative Christians who do not believe that the church is supposed to take physical dominion over the earth before Jesus returns. They also object to the hyper-charismatic nature of the New Apostolic movement, since many who are biblical literalists believe that supernatural gifts and manifestations ceased at the end of the biblical age (link: video on the New Apostolic Reformation by Apologetics Coordination Team).

Hundreds of pages of discussion and theological objections to the New Apostolics can be found on the internet, radio, and published formats, originating from conservative Christian sources worldwide. (Discernment Ministries: 1, 2, 3,[PDF file] 4, 5) They are the most knowledgeable in terms of understanding the leadership and emerging theology of the New Apostolic tidal wave and their "Transformations" strategies.

While they provide a rich and extensive resource of information, it is difficult to incorporate their material directly into research, because their conclusions about the New Apostolic Reformation are presented through their own Fundamentalist and literalist filter. For instance, some Fundamentalists view the New Apostolic Reformation as the "global one world church" of the Antichrist. Ironically, many also view the New Apostolic movement as allied with the Roman Catholic Church, another favorite candidate for "the woman riding the beast" of the end times, despite the hostility of New Apostolics toward Catholicism. However, they still remain one of the few sources of information on the New Apostolic movement as they apparently remain alone in their grasp of the extent and dangers of the movement with the exception of those who are actual "walkaways" from the movement.

An additional source of information and resistance is the growing number of "walkaways" who have left these New Apostolic ministries. Many of these remain anonymous because of the dualistic and coercive nature of the movement. These ministries often practice what was previously described as "Shepherding" or "Discipling" which was exposed as coercive in its previous manifestations such as in Maranatha and under the Ft. Lauderdale Five. The names of these authoritarian practices have changed over time from "Shepherding" to "cell groups," and other terminology. Many of the leaders associated with those movements are now Apostles in Wagner's network including Bob Weiner, who founded Maranatha.

Walkaways from groups such as Weiner's report that the nature of the movement is still coercive and there is often abuse of those who try to leave the networks. A range support groups, internet groups, and counseling services have emerged to help those who have left or are trying to leave coercive groups, such as Weiner's former Maranatha, and to address the special psychological needs of those who have suffered abuse in Third Wave and New Apostolic churches and para-church organizations. A few of these walkaways have published their experiences: Kurt Quadflieg, who left Missionswerk of Germany, and Kevin Reeves who published the book, "The Other Side of the River."

There are also support groups for those who have suffered abuse in Third Wave and New Apostolic related drug, alcohol and behavioral 'rehabilitation' programs. After a huge scandal in Australia, Mercy Ministries has closed its facility there. Mercy Ministries is an international program based in the U.S. that provides free longterm residential treatment for young women. Residents from the U.S are beginning to make complaints similar to the residents in Australia but it has received very limited media coverage.

Some Australian Mercy Ministries residents went public with claims that they were not getting medical and psychiatric care but were being exorcised of demons. They claim that their treatment was based on a system called Restoring the Foundations by Chester and Betsy Klystra. The Klystras are part of Partners in Harvest, the international network of ministries of Apostle John Arnott, founder of the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, internationally know for hosting the Toronto Blessing and Holy Laughter revival, estimated to have had about 300,000 visitors from around the world (More ex-Mercy information).

Nancy Alcorn, founder of the program, gave a sermon in February in which she stated that "Jesus did not say to medicate demons, he said to cast them out." Despite the controversy, Mercy Ministries in the United States continues to function and raise funds for its programs. The program is currently planning several new facilities in the U.S.

Although the New Apostolic Reformation has caught the attention of a few academics, such as Rene' Holvast, whose 295 page doctoral dissertation, "Spiritual Mapping: The Turbulent Career of a Contested American Missionary Paradigm, 1989-2005" (link to PDF) was published by Utrecht University in 2008, mainstream media and secular sources have provided only a few brief and isolated glimpses into the New Apostolic World.

One of the few mainstream media journalistic treatments addressing spiritual warfare and spiritual mapping was Jane Lampman's 1999 article in Christian Science Monitor, "Targeting Cities with 'Spiritual Mapping,' Prayer". While she did not challenge Thomas Muthee's and George Otis' claims that spiritual warfare could miraculously transform entire cities and geographic areas, she did point out that many evangelicals were uncomfortable with the emphasis on the spiritual mapping, and that the aim of targeting and converting other faith groups would be controversial. She also noted that the phenomenon appeared to have originated in the United States and pinpointed the chief architect,

C. Peter Wagner, head of Global Harvest Ministries in Colorado Springs, Colo., is in the vanguard of the movement. He defines three levels of spiritual warfare: "Ground-level" involves casting demons out of individuals; "occult-level warfare" involves more organized "powers of darkness" [They target here New Age thought, Tibetan Buddhism, Freemasonry, etc.]; and "strategic-level warfare" directly "confronts 'territorial spirits' assigned by Satan to coordinate activities over a geographical area."

Spiritual warfare has been practiced most vigorously in other countries - particularly in Latin America and Africa - where the idea of demons has greater parlance. But its influence is growing in the United States, along with spiritual mapping.

Even as conferences on the subject attract larger numbers, these practices serve as a source of controversy. Among evangelicals, some question how much of a biblical basis there is, and just how far such prayer should go.

Lampman's article was ignored by the mainstream press along with the growing phenomenon of spiritual