While on the beach one afternoon, I had a playful conversation with a friend about Christian music. This was during a time when I had just started paying serious attention to contemporary Christian music. As we sat there exchanging friendly jabs, he said something I wasn’t expecting: “I don’t like modern Christian music. It’s upside down,” he said.
This friend was about ten years older than me, but not a curmudgeon. He wasn’t just being critical for the sake of it. He knew music theory and appreciated a wide range of styles. He taught at a prestigious private school and had led several singing groups across North America and even Europe. He was classically trained and held a master’s degree in music. Curious, I asked him to explain what he meant.
“Well, the hymns I grew up with give God glory, honor, and praise,” he said. “Musically, I like a lot of modern Christian songs. But lyrically, they’re me-centered. It’s all about what God has done for me, rather than who God is. It’s less about reverence and more about experience.”
At the time, we agreed to disagree. But over time, I’ve come to see the wisdom in his words. What he said stuck with me—and it challenges how I view worship.
That’s the tension when it comes to worship music. It’s tempting to stick with the same artists we hear on K-Love: Lauren Daigle, Brooke Ligertwood, Mandisa, TobyMac, Casting Crowns, Elevation, Hillsong. But we have to ask: Are their songs theologically sound? Are they worship, or just good rock, blues, or pop songs?
Sometimes, they can be both—but often, they’re not.
Music in church should move us—but not just emotionally. It should direct our hearts toward God’s majesty, holiness, and grace. It should lead us to repentance, inspire awe, and stir us to obedience. Music on the radio can serve entertainment or encouragement. But in church, it serves a greater purpose: to exalt God and edify the body of Christ. Is our music leading us to deeper faith, or just giving us a feel-good moment? Is it pointing to Christ, or centering on us?
More troubling still is that there’s a growing, coordinated effort to reshape not just worship but the Gospel itself. In 1996, C. Peter Wagner, a professor at Fuller Seminary, named a movement: the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Its goal was to restore the Great Commission by reviving the role of apostles and prophets.
But that’s not the scariest part.
Some leaders in this movement believe they receive direct revelations from God—revelations that can, at times, supersede Scripture. Others place their prophecies on equal footing with the Bible. That’s a serious problem.
Why? Because it opens the door to subjective interpretation of God’s truth. When self-proclaimed prophets start defining doctrine based on personal experiences or “divine downloads,” the authority of Scripture is undermined. Instead of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), we get Scripture plus me—and that is dangerous.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God
1 John 4:1-2
Ironically, the Apostle John wrote to a church demanding spiritual discernment to weed out false teaching. Two millennia later, we face equally aggressive and threatening attacks. John warned the early churches about the damaging impact of Gnosticism, and if he were alive today, I believe he would be cautioning Jesus’ followers about the dangers within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement. John’s instruction to “test the spirits” establishes a timeless pattern for evaluating religious claims and teachings, encouraging thoughtful examination of whether they align with core Christian truths about Christ’s nature and identity, rather than promoting blind acceptance.
The Bible uses the term “apostle” (from the Greek apostolos, meaning “one who is sent”) in a precise way. True apostles were directly commissioned by Christ, witnessed his resurrection, and were with Jesus during his earthly ministry, sent out with divine authority to represent Him, preach the gospel, and establish churches
In my view, the self-identification as “apostles” is one of the most problematic aspects of the NAR movement. It raises serious concerns about spiritual authority, accountability, and the potential for abuse. Several prominent Christian personalities, including Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, intercessor for revival Lou Engle, author Cindy Jacobs, and author/pastor Rick Warren, have openly identified themselves or been recognized by others as active in NAR, claiming apostolic authority. Are they apostles simply because they say so? I don’t think so.
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Exodus 3
“Holy ground” itself wasn’t inherently holy; it became holy solely because God was present. This is a key theological truth: holiness is defined by God’s presence, not the inherent nature of a location. God’s identity is rooted in history—His self-revelation here emphasizes continuity, stability, and trustworthiness. These verses teach us that encountering God is never casual; holiness demands reverence. Before God calls Moses to liberate a nation, He grounds him in humility, worship, and identity. True calling begins with a clear understanding of who God is and who we are in relation to Him. Even as He invites Moses in, God establishes a boundary on His terms, emphasizing His transcendence and sovereignty.
I’ve listened to Bill Johnson’s sermons before. What they often lack in humility and grace, they make up for in ego and hubris. His teaching, in my view, reflects an interpretation that places blame on us if prayers go unanswered and asserts his own God-given ability to heal people. Therein lies the problem: when churches prioritize their own interpretations over the Gospel, the authenticity of Scripture takes a back seat. You might be wondering why we can’t just let bygones be bygones. Bethel’s music royalties soared from around $8 million in 2020 to nearly $16 million in 2023. Why? Because their music is great! It’s powerful and irresistible, much like that of many other large charismatic Christian ministries, including Hillsong and Elevation Church.
A close friend of mine, a leader at our church, told me two years ago that he wouldn’t listen to any music performed or produced by Elevation Church. He explained that their founder, Steven Furtick, teaches many false truths about the Gospel. Furtick has been quoted as saying, “God created a good Law, then broke His own law, and did it because He loves us.” He also promotes the “Little Gods” doctrine and modalism—a man-centered theology focusing on self-empowerment and achieving personal goals, rather than a God-centered Gospel emphasizing self-denial and glorifying God, among other troubling theology. At the time, I thought my friend was being dogmatic and narrowly close-minded, missing out on so much awesome music. But the funny thing is that he never said anything about Bethel Music, Hillsong, or other productions associated with NAR influences. I love our current church, but we pay license fees to these churches—thereby indirectly supporting their ministries.
Financial experts say that boycotts don’t work. I don’t care. It hurts, but I’m removing all of my Bethel songs from my Spotify playlist. I’ll do Elevation next, and so on. Sure I’ll miss it, but I’d miss my relationship with Christ a lot more. I like this music as much as anyone else, but I need to examine whether it’s harmless or harmful to my walk with Christ. Unchecked, NAR has the potential to alter the Christian faith. If unchallenged, it could be a watered-down fork of Christianity, “it’s what you want it to be,” relativism. Always remember God is sovereign. He called us to Him. We’re all on holy ground. Take off your shoes. Watch where you’re standing.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
John 17:17
Key Application:
- The word “sanctify” means to be set apart, consecrated, or made holy. Jesus prayed that His followers would be separated from the world and dedicated to God’s service, and that this separation would be achieved through the truth. In what ways can your church life, personal life, and professional life demonstrate this separation from the worldly?