Note of the author: To understand the modern heretical movements known under different names such as Dominionism, Latter Rain, the Seven Mountains, the New Apostolic Reformation, Kansas City Prophets, International House of Prayer, et al, it helps to examine the root out of which they grew and morphed into a gigantic tree that covers all the earth as Peter Wagner the "godfather" ( now deceased) described the reach of the branch. Such was the problem faced by the 2 Century chuch fathers under the false doctrine promoted by a man named Montanus. Here is a short exposé of the Montanist heresy. (To read the previous post on the warped theology of Peter Wagner, the Ruling Apostle of the New Reformation click HERE.
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Montanism is a 2nd Century
heresy, still prevalent today, named after its founder, Montanus. Those
who engage in the Montanism heresy sometimes speak of it as “The New
Prophecy.” Montanists hold to most orthodox doctrines in their most
generic forms (except the Sufficency of Scripture), but believe in new
prophecies that are outside of Scripture. Montanus and his followers
believed that the Holy Spirit, it He were active in the life of
believers, would continually give them new prophecies, even after the
closing of the Biblical canon.
Like modern-day charismaticism, many of Montanist prophecies were vague and nebulous in nature, and categorizing them as either true or false were difficult. However, because of the eventual testing of such claims of direct, divine revelation, the first recorded notion of “false prophecy” relating to the Montanists was in 193, in an anonymous letter written about Montanism in Galatia. Eventually, the church recognized Montanism as a heresy in Carthage in 203, although some Church leaders – like Tertullian – defended the sect. Eusebius spoke of Montanus as thus:
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Like modern-day charismaticism, many of Montanist prophecies were vague and nebulous in nature, and categorizing them as either true or false were difficult. However, because of the eventual testing of such claims of direct, divine revelation, the first recorded notion of “false prophecy” relating to the Montanists was in 193, in an anonymous letter written about Montanism in Galatia. Eventually, the church recognized Montanism as a heresy in Carthage in 203, although some Church leaders – like Tertullian – defended the sect. Eusebius spoke of Montanus as thus:
And he [Montanus] became beside himself, and being suddenly in a sort of frenzy and ecstasy,
he raved, and began to babble and utter strange things, prophesying in a
manner contrary to the constant custom of the Church handed down by
tradition from the beginning.1
The comparison to modern charismaticism
cannot be overstated. Modern practitioners of the Montanist heresy
include practicing Continuationists, often Word-Faith ministers, and the
New Apostolic Reformation. Individual Montanists include Kenneth
Copeland, Mike Bickle, Beth Moore, Sarah Young and Ronnie Floyd.
