Dr. Matthew Taylor, a scholar of religion and politics, dives into the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and its surprising sway over modern evangelicalism and U.S. politics. He reveals how influential televangelists like Paula White and Lance Wallnau helped deliver Trump’s presidency. The conversation explores the blend of prophecy, celebrity culture, and populist theology that shapes this movement. Taylor critiques the evangelical elites' dismissal of NAR leaders and discusses the implications of Christian supremacy in American political power.
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insights INSIGHT
Media Blind Spot on Charismatics
Mainstream media and evangelical elites often avoid or misunderstand Pentecostal charismatic movements.
This creates a blind spot about NAR’s political and spiritual influence.
insights INSIGHT
Origins of the New Apostolic Reformation
Professor C. Peter Wagner coined the term New Apostolic Reformation, believing apostles and prophets would lead a global church revival.
The NAR emerged in the mid-1990s with a goal to reform and renew the church through these leaders.
insights INSIGHT
The Seven Mountain Mandate
Lance Wallnau’s Seven Mountain Mandate urges Christians to take control of seven societal spheres.
This mandate radicalized NAR towards dominion theology and political engagement.
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What if the most politically influential Christian leaders in America aren’t the ones you’ve heard of?
In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Matthew D. Taylor joins Dru Johnson to explain how the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and related charismatic networks reshaped modern evangelicalism—and helped deliver the presidency to Donald Trump. Taylor, a scholar of religion and politics, traces how televangelists, prophets, and apostolic leaders operating outside denominational structures built a new Christian populist movement with real spiritual and political power.
Far from being fringe actors, these leaders—like Paula White and Lance Wallnau—hold enormous sway through media networks and prophetic authority. Taylor explores how modern prophecy, celebrity culture, and populist theology have created a system resistant to critique, driven by revival language and unregulated influence. He explains why evangelical elites misjudged the NAR’s reach and how their dismissal of these leaders as “hucksters” only deepened the divide.
00:00 Introduction to the New Apostolic Reformation Movement
02:50 Understanding Pushback and Misconceptions
05:46 Defining the New Apostolic Reformation
09:21 The Role of Charismatic Leaders in Politics
12:10 Trump and the Evangelical Connection
15:09 The Seven Mountain Mandate and Its Implications
18:05 Cyrus Prophecy and Its Significance
21:14 The Divide Between Evangelical Elites and Grassroots
26:19 Theological Divides in Modern Evangelicalism
27:40 Historical Context of Evangelicalism
29:06 Populism and the Rise of Trump
31:29 Scriptural Interpretation and Prophecy
35:19 The Role of Modern Prophecy
38:33 Leadership Dynamics in Non-Denominational Spaces
43:41 Christian Nationalism vs. Christian Supremacy
46:35 The Early Church's Ethos vs. Modern Power
50:58 Path Forward for Evangelicals
The Biblical Mind 
