An ATS Seminarian's Ecstatic Encounter at the Resting Place: House of Prayer and Revival Center and An ATS Seminarian's Summer Immersion into Shores of Grace: NAR Ministry
In this article you will meet Maddy, a twenty-seven year old ATS seminarian, who genuinely desires a deeper walk with the Lord. Now, as Maddy goes after these experiences, she describes them in the Nyack "New York's Christian College" official blog called "Life at Nyack." It is here one can read her astounding story of her encounter with the man with the piercing sword as well as other stories of her spiritual quests.
Maddy Recruits for ATS
Who is Maddy? Maddy is a third year seminary student who, up to this past summer, was the Admissions Associate for ATS. In "Why ATS?!", Maddy records just who she is, "I am that enthusiastic face found behind a table, a banner, and a whole lot of ATS and Nyack College material at an event or church. And I am that woman who prays, encourages, and answers the tough questions and lends a listening ear to ... prospective students of the Alliance Theological Seminary."
Maddy further writes, " ... for me recruiting ... isn't something I do out of obligation. I recruit for ATS because I strongly believe in everything the ... seminary has to offer." Maddy continues, "As a student of the Master's of Divinity program God has literally shaken and is in the process of shaking everything that can be shaken within me." A bit later, she reveals two of the places where this "shaking" has been going on. She says, "... through lecture after lecture in courses like 'PPTF' and in 'Initiation to Spiritual Formation,' I truly began to understand who it is that God says I am."
http://life.nyack.edu/why-ats/
Maddy Retreats to the Resting Place
In Maddy's blog "Fearless" one finds Maddy at the Resting Place: House of Prayer and Revival Center which she writes is, "... a house of prayer where many Nyack and ATS students frequent."
http://life.nyack.edu/fearless/ And just where is this House of Prayer that Maddy frequents, and what is it all about?
For answers I researched this site: http://www.restingplacehop.com/about. Below "About" I read: The Resting Place is a House of Prayer and Revival Center in Northern New Jersey "... where we come together to seek His face, believe for encounter, to see heaven come down to earth, and work to hasten/catalyze the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." Its Mission: Its purpose the site says is committed to building a 24/7 prayer room and developing schools of ministry on the place of Night and Day prayer.
Its Friends: Bethel Church, Redding; Bill Johnson; Bob Jones; Che An; John and Carol Arnott; Kansas City IHOP; Lou Engle; Mike Bickle; Heidi Baker; Rick Joyner; Randy Clark; and other NAR stalwarts. Its Teaching and Podcast Suggestions: Bethel Church podcast, YWAM Fire and Fragrance DTS Podcasts, Weekend Teaching KC IHOP, IHOP Atlanta Podcast, IHOP Atlanta Awakening, and Personal Spiritual Formation by Ron Walborn.
http://restingplacehop.weebly.com/teaching--podcasts.html
Maddy Tells Her "Pierced by Love" Story
Maddy begins her story by saying she was lying face down on the floor of the Resting Place (And Maddy inserts "lots of Nyack College students and ATS students visit this place.") crying. She felt as if she wanted to run, sit on God's lap, and hug him but this was impossible. But, God must have felt the sentiments of her heart, relates Maddy, for she was overwhelmed by a great sense of love and longing. Maddy writes, "I felt this love wrap around me like a tight, strong-passion-filled love."
And in a mystical St.Teresa-of-Avila-like-moment Maddy sees a man clothed in white garments with a golden belt round His waist, and hanging off his belt was a sword with the words "Love" carved into it. This man had piercing light emanating from his eyes so Maddy could not look. Then this man took "His sword," says Maddy, and pierced me with it. Seconds later, the leader of the Resting Place, Mr. Ali Ferrell, was at her side, saying, "He (Jesus) wants to pierce you with his Holy love ...."
http://life.nyack.edu/pierced-by-love/
Maddy Embraces Dr. Rob Reimer's Challenge
Now, what had Maddy been doing just prior to this ecstatic encounter? Why Maddy had been reading Dr. Rob Reimer's book: Pathways to the King. In chapter two "Pursue God," she had read Reimer's instructions on how to initiate intimacy with God. As a result Maddy declares, "I took on the challenge of pursuing God." Then as Reimer instructs, she says, "I have been sacrificing: time, money, hanging out, etc. to seek the face of God." What a travesty that Maddy drank in Reimer's prescription for pursuing God.
For a review of Pathways to the King -where I warn of the deception in this book- please see:
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=15480
Maddy Attends a Holy Spirit Conference
In "Abuser of God's Grace" Maddy tells how many ATS friends made the annual trek to "The Holy Spirit Conference" at Dr. Rob Reimer's CMA's South Shore Community Church in Brockton, Ma. There she set up her table with materials to sell more potential students on the wonders of ATS. It was Dr. Martin Sander's night to preach, and the line that stood out to Maddy was: "some of us are abusers of God grace." Later during prayer a friend said, "God is saying thank you, thank you for acknowledging me." http://life.nyack.edu/abuser-of-gods-grace/
Maddy Goes to NAR Shores of Grace, Brazil
Maddy's entitles her next blog: "Taking a Risk." In it she records her upcoming summer graduate course, second continent experience (ATS MIA IC),where she will be part of God's rescue mission for the vulnerable at the Randy Clark Global School of Ministry offshoot "Shores of Grace."
Mandy seems to be reechoing the words of Dr. Ron Walborn's Nyack: New York Christian College piece "Alliance Theological Seminary" where the dean quoted John Wimber when he said, "'Faith is spelled R-I-S-K.'" With God's grace and the Spirit's empowerment, Alliance Theological Seminary will launch hundreds of leaders ... to advance His Kingdom and bring back Christ our Coming King."
http://life.nyack.edu/adventure-into-the-unknown/
Maddy Listens to Mama Heidi Baker
Maddy's piece "Amor Parce com Algo" finds Maddy one week into her Brazilian rescue mission listening to NAR prophetess Heidi Baker and pondering Baker's words, "Love looks like something." Maddy, at this point, didn't know what to expect, and was filled with uncertainties. But, during this time she was about to absorb the words from a book she had ordered that her professor- mentor Dr. Rob Reimer recommended. That book, not the Bible, was going to make a big difference in preparing her for what was to come. http://life.nyack.edu/lovelookslikesomething/
A Look at Maddy's Shores of Grace NAR Ministry Base
As I researched, it was soon apparent that "Shores of Grace" was not a CMA ministry, but a full-blown New Apostolic Reformation base of which Maddy was to be part of for ten weeks. Reading further, according to its leader Nic Billman, SOG had begun under Randy Clark's Global School of Supernatural Ministry.
And much like the Resting Place:HOP, Billman lists various NAR endorsements, heroes, friends, churches, and products. Two of several endorsers were Randy Clark, and Patricia King. Three of its many heroes include Heidi Baker, Patricia King, and Kevin Prosch. (Now, it made sense why Maddy was listening to Mama Heidi for even the Billman children, their site says, list Heidi as their hero.) Some friends listed were: "We See Jesus Ministries," Lubbock IHOP, Philadelphia Tabernacle of David, and a host of others. ("We See Jesus Ministries!"-- this made me recall that Maddy had written about her 2013 Christmas vacation ministry in Haiti with NAR's Adam LiVecchi.)
http://shoresofgrace.com/en/about-us/leadership
On top of NAR partners and connections, the Billmans are prolific NAR worship musicians featured on Randy Clark's Global Awakening Book Store saying, "For years, people have talked about the new sounds coming, the reality is that we ARE the new sound that God is releasing on the earth." A Billman CD is simply entitled, "A Soaking CD;" while another "Anthem CD" is filled with intimate love songs, prophetic degrees, and intercessory warfare.
https://globalawakeningstore.com/Nic-and-Rachael-Billman/
Sad it is that Maddy gains ATS credit by freely serving with these NAR ministries, and that she was allowed to write openly on a blog that is meant to entice new students to Nyack. And even more troubling is how these experiences have so profoundly influenced Maddy herself as she madly chases God at every turn.
Maddy Experiences a "Dark Night of the Soul"
Maddy started her "Sometimes My Time in Brazil Is Like a Dark Night of the Soul" Life at Nyack blog with a NAR musician Rick Pino quote, "Through the dark night of the soul there is still a bride coming forth."
Again, here was another- new to me NAR celebrity- who I learned is the founder of Fire Rain Ministries whose music is said to be militant, joyful, intimate, and prophetic. He's cofounder, too, of "Fire on the Altar" a fifty-hour non-stop worship service in the heart of the tabernacle of David And he also leads the "Heart of David (HOD)" School of ministry. HOD is a movement of musicianaries who are raising up day and night worship to transform cities, regions, and nations. Rick Pino also performs with many other NAR celebs as Cindy Jacob, Lou Engle, Jose Diaz, Matt Gilman, Dutch Sheets, Heidi Baker, and others. Sadly, Pino is but one more NARite who has influenced Maddy.
In her blog Maddy spells out, how Dr. Rob Reimer's recommendation of the book : Mansions of the Heart had prepared her for hard times she had at SOG that she dubbed her own "dark night of the soul."
The term "dark night of the soul," is associated with St. John of the Cross, a contemporary of St. Teresa of Avila, who lived during the sixteenth century in Spain. It is in Ashbrook's book --so filled with its monasteries, monks, and mysticism--that Ashbrook spends considerable time explaining the necessity of the "dark night of the soul." And after swallowing this teaching, at the end of her SOG time, Maddy shares, "I see a bride coming forth. I see the beauty of the kingdom on the inside of me." http://life.nyack.edu/author/madelyn-badillo/
For my in depth review of Mansions of the Heart please see:
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=16011
Maddy Writes Her last Official "Life at Nyack Blog"
Maddy's final blog "Get Over Your Self" was written after her return from SOG. In it she shows a picture of the NAR Billmans, and praises their ministry. Maddy goes on to say, that once again, she has finally surrendered her all, and gotten over herself for good. Is Maddy sincere? Yes, I'd say Maddy is totally sincere. Has Maddy been compromised? I'd answer emphatically yes! For she's been influenced over and over again by the experiences she is having at that very moment. And no one warns her of the deceptiveness of the contemplative, and NAR movements into which her professors, her mentor, and her seminary has thrust her.
http://life.nyack.edu/get-over-yourself/
How Many More Maddys Are There?
In conclusion, I would ask how many more Maddys are there being driven about by every wind of doctrine that has entered our Christian colleges? How many more Maddys will be seduced by these unscriptural experiences, and upon exiting college or seminary will spread them even farther? I fear many, much like Maddy, will be led down wrong paths unless passionate believers awaken to stand for truth! May you and I, as Paul wrote to the Colossians, "...continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel ..." (Colossians 1:23) And, may we be fervent defenders of the faith!
Learn to Discern Granny Verses: Ephesians 4:14,15
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"
For More Information:
*January 2015: Volume III: "Wide Is the Gate" DVD -an expose of the NAR Movement by caryltv.com. http://www.caryltv.com/dvd-previews/222-wide-is-the-gate-volume-iii
*February 6, 2015: Excellent podcast/transcript on Berean Call: T.A. McMahon interviews Caryl Matrisciana about her "Wide Is the Gate Volume III" DVD.
http://www.thebereancall.org/content/new-agejust-old-news-caryl-matrisciana-part-2
* February 11, 2015: "An Insider's View of the 2015 Jesus Culture Conference ..." A description of NAR Music/Speakers. http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=16933
