NAR extremism: Why don’t leading apostles call it out?

The “apostle” Ian Carroll and pastor Jim Heidrick of Firewheel Church in San Diego lead a team in “grave soaking” at St. Patrick’s grave in Ireland. (Screen capture from the video linked to in the article below.)

Leaders in NAR, such as the “apostles” Randy Clark and Bill Johnson, often take pains to distance their organizations from extreme teachings and practices (even though they promote extreme teachings and practices themselves). So it is noteworthy when they consort with individuals whose views are quite radical, and when they do so without expressing any concerns or misgivings. If they really do not tolerate or promote extreme teachings themselves, then how is it that an “apostle” like Ian Carroll, founder of Building Contenders, can join the Bethel Leaders Network (overseen by Bill Johnson), teach about apostles with Bethel senior leaders (such as Danny Silk and Paul Manwaring), as well as have them endorse his book (As it is in Heaven), and get invited by the influential “apostle” John Arnott to come to the stage and speak during a high-profile NAR event (Catch the Fire’s 20th Anniversary Celebration)? And how is it that Carroll is invited to teach at a church in Randy Clark’s apostolic network, Global Awakening?

Take a look at the disturbing teachings and practices of “apostle” Ian Carroll.

Grave Soaking

In a video filmed at St. Patrick’s grave in Ireland and posted to Carroll’s Facebook page on June 24, 2019, he and Jim Heidrick (the pastor of Firewheel Church in San Diego, California—a Global Awakening church) are shown with a team of several people taking part in a controversial NAR practice known as “grave soaking.” The team visited the grave seeking to receive an “impartation” of St. Patrick’s alleged miraculous anointing to raise the dead. This is clear from the words spoken by Heidrick as he leads the team in a prayer in front of the grave: “We just receive impartation to raise the dead, Lord, to see physical bodies rise. . . . We just receive the impartation from the lineage of St. Patrick.” Clearly, the Global Awakening pastor is on board with the practice (to put it mildly). If you listen carefully at the beginning of the video, you will also hear Heidrick refer to Tyler Johnson, the founder of the NAR “Dead Raising Team” as a “close friend” of his.

Communicating with the Dead

In chapter 7 of his book Seeing the Glory: A Journey into the Mystical Realm, Carroll asks “Can we talk to the dead?” His answer is startling. Yes, we can (although, according to him, deceased believers are not “technically” dead). Here are his words:

What if we don’t technically die? What if we simply step into life with Jesus in a different realm? And if so, those we thought had “died” and gone to be with Jesus aren’t actually dead; they are in the cloud of witnesses of Heaven. So maybe we can talk to them…. Basically, Moses had crossed over…and yet Jesus talked with him. So, is that a precedent for “talking to the dead”? Maybe. . . . I don’t think we should seek out the dead, but what happens when the dead seek us? . . . Within the mystical realm, there might be times when you find yourself seeing or being aware of people who are with Jesus. . . . I don’t want to hear that anyone went out and set up a Christian séance and tried to channel their favorite late prophet. I hope you understand that’s not what I’m suggesting. I am suggesting that we might be missing out on some of Heaven’s messages if we decide that God isn’t big enough to communicate from His side of heaven through those who have gone to live with Him.

In the same chapter, Carroll tells a story about when he saw the deceased prophet Bob Jones.

I have been in meetings when people from the great cloud of witnesses have walked in. Last year in California, a group of prophets had gathered together. I leaned over to Rachel and said, “Bob Jones just walked into the room.”

To be sure, Carroll is not the only NAR leader who has promoted this practice of talking with dead believers. It has actually become rather widespread—a topic for another time.

Commanding Angels

Carroll claims that he has “two-and-a-half” angels assigned by God to serve him: a “strong” and “ripped” angel with wings and a sword (named “Valor”), a fat angel with a monk’s habit and no wings (named “Faith”), and another one who continually stays at Carroll’s house, “looks Middle Eastern,” and reads books all the time. (Two of those angels are with him full time, and one is with him periodically.) Carroll also claims authority to “release” and “commission” his angels, adding that “angels respond to authority. . . . We have authority given to us from heaven that the angels don’t have.” And in chapter 5 of Seeing the Glory, he asks the question, “Can we command angels?” He answers, “I dislike the word command. I do like the word cooperate.” But these are word games, since he doesn’t explain how “releasing” and “commissioning” are any different than giving commands. (To hear Carroll make these claims, watch the following video on YouTube, starting at the 28:00 minute mark: “Angels, Atmospheres, Assignments.”)

Pay-for-Pray and Pay-for-Prophecy Schemes

Go to Ian Carroll’s website and you will see this page titled: “My Anchorite.” It explains that for $750 a month (or $7,500 a year) Carroll’s organization will connect you with an “anchorite”—or “a discreet, designated intercessor, one outside of your relational circles, for specific prayer requests over your ministry, church, business, or family.” In other words, they will provide you with someone who will “intercede” or pray for your “benefit, protection, and breakthrough.” Your intercessor will be “prophetically gifted, trained, and trusted.” Given that they are prophetically gifted, “they will be sharing any impressions, thoughts, revelations, etc. they have had when praying for you.” And don’t worry about the financial commitment, for if you sign up for the monthly plan, you can cancel any time after your first monthly payment. If the idea of paying for someone to pray for you doesn’t sound scammy enough, there’s more. For an extra $120, you can pay for a 30-minute “prophetic session” with one of the organization’s prophets “who will share their sense of what God wants to say.” They know in advance that God will message the paying customer through the prophet-for-hire; presumably, the information revealed will be worthy of the $120.

Questions for Randy Clark and Bill Johnson

So what do Clark, Johnson, and other NAR leaders think of Carroll’s outlandish, extrabiblical teachings and money-making schemes? If they do not approve, why is Carroll admitted into the Bethel Leaders Network, endorsed by Bethel leaders, and invited into Global Awakening churches where he endangers the flock?