Rick Joyner is the founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries, a charismatic ministry based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Joyner has become a prominent figure in the Charismatic and New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movements. He is an author, speaker, and self-proclaimed prophet, known for his books, including The Final Quest and The Call, in which he shares visions, prophecies, and spiritual insights that he claims to have received from God. MorningStar Ministries is known for its emphasis on prophetic revelation, supernatural experiences, spiritual warfare, and apostolic authority.
Why Rick Joyner Should Be Regarded as a False Teacher and Avoided
1. Claiming Extrabiblical Revelations and Prophecies
Rick Joyner frequently claims to receive direct revelations, visions, and prophetic messages from God, which he often presents as authoritative and binding for believers. In his books like The Final Quest, Joyner describes elaborate visions that include meetings with biblical figures, angels, and even Jesus Himself. He portrays these encounters as divinely inspired, suggesting that his visions offer unique insights into spiritual truths and end-times events.
However, the Bible teaches that Scripture is complete, sufficient, and authoritative for all matters of faith and practice. Paul wrote, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The apostle John warned against adding to God's Word: "If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book" (Revelation 22:18). By claiming extrabiblical revelations and presenting them as authoritative, Joyner undermines the sufficiency of Scripture and leads people away from the sure foundation of God’s Word.
2. Promoting the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and False Apostolic Authority
Rick Joyner is closely associated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement that teaches that God is raising up modern-day apostles and prophets who possess extraordinary spiritual authority to govern the church. NAR adherents believe that these apostles and prophets receive direct revelation from God, which is necessary for guiding the church into its end-time mission. Joyner has described himself as an apostle and prophet, suggesting that he has a unique anointing and authority over other believers.
The Bible teaches that the office of apostle was unique to the first-century church and was foundational to the establishment of Christian doctrine. The apostles were eyewitnesses of Christ's resurrection and were directly commissioned by Him (Acts 1:21-22; Ephesians 2:20). The idea that there are modern-day apostles with the same authority as the original apostles is unbiblical and leads to spiritual abuse, manipulation, and a distortion of church governance. By promoting the NAR's teachings, Joyner elevates himself to a position of authority that is not biblically warranted and encourages others to submit to his supposed spiritual leadership.
3. Endorsing Unbiblical Practices and Beliefs
Rick Joyner has been known to endorse and promote practices that are inconsistent with biblical teaching, including mystical experiences, spiritual warfare practices, and the pursuit of supernatural manifestations. For example, MorningStar Ministries often emphasizes the pursuit of ecstatic experiences, prophetic utterances, and miraculous signs, which can lead to an unhealthy obsession with the supernatural rather than a focus on the clear teaching of Scripture.
The Bible teaches that true spirituality is rooted in a life of holiness, obedience to God's Word, and submission to the Holy Spirit. While God does perform miracles and works supernaturally, these manifestations are always subject to His will and are never to be pursued as the primary focus of the Christian life. Jesus warned against those who seek after signs: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign" (Matthew 12:39). By promoting an experience-driven faith, Joyner leads people away from the stability of God’s Word and into a dangerous pursuit of subjective experiences.
4. Misleading Eschatology and End-Times Theology
Rick Joyner's teachings are heavily influenced by a form of eschatology that is rooted in the "Dominion Theology" or "Kingdom Now" movement, which teaches that the church is called to establish God's Kingdom on earth before Christ’s return. According to this view, modern apostles and prophets, like Joyner, are tasked with leading the church into victory over societal structures, governmental systems, and spiritual powers, eventually bringing about the reign of Christ on earth.
This teaching contradicts the biblical teaching that Christ's Kingdom will be fully established at His return, not before (Revelation 19:11-16). Jesus Himself declared, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36), and the New Testament consistently teaches that believers are to wait for Christ's return, not to attempt to establish His Kingdom through political or social means. Joyner's eschatology promotes a triumphalist mindset that can lead to false expectations, disappointment, and even spiritual deception.
5. Unbiblical View of Spiritual Warfare and Spiritual Authority
Rick Joyner often promotes an exaggerated and unbiblical view of spiritual warfare, teaching that believers must engage in direct combat with demonic forces, principalities, and territorial spirits. He encourages believers to adopt aggressive tactics to defeat these spiritual enemies, sometimes suggesting that his followers possess a level of spiritual authority that borders on presumptuousness or even arrogance.
The Bible teaches that believers are engaged in spiritual warfare but that our primary weapon is the Word of God, along with prayer, faith, and the righteousness of Christ (Ephesians 6:10-18). We are called to resist the devil and stand firm in the faith, not to engage in reckless spiritual confrontations. Joyner's teachings on spiritual warfare often go beyond the boundaries of biblical instruction, leading people into practices that can be spiritually dangerous, unbalanced, and ultimately ineffective.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible consistently warns against false teachers who distort the truth, claim extrabiblical revelations, or lead others away from the sufficiency of God's Word. Paul wrote, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). Rick Joyner’s teachings, with their emphasis on extrabiblical revelations, false apostolic authority, and unbiblical practices, align with the characteristics of false teachers who lead others into error and deception.
Jesus warned His followers, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15). True teachers of God’s Word will always point people to Christ, call them to repentance, and uphold the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. In contrast, Joyner's teachings often direct people toward his own visions, revelations, and self-proclaimed authority, leading them away from the sure foundation of God's Word.
For these reasons, based on the authority of Scripture, Rick Joyner and MorningStar Ministries should be regarded as false teachers, and their teachings should be avoided. Christians are called to "test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to remain grounded in the truth of God’s Word, which is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12).
The true Gospel is about repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and the transforming power of God’s grace. It calls believers to live lives of holiness, obedience, and submission to Christ’s Lordship, not to pursue mystical experiences, extra-biblical revelations, or false apostolic authority. Therefore, believers should reject Rick Joyner's teachings and remain faithful to the unchanging truth of God’s Word, which offers the way to eternal life, true spiritual freedom, and growth in Christ alone.