The Beliefs of John Robert Stevens

From the time of the Roman emperor Constantine through the Dark Ages, Christianity had fallen away from the purity that it had under the ancient apostolic anointing following Christ’s resurrection. Stevens explained that the restoration of the church is a process of God restoring the congregation of believers to fellowship as it existed under the divine authority and power of the apostles described in the Book of Acts. Peter, in Acts 3:21, spoke of how the heavens must retain Christ until the restoration of all things.

The restoration of the Church includes, among other things, the return of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, the five-fold gift ministries, divine order, discipleship, prophecy, the Kingdom emphasis, and the unity of the Body of Christ. The Church had lost all of these, but today they are being restored by the Lord. As the restoration progressed, new Christian movements developed around these restored truths. Eventually, these movements became established denominations that fought against the next move of God. Stevens was concerned that the churches he founded would not follow this historical trend.

When the divine order began to come forth in the restoration of the Church, everyone became angry with it. Because each movement lasts an average of thirty-five years, we want to be careful that we are not shaken up in the next great thing that comes along. Whatever it is, I want to be in it. I am going to go on.¹

Stevens taught that God is still moving today to complete the final steps in the restoration of the Church. He encouraged the believer to be a “fresh wineskin,” (Matthew 9:17) always looking to receive newly restored truths from God’s Word, and walk in the fullness of His light day-by-day.

Stevens mentioned the restoration of the Church 458 times in his written materials.