#402 Skillet’s John and Korey Cooper Break Their Silence About NAR & Church Abuse

About this episode

For the first time, John and Korey Cooper of the Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock band Skillet are breaking their silence about the church abuse that devastated their family and turned their community against them. For years, the Coopers were deeply embedded in Korey’s lifelong church, never realizing that its leadership embraced beliefs and practices associated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Those beliefs weren't clearly disclosed, but as John and Korey began to understand what was really being taught and practiced behind the scenes, they started asking questions—and everything changed. What followed were prophetic words, accusations, pressure to submit to spiritual authority, fractured family relationships, and efforts to turn members of their own community against them. With Korey’s brother-in-law serving as the church’s “apostle” and her father remaining an elder, walking away came at an enormous personal cost. We also examine the theology and practices of the NAR, the dangers of unaccountable spiritual authority, how prophetic claims can be used to manipulate people, and what happens when questioning church leaders is treated as questioning God. In