What I’m about to do is introduce you to some concepts – real, true theology and ideology – held by some of the most influential people in America.  An extremely dangerous ideology and theology that will tear true Christianity apart if we allow it.  I’m going to talk about what it is, why it’s appealing to people, why it’s dangerous, and finally – if it bears good fruit or bad.

The Weaponization of Christianity and Dominion Theology in the MAGA Era

I. Introduction: Faith as Weapon

Christianity has always carried a paradox in American history. It has been used to abolish slavery and to defend it; to justify wars and to inspire pacifism; to champion civil rights and to oppose them. In each of these cases, Scripture itself was not the problem but its selective, weaponized use.

In our present moment, the Evangelical MAGA Right provides the latest and most aggressive example of this weaponization. Here, Christianity is not primarily a matter of discipleship or service but of partisan loyalty, cultural warfare, and dominionist conquest. The result is a distorted faith that exalts political power over Christlike fruit.

Jesus, however, gave the measure for true discipleship: “By their fruits you will recognize them” (Matt. 7:16). Paul sharpened this standard by listing the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23). These are the evidences of authentic Christianity. The question that must be asked of dominionist theology and the MAGA movement is simple: does it bear this fruit, or does it bear something very different?

This essay argues that the MAGA Right’s weaponization of Christianity is rooted in Dominion Theology, operationalized through the Seven Mountains Mandate and the New Apostolic Reformation, and most recently illustrated in the sacralization of Charlie Kirk’s tragic death. At every point, we must apply the biblical test of fruit to discern whether these movements flow from Christ—or from a diseased root. 

II. The Weaponization of Christianity in the MAGA Movement

A. The Idolatry of Politics

The idolatrous character of MAGA Christianity is often visible in its symbols. At CPAC 2021, attendees unveiled a golden statue of Donald Trump. Many posed for photographs, cheered, and even laid hands on the figure. The imagery is unmistakable: a golden idol paraded before the faithful (see Exodus 32).

God’s first commandment was clear: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol” (Exod. 20:3–4). Yet in MAGA Christianity, loyalty to Trump often functions as a test of orthodoxy more binding than loyalty to Christ himself. Pastors and leaders have been denounced as traitors for criticizing Trump, while his own documented sins—adultery, dishonesty, cruelty—are excused or ignored.

Jesus declared, “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24). Christians cannot serve both Christ and political idols. But in the MAGA movement, political loyalty routinely eclipses spiritual fidelity. The fruit is hypocrisy: condemning others for immorality while excusing immorality in one’s own leader (Heb. 13:4).

B. The Sacrament of Cruelty

MAGA religion’s core sacrament can be described as “the systemic ritualized abuse of the other”.

This assessment is borne out in policy and rhetoric. Immigration crackdowns, family separations at the border, and dehumanizing language—such as Trump’s infamous claim that Haitian immigrants were “eating your pets”—are justified not as cruelty but as echoes of divine justice.

The underlying logic is theological: if God will punish billions eternally, then cruelty in the present is trivial by comparison. Eternal torment becomes the template, and temporal cruelty becomes its imitation.

But Jesus explicitly rejected this logic. He warned: “By their fruits you will recognize them” (Matt. 7:16–20). The fruit of authentic Christianity is compassion: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27). The apostle John adds, “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17).

By these standards, systemic cruelty is not a mark of authentic faith but a betrayal of it. True Christianity bears the fruit of love, mercy, and justice. MAGA Christianity, by contrast, bears the fruit of arrogance, entitlement, and dehumanization.

III. Dominion Theology: The Diseased Root

Dominion Theology provides the theological root system for this weaponization. While it appears in multiple forms, its basic conviction is that Christians are mandated by God to rule over every sphere of society. To understand why it is so dangerous, we must explore its history, its core claims, its appeal, and its contradictions with biblical teaching.

A. Historical Development

Modern Dominion Theology emerged through Christian Reconstructionism in the mid-20th century. Rousas John Rushdoony’s The Institutes of Biblical Law (1973) argued that Old Testament civil laws should govern modern states, including capital punishment for offenses like adultery, homosexuality, and blasphemy. His vision was nothing short of a Christian theocracy.

Though fringe, Rushdoony influenced thinkers like Gary North and Greg Bahnsen, who expanded the theonomic project. In the 1980s, Francis Schaeffer gave these ideas mainstream traction in his book A Christian Manifesto, warning of secular humanism’s cultural dominance and calling Christians to reclaim America.

In the 1990s, C. Peter Wagner reconfigured dominionism into a charismatic mold. Instead of focusing on biblical law, Wagner emphasized apostolic governance and spiritual warfare, laying the foundation for the New Apostolic Reformation.

From Rushdoony to Schaeffer to Wagner, the trajectory is clear: Dominion Theology moved from a theocratic vision of law, to a cultural call to arms, to a charismatic movement with apostles and prophets.

B. Core Theological Claims

Dominion Theology rests on three central claims:

1. The Dominion Mandate (Gen. 1:28) – Humanity was commanded to “have dominion.” Dominionists interpret this as a call for believers to rule nations and cultures, not merely steward creation.
2. Loss and Recovery of Dominion – Dominion was forfeited to Satan at the Fall. Christ’s work restores it, but only as the church actively reclaims rule over the world.
3. Postmillennial Vision – Instead of expecting decline and tribulation, dominionists believe society will be progressively Christianized until Christ returns to an already-subdued world.

The logic is unmistakable: if Christians do not seize power, Christ cannot return.  This heresy is clear:  The power to bring Christ back to earth lies with humans in this theology – whereas the truth is that Christ will return when he is ready – regardless of the dominion Christians have on earth.  Furthermore, revelation states clearly that people will be persecuted and the tribulation will take place.

C. Why It Appeals

Dominion Theology is appealing because:

• It offers certainty in an age of cultural confusion.
• It gives Christians a sense of empowerment, turning them from victims into rulers.
• It resonates with nationalism, making political victories feel like spiritual triumphs.

This is intoxicating for communities that feel culturally marginalized.  But it’s also dangerous for those with little to no belief, who hijack this pseudo Christianity for their own power.

D. Why It’s Dangerous

1. Biblical Danger – Jesus explicitly rejected worldly dominion when Satan offered him the kingdoms of the world (Matt. 4:8–10). He declared, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). He defined greatness as servanthood, not domination (Matt. 20:25–28). Dominion Theology inverts every one of these teachings.
2. Political Danger – It undermines pluralism, delegitimizes dissent, and sacralizes authoritarianism. If Christians must rule, then non-Christians have no rightful place in public life.  Furthermore, if a ruler is divinely in authority, who is anyone else to go against their ruling or opinion?
3. Historical Danger – History shows that whenever religion weds state power, the result is persecution, corruption, and violence. From the Inquisition to Puritan theocracies, the fruits have been consistently bitter.

E. The Fruit Test

Jesus warned: “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matt. 7:17). Dominion Theology’s fruit is coercion, arrogance, and violence—not love, joy, or peace. True dominion belongs to Christ alone, who conquered not through a sword or a senate but through a cross (Phil. 2:5–11).

By biblical measure, Dominion Theology is a diseased root.

IV. The Seven Mountains Mandate: The Blueprint of Capture

If Dominion Theology is the diseased root, the Seven Mountains Mandate (7M) is the trellis it climbs upon. It translates abstract theology into a tangible battle plan for cultural conquest. The mandate claims that Christians must ascend and dominate seven “mountains” of influence: family, government, education, media, business, arts & entertainment, and religion.

A. Historical Origins

The imagery of seven mountains was first articulated in the 1970s when Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, and Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With a Mission, both claimed God revealed to them that seven spheres of society must be transformed for effective evangelization. Their vision was largely focused on influence through presence, not coercive control.

But in the hands of C. Peter Wagner and Lance Wallnau, the imagery shifted. Wallnau, in particular, popularized the Seven Mountains Mandate as a literal strategy of conquest. He taught that whoever “controls the top of the mountain” controls the culture. Influence was no longer enough; domination became the mandate.

Thus, what began as a metaphor for presence became a militarized blueprint for power.

B. The Mandate as Marching Orders

“Mandate means marching orders… we are supposed to do this.”

It is presented as a divine command, with disobedience framed as dereliction.

The choice of “mountains” is telling. Mountains symbolize superiority, vantage, rule. To be at the top is to see all, direct all, and command all. This image stands in stark contrast to Christ’s words: “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matt. 23:11). The Seven Mountains Mandate glorifies ascendancy where Christ glorified descent.

C. The Seven Areas of Capture

1. Family – Framed narrowly as the heterosexual nuclear family, this mountain has been used to justify opposition to LGBTQ rights, abortion, and gender equality.
2. Government – Dominionist candidates are urged to run for office, dominate legislatures, and rewrite laws in line with biblical morality.
3. Education – School boards and curricula are battlegrounds, with efforts to inject creationism, censor history, and dismantle “secular” content.
4. Media – From conservative talk radio to networks like Fox News, media is seen as a mountain to conquer, with mainstream journalism vilified as demonic.  This means that any journalism that in any way differs from pushing one or more of these areas forward is demonic.
5. Business/Economy – Wealth accumulation is treated as a kingdom tool; CEOs and entrepreneurs are framed as “apostles of finance.”  Just take a moment to let that sink in.  Billionaires who hoard their money, these are the apostles of finance.  Remember when Jesus told the rich man to give away all his possessions?  Yeah this is the opposite of that.
6. Arts & Entertainment – Hollywood and music are demonized as corrupt, fueling the production of Christian films, censorship campaigns, and boycotts.  Again, this means that any art or entertainment that in any way differs from pushing one or more of these areas forward is demonic.
7. Religion – Apostolic networks and megachurches enforce the theology and expand the mandate’s influence across denominations.  You hear that?  Do you attend a small church that is Methodist?  Baptist?  Something else?  Too bad.  Your church must follow THIS RELIGION.

Each mountain is treated as occupied territory. The language of conquest—take, capture, subdue—marks a militarization of the Christian mission.

D. Why It Appeals

The Seven Mountains Mandate is appealing because it simplifies the world into seven neat categories, gives believers a sense of divine purpose, and promises cultural supremacy in exchange for obedience. For Christians feeling culturally marginalized, it offers a map out of perceived decline: climb the mountains and win the war.

But this sense of clarity and empowerment is not the gospel; it is a counterfeit hope.

E. Why It’s Dangerous

The danger of the Seven Mountains Mandate is that it sacralizes authoritarianism. If Christians must rule these mountains by divine decree, then opposition is not mere disagreement but rebellion against God. This framing justifies censorship, exclusion, and persecution of dissenters.

Biblically, this mandate is indefensible. Jesus never instructed his disciples to capture Rome’s senate, Caesar’s palace, or the cultural elite. Instead, he told them to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13–14)—a preserving influence, not a dominating power. Paul urged believers to “aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands” (1 Thess. 4:11). These verses describe humble presence, not cultural conquest.

The true “mountain of the Lord,” Isaiah writes, is Zion, where “the nations shall stream” to be taught by God himself (Isa. 2:2–4). The Seven Mountains Mandate, by contrast, substitutes Washington, Wall Street, and Hollywood as the new Zion—an act of idolatry cloaked in mission.

F. The Fruit Test

The fruits of this mandate are telling: pride, coercion, exclusion. These are not the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus humbled himself, “taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7). The Seven Mountains Mandate exalts itself, demanding rule.

By their fruits, they are known. And by this fruit, the mandate is exposed as counterfeit.

V. The New Apostolic Reformation: The Command Structure

If Dominion Theology is the diseased root and the Seven Mountains Mandate the blueprint, then the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is the command structure that enforces both. It gives dominionism not only theology and tactics, but generals and soldiers.

A. Origins and Development

The NAR was named by C. Peter Wagner in the 1990s. Wagner observed a rising movement of independent charismatic churches outside denominational hierarchies, and proclaimed it a “new reformation”—the most radical restructuring of Christianity since Martin Luther.

Unlike Protestantism’s return to Scripture, however, the NAR emphasized new apostles and prophets who claimed ongoing authority and revelation. Wagner himself described apostles as “first in order” and prophets as “second”.

This framework provided dominionism with an organizational backbone.

Prominent leaders within the NAR include Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, Ché Ahn of Harvest Rock, and Lou Engle of The Call. Together they represent a loose global network of apostolic leaders wielding immense spiritual and political influence.

B. Core Teachings

1. Apostolic Governance – Apostles govern and direct churches, cities, even nations. Their authority is often treated as unquestionable.
2. Prophetic Authority – Prophets deliver revelation for communities and nations. Failed prophecies are excused rather than disqualifying.
3. Spiritual Warfare – Nations and institutions are believed to be ruled by “territorial spirits” that must be defeated by intercessory warfare.
4. Kingdom Now Eschatology – Believers must subdue the world so that Christ can return. This creates urgency for political activism.

C. Why It Appeals

The NAR appeals because it offers:

• Certainty – Leaders claim direct words from God.
• Spiritual Energy – Worship is ecstatic, charged with prophecy and healing.
• Community and Purpose – Followers feel part of an army on the frontlines of history.
• Political Relevance – Prophecies connect spiritual battles directly to elections, policy, and national identity.

In a fragmented and anxious age, this combination is magnetic.

D. Why It’s Dangerous

1. Cult-Like Authority – Self-appointed apostles exercise power without accountability. Financial exploitation and spiritual abuse often result.
2. Failed Prophecies – In 2020, scores of prophets declared Trump would win reelection. Their failure undermines biblical credibility, for “if the word does not come to pass… the Lord has not spoken it” (Deut. 18:22).
3. Scriptural Undermining – By elevating new apostles above Scripture, NAR shifts authority away from God’s Word. Paul warned: “Do not go beyond what is written” (1 Cor. 4:6).
4. Militant Rhetoric – Warfare metaphors bleed into politics, demonizing opponents as agents of Satan rather than fellow citizens.  This demonization doesn’t stop with believers of another faith.  It extends to everyone, including Christians, as long as they are not following the “true faith” as instructed by their leader.

E. Scriptural Contrasts

• False Apostles – “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen” (2 Cor. 11:13).
• False Prophets – “Beware of false prophets… you will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15–16).
• True Apostolic Example – Paul modeled weakness, suffering, and humility (2 Cor. 11:23–28), not wealth and dominion.

Jesus washed his disciples’ feet (John 13:14). NAR leaders often demand homage instead. The contrast is sharp.

F. The Fruit Test

Does the NAR produce the Spirit’s fruit (Gal. 5:22–23)? Or does it produce authoritarianism, pride, failed prophecy, and division? The evidence is clear: its fruits are rotten.

G. Conclusion of Section V

The New Apostolic Reformation supplies dominionism with its leadership caste—a hierarchy of apostles and prophets who claim divine authority to mobilize believers for cultural conquest. But by Scripture’s measure, it embodies the very false authority Jesus and Paul warned against. Its fruit reveals its nature: not a reformation of Christ’s church, but a deformation into a movement that seeks to rule rather than serve.

The true demonic faith isn’t the outsider, it’s Dominionism and everything about it. Beware the apostles of this faith, for their words may be those of demons.

VI. Charlie Kirk’s Death and Political Sacralization

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, charging him with aggravated murder and firearm offenses. The news stunned the political world, as Kirk had become one of the most visible faces of Gen-Z conservatism. Within hours, the narrative surrounding his death began to shift from mourning to sacralization.

A. Immediate Response and Public Mourning

Political and civic leaders expressed shock and grief. Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the act “political assassination” and urged an end to violence in public life. Lawmakers across the aisle called the event “devastating” and “heartbreaking.”

Yet within days, the language around Kirk’s death shifted dramatically. At a national memorial in Glendale, Arizona, tens of thousands gathered to hear tributes from President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and numerous conservative figures. From the stage, Kirk was hailed as a “martyr,” “warrior,” and “immortal”. Commentator Benny Johnson declared: “Charlie Kirk is now a martyr. His power will only grow.”

His widow, Erika Kirk, took a strikingly different posture. While vowing to continue her husband’s mission, she also publicly forgave the alleged shooter: “That young man, I forgive him.” Her words echoed Christ’s prayer on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

B. Sacralization of Kirk’s Death

1. Martyrdom Narrative
   Within conservative media, Kirk’s death was quickly reframed not just as a tragedy but as a sacred sacrifice. Leaders described him as “MAGA’s first martyr,” a man whose blood would water the seeds of revival and political resurgence. By invoking martyr language, his death was woven into a broader dominionist narrative: the struggle for America is not merely political but spiritual, and Kirk’s life—and death—become proof of the battle.
2. Mobilization of the Movement
   Attendance at churches and rallies surged. Conservative influencers declared Kirk’s assassination a call to arms. Fundraising appeals poured in. Memorial merchandise proliferated—coffee shops, apparel, even bumper stickers invoking his name. What should have remained a solemn moment of reflection became an engine of political and economic mobilization.
3. Weaponized Grief
   Grief was converted into fuel. Instead of lament leading to humility, it became a rallying cry for cultural warfare. One transcript described this process as the “sacrament of escalation”—a grief ritual that does not soften hearts but hardens them toward battle.

C. Biblical Martyrdom vs. Dominionist Martyrdom

This sacralization is dangerous because it distorts the meaning of martyrdom. In Scripture, a martyr (martys) is a witness to Christ who suffers and dies for faithfulness to the gospel.

• Stephen (Acts 7:54–60), the first Christian martyr, prayed for his killers: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
• Paul described his sufferings not as victories of power but as weaknesses through which Christ’s strength was revealed (2 Cor. 11:23–30).
• Jesus himself rebuked Peter for drawing the sword, declaring, “Put your sword back in its place… all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52).

True martyrdom is defined by witness, humility, and forgiveness. By contrast, dominionist martyrdom turns death into proof of cultural war. It transforms the victim into a rallying banner, not a witness to Christ.  If Kirk was a witness to Christ, those who used his death to politicize it risk ruining his name for the agenda of dominionism.  Though they do not and will not see it as such.

Thus, where Scripture calls martyrdom to point us to Christ’s cross, dominionist martyrdom points us to political conquest. It shifts focus from the Cross to the Cause.

D. The Fruit Test of Kirk’s Death

If we apply the biblical test of fruit to the responses, two divergent patterns appear:

• Erika Kirk’s Forgiveness – Her act of extending grace to her husband’s alleged killer reflects the fruit of the Spirit: love, peace, kindness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23). It echoes the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7).
• Movement’s Escalation – The larger political response bore fruit of anger, division, and vengeance. Rhetoric of war and conquest dominated speeches and media coverage. This is the opposite of Christ’s teaching: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them” (Rom. 12:14).

By their fruits, they are known. The biblical fruit of martyrdom is reconciliation; the dominionist fruit of martyrdom is escalation.

E.  Conclusion of Section VI

Charlie Kirk’s death is undeniably tragic. But its weaponization reveals the heart of dominionist theology in practice: grief itself becomes a tool for conquest. The language of martyrdom is co-opted, not to honor Christ, but to sanctify political warfare.

This distortion highlights the profound danger of Dominion Theology. It is not content merely to shape theology or politics—it reshapes even the meaning of death. True Christianity calls us to forgive, lament, and bear witness in weakness. Dominionist Christianity calls us to avenge, conquer, and bear witness in strength.

In the end, the question is not simply how Charlie Kirk died, but what his death has been made to mean. By biblical standards, its sacralization reveals once again the diseased fruit of a diseased tree.

VII. Theological and Constitutional Implications

A. Theological Distortion

Dominion Theology and its subcomponents fundamentally distort the gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead of announcing a kingdom “not of this world” (John 18:36), they proclaim a kingdom of this world to be seized by force. Instead of teaching that “the meek shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5), they exalt those who climb to the top of cultural mountains. Instead of pointing to the cross as the victory of God, they point to elections, legislation, and political triumph.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) describes the true marks of the kingdom: poverty of spirit, mercy, peacemaking, purity of heart, hunger for righteousness. Dominionism produces the opposite: pride of spirit, cruelty, warfare, lust for power, and hunger for dominance.

The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) should be the evidence of God’s presence. But Dominionism substitutes the fruit with power, anger, and idolatry. It does not lead people to Christ but to a counterfeit kingdom in his name.

B. Constitutional Tensions

The danger of Dominion Theology is not only theological but civic. The American Constitution rests on pluralism, protecting the free exercise of religion for all. The First Amendment assumes no church will dominate the state, and no state will impose religion.

Dominionism, however, denies this arrangement. By insisting that Christians alone have a divine right to rule, it subverts the very constitutional order that guarantees freedom of conscience.

Paul urged believers to pray for rulers “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim. 2:2). The dominionist project inverts this, seeking not quiet faith but militant control. It would replace liberty with coercion, turning religious freedom into religious hegemony.

The constitutional result of dominionism would be tyranny of the majority cloaked in divine mandate. The theological result would be a church yoked to the state—a church stripped of its prophetic witness, reduced to the chaplain of empire.

C. The Weaponization of Grief

Charlie Kirk’s death illustrates how this plays out in real time. Instead of uniting citizens in mourning, his death is being weaponized to rally the faithful into further conquest. Grief becomes political capital. Martyrdom becomes justification for escalation.

This is the final, chilling implication of dominionism: nothing is sacred, not even death. Every event is absorbed into the machine of conquest. But Scripture warns that such exploitation is a betrayal of Christ himself. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).

VIII. Conclusion: Fruit as the Final Test

The Evangelical MAGA Right insists it is reclaiming America for Christ. Dominion Theology insists it is fulfilling God’s original mandate. The Seven Mountains Mandate insists Christians must conquer every sphere of culture. The New Apostolic Reformation insists apostles and prophets must govern the church and nations. And in the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, these convictions are revealed in their fullest form: even grief is turned into a sacrament of political escalation.

But the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches otherwise. True Christianity is not recognized by conquest, but by fruit:

• “By their fruits you will know them” (Matt. 7:20).
• The fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23).
• Jesus washed his disciples’ feet (John 13:14). Dominionism demands to sit on thrones.
• Jesus bore a cross. Dominionism seizes a crown.

The test is clear. By the biblical measure, the fruits of dominionism are not those of Christ but of pride, coercion, and violence. By their fruits, they are known.

For the church, the call is urgent: disentangle itself from the dominionist counterfeit and return to the way of Christ. For the nation, the warning is sobering: resist theocratic encroachments and preserve liberty for all.

And for each believer, the choice is personal: Will we embrace the fruit of the Spirit, or the fruit of dominion? Will we follow the crucified Christ, or the idols of power?

Only one of these ways leads to life. Only one bears good fruit.