Rethink: Seven Mountain Mandate, Strange Religion, and Open Doors
As January comes to an end, let's question the Seven Mountain Mandate, explore Christianity as a "Strange Religion," and ponder how God opens doors.
Rethinking Faith: January 2024
Welcome to the January issue of Rethinking Faith. This month we will question the Seven Mountain Mandate and it’s connection to Christian Nationalism, explore early Christianity through Nijay Gupta’s new book, "Strange Religion,” and ponder how God opens doors that we could never open by ourselves.
What is the Seven Mountain Mandate and is it even in the Bible?
As I’ve watched Christian Nationalism spread recently at a frightening pace, I started to wonder if my cult actually succeeded. Where were these ideas of cultural domination coming from if not people like us? They were too familiar. I’d heard them all years ago when Bill Gothard encouraged us to take over the world.
I read a book last January called, Counterfeit Kingdom by Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett warning about the New Apostolic Reformation. I learned about leaders within this movement, such as Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, CA, and I encountered something called the Seven Mountain Mandate. But as life moved on, I forgot about the 7M’s (as they are called) until I began to question the Christian Nationalist movement again recently. I started digging, and things unfortunately began to make sense.
Bill Johnson and Lance Wallnau wrote a book in 2013 called Invading Babylon promoting the Seven Mountain Mandate, but the idea did not originate with them. It is believed to have been introduced in 1975 when Bill Bright (Campus Crusade) and Loren Cunningham (YWAM) got a message from God.
Great leaders with, “a message from god”—this made me feel better already. Of course I’m being sarcastic. My cult leader Bill Gothard got “messages from god” every year and we know how that went down.
The Seven Mountain Mandate is supposedly scriptural, but in reality it’s about as biblical as everything from my cult. Which means the concept has been pulled from various out-of-context verses and twisted into something resembling truth.
The idea is that there are seven mountains (also called spheres) of culture that Christians must conquer or dominate so that they can influence the world for Christ. These seven mountains are:
education
religion
family
business
government/military
arts/entertainment
media.
The seven mountains are ripped from context in passages like these:
“…the seven heads are seven mountains the woman sits on.”
Revelation 17:9
“In future days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will endure as the most important mountain.”
Isaiah 2:2
“When the LORD your God brings you to the land that you are going to occupy and forces out many nations before you—seven nations…”
Deuteronomy 7:1
Friends, this is ridiculous! If you listen to my podcast episode on the Bible that comes out (and to your inboxes) tonight, you will hear me talk about this kind of abuse of Scripture. It’s wrong.
But I think this is where much of Christian Nationalism is coming from—people who believe that Christians are supposed to conquer and dominate the government because their leaders are telling them that it is biblical. So, they are willing to do this by any means necessary. Yikes.
The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a large and widespread movement with tentacles reaching into many churches that don’t appear to be connected. Bethel Music and Elevation Worship are both heavily involved in the NAR and they produce much if not most of the worship music used in evangelical churches across the United States. This isn’t a conspiracy theory; it’s just fact.
This is more than a political fight in a year of political tension. It’s a reason behind the worldview and mindset people hold. People are genuinely acting out of belief, even though it is belief in a lie. As someone who spent ten years in a cult, I feel sympathy for them. Lies can feel really close to truth.
So what can we do?
Know how to read the Bible in context.
Understand how we easily can be lied to with twisted “biblical” ideas.
Ask gentle questions with the goal of helping people see lies.
Graciously and compassionately share truth with others in humility.
“With my faith, I don’t care if it looks strange; give it to me the way it was meant to be!” Strange Religion by Nijay K. Gupta
Nijay Gupta has a new book coming out on February 27th about the early church. I’m part of the launch team and am currently reading an electronic copy of Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling. It’s a perfect combination of scholarly research and intriguing facts.
As I learn about Greco-Roman religious activities and hear thoughts from first century philosophers and historians, I’m gaining a new understanding of the culture that surrounded early believers. I love books like this that open my eyes to perspectives I’d never find by myself. I don’t love e-books, but I’m struggling to put this one down.
Many of us feel the disconnect between our modern church and religious experiences and what we read in Scripture. We wonder if Jesus would recognize American Christians as pharisaical leaders or true disciples.
I don’t want to get caught up in legalistic behaviors again, but I also don’t want to miss what is possible as a believer in Jesus. I’m excited to continue this book and discover just how strange and counter-cultural the early believers were and what made them that way.
I want to be weird, dangerous, and compelling too.
I’m Going to Walk Through Every Door Jesus Opens
I was reading in Revelation the other day (because an atheist friend on Threads told me the writer was on drugs) and came across the letter to the Church in Philadelphia.
“This is the solemn pronouncement of the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors no one can shut, and shuts doors no one can open.”
Revelation 3:7
I feel this strongly right now. I don’t always look for a word of the year, but this year it feels like I have a phrase: Walking Through Open Doors.
I’ve told Jesus that I’m done trying to make things happen on my own, but that I want to walk through every single door He opens. I will surrender to His will, and I will walk down the path that He creates for me.
I’m excited! It reminds me of how I used to live when I was young, free, and crazy. It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily, mundane, grown-up things of life. Or to strive for the stuff that doesn’t really make us happy, but other grown-ups seem to have. I just want Jesus. And I want all of the adventures He brings my way—big or small. It’s probably going to be a wild year, but I’m okay with that.
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or comments. You can find me on Threads, Instagram, Facebook, my website, and on my podcast Looking for the Real God. I’d love to connect with you on any of these places!
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As always, love your letters. And I'm intrigued by that book on our strange faith.