Don't look now, but your church might be legitimately evil.

While you've been paying attention to other things, the New Apostolic Reformation has been rolling its tank tracks over the skulls of both secular democracy and traditional Christianity.

Peter Wagner (1930-2016) may well turn out to be one of the most influential figures of the 21st century. And most of us have never heard of him.

Those of you who follow my work have learned that I rarely discuss traditional religions. I consider them outside my wheelhouse, except in those cases where doctrine makes provably false claims. I believe there is plenty of room in the world for people to have whatever peaceful/harmless/comforting religious beliefs they like.

This has always extended to almost all the religious people I know — mostly ordinary Christians, plus some Catholics, some Jews, some Muslims — every one of them pretty chill in their beliefs and practices, and as horrified as you or I at extremist acts from any quarter.

This year I started paying more attention. And a few months ago, I was kind of shocked to learn that I had never heard of what is, today, the most influential religious movement in the world.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has called it “The greatest threat to American democracy that most people have never heard of.”

That’s big. Re-read that.

I hadn’t heard of it because it isn’t a church or a religion. You’ll never see its name on a sign or a building, and certainly not on a church. It is the New Apostolic Reformation,¹ a Christian Supremacist belief system and religious movement. It’s not a church; it’s the guiding philosophy of many churches — mostly American megachurches, evangelicals, and especially Pentecostals and Charismatics. (Charismatic Christians are the ones who speak in tongues, handle snakes, do crazy dances when overcome with the spirit, and perform miraculous healings — the ones the rest of us laugh at in TikTok videos.)

The irony here is that this sort of behavior is what even I — who tries to be a big tent accepting of everyone — would scoff at and dismiss as “the crazies”… and yet they are, totally, literally seizing control of the United States. I know that sounds a little crazy itself, so let me explain.

If you’ve heard of Project 2025,² you’ve heard of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). The initiatives in Project 2025 are in near lockstep with the objectives of the NAR, which seeks to achieve complete dominion over seven key areas of American society (called the Seven Mountains Mandate,³ or 7MM). Each “mountain” is viewed not as a neutral sphere of influence, but as a battleground between divine truth and “demonic” deception. NAR adherents believe that “demonic principalities” currently control each mountain, and therefore must be defeated through spiritual warfare so that Christians can establish “dominion.”⁴

The ultimate goal is not merely Christian influence, but complete Christian dominion over every aspect of society, creating what scholars describe as a theocratic vision where pluralism is seen as weakness, compromise as betrayal, and coexistence as capitulation.⁵ This represents a fundamental transformation of American society from a pluralistic democracy into what NAR leaders call God's Kingdom on Earth.⁶

These seven “mountains” are:

1. Family - Traditional heterosexual marriage and patriarchal family structures would be legally mandated and culturally enforced, with divorce restrictions and biblical gender roles governing all domestic relationships.⁷

2. Religion - All denominations would be unified under NAR apostolic authority, with traditional Christian churches either converted to NAR theology or marginalized, establishing a single Christian religious system led by self-proclaimed apostles and prophets.⁸

3. Education - Schools and universities would be transformed into Christian discipleship centers where biblical worldview replaces secular curriculum, with NAR-aligned educators combating “demonic ideologies” like comprehensive sex education, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and discussions of systemic racism.⁹

4. Media - All news outlets, social media platforms, and information channels would be controlled by Christians who frame current events through spiritual warfare narratives, promoting NAR theology and suppressing secular or opposing viewpoints.¹⁰

5. Entertainment - Hollywood, the music industry, and all creative content would be purged of secular influences and transformed into vehicles for Christian evangelization, with NAR-approved artists creating only content that advances Kingdom theology.¹¹

6. Business - Christian business leaders would control major corporations and financial institutions, implementing "Kingdom economics" where wealth is redistributed from unbelievers to Christians to fund global evangelization and dominion expansion.¹²

7. Government - Christians would hold key positions throughout government institutions, with biblical law and NAR prophetic guidance directly influencing policy decisions to establish a theocratic system where God's will (as interpreted by NAR apostles and prophets) governs the nation.¹³

Loosely citing Revelations, NAR advocates believe it is their mission on Earth to have Christian Supremacists control all seven of these aspects of American society. And just to emphasize that these are real beliefs held by real people in positions of influence who have stated their intent to command all seven of these, here are a few for your perusal:

• Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has repeatedly been publicly associated with 7MM Dominionism. And now you know why this previously-unheard-of rando is two steps away from the Presidency.¹⁴

• Reps Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert — who have to confer every morning to see who gets to use the brain cell that day. This now explains why they are in their positions when both are comedically unqualified and incapable.¹⁵

• Charlie Kirk, who has transformed himself from a milksop conservative YouTuber into a full-throttle NAR firebrand Christian Supremacist.¹⁶

And most of your favorite Christian leaders:

• Joel Osteen, senior pastor of the largest megachurch in America, Lakewood Church in Texas, uses his plastic surgery reconstructed face to make every 7MM point without ever saying 7MM.¹⁷

• Rick Warren, pastor of Orange County, CA’s Saddleback Church, wealthiest man in Orange County, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, and wholesale promoter of 7MM in every book and in every sermon.¹⁸

• Kenneth Copeland - The prototypical televangelist and leader of Kenneth Copeland “Ministries”, deeply entwined with Seven Mountains theology through his connections with the broader NAR movement.¹⁹²⁰

• Paula White-Cain - Trump's “spiritual advisor” (as if he’s ever thought about what that might even mean) and leader of the “White House Faith Office” (because such an office is so obviously Constitutional, right?), and who has been directly mentored by Lance Wallnau (coming up next) on Seven Mountains theology.²¹

• Lance Wallnau - Primary architect and popularizer of 7MM.²² While not leading a traditional megachurch, Wallnau's influence extends through his “Courage Tour”, national Christian seminars, and international ministry networks.²³

• Bill Johnson - Senior leader of the neo-charismatic Bethel Church²⁴ in Redding, California, and co-author of “Invading Babylon: The 7 Mountain Mandate.” Yeah, he’s nuts. Bethel Church has significant influence through its worship music, ministry training programs, and global network.²⁵ A few weeks ago I participated in a caper to infiltrate Bethel Church and watch the charismatic weirdo bullshit first-hand. More on that later. Imagine if the United States’ leaders were at an intellectual level where the speaking of tongues, snake handling, and Peanuts Gang dancing were the nation’s guiding principles. Likely you will not have to imagine it much longer.

• Sean Feucht, former worship leader at Bethel Church and barely-unsuccessful California congressional candidate). An ally of the Proud Boys,²⁶ a Christian Supremacist, and a man charged wholesale with blatant corruption.²⁷

• Robert Morris - Senior Pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas (30,420 weekly attendance), one of the largest churches in America.²⁸

• Franklin Graham - Son of Billy Graham and leader of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, who has long been associated with Christian Supremacist rhetoric that aligns with Seven Mountains theology.²⁹

I am now realizing that this could go on all day. There is no point in trying to be comprehensive; 7MM and NAR Christian Supremacism has penetrated deep into all seven mountains. It never would have at all if people had known what it was and looked out for it. But it might be too late for that.

Today I never really got around to talking about the effective founder of this movement, Charles Peter Wagner (1930-2016),³⁰ pictured at the top. I guess the reason is he’s been in the ground most of the past ten years. But others haven’t.

Don’t be too quick to quick to laugh off Mike Johnson. He has built his whole being upon proud ignorance and contempt of reality, and upon belief in an invisible Sky Wizard who will uplift him to a position of godhood based on nothing more than his race, his sex, and that Kindergartenesque belief.

But he is in power.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Apostolic_Reformation

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandate

4. https://carm.org/new-apostolic-reformation/what-is-the-seven-mountain-mandate-prophecy/

5. https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-seven-mountains-mandate-and-how-is-it-linked-to-political-extremism-in-the-us-260034

6. https://ethosinstitute.sg/seven-mountains-mandate/

7. https://www.gotquestions.org/seven-mountain-mandate.html

8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Apostolic_Reformation

9. https://www.100daysinappalachia.com/2024/09/what-is-the-new-apostolic-reformation-how-a-religio-political-movement-is-affecting-u-s-and-appalachian-politics/

10. https://www.salon.com/2025/07/11/nars-7-mountains-mandate-is-fueling-political-extremism-in-the-us/

11. https://goodfaithmedia.org/seven-mountain-mandate-church/

12. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/religion-and-philosophy/seven-mountain-mandate

13. https://www.salon.com/2025/07/11/nars-7-mountains-mandate-is-fueling-political-extremism-in-the-us/

14. https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-seven-mountains-mandate-and-how-is-it-linked-to-political-extremism-in-the-us-260034

15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandate

16. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/mrna-after-covid-19-blowing-up-trump-plaza-crokicurl-history-of-swear-words-and-more-1.5874120/how-a-conservative-christian-movement-became-an-important-part-of-trump-s-political-strategy-1.5874143

17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Osteen

18. https://www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/online-only/rick-warren-in-rwanda/

19. https://goodfaithmedia.org/seven-mountain-mandate-church/

20. https://blog.kcm.org/tag/7-mountains-of-influence/

21. https://www.nbcnews.com/podcast/grapevine/transcript-seven-mountains-rcna117884

22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Wallnau

23. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/10/new-apostolic-reformation-christian-nationalism/

24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel_Church_(Redding)

25. https://www.nickressler.com/anabaptistimagination/seven-mountain-mandate

26. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-5064-9778-5

27. https://www.christianpost.com/news/sean-feucht-accused-of-financial-spiritual-moral-misconduct.html

28. https://sermoncentral.com/content/top-100-largest-churches

29. https://www.christiandaily.com/news/distortion-of-inspiration-leading-to-toxic-christian-nationlism

30. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Peter_Wagner