Among a certain cohort of popular evangelical Christian preachers and other conservative personalities, there are some bedrock truths that come not from human reason, they say, but Almighty God.
Among them: Donald Trump is the U.S. president, and those who persecute him face death. Joe Biden, the antichrist, should be in prison for treason. Christians should rule over unbelievers.
This month, a troupe of these pro-Trump “prophets” are headlining seven election-year live events called FlashPoint LIVE to spread the above gospel and “rescue America,” according to ads for the tour.
The personalities and themes of the tour are borrowed from “FlashPoint,” a Christian current-events program that appears on the VICTORY television channel, owned by controversial Texas televangelist Kenneth Copeland.
Hosted by Gene Bailey, a pastor at Copeland’s Eagle Mountain International Church, the show, which debuted in 2022, has become a waypoint for established and rising conservative stars. Trump has appeared on the show six times, and viewers can expect to see former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser Gen. Michael Flynn, as well as Senators Josh Hawley and Rand Paul and U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on a 2022 episode.
Bailey’s website says the show’s news and commentary is delivered “under the anointing,” a phrase meant to indicate that its human guests speak for God. A “Behind The Scenes” video says episodes present “the mind of Christ revealed” and disclose “what God is doing.”
But Bailey is frank about his other influences and goals. “We do have an agenda, and that is I am a Christo-fascist, Christian nationalist,” he has said. Branded “FlashPoint” merchandise includes a “Patriot: Taking Back America” coffee mug and a “United Saints of America” T-shirt, beanie and backpack.
Bailey did not respond to phone and email requests for comment.
The FlashPoint Live road show kicks off Feb. 8 at Charis Bible College, a school near Colorado Springs, Colorado, that was founded by the televangelist Andrew Womack. The show will make stops in Tulsa, Okla.; Virginia Beach, Va.; and Fort Worth, Texas, among other cities, before ending in New Orleans in October. Evening sessions will be streamed live.
The show is slated to include the familiar Trump supporter and My Pillow founder Mike Lindell, but the heart of the speaker roster is Pentecostal preachers, notably Lance Wallnau, a promoter of Seven Mountain Dominionism, which claims Christians should rule over unbelievers, and Hank Kunneman, a pastor from Omaha who claims “an incredible accuracy in the word of knowledge and prophecy concerning nations and world events.”
These self-styled prophets preach that God wants believers to exercise dominion over sinners, and they embrace the dominionist Watchman Decree, which claims that the church is God’s “governing body on Earth” with “legal power from heaven.”
Dominionism’s claims to earthly power are a move away from earlier, more otherworldly generations of charismatics and Pentecostals, who believe that prophecy, speaking in tongues and other miraculous gifts portrayed in the New Testament book of Acts remain active today.
But Pentecostal involvement in politics is now the norm, said Elle Hardy, a journalist who wrote the 2022 book, “Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity Is Taking Over the World.”
“Pentecostals and Charismatics have become the center of gravity in the wider evangelical movement,” said Hardy. “It’s not that they were especially late to evangelical politics, it’s that they’ve become so influential in these circles that they can now speak with a much louder voice.”
The New Apostolic Reformation, a Pentecostal and charismatic movement separate from the dominionists, has also taken on an increasingly political hue in the Trump era, Hardy said, thanks in part to Pentecostals who became advisers to Trump in his first presidential term. Paula White-Cain, a charismatic prosperity televangelist, prayed at Trump’s inauguration and was later appointed to lead the White House faith-based office.
Wallnau came to fame for prophesying Trump’s 2016 victory when it seemed a long shot. In 2020 more than 150 self-proclaimed prophets missed the boat with false prophecies of a “red wave” and second Trump administration.
In 2021, Kunneman prophesied that Trump’s loss would be overturned and the former president would return to the White House. “Look to the Skies of Your 4th of July!” he proclaimed on July 2, 2021.
Evangelist Mario Murillo, a former regular panelist on FlashPoint, said he stepped away from the show because he didn’t want to appear alongside “false prophets.”
In a widely circulated blog post earlier this month, Murillo called those associated with the tour “false ministers.” He later explained his departure from FlashPoint in a podcast.
Kunneman has responded to rebukes like these with further pro-Trump prophetic utterances:
“God, people have laughed at you. They’ve laughed at your prophets, they’ve laughed at your church, they’ve laughed at your intercessors, they’ve laughed at the patriots, they’ve laughed at those that voted for 45,” he said, referring to Trump by his numerical place among U.S. presidents. “Now I’m praying that their laughter would be turned into silence as you laugh. It’s your turn now, God, to laugh out of the heavens and to show the Earth that you’re a just God.”
But if not everyone is buying what FlashPoint’s political prophets are preaching, its organizers claim that it only takes a few Holy Spirit true believers to move, and perhaps rule, mountains.
In his 2013 book, “Invading Babylon: The 7 Mountain Mandate,“ Wallnau wrote, “Minorities of people can shape the agenda, if properly aligned and deployed.”
Steve Rabey is a veteran author and journalist who has published more than 50 books and 2,000 articles about religion, spirituality, and culture. He was an instructor at Fuller and Denver seminaries and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
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30 Responses
I must say…there was quite a bit of hyperbole and exaggerations being made in this article. Starting with the author of the article conflating “dominionism” with “seven mountains.” Seven mountains is all about being the “salt and light” influence Jesus said we’re to be in all the sphere of society…not exacting control on nonbelievers.
A clear interpretation of Rev 17:9 which speaks of the seven mountains (hills) is a reference to the seven hill of Rome. How on earth it has become a reference to believers being salt and light is beyond me.
Strife must be cast out along with pride JESUS MUST BE IS LORD In All areas of our lives purge us first Lord so You can putge our country for Your Kingdom
I believe there is a difference of degree between the seven mountains idea originally voiced by Cunningham and Bright, and what how it has been taken over and expanded by the current dominionist advocates.
Lots of confusion in this thread of comments … 7 spheres was Bright/Cunningham— they did not teach ‘ruling over’ the spheres. 7 mountains is the idolatrous riff by Wallnau of ruling / conquering the ‘spheres’
NAR / all of the acronym groups brought by Wagner are all infected with 7 mountain mumbo jumbo
The Lord will bring forth true eschatological outcomes vis-a-vis the Church and society, soon enough – namely “come out of Her , my people ”
amen
I have an idea. The Super Bowl is nearly here. How about if those people claiming to be prophets prophesy who will win? Extra credibility will be awarded to those that correctly tell us what the final score will be. Even more extra credibility will be awarded to those who inerrantly tell us, oh, let’s say what receiver caught the most passes, how many yards of penalties each team had and what the attendance was?
Perhaps they could also give us advice as to how to wager on the game. After all, as an old Russian lady in Harbin, China once told me, “Mr. Mohr – friends is friends but money is money.” I didn’t want to take her money for the taxi rides to Orthodox Church I paid for but she wanted to pay. Remember what she said: “Friends is friends but money is money.”
Of course that would be a 50/50 prediction just like the 2020 election where Trump lost. Maybe they can muster up some money and create a slick commercial to air during the game.
George – I’d like them to prophecy not only who will win but the score as well. There should be other things for extra credit, such as passing yardage and number of field goals. These people think they are prophets. They should stand and deliver or make a living doing something else. Let’s apply 1 Kings 22.
If the alleged “prophets” refuse to share their prophecies, then those that pay attention to them should find some other way to pass the time. If they continue supporting them – what does that say about their faithfulness? They are loyal to men, like people are loyal to professional athletes or cars in NASCAR racing.
They could also make ‘ex eventu’ prophecies (After the fact). But what you are asking for would be too risky and if they fail to give accurate prophecies then they better have a top notch damage control team on hand to clean up the mess.
Movements like this produce lots of material to baffle the sober minded. I sure hope they are an anomaly and pose no threat to normal people who seek to carefully discern the times and the meaning of the Bible.
As I recall, John MacArthur stated that any Christian with half a brain would vote for Trump. When I consider that John MacArthur so strongly endorsed a man proud of his image on a Playboy cover, proud that his celebrity status entitled him to grope women, and whose spiritual advisor was Paula White… let’s just say I need a stronger word than “baffled.” I have a much easier time understanding those on the fringe.
“Any Christian with half a brain would vote for Trump”, well that confirms my suspicions about their intellectual ability.
I am a pentecostal believer against Christian Nationalism. Never have liked the so called political prophecies that foster division in the body of Christ. Unfortunately, this article uses a very broad brush to paint all charismatics and pentecostals as Trump supporting, insurrectionists racists. That is simply not the case. Your bias is palpable.
Christine….”racists?” I have yet to hear anyone advocating for racism. How did you arrive at that accusation/characterization? I know many POC who advocate for conservative governance. How is “racism” associated with Conservatism…in any way? The term “insurrectionists” was coined by Pelosi and biased media to characterize Jan 6th. Yet, the crowd was unarmed, and the term is completely inappropriate to utilize for that protest that also contained a few violent people. It seems that your bias is also palpable.
Conservatives tend to prefer gradual change that won’t affect their universe. The struggle against right-wing racists in the South and elsewhere is the example that comes to mind. Remember the 1957 resistance to a few Black students integrating Central High School in Little Rock? I was in sixth grade at the time. I felt shame that those white adults were going nuts. You can see news film from that time in the “Eyes on the Prize” history of the Civil Rights Movement. I bet most of those adults went to church on Sunday.
How many of you readers know if there were covenants on land in your communities years ago or have heard about sundown towns? There were a lot of Christians that were completely comfortable with those. Why was that?
Anyhow, those of us with conservative tendencies (I am a conservative that is generally angry with what conservatives have not done to fix things in our country) have to live with the others’ impressions that we don’t care about certain groups of people in America. Reactionaries are reactionary. That’s how it is, like it or not. Those foolish people that stormed the U.S. Capitol didn’t help matters.
January 6 was a “peaceful protest” where over $2,000,000 of damage was done and more than 1000 people are being prosecuted? Nearly 600 have plead guilty, and another nearly 100 have been tried and found guilty. “Peaceful” is just not what the facts of the matter say. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/30-months-jan-6-attack-capitol
How is Conservatism associated with racism let me count ways..
In the South a large number of white denominations Southern Baptists, Methodist, Presbyterians, Episcopalians etc. supported the following:
-Supported the Confederacy during the Civil War
-Supported the Klan
-Supported Jim Crow
-Supported Segregation
-Supported Racism
This went on for many decades.. oh yes in 1995 the Sothern Baptists issued a statement that maybe racism and slavery is kinda bad…. this 130 YEARS AFTER the Civil war…
Many of the current groups, like the insurrectionists on January 6th and the Pentecostal Prophets just gain their inspiration and heritage from the long line of brothers of white protestants from the South… and Donald Trump just feeds their rage…
It is interesting is the speaker of the house MAGA Mike Johnson has a New Apostolic Reformation Flag hanging outside his federal office…
-Supported the Confederacy during the Civil War
-Supported the Klan
-Supported Jim Crow
-Supported Segregation
-Supported Racism
These points are true of the Democratic party, and the reason that I find it impossible to support them, even for dog catcher.
Donald, you are ignorant of the political history in America if you look at Democrats as the ones who pushed racism. It was Southern Christian conservatives that did that.
Sure, they were Democrats at the time but Nixon’s Southern Strategy won over the George Wallace voters in the South.
Lee Atwater was a strategist for Reagan and Bush Sr. His deathbed conversation to Christianity prompted him to confess how Republicans won over the white Christian Southerners.
Questioner: But the fact is, isn’t it, that Reagan does get to the Wallace voter and to the racist side of the Wallace voter by doing away with legal services, by cutting down on food stamps?
Atwater: Y’all don’t quote me on this. You start out in 1954 by saying, “N****, n****, n****”. By 1968, you can’t say “n****”—that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states’ rights and all that stuff. You’re getting so abstract now [that] you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is [that] blacks get hurt worse than whites. And subconsciously maybe that is part of it. I’m not saying that. But I’m saying that if it is getting that abstract, and that coded, that we are doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me—because obviously sitting around saying, “We want to cut this”, is much more abstract than even the busing thing, and a hell of a lot more abstract than “N****, n****”. So, any way you look at it, race is coming on the back-burner.
Susan, how wrong to assert Polisi coined the word insurrectionist, it’s in Constitution. Also there were guns on Jan. 6. Live coverage showed that, with hand restraints, and a noose for Pence. Some were attired in military garb…where were you? Even Trump watched TV coverage for 3 hours before taking action …yeah commander in chief indeed.
“New Apostolic Reformation” This article has a huge factual problem in that this group never has existed. It was a buzzword used by one man who was a “church growth” expert and has been dead for a very long time. This phrase has been used as a pejorative against a certain group of people who would sometimes go to conferences that the man who penned the term put on. No one else claimed the term and once its standard use was as a pejorative those labeled with it denied it. It is misleading as hell. There is no NAR and never has been beyond the mind of one person.
Lance Walnut is a nut. The profits are not speaking for Jesus Christ. And there is a civil war coming that many of these actual people rightly called as dominionists will be pro-violence throughout. These people are not good, but at least get the labels right. Getting them wrong just does not help anything and makes the writer look ignorant, which is honestly what he is.
I swear, there is no NAR, there is no NAR. Lol, Dr. Michael Brown, is that you?
Ralph Jesperson: “…but at least get the labels right. Getting them wrong just does not help anything and makes the writer look ignorant, which is honestly what he is.”
Me: That’s quite the claim, stating that the writer is truly ignorant. Did you read his bio above? “Steve Rabey is a veteran author and journalist who has published more than 50 books and 2,000 articles about religion, spirituality, and culture. He was an instructor at Fuller and Denver seminaries and the U.S. Air Force Academy.” I would suggest that your use of the word “ignorant” in this particular circumstance is a pejorative.
Also, regarding NAR, here’s a February 1 video clip of an interview with Bradley Onishi, author of “Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next.” Onishi has a few things to say about NAR.
See video link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-is-christian-nationalism-and-why-it-raises-concerns-about-threats-to-democracy
Ralph, the New Apostolic Reformation most certainly exists. It was founded in the late 90s by Dr. Peter Wagner, a charismatic seminary professor at Fuller Seminary. And he coined the term “New Apostolic Reformation.”
It has no directory of member churches. But they hold annual conferences with “prophets” coming in from around the world preaching “thus sayeth the Lord” sermons claiming to be speaking “the infallible word of God” from the stage.
In 2011 Wagner claimed “It will surprise some to know that the NAR embraces the largest non-Catholic segment of world Christianity.”
(Wagner) became the leader of the NAR because of what he observed developing over time through the New Order of the Latter Rain (NOLR) movement’s Charismatic Renewal Movement (CRM). He observed, and documented, the rise of this apostolic phenomena and even named it. His research and defense of Charismatic Apostles and Prophets eventually led him to rise up as its leader.
In our first article, we proved that his leadership over the NAR was fully established in 2008 when we examined his excuse over the Lakeland ‘Revival’ and visually laid out how the Apostolic authorities that be, submitted to his authority and his supposed divine assignments. Our second article highlighted in a video tribute to Wagner, top Apostles of the movement acknowledging Wagner as their ‘spiritual father’ and how Apostle Che Ahn was now the successor. In the third article, Jan-Aage Torp really identifies Wagner as the central figure of the NAR – as he knew him personally.
https://bereanresearch.org/whos-founder-leader-nar-cult/
C. Peter Wagner has been dead “a long time” only if you consider 7 years to be long. He only passed away in October of 2016.
Have you even read Pivec and Geivett’s academic works on the NAR?
First, the Seven Hills of Rome is a little late in history to be any part of a future prophecy. I am sick and tired of the “prophetic” movement misusing their so called power. Ain’t nobody got time for their cultish messes.
Second, why do some “christians” stand behind a man with decades of molesting, womanizing, character assassination, name calling, bullying, inciting division, adultery…
Why?! Because, he pulled the right to life card out of his political schemes pocket?! Or, the protection of the greedy “christian” base?!
Not sure, but I know this our pagan portion of the nation is seeing one ugly view of what “christianity” is suppose to be.
This has become quite the processanionist forum.
And king Donald, in his finest imitation of Adolf wished his opponents to “burn in hell,” in his CHRISTMAS message. Yep, he sure is someone true followers of LORD JESUS should worship: NOT! Christian Nationalist is an oxymoron. A true followers of LORD JESUS understands that this world is not our Nation, HIS kingdom is. Pray for the deceived, and please do not follow false prophets.
It’s possible to be thankful for the good that a leader brought about, without calling the leader a Saint. Since 1980, conservatives elected two Presidents who nominated 3 pro-abortion members to the Supreme Court. Trump reversed that horrible legacy. That was a blessing for the nation. Children will live, who wouldn’t otherwise. That’s worthy of honor.
So Steve is a liberal? He’s voting for Biden? I’m a proud Trump supporter because he kept his promises he made to the American people and died not support abortion-my litmus test. Trump spoke for me and kept me safe. I respect other religions and cultures and don’t want a national religion. Sorry I’m not impressed by his short bio. My husband invented a chip that’s implanted in the brain and this medical device saved lives. He and I have written books and articles and aren’t crazy the way he tries to paint us.