God loves all people regardless of our perceived national interests

Probably most of us are familiar with the story of Jonah, typically from Sunday school, where the story is reduced to a supernatural Aesop fable: God tells Jonah to do something. Jonah refuses and decides to flee to Tarshish (modern day Spain — or the furthest end of the earth, as far away from God’s land as Jonah could imagine). God is angry. The ship is tossed in a storm. The sailors throw Jonah overboard. A big fish swallows him, where he stays for three days. Then the big fish vomits him onto a shore, and Jonah goes and does what God commanded him to do: spread the word in Nineveh.

The Sunday School tale — naturally — glosses over the rich theology of the story.

Jonah, a staunch religious believer, regards and relates poorly to people who are racially and religiously different from him. Nineveh was the largest and oldest city in Assyria, set on the eastern bank of the Tigris River (modern northern Iraq). It was a major center for military and political power during the time of Jonah. Assyria was a sworn enemy of Israel. They practiced torture, mutilation, and mass execution of captives. They worked idols, which included child sacrifice and ritual prostitution. They exploited the poor and perverted justice.

Can we all agree that’s pretty evil?

Yet, the word of the Lord came to Jonah: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” If Jonah obeyed, and the city repented, God would relent from destroying the city.

The last thing Jonah wanted was to see Nineveh spared from destruction.

It is natural for Jonah to want to see evildoers punished. Jonah was also a nationalist. He loved his country, so it is also completely understandable for him to worry about the Assyrian capital’s threat to Israel. Love of country often leads us into the sin of hating others who are different from us and are perceived as a threat. When Jonah refused a direct order to bring God’s message to the Ninevites, he was deciding to put Israel’s national and political interests ahead of God’s will.

Jonah had essentially turned his nation into an idol, putting it ahead of God’s justice and mercy.

When Jonah does finally go to Nineveh, his message is half-hearted at best.

Jonah’s sermon was only five words in Hebrew, lacking any call to repentance, mention of God’s mercy, or details of how to avoid destruction. “Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Yet, it was God’s word, and the people heard and repented.

Jonah exits the city but finds no shade. He tells God he wants to die. God provides a shade tree. Then sends a worm that kills it, and Jonah again complains and tells God he wants to die.

Jonah 4: 9-11:

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“I am,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.

And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

The lesson — all creatures great and small, all the plants of the field, in the high places and the low, are God’s creation. God loves the whole world. And we are expected to do the same, especially its people (see the story of the Good Samaritan).

I see people saying they don’t care about “illegal immigrants.” They’re invading our country. They’re all evil lawbreakers. So any mistreatment of them, any denial of justice, is justified.

This is what nationalism looks like, the same kind of nationalism Jonah used to justify not following God’s command.

What’s God’s command for us? To love our neighbors as ourselves. Who are our neighbors? Everybody, including and most especially the people who are different from us, whom culture scorns and abuses, who are the least among us, who are sinners.

In Micah, we are told, “The Lord your God asks only three things of you, to practice justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

For those who say this is a Christian nation, it’s a fair question: How well are we practicing what God commands us to do?

Putting ‘submit to your husbands’ and ‘obey your masters’ in context

Ephesians 5:21–6:9 is labeled in my NIV Bible, “Instructions for Christian Households.”

It deals with marital relationships, child rearing, and slavery—pretty touchy topics in our postmodern era.

They contain verses that are often misunderstood, if not taken out of context, by believers and non-believers.

Most problematic, “Wives submit to your husbands” (a phrase that has made the news this week), and “slaves obey your earthly masters.”

Is Paul promoting misogyny and approving of slavery?

No.

To understand this section of scripture, you must start with the introductory sentence: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

At the outset, Paul says submission is mutual. He is setting up not patriarchy but egalitarianism.

Reverence is an important word in this passage. In Greek, the word is “phobos.” Paul uses it twice in this passage. Like many words in the English language, and common in Greek, it has many meanings. It can mean fear, also respect, awe, caution, humility, and of course, reverence.

Husbands & Wives: Yes, wives are told to submit to husbands, in the way the Church submits to Christ, but that isn’t a one-way street. Husbands are told to love their wives, just as Christ loved the Church. He should “wash her in the water through word,” meaning he must be a godly man well-grounded in scripture. Like Christ, he should be blameless (that, for the record, rules out adultery or frolicking with underage girls). They should love their wives completely, taking care of them in all things. “Each one of you must also love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

This is mutual service and sacrifice. To love one as Christ loved us is to submit to others in service, put the needs of others before our own needs. A man who does this is worthy of his wife’s respect.

Far from misogyny, it breaks with the harshly misogynistic culture of the first century. In the first century, no one told men to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” That was a call to self-sacrificing, protective, nurturing love — a standard utterly foreign to the Roman paterfamilias system. Without this radical egalitarianism being taught by Paul, the trajectory of women’s rights in the West might have been totally different.

Children and Parents: Here’s the egalitarian hidden subtext: Paul wrote this letter expecting it to be read to the entire congregation, meaning he assumed both husbands and wives, along with their children, were present. He addresses children directly. This again breaks with the patriarchal norms of the time. He tells children to honor both of their parents so they may flourish as adults. And warns fathers, who at the time could rule with an iron fist and face no consequences, to “not exasperate your children.”

The Greek for exasperate is parorgizō, combining para (to the point of) and orgizō (make angry/wrathful). It means to continually irritate or embitter someone so that their anger is stirred up to the point of resentment, frustration, or hostility. In the Septuagint (the Old Testament in Greek), the verb often describes provoking God by sinful actions—so it’s a forceful word, not just casual irritation, but aggravating someone to an angry response.

Fathers should not be harsh, make unreasonable demands, show favoritism, or engage in cruelty.

If only more fathers understood this command.

Slaves & Masters: So why wasn’t Paul an abolitionist? Shouldn’t we condemn him for his approval of slavery?

This passage shouldn’t be read as approval; rather, Paul is dealing with reality. He had no power. The church in 60 A.D. had no power. There were likely fewer than 10,000 Christians in the world. There were no elections, and protesting the empire could lead to death. Paul was apparently concerned enough about looking like a revolutionary that he rarely used the term “Kingdom of God” to describe the gospel (as Jesus often did). Paul didn’t call for a slavery revolt. Instead, he planted the seed of freedom by teaching that the master and the slave served the same Lord in heaven. That seed, once it worked through Christian ethics, made chattel slavery theologically indefensible in later centuries.

Slavery was a fact of life in antiquity. In fact, without Christianity spreading the truth that we are all made in the image of God, it might still be commonplace.

“Slaves obey your earthly masters with respect and fear (there is that word, ‘phobos,’ again, carrying both respect and fear tied to the Greek haplotēs for sincerity of heart).”

Paul tells slaves this not to keep them enslaved; rather, he would like to see them set a good example of what it is to follow Jesus. Perhaps it might go well for them. Perhaps they might win their masters over to Christ. And in this egalitarian congregation, he also addresses masters, telling them, “treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their master and yours is in heaven and there is no favoritism in him.”

So Paul opens this section of scripture with an egalitarian statement and closes with an egalitarian statement—an absolutely revolutionary philosophy for the Greco-Roman world. We must all serve each other without favoritism.

It frustrates me when non-Christians misrepresent these passages to attack Christianity, and it grieves me when believers use these verses to misrepresent Christianity.

How might James reframe our view of culture and politics?

The Letter of James is a theologically rich, dense, poetic treatise on Christian ethics.

I’ve pulled some key verses. Here’s my question: If you sat and seriously, honestly contemplated these verses, reflected on how they have or haven’t influeded you, how would it change how you frame culture and politics?

James 1:19–21

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

James 1:26

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”

James 1:27

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

James 2:1–4

“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

James 2:6–7

“But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?”

James 2:8–9

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”

James 2:12

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.

James 2:14–17

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

James 3:9–12

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

James 3:16

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

James 4:1–4

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?”

James 4:11

“Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.”

James 5:2–8

“Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

James 5:9

“Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”

James 5:11b

“The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

Pastors speaking during church services, the IRS announced, will now be able to endorse political candidates from the pulpit.

But should they?

First, Jesus was radically apolitical. For example, in John 18:36, Jesus told Pilate:

“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight…”

Jesus was all about the Kingdom of God. While there was nationalistic fervor in First Century Judea, Jesus avoided the traps meant to ensnare him in the politics of the day even while his own disciples expected him to imminently establish a new kingdom on earth that would overthrow Roman rule.

Can we view politics as anything but worldly, with its lust for power, self-aggrandizement, manipulation, self-serving, greed, envy, corruption, and complete self-interest? These are not Christian virtues; a clear signal Christians should steer clear of associating a ministry with any political party or politician. (Matthew 20:25-26, James 3:16, Philippians 2:3, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 John 2:15-16, Matthew 6:24, Philippians 3:20)

Consider, to, Mark 11:15-17:

“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it “a den of robbers.”’”

The money changers were in the Court of the Gentiles, hence the sentence, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

The market in the court distributed and interfered with the ability of Gentiles to worship God.

A pastor’s politics might be on the right or the left, but the minute we mix partisan politics with the Gospel, we are setting up a barrier to faith. The implied message is, “To accept Jesus, you must also accept our political beliefs.”

God doesn’t care about your political beliefs. He cares whether you are doing his business — justice and mercy, caring for the poor, rescuing the oppressed, ministering to the afflicted, being disciples to the truth of good news that the Kingdom of God is here now.

There’s a movement in the U.S. that started in 2016 called “exvangelicals.” This is the strongest data-driven evidence that mixing partisan politics with faith drives people away from their faith.

At least 3.4% to 5% of people who were evangelicals no longer identify as evangelical. That’s at least 11 million people, perhaps 18 million. Approximately one-third of them have seemingly abandoned faith altogether.

Why? Politics in the church is the primary driver of people leaving evangelicalism. There is no way to estimate how many people who may have considered faith found the political barrier in the U.S. too insurmountable.

Perhaps pastors should be cautious about linking faith to flawed human-created agendas. It misaligns the pulpit message with God’s priorities and runs the risk of keeping people from faith in Christ.

More than a million Iranians, many former Muslims, have converted

There’s something miraculous going on in Iran that isn’t making headlines — a revival. A Christian revival.

Despite being an Islamic Republic where conversion from Islam to Christianity is punishable by law and often met with severe persecution, the underground church in Iran is reportedly one of the fastest-growing Christian movements in the world.

Reading accounts of conversions through dreams and visions, and the way lives are being transformed, reminds me of the Book of Acts.

Like Paul’s vision of the Macedonian man (Acts 16:9) or Ananias being sent to Saul (Acts 9:10-12), Iranians are being supernaturally directed to gospel encounters.

The dreams are often specific — where to go, whom to meet, what to look for, mirroring the specificity found in Acts.

Rev. Lazarus Yeghnazar’s testimony, for example: “I saw a vision of a man with a white robe, with a cross on his shoulder or on his heart, and he says, ‘I’m Jesus.’”

Or Mona, a middle-aged Iranian woman who was searching for meaning in her life. One day, she met a Christian named Reza who shared the Gospel with her. After the conversation, she had a dream about Jesus. Compelled by the dream, she returned to Reza and gave her life to Christ.

She became a true disciple of Christ, learning, growing, and ultimately becoming an evangelist.

Her story is not unique. Iranians have reported encournters with a “man in white” (understood to be Jesus) who gives clear, actionable instructions. Some have had dreams that direct the seeker to someone who has a message for them—often the Gospel or a Bible. Others report supernatural confirmations, such as hearing scripture in a dream and then discovering it in a Bible they later receive.

The best estimates say there are not at least one million Christians in Iran, most from Muslim backgrounds.

Underground networks of house churches and Bible study groups are proliferating, often operating in secrecy due to government crackdowns and the risk of arrest.

It’s estimated that six out of every ten Iranians are open to becoming Christians, reflecting deep spiritual hunger and disillusionment with the Islamic regime.

Many Iranians are disillusioned with the Islamic government, according to reports, citing corruption, economic hardship, and social repression. There is a desire for personal transformation and a sense of community, which is best represented in a faith centered on love, forgiveness, grace and a personal relationship with God.

Women play a significant role in the revival, often leading house churches and engaging in evangelistic efforts, despite the risks involved.

The Iranian government has responded with increased persecution, including arrests, imprisonment, and even executions of Christian converts and leaders

Despite these risks, the movement continues to grow, with some observers noting that persecution may even be fueling the revival by deepening the faith and resolve of believers.

While all of this has been going on, at least 50,000 mosques have closed.

Sources:

https://english.alarabiya.net/features/2020/02/11/Meet-the-two-women-who-spread-Christianity-to-hundreds-in-Iran-s-Evin-prison

https://www.hudson.org/religious-freedom/good-news-iran-million-new-christian-believers-lela-gilbert

https://cbn.com/news/world/irans-jesus-revolution-mosques-close-1-million-muslims-accept-christ

https://transformiran.com/newsroom/real-news-from-iran-underground-christian-revival/

https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/hope-for-great-revival-of-christianity-in-iran/

https://www.elam.com/iran-story

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/the-iranian-church-continues-to-grow-despite-all-opposition.html

What Augustine got wrong

In City of God, circa 413-426 AD, Augustine developed his “just war” theory, and Christianity has never been the same since.

Before Augustine, Christians were pacifists. They turned the other cheek. They were peacemakers. They were servants to all, lovers of neighbors and enemies alike.

Augustine developed a framework for times when national leaders could justify war with the implication that Christians could support or participate in war. His outline: punitive and defensive justification, exercised by legitimate authority, with the “right” intention, as a last resort, and with proportionality.

That’s a broad path (compare/contrast with the narrow way).

History has taught us that Augustine didn’t fully think through his theory. His theory has been used to excuse a number of evils, none more notable than the crusades.

In the 16 centuries since, Augustine’s “just war” theory has been used to abuse Christians, particularly in the West, to legitimize violence, leading the Church to be complicit in cruelty and militarism.

The faults of the theory are multiple.

There is no protection to non-combatants, so many innocents have suffered from wars that Christians endorsed.

The Church can no longer maintain a solid pacifistic witness when war acceptable to followers of Jesus.

The Church is pull out of its missional call to make disciples, be God’s hand and feet in the redemption of creation and bring creation into a God-aligned order. It loses its grip on justice and love. Christian distinctiveness is lost when Christians support war.

It is an impatient, man-made justification for war that robs God of his soverignty and displays a lack of trust in his ultimate victory over evil.

The theory also fails to account for retaliation and escalation. Any country attacked is going to defend itself, which leads to a back-and-forth of further justifications for violence. Such wars drift from whatever initial moral context that may have been the pretext for a “just cause.”

Augustine also failed to account for propaganda and false pretences. As we’ve seen throughout history, masses of people can be misled to accept, if not support, all sorts of evil that with a clear-eyed knowledge no decent human being would ever justify.

The reality of modern statecraft includes propaganda, misinformation, and the use of false pretenses—such as exaggerated or fabricated threats (e.g., weapons of mass destruction or imminent nuclear capabilities)—to justify military action. Augustine did not account for the ways in which political leaders might manipulate public perception or construct justifications for war that are not rooted in actual threats or injustices. This opens the door for abuses, where the criteria of just cause and right intention are met only superficially, while the underlying motives are hidden or misleading.

He also did not account for the species of patriotism that drifts into idolatry. Patriotism can foster an uncritical allegiance to state power (which isn’t the same as love of country and the ideals that inform its existance). This is where patriotism slides into idolatry: the interests of the nation are equated with the will of God, and Christian ethics are subordinated to nationalistic aims.

Augustine’s reliance on the authority of rulers, believed to be divinely sanctioned, can make it difficult for Christians to distinguish between loyalty to God and loyalty to their country, especially in times of war. This dynamic has allowed the church, at times, to be co-opted by nationalistic fervor, justifying wars that serve state interests rather than genuine justice or charity.

War, finally, becomes a foothold for Satan to mislead us. Satan is a liar and the father of lies. He comes only to steal and kill and destroy. Given how frequently Christians are misled into supporting war, we should be especially cautious of not aligning with dark powers. We know with God all things work together for good, but that doesn’t relieve us of the spiritual imperative and moral responsibility not to align with evil.

We must never forget our call to be peacemakers. There should be no pulpit in the world where a preacher praises war, justifies violence, or excuses the excesses of political power that lead to death and destruction. The soldiers and civilians on the other side are too made in God’s image.

Further reading:

1. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/just-war-theory

2. https://anabaptistfaith.org/early-church-fathers-on-war-violence-and-pacifism/

3. https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/david-luban-the-president-drones-augustine-just-war-theory/

4. https://web.sas.upenn.edu/discentes/2024/10/13/practical-just-war-st-augustine-his-framing-of-just-war-theory/

5. https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/the-use-and-abuse-of-just-war-theory/

Dominion Theology, spiritual warfare

My initial response to the murder of two Democrats in Minnesota in a politically motivated assassination was that it was an act of right-wing violence, which turned out to be correct, though in the immediate aftermath, there was some ambiguous information reported about the alleged shooter, Vance Boelter, which I acknowledged in an update to my initial post.

Before getting details, we should not forget the names of those he is accused of attacking.

• Melissa Hortman – Former Democratic Minnesota House Speaker (deceased)

• Mark Hortman – Husband of Melissa Hortman (deceased)

• John Hoffman – Democratic Minnesota State Senator (wounded)

• Yvette Hoffman – Wife of John Hoffman (wounded)

There is now credible information available that Boelter was a fellow traveler with the New Apostolic Reformation. I say fellow traveler because NAR is not a denomination. It’s not a formal organization. It’s a loose affiliation of purportedly charismatic evangelicals who have embedded politics (going against the teachings and example of Jesus) into their theology.

Most of the background on NAR I’m sharing comes from Matthew Taylor, a protestant scholar. He holds a PhD in Religious Studies from Georgetown University and an MA in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of a book on NAR that focuses on NAR’s role in the Jan. 6 riot/insurrection in the nation’s capital. He is the author of The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Reshaping Religion and Politics in the US. I’ll link to a related podcast series and a couple of his talks on YouTube in the comments.

The New Apostolic Reformation originated with the Latter Rain revival of the late 1940s and the charismatic renewal of the 1960s to 1980s. NAR was formally named and popularized by C. Peter Wagner, who described it as a major shift in church life and governance, emphasizing the restoration of modern-day apostles and prophets with authority over the church.

NAR teaches Dominion Theology, a doctrine with no basis in scripture. Basically, DT says that Christians should rule over all aspects of society, family, religion, education, government, media, arts and entertainment, and business. They believe in working strategically, or even bluntly – as we saw on Jan. 6 — to gain total control of these seven pillars of society. They call it the “Seven Mountain Mandate.”

While it might not be fair to say every leader in NAR is a heretic, you will find among them prosperity gospel preachers, such as Paula White, purportedly Trump’s spiritual advisor and leader of this supposed anti-Christian bias task force in the White House.

NAR elevates some people — or they elevate themselves– to the status of apostles, even though this goes against scripture since none of these people saw Jesus alive on this earth. This includes Lance Wallnau, who was deeply involved in the events of Jan. 6.

NAR also believes in prophets of the kind who predict future events. Of course, these individuals are false prophets, and we know it because of their failures in prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:22). For example, Shawn Bolz prophesied that COVID-19 would pass quickly and that Trump would be re-elected in 2020. Kris Vallotton also predicted a Trump victory in 2020, as did Wallnau.

Dutch Sheets is another big name in NAR. He promoted the idea that Trump’s defeat was illegitimate and led prayer/prophecy tours to overturn the results, encouraging “spiritual warfare” to keep Trump in office.

How did all these people who were once fringe figures in Christianity become so close to Trump? TV addict Trump took note of Paula White on TV in Florida. He was having a hard time attracting more mainstream evangelicals to support him, so he turned to White for evangelical support, thinking she would open the door to bigger evangelical names. Instead, she introduced Trump to her associates in NAR.

A big part of NAR doctrine is spiritual warfare, but not of the kind you might have learned about in Sunday School. Instead of focusing on personal struggles with sin or temptation, NAR spiritual warfare is about battling what they see as demonic forces controlling entire cities, institutions, and even nations. This approach is far more aggressive and political than traditional spiritual warfare, often targeting other religions, secular institutions, and even specific communities for “deliverance” through coordinated spiritual campaigns. NAR leaders teach that Christians must identify, confront, and “drive out” these territorial or institutional demons through practices like prayer marches, “prayerwalking,” and large-scale rallies.

This is, again, a doctrine without scriptural support.

The Jan. 6 insurrectionists who had an affiliation with NAR believed they were fighting against actual demons in the police officers they encountered, according to Taylor. These beliefs were not metaphorical: NAR-aligned apostles and prophets described the struggle as a real-time battle against supernatural evil, urging followers to engage in “strategic-level spiritual warfare” to drive out demonic powers from the nation’s institutions and leadership.

It should be said, scripture warns against adding to God’s Word or claiming new revelation that contradicts the Bible (Proverbs 30:5–6, 2 Peter 1:16–21).

Here’s what we know now about Vance Boelter.

He graduated from Christ for the Nations Institute (CFNI) in Dallas in 1990, a Bible college that is widely recognized as a major hub for NAR teachings and leadership. Dutch Sheets is an alumnus.

Various sources have reported that Boelter presents himself as a devout Christian and holds “conservative” (I don’t consider MAGA conservative) political and religious views. Sources also tell reporters he attended Trump campaign events.

Boelter was registered as a Republican voter in Oklahoma in 2004, but Minnesota does not record party affiliation for voters, so there is no current official party registration for him in Minnesota. There is no evidence he was affiliated with the political left or was a DFL (Democratic-Farmer–Labor) Party member.

The Atlantic and other major outlets report that Boelter’s beliefs included elements of spiritual warfare and apocalyptic thinking.

Law enforcement and acquaintances describe his motive as a mix of political grievance, anti-government extremism, and conservative religious beliefs.

Taylor, who has analyzed Boelter’s sermons, states that while Boelter did not explicitly call for violence, his preaching and worldview were influenced by NAR theology—especially the emphasis on spiritual warfare and dominion over society and government.

Jan. 6 and Boelter – the connections: MAGA, NAR, spiritual warfare, dominion theology, political violence.

So why would Christians who truly wish to faithfully follow Jesus affiliate with movements that are doctrinally unsound and rooted in demonizing fellow image bearers, especially to the point of violence against them?

Sources:

Book: The Violent Take it By Force, https://icjs.org/the-violent-take-it-by-force/

Podcast: Charismatic Revival Fury, https://icjs.org/charismatic-revival-fury/

Minnesota shooting draws attention to Bible school with ties to Christian nationalists, https://religionnews.com/2025/06/17/christ-for-the-nations-institute-denounces-alleged-violent-acts-by-graduate-vance-boelter/

CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

The Spiritual Warfare of Vance Boelter

An accused assassin’s religious convictions are not unusual in American life, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/minnesota-shooting-vance-boelter-religious-beliefs.html

The religious context of the Minnesota shootings, https://www.npr.org/2025/06/17/nx-s1-5436762/the-religious-context-of-the-minnesota-shootings

Wikipedia, Seven Mountain Mandate, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandate

The song “Rejoice” by U2 was a song I was well familiar with when I was listening to it one day in the newspaper office at Point Loma Nazarene College (I may even have been dancing!) when the this line struck me:

“I can’t change the world but I can change the world in me.”

That line became like scripture to me. I even wrote a column about it for The Point.

Most of us are powerless to affect great change but we can all be better, kinder, more thoughtful people, which helps make the world a better place.

So living by that standard, I thought I was a pretty good person.

Around that time, I also internalized the Apostle Paul, “I’ve learned to be content in all circumstances.”

I worked on being calm, rational, stoic, even.

Recently, the Holy Spirit has revealed to me, primarily by slowly reshaping me, or that’s how it seems, what an utter failure I was at being truly kind, truly giving, truly content in all circumstances.

In fact, I was pretty selfish usually, thoughtless often, and meger in my generosity.

I was no where near God’s standards for that kindness of heart, the circumscision of the heart, Christians are called to foster.

I’ve learned a lot about what God expects of us over the past several months, and because of that, I know I still have a lot to learn.

But I do want to tell you, Jesus is real and if you allow him, he will reshape you into a person better able to ride out life’s choppy waves.

Non-violence is what Jesus taught us.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18)

“Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

“And the fruit of justice is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:18)

What America needs now is a leader – of course, I believe, a Christian leader – who advocates for peaceful resistance, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. did.

Political scientist Erica Chenoweth’s research shows that peaceful protests don’t need the support of a big portion of the population. The evidence shows that when about 3.5% of a affected population actively participates in nonviolent protest, movements have historically never failed to bring about significant change.

In the U.S., that would be 11 million people.

Protests marked by violence seem never to reach that threshold.

Nonviolent campaigns are inclusive—people from all walks of life, including those who would never pick up a weapon, are willing to join peaceful actions. When protests turn violent, they alienate the wider public.

Nonviolence not only draws more people in but also maintains the moral high ground and public sympathy—key ingredients for lasting change.

This was the formula for the Civil Rights Movement, regime change in Poland, the Soviet Union, Tunisia, and Egypt.

In LA, we’ve seen dramatic images of violence, but these have really been isolated incidents that make for good news video.

Media coverage, especially national television and viral social media clips, has amplified the perception of chaos, sometimes giving the false impression that the entire city is engulfed in violence. Some outlets and commentators have tried to contextualize the violence, emphasizing that it involves a small minority of agitators, while most protesters are peaceful. However, sensational images—burning vehicles, clashes—tend to dominate headlines and influence public perception disproportionately.

Trump has played up the violence to justify authoritarian measures, such as federalizing the National Guard and deploying Marines over California’s objections.

The violence is due to agitators and opportunists and no the legitimate protestors taking to the streets peacefully.

There are also documented instances of aggressive police tactics—use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and mass arrests—which some witnesses and activists say have escalated tensions and contributed to the outbreak of violence. I’ve seen video of cops on horseback beating lone protestors without provocation; shooting reporters with rubber bullets as well as peaceful protestors. We know this is not the majority of cops, nor the majority of people in the streets, but people with violent tendencies are going to act violently when they think they can get away with it.

While there are faith leaders involved, those voices need to be amplified. It would be good if one voice rose above the rest. Movements need leaders.

The perception of the protests as nonviolent is at risk, largely due to the outsized media focus on violent incidents and the political exploitation of those images. However, on the ground, organizers and faith leaders are actively working to keep the movement peaceful, emphasizing nonviolent resistance as the most effective and legitimate path forward. The overwhelming majority of participants remain committed to nonviolence, and efforts continue to reclaim the narrative from both violent agitators and those seeking to delegitimize the movement.

Why are these protests important – because Trump’s immigration policies violate God’s precepts. They deny the common human dignity of all people that God expects us to recognize.

“Do not mistreat the foreigner who resides in your land. The foreigner who resides in your land should be treated as the native born. Love them as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)

“Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice or take the cloak of a widow as a pledge”( Deuteronomy 24:17)

“Cursed is the one who withholds justice from the foreigner or the fatherless” (Deuteronomy 27:19)

The ultimate non-violent protest against the evil of the world was Jesus going to the cross (Isaiah 53:7, 1 Peter 2:23). He Refused the Devil when he offered him all earthly authority (Matthew 4:8-10). He didn’t call 12 legions of angles to overthrow Rome (Matthew 26:53). He told Peter to put away his sword (Matthew 26:52). He told Pontius Pilate his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). He modeled the profound impact that following God’s laws can have when demonstrated for the world without violence or coercion.

Philippians 2:5-8: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God… humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

There are approximately 400 verses in scripture that deal with God’s concern for immigrants, foreigners, aliens or sojourners in the land.

God’s overriding concern is that the treated justly, fairly, not harshly or abusively.

To oppose the rights and value of foreigners is to oppose God.

“’When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34

We learn from this verse:

• Foreigners in your midst should be treated fairly;

• Like the native-born, they have a right to due process;

• Regard them as valuable, as you value yourself, and do for them what you would do for yourself;

• You are really no different from them;

• This is God’s command.

Lest anyone think I’m going too far by reading “treated as your native-born” as a command for due process, throughout scripture, God calls for equal treatment by the nation’s legal system, such as:

“Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.” Deuteronomy 24:17

There are many patterns in scripture, and one of them is the Exodus story. It is meant to remind us of Adam and Eve being chased from the Garden of Eden, the original land of milk and honey, and thus becoming foreigners, exiles. In the Exodus story, the Israelites are returning from exile, where they were mistreated as slaves, to a new Eden, a new Eden if they can keep it.

They don’t deserve Eden. In Egypt and even during the exodus, they worshiped idols and displayed a profound lack of trust in God. Yet, God granted them grace.

In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a dual reality. He came to lead out of the wilderness those who were expelled from the Garden of Eden, thereby becoming exiles. But in accepting the grace of salvation, we become citizens of the Kingdom of God while still shackled to this earthly realm. Thus, we are all foreigners, all strangers, all aliens in need of mercy.

Grace is a free gift. A gift we owe to others because we didn’t deserve the gift.

I see comments from people professing Christ about “illegal aliens” along the lines of “my parents came here legally.” Or, “they came here illegally, so they have no rights.”

What do I think when I read such comments, “Let those without sin cast the first stone.”

In First Century Judea, among the most despised people were tax collectors. They were Jews who worked for the Roman Empire and grifters who charged more than taxes owed and kept the excess for themselves. Jesus told Zacchaeus, a tax collector, “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” Luke 19:10.

If anybody in this country came into this country illegally, breaking the law is a sin. It is not obeying governing authority. If we recognize it as a sin, all the more reason to owe them grace, just as Jesus modeled.

There is no place in the doctrine of a true disciple to desire anything less than fair treatment and compassion for foreigners, regardless of how they came to be with us.

Idol worship isn’t something just pagans do

If you know the parable commonly called The Good Samaritan, or the story of the Woman at the Well, you have some idea of the animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans.

Do you know why? Because the Jews looked down on the Samaritans for their idol worship. They wanted to worship both God and idols, a carryover from their exile in Assyria.

“… worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

“They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices.

“Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.”

The point here is that you can’t worship God and the idols of this world. You will hate the one and love the other.2 Kings 17:39-41

An idol does not need to be an image carved of wood or stone.

What is your idol?

Money?
Power?
Porn?
Food?
A public figure?
A flag or idealized version of a nation?
A political party?
Music?
Knowledge?
Social media?
Politics?
Gambling?
Alcohol?

An idol can be anything.

You might use it to define your identity? Perhaps you’ve held on to what you cherish so tightly that you’ve lost friends and relations with family members? Or did you spend too much money on it? Lied or promoted lies to defend it or its place in your life? Perhaps you’ve been unyielding and unwilling to accept contradictory points of view. You may even attack others and demean them when they disagree with you about your idol.

An idol is something that controls you and consumes you.

I’m sure I haven’t listed all the ways an idol can take center stage in your life.

It may be so central, you don’t even recognize how it has pushed God aside in your life.

But ask you this, could you be like First Century Christians and rejoice if you lost that thing, even had it confiscated, had it stolen, consumed by a fire, or it just stopped to be a thing?

If God told you to walk away from anything now in your life, change your attitude toward it, or stop believing in it, could you do it willingly and with a joyful heart?

You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. Hebrews 10:34-35 (NIV)

If you recognize an idol in your life, God will forgive you, but you must repent. His grace is free, but it isn’t cheap. The cost is surrendering to him.

The poor and vulnerable stand to suffer the most from current policy changes

“It is not our business to make things happen. We are told to be witnesses, saying what we have seen and experienced, and we are told to make disciples. The job of the Christian is to witness to the word of truth, to show forth the Kingdom of God in our lives and in our prayers, and to give account for our hope with gentleness and respect.”
— Dallas Willard, in “The Scandal of the Kingdom”

Jesus Christ never forced anybody to follow him. The Rich Young Ruler would have been wise to sell all he had and follow Jesus, but Jesus let him go his own way. The same was true for the man who needed to bury a father and the one who wanted time to say goodbye to his family. There was no place for them among the disciples if they weren’t willing to let go of the world—of their own free will.

Jesus could have overthrown the Roman Empire. He had the power. He told Pontius Pilate as much.

“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’ ‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’” John 18:36-37

Christians don’t make things happen. They make disciples

This is what makes Christian nationalism heretical, along with its trust in worldly leaders rather than the Lord.

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.’” Jeremiah 17:5

Christians have had the most influence on the world around them, making lasting change, when they pray, persuade, serve, and witness, always in gentleness and respect.

A persuasion tool available in democratic republics is the ballot box.

Christians should vote. They should vote their values, and their values should be the values of Jesus Christ.

What were the values of Jesus? He told us at the start of his earthly ministry.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

Christians have a duty to care for the least of these as a matter of personal faith, but since we submit to God in all things, that doesn’t let us off the hook for how we cast our votes. The priorities of Jesus should be our priorities with every vote we cast.

It’s sad, then, to think, so many Christians voted for policies that actively harm the poor and the vulnerable.

• Cuts at the VA have reduced the staff for the Veterans Crisis Line. (Source)

• The VCL handles about 60,000 calls a month, and any reduction in its staffing or operational effectiveness risks longer wait times and less effective care for veterans at high risk for suicide. (Source)

• The division in HUD that oversees homeless programs faces a massive staffing cut. (Source)

• Over $3.5 billion in federal funding for homeless shelters has been held up, and at least $60 million in grants for affordable housing developments has been stalled or canceled. (Source)

• A recently passed funding bill, signed by President Trump, repurposes $100 million from other HUD accounts to cover renewals but still leaves an estimated $150–200 million shortfall for homeless assistance programs, impacting services for at least 18,500 households. The Community Development Fund also saw a $3.29 billion cut from the previous year. (Source)

• The administration has effectively shut down the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the agency responsible for coordinating federal homelessness initiatives, signaling a shift away from the “Housing First” model that prioritizes permanent housing without preconditions (Source)

• The House budget proposes cutting at least $230 billion from SNAP over the next decade, shifting significant costs to states. (Source)

• The administration has cut $500 million from the Local Food Purchase Assistance program. There was another $500 million of COVID-era funding cut. (Source)

• The administration abruptly canceled the Patrick Leahy Farm to School program, which had provided over $100 million in grants to connect schools and communities with local farms, often with surplus produce going to food pantries. (Source)

• Congress is trying to cut $880 billion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. (Source)

• The Trump administration’s budget proposes to eliminate Head Start, the early childhood education program serving nearly 800,000 low-income children and families. This would end access to meals, developmental screenings, and health care for these children, and close regional Head Start offices. (Source)

• The 2026 budget proposal includes significant reductions to child care assistance programs, making it harder for low-income families to access affordable, quality child care. This risks parents’ ability to work or attend school. (Source)

• Billions in cuts are proposed for housing assistance and community development programs, including capping or time-limiting federal housing benefits. These changes would make it harder for low-income families to access or retain affordable housing, increasing the risk of homelessness. (Source)

• Staff and funding for programs that help low-income families afford heating and cooling (such as LIHEAP) have been cut, making it more difficult for vulnerable households to manage utility costs. (Source)

• Storms have caused $8.8 billion in damage in Arkansas. People have died, and residents have been left homeless, with the potential for an even greater human toll without assistance. The administration refused to provide disaster relief to the state. (Source)

Yes, federal spending is out of control and needs to be cut. But should you vote with your pocketbook or with your heart? Which vote serves yourself, and which vote serves Jesus?