Politics, Culture, and Faith

What Is The ‘Seven Mountain Mandate’?

Rick TryonLeave a comment

I’ve been hearing a lot about the Seven Mountain Mandate recently, and since I wasn’t 100% clear about exactly what the 7MM is I asked Mr. ChatGPT, and here’s some of what he/it told me:

The Seven Mountain Mandate is a teaching within some parts of modern charismatic and evangelical Christianity that claims Christians are called to take influence or leadership over seven key areas of society in order to bring about cultural transformation.

The idea was popularized in the 2000s by leaders such as Loren Cunningham (founder of Youth With A Mission, YWAM) and Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, now Cru). They both described having received visions in the 1970s that emphasized Christians should impact seven “mountains” or “spheres” of culture:

  1. Religion – Faith, spirituality, and the church.
  2. Family – Marriage, parenting, and home life.
  3. Education – Schools, universities, and learning systems.
  4. Government – Politics, law, and public policy.
  5. Media – News, journalism, and information outlets.
  6. Arts & Entertainment – Music, film, sports, and culture.
  7. Business (or Economy) – Commerce, finance, and work.

Core Idea

Proponents believe that by gaining influence in these seven areas, Christians can help “bring the kingdom of God to earth,” prepare for revival, and resist moral decline in society. Some see it as a strategy for evangelism and discipleship at a societal level, not just individual.

Okay, count me as a reluctant skeptic about all of that because I’m not convinced it fits well with scripture.

My primary objection to the Seven Mountain Mandate theological system is the belief that “…Christians can help ‘bring the kingdom of God to earth’…”.

Yeshua, our Messiah and his Father, God, won’t require any help when the time comes to usher in the Kingdom and what follows.

Watchdog Alert: Israeli-Gaza War

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Photo via cottonbro studio at pexels.com

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)

Much of what our Lord was prophesying here had to do with the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, which would happen within 40 years or so of this prophesy and his imminent death and resurrection.

However there is no reason not to consider that he was also making a double prophecy, which is fairly common in the Bible, extending the meaning here to also warn of the time immediately preceding the Final Judgement.

As watchdogs living in this time and place we should always keep our ears tuned to ‘rumors of wars’ and be aware of the seasons of God’s plans and purposes.

Here’s the latest from the conflict in Gaza between Hamas and Israel.

Ground offensive launched in Gaza City
Israel has initiated a major ground operation into Gaza City, stepping up its military campaign. The assault includes air, sea, and ground strikes targeting what Israel describes as Hamas infrastructure. Thousands of Palestinian civilians are fleeing the area despite severe constraints. AP News

Evacuations and displacement
Israel has ordered mass evacuations of civilians from parts of Gaza City. Given warnings and fighting, many civilians are moving south or west, often under dire conditions. However, large numbers remain, limited by lack of resources, safe routes, or housing. AP News

Human toll and humanitarian crisis

  • Significant civilian casualties are reported, notably among children and women. AP News
  • Famine or severe food insecurity continues, with deaths attributed to hunger rising. Reuters
  • Infrastructure damage is substantial: residential buildings, roads, mosques, and other civilian structures have been destroyed or heavily damaged. Reuters

UN commission report – genocide accusation
A U.N. independent commission of inquiry has concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, citing evidence such as killings, displacement, blockade of aid, and destruction of infrastructure (including a fertility clinic) as consistent with attempts to “destroy, in whole or in part, Palestinians in Gaza.” Israel firmly rejects these findings. The Guardian

International response and pressure

  • UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described the situation as “horrendous” and “morally, politically and legally intolerable.” The Guardian
  • The European Union is discussing or preparing new sanctions or trade restrictions on Israel, citing the worsening humanitarian situation. Reuters
  • United Nations and human rights bodies are calling for cessation or serious pause in hostilities. There is also mounting global concern over violations of international humanitarian law. The Guardian

Timeline given for Gaza City control
Israeli military officials have indicated the Gaza City offensive is expected to take several months to conquer fully. They say that the city’s entrenched infrastructure makes operations slower and more complex. The Guardian

Watchdog Alert: LGBTQ+ Catholics Join Jubilee Pilgrimage, But…

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Photo via Julius Silvers, pexels.com

According to LGBTQ+ Nation, “In a historic first this weekend, LGBTQ+ Catholics joined the church’s Jubilee Year pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, a once-every-25-year ritual that grants a “plenary indulgence” to participants.”

Some Mixed Signals and Leadership

The pilgrimage was included in the Vatican’s official Jubilee calendar, sparking a notable shift in visibility for LGBTQ+ Catholics—but the Vatican continued to clarify that the inclusion did not equal formal endorsement.

“While the LGBTQ+ pilgrimage is not explicitly endorsed by the Vatican — nor will participants receive a dedicated papal audience as other groups have — organizers and attendees say the event nevertheless represents a historic form of ecclesial engagement with a long-marginalized group of Catholics.” – National Catholic Register

Pope Leo XIV did not publicly acknowledge the group during Jubilee events but privately gave his blessing for Bishop Savino to conduct the Mass, signaling a discreet but meaningful continuity of Pope Francis’s inclusive approach.

“Pope Leo XIV celebrated a special Jubilee audience Saturday at the Vatican for all pilgrim groups in Rome this weekend, but made no special mention of the LGBTQ+ Catholics.” – Coeur d’Alene Press

Some Pushback and Continued Tensions

There were also institutional frictions—initial removal of the pilgrimage from the Jubilee calendar, followed by reinstatement, triggered by media leaks and internal disagreements over how public the recognition should be.

Some conservative voices sharply criticized the pilgrimage. Roberto de Mattei of the Lepanto Foundation labeled it “provocative and irreverent,” questioning whether it contradicted Church teachings on sin and redemption.

“The participants sparked outrage among some Catholics, who took note of the placards and T-shirts carrying slogans (in at least one case, crudely obscene) critical of Church teaching on sexuality, and the irreverent behavior of activists.” – Catholic Culture

Watchdog Alert: Israeli-Hamas Conflict

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Photo via cottonbro studio at pexels.com

Here is Jesus, in Matthew 24:6-7, teaching his disciples about the end times. But also encouraging them to ‘see that ye be not troubled’.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)

Recent news from the Middle East:

“Israel kills 62 today as Gaza aid seekers, ‘safe zones’ attacked” – Al Jazeera

  • Summary: Israeli forces targeted a residential building in Gaza City—housing dozens of displaced Palestinian families—after issuing forced evacuation orders. At least 37 of the 62 fatalities occurred in Gaza City as the assault continued into the early hours.
    Al Jazeera

“Israel expands operations in Gaza City; tells famine-stricken residents to move to safe zone” – CBS News / AP

  • Summary: As operations intensify in Gaza City, Israel urged starving residents to relocate to a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza—Muwasi—equipped with field hospitals, water, food, and tents. Aid groups warned that mass evacuation would only deepen the humanitarian crisis.
    CBS News

“Escalating Israeli offensive in Gaza City will have catastrophic and irreversible consequences for Palestinians” – Amnesty International

  • Summary: Amnesty condemned Israel’s full-scale assault on Gaza City, warning it will devastate civilian life and exacerbate a famine largely caused by Israel’s blockade. Displacing hundreds of thousands, Amnesty called the campaign a likely war crime under international law.
    Amnesty International

“More than 7,000 under-fives in Gaza put in malnutrition recovery in two-week period” – The Guardian / UNICEF data

  • Summary: Over 7,000 children under five were admitted to UNICEF malnutrition recovery programs in just two weeks in August; projected numbers for the month may exceed 15,000—more than seven times higher than February figures. A famine has been declared in Gaza City and is spreading south. Families survive on minimal food, and overcrowded designated zones lack basic services.
    The Guardian

Watchdog Alert: News About Islam

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Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events from the world of faith and religion and brings that content to our readers.

Mob Burns Nigerian Woman to Death Over Blasphemy Claim

In central Nigeria, a mob burned a food vendor named Amaye to death after accusing her of making comments deemed blasphemous toward the Prophet Muhammad. The incident occurred over the weekend and was confirmed by police in Niger State.
From Arab News

Palestinian Journalist Islam Abed Killed by Israeli Forces

Islam Abed, a reporter working for Al-Quds Today TV, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on Sunday. His death adds to the growing number of media workers who have lost their lives covering the conflict.
From The New Arab

LGBTIQ+ Muslims Find Safe Spaces in Indonesia

In Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the Pondok Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah, an Islamic boarding school serving LGBTIQ+ Muslims, opened a new location. It provides a rare, affirming religious environment that embraces both Islamic faith and diverse gender identities.
From ABC

Moroccan Feminist on Trial Denied Release Amid Health Crisis

Moroccan feminist and LGBTQ+ activist Ibtissam Lachgar, facing blasphemy charges for wearing a T-shirt with messages seen as insulting to Islam and the monarchy, was denied provisional release despite her serious health condition—she has cancer and needs urgent surgery. Her detention is drawing criticism from human rights advocates.
From AP News

The Bible Rebel Creed And Mission

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Anyone who knows even a little bit about the Bible and the history of Christianity knows that it was the religious leaders of the time, along with their secular allies, that were responsible for the killing of the prophets, the reformers, and even the Son of God himself, Yeshua our Messiah.

The religious leaders. The wolves in sheep’s clothing. The whited sepulchers. The vipers. The religious leaders.

There is no new thing under the sun. Fallen human nature and the rot of man-made religion hasn’t changed since they murdered the prophets, burned the ‘heretics’, and tortured and crucified our Lord.

That is part of the reason why I do not subscribe to a modern denominational creed of set of doctrines. I don’t think that modern day Evangelicals, or Baptists, or Lutherans, or Catholics are going to burn anyone in the town square – it’s just that I don’t trust organized religion.

I’m non-denominational. I’m a ‘Non’. And there are a lot of others just like me, in fact more and more folks are fleeing traditional ‘churchianity’ every day. Why? More on that in future posts.

Here’s my one and only creed, which I’m happy share with my brothers and sisters in The Fellowship of the Nons:

Creed of the Fellowship of the Nons

Our living God is a loving God and the Bible is His revealed word and will.
Our hope and eternal salvation relies entirely on the work of God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

A huge part of the purpose and reason for the Bible Rebel blog is stated in our mission:

“To examine and question the assumptions of religious tradition and provide a resource for information and inspiration for people of faith who have become dissatisfied with an increasingly lifeless and empty ‘churchianity’.”

Watchdog Alert: The Catholic Church

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Photo via Julius Silvers, pexels.com

Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events from the world of faith and religion and brings that content to our readers.

Catholic Diocese of Syracuse Bankruptcy Exit Plan Accepted

A bankruptcy court has approved the Diocese of Syracuse’s exit plan, which includes a comprehensive settlement sending $176 million to survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
From WSTM

Pope Leo XIV Condemns Forced Evacuation in Gaza

Pope Leo XIV strongly criticized Israeli plans for forcibly evacuating Gaza City, calling it a violation of international law. He urged for a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and emphasized the duty of clergy to remain with the vulnerable, condemning the evacuation as a form of “collective punishment.”
From The Times

Catholic Men Answer Call to Protect Parishes

An apostolate inspired by traditional Church practices is now training Catholic men to enhance parish security. This initiative is a modern response to growing safety concerns, aiming to prepare volunteers to act as guardians of their local communities.
From National Catholic Register

Tragic Mass Shooting at Minneapolis Catholic School

A horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis left two children dead and around 17 injured during a school Mass. Authorities are investigating the event as a potential hate crime and act of domestic terrorism. The community mourns, with leaders calling for stronger protections for places of worship.
From AP News

They Said It: Four Famous Quotes On Spiritual Warfare

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When a horrific, inexplicable act of intentional evil is carried out by someone, should we always blame it on ‘mental illness’? I think we need to examine the reality more closely in many cases and acknowledge that we are engaged in a battle with spiritual wickedness in high places.

1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (KJV)

Here are four famous quotes on the subject.

C.S. Lewis (The Screwtape Letters, 1942):
“There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.”

    John Piper (Desiring God):
    “Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth.”

      Charles Spurgeon (sermon on The Christian Soldier):
      “Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”

        A.W. Tozer (This World: Playground or Battleground?):
        “People think of the world not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic. We are not in a foreign land; we are at home. We are not getting ready to live; we are already living. And the idea that this world is a battleground has now been rejected by the great majority of Christians.”

          They Said It: Four Famous Quotes On The Founding Of Modern Israel

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          Photo via cottonbro studio at pexels.com

          Regardless of what one my think about the purity of the Jewish bloodline today, the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948 was a remarkable historic event.

          Here are some quotes from some of the leaders of the time who witnessed and were part of that history.

          David Ben-Gurion, May 14, 1948 (Declaration of Independence):
          “The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel.”

            Chaim Weizmann, 1948 (first President of Israel):
            “Miraculously, the Jewish people have survived through the centuries, and now, with the establishment of the State of Israel, we have returned to our rightful home.”

              Harry S. Truman, May 14, 1948 (U.S. recognition of Israel):
              “I had faith in Israel before it was established; I have faith in it now. I believe it has a glorious future before it—not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.”

                Golda Meir (reflecting on 1948):
                “When peace comes, we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons.”

                Watchdog Alert: What Are Those Methodists Up To?

                Rick TryonLeave a comment

                I keep seeing various memes and comments about the state of American (and European) churchianity that focus one an interesting theme: if the Apostle Paul were alive today we’d all be getting a letter. I love it.

                Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events from the world of faith and religion and brings that content to our readers.

                United Methodist Church Aims to Close Churches That Have Disaffiliated

                Date: June 12, 2025
                Summary: The UMC is planning to close church properties that have formally disaffiliated from the denomination. This move comes amid broader shifts and divisions following doctrinal disagreements.
                From https://www.wtvm.com

                Legal Victory for UMC in Dispute with Southern Methodist University

                Date: Last month (June/July 2025)
                Summary: The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the United Methodist Church’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference is a third-party beneficiary in its case against Southern Methodist University, allowing the breach-of-contract suit to proceed over control of governance.
                From Chron

                Growth in Global Methodist Church Three Years After Split

                Date: 3 days ago (around early August 2025)
                Summary: Following the 2022 schism, the Global Methodist Church (GMC) has seen significant growth. At First Church in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, worship attendance rose by 15% in the first year, another 13% the next, and over 10% this year. Meanwhile, UMC adopted a new inclusive mission statement and launched a “queer theology” course.
                From CBN

                Global Methodist Church Launches the Jethro Project Ministry

                Date: August 4, 2025
                Summary: The GMC introduced the “Jethro Project,” a ministry mobilizing retired—or “senior”—clergy in the Upper Midwest to pray for congregations, facilitate retreats like “Let’s be Methodist Together,” and support recruiting and cross-cultural coaching.
                From Global Methodist Church