Seven Mountains

The Seven Mountains of Influence, also known as the Seven Mountain Mandate, is considered by some Christians as a strategy to have a greater impact by infiltrating and gaining power in these areas of society. These spheres are: 1/. Religion. Since early civilization, every nation has tended to align with one (or many) religions, which have shaped how people act and behave in a society. 2/. Family. Considered the bedrock of society, where values are largely determined by the input received early in life. 3/. Education. In this manner, young, impressionable, and inquisitive minds can be influenced by various beliefs that shape and define their character. 4/. Government. Legislation determines how people should live in the community. 5/. Media. News can either be truthful and newsworthy or biased with misinformation. 6/. Arts and Entertainment. They also shape the way we think and the way we act. 7/. Business. Commerce determines how we live and plays a major part in our lives. Other key areas outside these seven areas where individuals and groups can actively engage and positively impact culture and values to bring about societal change include science, technology, economics, and medicine.

To effectively reach society with the gospel, it is essential for individual believers, rather than the church as an institution, to engage with their communities through their everyday lives and workplaces. This approach

Do I know my calling? Am I walking in it?

aims to facilitate transformed lives, leading to transformed communities. It is important to note that our lives are not to be divided into sacred and secular compartments. We are to take God into our world, whenever and wherever, with the church organisation focused on equipping people (rather than just entertaining adherents) to reach and transform society (Eph 4:11,12). The Gospel is the power of God and the only message that can bring any lasting change in an individual’s life and the life of a nation. Christians are called to be light and salt in the world, with the message of the gospel permeating everywhere (Mt 5:13,14; Mk 16:15). The church, as Christ’s representatives, should seek to share the gospel of Jesus with all people in every area of society and in that way influence culture so that when lives are transformed by the good news, society will be impacted (Jn 20:21). The overturning of wicked systems and the advancement of God’s truth should be something every believer prays for and works towards besides being a positive, godly influence in their family, work environment, and community. As believers, we must ask, ‘How do I be an effective witness in my sphere of society to my non-Christian friends?’ This is a matter of personally sharing our faith and personal transformation manifest as “conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil 1:27). Another question we should ask is, ‘How do I impact society with the values of the Kingdom through the sphere that I am serving in?’ God regularly uses individuals irrespective of their status in life. For instance, consider the lives of Gideon and Mary (the mother of Jesus). Both were humbly involved in their daily duties when God chose them for significant roles (Jdg 6:12-16; Lk 1:26-38,48). This illustrates that God's ways are not always aligned with human expectations, as He often selects those who appear inconspicuous or overlooked to achieve His purposes (Isa 55:11; 1 Cor 1:25-29).

The Bible urges us to pray for everyone, especially those in authority and governing positions of responsibility “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim 2:1,2). We are to live in submission to those in authority over us unless it goes against His ways (Act 5:29; Rom 13:1,2). People are to be our focus, seeing them redeemed, not necessarily reforming world systems. When individuals experience a transformative relationship with Christ through salvation, it will significantly impact their spheres of influence, leading others to inquire about the change (Act 4:13; 1 Pet 3:15). So, while we are to be effective servants of God, it is essential to avoid becoming unnecessarily entangled in matters that might distract or hinder us from our primary duty, particularly our obligations to Him (Mk 12:30; 2 Tim 2:4).

Concerns about this teaching

At the start of human history, God declared that humans were to have dominion over the earth (Gen 1:26,28). This verse’s context is humanity ruling over animals, not Christians having influence and dominion over nonbelievers, as is a foundational aspect of this belief. God indeed reconciles those who repent and turn to Himself, yet this approach seeks to reconcile every aspect of society to God (2 Cor 5:17-19). While it can be true that the more Christians who have influence, the more we can share the gospel, the Bible never mandates us as believers to dominate all of society, rather it simply commands us to faithfully spread the Gospel and make disciples (Mt 28:19,20; Act 1:8). Although we desire Christian leaders in various positions, it isn’t our main mission to find our ‘mountain’ and be a leader in that realm here on earth. Some people are called to leadership positions, but they must not intimidate those under their control for the desire to rule over others comes from our fallen nature and can be motivated by exploiting for personal gains. Leaders must be alert to pride, recognizing they are only human channels He works through. In contrast, most citizens are to faithfully serve to the best of their ability in their field “doing it as unto the Lord” (Col 1:10, 3:23,24). We should all aim to be proficient and do our best, contributing to society meaningfully as an outworking of our salvation.

Christian Nationalism, which advocates for the dominance of Christianity in governance, may appear beneficial. However, it is important to note that God desires individuals to follow His ways through voluntary choice rather than compulsion. Dominion theology (Kingdom Now) suggests that Christians should aspire to positions of power and so govern their area of influence or nation according to biblical principles. This belief implies that without taking authority, Christians may limit God's ability to influence society. While it is a commendable ideal, it overlooks our primary Christian mission of preaching the Gospel to all nations and trusting that God will accomplish His work how He reasons appropriate, rather than altering or controlling how everyone thinks and behaves.