A recent conference held in Council Bluffs, Iowa, showcased a highly politicized wing of charismatic Christianity, featuring influential preachers who declared Donald Trump to be God’s favored candidate. Attendees pledged to take back leadership positions in various sectors and prayed against curses and incantations on Trump’s presidency. This movement emphasizes spiritual gifts like healings and prophecies and incorporates Christian nationalism. Leaders of this movement have supported Trump’s claims of election fraud in 2020.
Critics of this movement see it as anti-democratic and supporting a candidate with authoritarian ambitions. Many leaders of this movement rallied behind Trump’s claims of a stolen election and engaged in activities to block the certification of Biden’s win in 2020. The movement’s participants were seen at rallies in Washington protesting Biden’s victory. The movement’s ideology is a common thread in the social media feeds of its participants and poses a threat to democracy.
The conference speakers repeatedly framed the 2024 election as part of a spiritual war, with Trump being favored by God. Preachers denounced issues like abortion and gender-affirming treatments, aligning themselves with the larger evangelical Christian support for Trump. This charismatic movement, while politically conservative and opposing abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, contrasts with more restrained evangelical groups like Southern Baptists. The movement emphasizes the roles of modern-day apostles and prophets and has a diverse following.
The movement operates independently of denominations, with individual churches and ministries aligning with each other through endorsements of books and appearances at conferences. Leaders of the movement, such as Gene Bailey and Michael Flynn, have close ties to Trump and have blended politics with revival-like rallies. The movement also aligns with the concepts of dominionism and the Seven Mountain Mandate, which advocate for Christians to lead society in various sectors. The movement’s leaders believe they have the power to speak reality into being through prayers and declarations.
Separate from the Council Bluffs conference, similar events like the Courage Tour, led by Lance Wallnau, have been held in crucial battleground states, blending worship, prayers, and overt politics. These events lay the groundwork for delegitimizing election results if Trump’s rivals win. The movement leaders speak of spiritual warfare, which can potentially incite some followers into taking violent actions. The movement’s rhetoric and actions have the potential to lead to political violence in the future.
