Back in 1975, Ernest Lee went to a conference with Bill Bright and Francis Schaeffer, both Ernest Lee peers. They challenged us old grey heads to get more involved in our culture and not isolate ourselves. In their estimation- and it was probably right- we had become stagnant and complacent. “Stop preaching to the choir,” Schaeffer shouted at us. Bill Bright was bright- he started Campus Crusade and he was an Okie like Ernest Lee, so he had to be smart, right? Bill was also an outliner- he was clever in sermon organization. Bright and Francis coined the ‘seven spheres of society,’ and Bill outlined it as family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business and government. They challenged us to become more influential in those areas. I had heard dozens of such sermons- maybe not with the same 7 points, but the same idea. What Bright and Schaeffer were trying to do was to get our church members to share the Gospel more with a lost and dying world. Their message was never about dominating a temporal world.
Fast forward to the early 2000s and Loren Cunningham, who started Youth with a Mission, and Lance Wallnau got together and co-opted Bright and Schaeffer’s idea. Wallnau wrote a book touting that believers should DOMINATE society and called his idea- THE SEVEN MOUNTAIN MANDATE. Ernest Lee doesn’t know either of these two yeawhos (Cunningham and Wallnau). Correction- met Loren Cunningham once, but he was a charismatic, post millennialist and a surfer (lived in Hawaii). Ernest Lee ain’t any of those. But for all his flaws, Cunningham appeared to be right on soteriology and he had a heart for missions- both great traits. I didn’t dislike Cunningham (he died a couple of years ago)- we just didn’t have a kindred spirit and never hit it off.
Now Wallnau is something else indeed. He claims President Trump is a modern day King Cyrus and describes himself as a Christian nationalist. Wallnau preaches Dominionism, which has been around for years. But if you listen him, you would think he invented it. Wallnau says believers should take over those seven areas of society Bright and Francis identified 50 years ago and when believers do that they will usher in the millennial reign of Christ. That is totally unbiblical- hogwash. It would take a month to tell you all that’s wrong with post millennialism, but just so we’re clear- Ernest Lee hates the position so much he stopped eating Post Toasties.
One of Ernest Lee’s young buddies, Jeremy Sexton wrote a fine white paper on the errors of believers ‘ushering’ in Christ’s return (post millennialism). Here is the link: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/postmillennialism-a-biblical-critique/
John MacArthur and Ernest Lee go way back. John recently denounced Christian nationalism insofar as it is defined as an attempt to usher in the Kingdom of God on Earth. Here is an article about it: https://www.christianpost.com/news/john-macarthur-denounces-christian-nationalism-as-faulty.html BTW- pray for my friend John. He isn’t doing well health wise. He missed his Shepherd’s Conference for the first time.
The co-opting, plagiarism and distortion by Wallnau of what Bright and Schaeffer were teaching 50 years ago gets Ernest Lee’s hackles up. Bill and Francis were challenging and exhorting grace only preachers to emphasize the Gospel in every area of their life. They wanted us to let our light so shine before men that others would see our good works and glorify the Father- Matt 5. Wallnau has warped that biblical message into believers trying to change men’s behavior. The tool he claims God must use is getting like minded people in political office or in positions of influence. Bill and Francis wanted the Holy Spirit to change hearts and lives. Wallnau wants societal behavior modification. Dominionism is WORKS based. It is man centered. It is heresy!
Wallnau reminds Ernest Lee of Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. Simon was amazed by the signs and miracles of the apostles and he offered Peter money for their power. What Simon didn’t know was that it wasn’t something he could just get because he wanted it. That power to heal, do miracles was given to them by the sovereign decision of a Holy God. It was completely of grace.
Believers should always be aware that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. As the hymn writer said: “This World is not my home- I’m justa passing thru.” Ernest’s Lee’s late neighbor, Jim Reeves sings it best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ndMZqT6i4I No where in the scriptures are believers told to dominate in this world- they’re told to sow the seed of the Gospel, which will change hearts and lives! The Christian’s only mandate is the Great Commission!
Ernest Lee Contendin 