History reveals that societies, which are not governed by Godly principles and design, ultimately degenerate into tyranny, oppression, degradation and chaos. Therefore, in order for a society to be successful, operating in its fullest potential, each member must do their part as an integral component of said society. Every person has been given, by God, a specific set of skills for the purpose of bringing Godly excellence into the area of their calling. The gifts, talents and proclivities direct people to their mountain/s in order for the member to bring the values, established by God, into every aspect of that mountain, thus restoring a society back to the foundations of truth, righteousness and goodness.
Currently, the minorities, who are not in alignment with Godly values, are in the influential positions upon the mountain, directing the culture to move farther and farther away from those values. As believers in Jesus, we are mandated to spread the Good News, as well as, be a light of hope and example wherever we go. We are called to bring back goodness and Godliness into our personal sphere of influence, wherever that may be, thus restoring our culture and society back to one which honors and esteems the Lord Most High.
Apathy, complacency, a lack of understanding our identity coupled with individuals diminishing their impact and influence upon the world, has opened the door for the enemy to take control over the societal mountains of influence. Establishing our identity in Jesus, recognizing that we are wonderfully and uniquely created for a specific purpose and bringing the presence of God to wherever we find ourselves along life’s path will push out the enemy from the high places in the mountain, thus restoring the rightful influencer within the mountain: God Almighty.
Hope Restore Ministries is in agreement with The Reformation Prayer Network’s explanation of the Seven Mountain Mandate. According to The Reformation Prayer Network, The Seven Mountains of Societal Influence is explained as:
In 1975, Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade and Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With a Mission(YWAM), developed a God-given, world-changing strategy. Their mandate: Bring Godly change to a nation by reaching its seven spheres, or mountains, of societal influence.
They concluded that in order to truly transform any nation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, these seven facets of society must be reached: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment and Business.
1. RELIGION
Every society has some type of belief in a superior being or beings. In the east, religions tend to be polytheistic (many gods) or outright idolatrous (such as Hinduism and Buddhism). Although these religions are thousands of years old, they nonetheless continue to thrive today. In the west, Christianity and Catholicism are predominant, but postmodern views are increasingly being accepted and the concept of God is being rejected. This is especially true in Europe.
The Christian Church is described in the Greek language as the ecclesia. Literally translated, the word ecclesia means “governing body.” Although we don’t condone theocracies, this translation suggests that the Church should have great influence in all other spheres that make up a society. With a plethora of categorized religions around the world, it’s the Church’s responsibility to reach the lost with the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ, and expand the Kingdom in ministerial efforts, both nationally and internationally.
2. FAMILY
In any functional society, the family is the “building block” of the community. Throughout the Bible, you will find familial examples that portray how we ought to live our lives today. God desires that men, women, and children within a family be united as one in His love. After all, He is the ultimate Father (Romans 8:14-17).
The families of the United States have been under constant and prolonged attack. Today, the assailants are fatherlessness, divorce (50% rate in secular and Christian marriages), abuse, homosexual marriage, pornography, and other negative influences have brought great dysfunction to American life. God is calling fathers and mothers (both spiritual and biological) to bring order to the chaos that the enemy has unleashed against families in America. He also wants to bring healing to marriages and relationships within families in order to maintain a moral foundation for children in the future to stand upon.
3. EDUCATION
At one time the education system of America unapologetically incorporated the Bible, prayer to the God of the Bible, and biblical values in every aspect of school life. Not coincidentally, this system produced a people that produced the most powerful and prosperous nation the earth has ever seen.
Now, the children of our nation are inundated with liberal ideologies, atheistic teaching and postmodern principles in our public schools and in most universities (including many Christian institutions). Put simply; they are being indoctrinated with often false, biased and anti-biblical information.
A re-introduction of biblical truth and Bible-centric values is the key to renewal and restoration in America’s failing educational system.
4. GOVERNMENT
Proverbs 14:34 states that, “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Many times, as exemplified in the Old Testament, a nation’s moral standards are dependent on those exhibited by its leaders (or predominant political party). While each individual is responsible for his or her own sins; the fact remains that people are greatly influenced by those moral (or lack thereof) that popular leaders adopt.
The progressive liberal agenda, empowered by well-known men and women in the arts and entertainment industries, have made significant gains in the political arena over the past few decades. In fact, many liberal groups, such as the ACLU, seek to remove anything related to God or Christianity from the governmental and educational systems because of a misapplied interpretation of the phrase, “separation of church and state.” We must see a shift in this arena in order to preserve the Christian heritage that America was founded upon. The goal is to put in place righteous political leaders that will positively affect all aspects of government.
5. MEDIA
The media mountain includes news sources such as radio, TV news stations, newspapers, Internet news and opinion (blog) sites and etc. The media has the potential to sway popular opinion on current issues based upon its reporting, which is not always truthful or accurate. In the 2008 elections, the liberal “elite” media played a vital role, especially in the Presidential race. Their generally supportive and positive reporting greatly influenced the outcome.
There has been a rise in Christian news services, which is needed. However, to bring transformation to the mountain of media, Christians who are gifted for and called into this type of work must be willing to report righteously and truthfully in the secular marketplace.
6. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
In this mountain we find some of the most influential forces shaping our society. Music, filmmaking, television, social media, and the performing arts drive the cultural tastes, values and standards of a nation’s citizens, particularly its youth.
With a heavy reliance on the strong appeal of sex, drugs and alcohol, the arts and entertainment industries wield significant influence. The body of Christ needs powerful, righteous men and women who are not afraid to take their God-given talent into the arts and entertainment arenas. People ready to further His purposes, while impacting those who are lost in darkness and would not otherwise be interested in any kind of Christian message in traditional forms.
7. BUSINESS
The ability to literally create wealth through ingenuity, enterprise, creativity and effort and is a God-given gift and a universal impulse. The markets and economic systems that emerge whenever people are free to pursue buying and selling become the lifeblood of a nation. This includes anything from farms to small businesses to large corporations.
Of course this realm is prone to corruption through idolatry, greed and covetousness. In response, the Church must embrace its responsibility to train up those who are called into the marketplace to manage businesses and provide leadership with integrity and honesty. We believe it is the Lord’s will to make his people prosperous and that He desires for His Church to use its wealth to finance the work of Kingdom expansion. Simply put: Prosperity with a purpose.