No. Scripture requires us to be discerning and shrewd in assessing facts and recognizing patterns—not naïve and gullible. This includes recognizing when we are being lied to, and believing that people who repeatedly tell lies, do so because they are liars, and that their pretense of good faith is also a lie.

Calling something a “conspiracy theory” is a tactic used by liars. It is designed to short-circuit inquiry and discernment, by cool-shaming other people into accepting a particular view. But we should assess every case on its merits.

Moreover, labeling something a conspiracy theory, or misinformation, is often psychological projection. For instance, the Sanhedrin tried to do this with the resurrection, because the conspiracy was actually theirs (Mt 28:11–15). The devil is a liar and a murderer, and his children do his will (Jn 8:44). Scripture is explicit that spiritual realities are behind secular events: that “our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12; cf. 3:10)—foremost of whom is “the prince of the powers of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience” (Eph 2:2), in whose power the whole world lies (1 Jn 5:19; see also Jn 14:30; 2 Cor 4:4; Mt 13:19; Dan 10:13,20 etc). When Scripture plainly tells us that spiritual beings exercise great power over world leaders and events, to the point that it describes these beings as princes, authorities, rulers and dominions, what else can that be called but a kind of conspiracy? And why would we automatically think it absurd for patterns to emerge in world events that look like efforts to consolidate and establish such demonic rule through lies and murder—especially when they manifest in religious ways that resemble secularized idolatry?

No. Dominion Theology is not a helpful term anyway: it encompasses a very broad range of views, many of which conflict with each other. Most people understand it to have some kind of revolutionary spirit, where Christians are supposed to usher in God’s kingdom through political, rather than evangelistic, action.

It should be clear from our cornerstone challenge statement that this is not the Church’s commission. We do believe that, in regards to Christ, of the increase of his government there shall be no end (Isa 9:7), but we believe this is achieved by the gospel. Nations become Christian, and thus make Christian laws, when their people, both small and great, are converted through the preaching of God’s word in conjunction with the Holy Spirit giving them new hearts (Jn 3:3). They obviously do not become Christian just because Christians manage to get into government and change laws from the top down. This would merely be legalism applied at the national, rather than personal, level.

No. While we hold Destiny Church as coventantally brothers and sisters, there is much that requires reform in their doctrine and practice. Nonetheless, we respect and commend Brian Tamaki’s willingness to speak to the State on behalf of Christ. He has stood in the gap where thousands of other pastors, who are more orthodox on paper, have wilted and wavered.