Finally Found! The Roots of the Seven Mountains Mandate

I’ve been wondering for a very long time where the teaching of the “Seven Mountains” came from. Because I first heard it from the original NAR group – Peter Wagner, Chuck Pierce and Cindy Jacobs I thought maybe it was Peter Wagner.  Over the last few years I’ve watched Lance Wallnau become quite a well-known teacher on this topic although I have never sat and listened to him for very long. So, while I have been aware of this  – prophecy-mandate-movement-doctrine – I’ve never understood exactly from where it originated. And you know me, I like to know the roots of stuff.

This end times “take dominion over the earth” is taught by a large group all over the world, namely the NAR, and you have heard it referred to as domininon theology or kingdom now theology. Even after all my reading and research I continued to wonder where the teaching originated. Recently I came across an interview of Loren Cunnngham, Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and realized I finally found the roots. (yay!)

Following is a clip from the transcript of an interview with Loren Cunningham;  its entirety can be found here Reclaiming the Seven Mountains of Culture.

It was August, 1975.  My family and I were up in a little cabin in Colorado.  And the Lord had given me that day a list of things I had never thought about before.  He said “This is the way to reach America and nations for God.  And {He said}, “You have to see them like classrooms or like places that were already there, and go into them with those who are already working in those areas.”  And I call them “mind-molders” or “spheres”.  I got the word “spheres” from II Corinthians 10 where Paul speaks in the New American Standard about the “spheres” he had been called into.  And with these spheres there were seven of them, and I’ll get to those in a moment.  But it was a little later that day, the ranger came up, and he said, “There is a phone call for you back at the ranger’s station.”    So I went back down, about 7 miles, and took the call.  It was a mutual friend who said, “Bill Bright and Vonnette are in Colorado at the same time as you are.  Would you and Darlene come over and meet with them? They would love to meet with you.”  So we flew over to Boulder on a private plane of a friend of ours.  And as we came in and greeted each other, {we were friends for quite a while}, and I was reaching for my yellow paper that I had written on the day before.  And he said, “Loren, I want to show you what God has shown me!” And it was virtually the same list that God had given me the day before.  Three weeks later, my wife Darlene had seen Dr. Francis Shaffer on TV and he had the same list!  And so I realized that this was for the body of Christ.

So, according to Loren’s account, the three of them received a message and concluded it was from God. Even after finding the scripture referred to as 2 Corinthians 10 I don’t see a connection to what Paul was speaking of in the scripture beginning in verse 13. See here –

¹³ We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; ¹⁵ not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, ¹⁶ to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.

Spheres, not mountains and a sphere which is round could never become a mountain which is not. So – word games? bad geometry? But in the context – the meeeeeannnninnnng – which to the best of my understanding as used here is region or area of influence where the gospel was, is and will be preached in making reference to his apostolic authority where the Lord has led him to preach it.  (There’s more going on in this chapter, but I don’t see the need to address it now. Feel free to hash it later on.)

To continue the transcript (emphasis mine):

I gave it for the first time in Hamburg, Germany at the big cathedral there to a group of hundreds of young people that had gathered at that time. And I said, “These are the areas that you can go into as missionaries.  Here they are: First, it’s the institution set up by God first, the family.  After the family was church, or the people of God.  The third was the area of school, or education. The fourth was media, public communication, in all forms, printed and electronic.  The fifth was what I call “celebration”, the arts, entertainment, and sports, where you celebrate within a culture.  The sixth would be the whole area of the economy, which starts with innovations in science and technology, productivity, sales, and service.  The whole area we often call it business but we leave out sometimes the scientific part, which actually raises the wealth of the world.  Anything new, like making sand into chips for a microchip, that increases wealth in the world.  And then of course prediction sales and service helps to spread the wealth.  And so the last was the area of government.  Now government, the Bible shows in Isaiah 33 verse 22 that there are three branches of government, so it’s all of the three branches:  judicial, legislative, and executive.  And then there are subgroups under all of those seven groups.  And there are literally thousands upon thousands of sub-groups.  But those seven can be considered like Caleb:  “Give me this mountain,” and they can be a “mountain” to achieve for God.

Notice, Loren began this segment of the story stating “I said” not “God said”.  And to young people – YOUNG PEOPLE! Again, referring to the scripture in 2 Corinthians 10 Paul mentions nothing of the seven mountains which are: Family, Religion, Government, Arts/Entertainment (not to forget someone recently added sports to that mountain), Media, Education and Economy/Business. So, how is it these men can conclude this is a message from God to be preached, taught and utilized by all believers?

And just as a side note and because I cannot let this go, Loren claimed the government as shown in Isaiah 33 v 22. My NKJV reads- (For the Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us)  Nothing said, or inferred, as far as I can see about government! Maybe it’s a typo on their end, but where’s the credibility here???

Here is a short video supporting the Seven Mountains Mandate by Os Hillman

Notice the emphasis placed on the mountain that will bring in the cash needed to carry out this mandate which is also necessary for the success of the other mountains. To them, nothing can be accomplished without that money. They saved this particular mountain until toward the end of the video because it is the most important and they want that remembered just as in Loren’s story. Was this the message of Christ?

Mark 6:7-9 –⁷ And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. ⁸ He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— ⁹ but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

Mark 10:23  Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”

Jesus never emphasised the need for money in preaching the gospel, in sending His own out or even in their day to day affairs. Its like He knew whatever the need it would be provided. Hmmm..

Matthew 6:31-33 ³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

If you follow this Seven Mountain mandate you will be taken on a quest to become educated and work to achieve a place of promised authority and power in your “mountain”. Instead you will find yourself in a place in which you become subject to the leadership and rule of a false apostle and prophet. We are supposed to be light to the lost but in proper context.  Why would God instruct anyone to take over these spheres or mountains and build a kingdom here on earth when Jesus stated His kingdom was not of this world? Why would He give messages to build and  take over society that He intends on destroying at the end of time? Why would He direct people to devise ways to gain cash when He showed such little interest in it among His own? He would not. It is that simple.

From where you are at, preach the gospel to those around you, praying for their salvation, and yes, go out as a missionary if you are called to it! Until Christ returns His kingdom is a spiritual one here on earth. We are joined by our faith and are like-minded through the clear and simple teachings of the word of God, for this is our unity. And we are led by the Spirit of God in all things.

Blessed be His name.