Seven Mountain Mandate

The Seven Mountain Mandate, also Seven Mountains Mandate, 7M, 7MM, or Seven Mountains Dominionism, is a dominionist conservative Christian ideology within evangelical Christianity, particularly independent Charismatic groups. It holds that there are seven aspects of society that believers seek to dominate: family, religion, education, media, arts and entertainment, business, and government.

It is traced by its proponents to a 1975 origin story involving evangelicals Loren Cunningham and Bill Bright and a “seven spheres” framework for influencing key areas of society. Some later accounts also associate apologist Francis Schaeffer with this origin story; however, he was not present at the 1975 Colorado meeting and is instead linked via later retellings. Over time, particularly after the 2000 meeting between Cunningham and Lance Wallnau and the 2013 publication of Invading Babylon: The 7 Mountain Mandate by Wallnau and Bill Johnson, the movement adopted a more dominion-oriented focus, encouraging strategic social and political influence. It has been linked to the New Apostolic Reformation and gained visibility through figures like Paula White and support for Donald Trump, with a 2024 poll indicating that 41% of American Christians believe in 7MM.

"Cunningham, however, did not get involved in politics. He saw the seven spheres as a framework for evangelism and “Great Commission strategies.”

The movement’s theology is based on biblical passages like Revelation 17:9 and Isaiah 2:2, promoting the idea that Christians should actively take control of the seven societal “mountains” to establish God’s kingdom on Earth. Adherents use spiritual warfare tactics, prophecy, and intercession to attempt to influence these spheres. Organizations such as 7M Films and Ziklag operate under its principles, and prominent political figures, including Michele Bachmann and Lauren Boebert are followers. Critics argue that 7MM mirrors ideological state apparatuses described by Marxist theorists.