None of them realized they were in a cult until it was too late. It started in late 1993 as a Bible study group composed of students from Messiah College
— Read on coloradotimesrecorder.com/2024/03/bad-faith-the-narrowgate-cult/
Tag Archives: Charis
Residents of Colorado Town Will Highlight Christian Nationalism After Wommack’s Takeover
He exploited scorched-earth political tactics to successfully place his preferred candidates on the city council and gain a 4-1 majority on the school board. Firings, resignations, enrollment declines and chaos ensued.
“We were sitting ducks,” said one conservative Christian resident, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns. “This was all brand new to me, this idea of Christians taking over. I had no idea what would happen to our local schools and I’ve been in utter shock and grief.”
— Read on coloradotimesrecorder.com/2024/02/residents-of-colorado-town-will-highlight-christian-nationalism-after-wommacks-takeover/60109/
Letter to the Editor: Colorado Christian Organization Responds to Column on Christian Nationalism
This letter was written by Richard Harris, Executive Director at the Truth & Liberty Coalition, in response to Logan Davis’ column, published by the Colorado Times Recorder on January 31, 2024, titled “Christian Nationalism is Turning Into Something Even Worse.” Davis’ response to the letter is included below.
— Read on coloradotimesrecorder.com/2024/02/letter-to-the-editor-colorado-christian-organization-responds-to-column-on-christian-nationalism/59765/
DAVIS: Christian Nationalism is Turning Into Something Even Worse
Christian nationalism is not new, and it is not distinctly American. In many ways, it’s not even distinctly Christian. Rather, it’s a subset of religious nationalism, which has manifested in different times, places, and faiths. And everywhere it manifests, democracy is imperiled.
— Read on coloradotimesrecorder.com/2024/01/davis-christian-nationalism-is-turning-into-something-even-worse/59413/
Andrew Wommack wants his followers to rule the world – Baptist News Global
Andrew Wommack wasn’t kidding back in 2021 when he called his followers to “take over” Woodland Park, the mountain town of 8,000 west of Colorado Springs that’s home to his ministry and Charis Bible College.
“This county ought to be totally dominated by believers,” Wommack said. “We have enough people here in this school we could elect anybody we want. We could take over this place.”
— Read on baptistnews.com/article/andrew-wommack-wants-his-followers-to-rule-the-world/
Letter to the Editor: Wommack Ministries Responds To ‘Onward Christian Soldiers – A Woodland Park Investigation’
This letter is in response to the opinion article, “DAVIS: Onward Christian Soldiers – A Woodland Park Investigation,” dated August 24, 2023. As a senior executive at Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis Bible College, I am in a unique position to respond to the allegations made throughout the article.
DAVIS: Onward Christian Soldiers – A Woodland Park Investigation
From the pulpit, Wommack preaches a fiery version of Christian nationalism, focused more on society than scripture, advocating for a near-theocratic merging of Christian principles and public institutions. His doctrine is wed to no real theological tradition, presenting as an incomplete reduction of Calvinist reconstructionism, Pentecostal dominionism, and American folk religion. He runs schools, churches, missionary organizations and political nonprofits. Soon, he hopes to run Woodland Park.
— Read on coloradotimesrecorder.com/2023/08/davis-onward-christian-soldiers-a-woodland-park-investigation/55674/
Charis and Truth and Liberty Coalition continues efforts to take over school boards statewide
It’s no secret that Charis Bible “college” is working to take over school boards (as well as local government like city councils) statewide. They have a class devoted to exactly this (here’s the video from the 2022 Citizens Academy as well if you’re curious). A school board candidate training academy was held there this past spring (and a similar event in 2021). And of course, Wommack urged his followers to ‘take over Woodland Park‘. Charis has a separate business identity, Truth and Liberty Coalition, which as a 501c(4) non-profit is able to engage in political activity (the line between that organization and Charis is vague at best).
Don’t forget, too, that current board director Sue Patterson is a Charis grad herself:
Most recently, Truth and Liberty Coalition Executive Director Richard Harris (whose LinkedIn bio lists him as the “Coordinator, Practical Government School at Charis Bible College Colorado”) sent this mass email, encouraging their followers to run for school board statewide:
Voters in Woodland Park have the opportunity to push back against this, by voting out the three incumbents this fall. Sue Patterson is not up for re-election so would remain on the board, but at least her influence would be reduced.
The reason for the crowds at the 5/10 board meeting
The May 10th board meeting, as previously reported on here (and also on NBC), was more than a bit chaotic, with unprecedented turnout and around half the attendees being shut out in the rain. While we knew there was a huge number of Charis Bible College students in attendance, the reason for their sudden interest was unproven. One student told a local TV reporter a board member had told them to appear. We don’t know whether that’s true, but we do know that earlier that day, Charis founder Andrew Wommack, Charis executive director Richard Harris, and WPSD DAC member Aaron Helstrom appeared on a Truth and Liberty Broadcast appealing to their followers to show up at that board meeting. You can watch that in the video clip below.
At the end of this video. Wommack talks about a ‘swatting’ incident; be aware that most of what he says is incorrect (it wasn’t ‘swatting’, it wasn’t a board member, it wasn’t at Walmart, etc). The actual facts of that incident should become apparent after the trial (for the person who made the 911 call) in early July.
The religious influence in school board elections
This fall, the Woodland Park RE-2 school district will vote on three new board directors, potentially shifting the balance of power of the current five-strong board. As we enter this season, it’s important to remember the influence religion had last time. Check out this article from Religion Dispatches. Andrew Wommack, with his Truth and Liberty Coalition and bible school Charis were at the center of this then…and we can expect even more this year. Pay attention, it’s going to get messy.
What had been, until recently, sleepy school board races across the state and the country, this year became political hot potatoes. The Colorado media generally cast these contests as battles between conservative groups and teachers unions, and that the results were mixed. But lost in this framing was the quiet electoral pilot project of the Truth and Liberty Coalition, the other arms of Wommack’s political and educational empire—and their out-of-state partner, the Texas-based Wallbuilders organization.