D-2 PEOPLE FILES
- Steve Deace - Melissa Deckman - Brian K Dees - Mason Dees - Dusty Deevers - Terry DeFoe - Cora Lynn Deibler - Eli De La Rosa - Mondo de La Vega - Roy Delia - Mike Demastus - Mary DuMuth - Craig Denison - Angela Denker - Kurtis W Denton - Craig DeRoche - Jamie K Dew - Ceirion Dewar - Steve Dewitt -
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==steve deace======
Steve Deace
Steve Deace (born July 28, 1973) is a prominent American conservative commentator, author, and host of The Steve Deace Show on Blaze Media. His identity and work are deeply rooted in his Christian faith, which he frequently integrates into his political analysis. Deace converted to Christianity in 2003 after attending a Promise Keepers rally. He was originally born and baptized in the Catholic Church but did not practice until his adult conversion. He currently identifies as a non-denominational Christian and has attended a non-denominational Pentecostal church for nearly a decade. He advocates for a "Biblical worldview" in politics, arguing that spiritual revival must precede political transformation. He often speaks about "spiritual warfare" playing out in modern cultural and political arenas. Deace wrote the book A Nefarious Plot, which was adapted into the 2023 Christian supernatural thriller film Nefarious. The story explores themes of demonic possession and spiritual conflict. His show on Apple Podcasts and BlazeTV is framed as a "Christian political worldview show," where he discusses current events through the lens of scripture. He has authored several books that combine faith with political commentary, such as Fearing God, Not Man and Rules for Patriots. He has expressed concern that the modern church has failed to disciple younger generations, leading to a "soft woke" or "semi-apostate" evangelical movement. Deace holds a theologically-based support for Israel, viewing it as a strategic and spiritual ally of Christendom. While a staunch conservative, he has at times been critical of political leaders, including Donald Trump (particularly during the 2016 and 2024 primaries), based on what he describes as Christian moral standards.
While I agree that Iran is a legitimate security issue for us as Americans, the fundamental and systemic breakdowns in our own cultural back yard are far more dangerous right now. We must be plain about the true nature of the enemy. If Democrats were made an offer to secure nationalized health care at the cost of permanently excluding illegal aliens, they wouldn’t take the deal. A Republican Party not run by the likes of John Thune — which increasingly seems like an impossibility — should be forcing votes to expose this reality on the regular instead of going on vacation. -Steve Deace; 4.6.26
Adam Steen says he’ll campaign with Christian conservatives
Republican Adam Steen is planning to hit the trail soon with some of his gubernatorial campaign’s high-profile backers.
Talking to reporters Wednesday after submitting the required nominating signatures with the Iowa Secretary of State at the Iowa Capitol, said he plans to campaign across the state with Bob Vander Plaats and Steve Deace, two prominent leaders in Iowa Christian conservative politics. Steen, a former state agency director from Runnells in Polk County, is one of five Republicans seeking the party’s nomination as Iowa prepares to elect its next governor this fall. (The Gazettes 4/11/26) READMORE>>>>
Republican Adam Steen is planning to hit the trail soon with some of his gubernatorial campaign’s high-profile backers.
Talking to reporters Wednesday after submitting the required nominating signatures with the Iowa Secretary of State at the Iowa Capitol, said he plans to campaign across the state with Bob Vander Plaats and Steve Deace, two prominent leaders in Iowa Christian conservative politics. Steen, a former state agency director from Runnells in Polk County, is one of five Republicans seeking the party’s nomination as Iowa prepares to elect its next governor this fall. (The Gazettes 4/11/26) READMORE>>>>
Christ the Christian Nationalist Sunday?
Schriver is, unfortunately, not an outlier. Outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a group of young men waved “America First” flags while chanting “Christ is King!” shortly before the pro-Trump crowd stormed the building in hopes of blocking Trump’s electoral defeat. The group mixing “America First” and “Christ is King” were followers of far-right commentator Nick Fuentes, a controversial antisemitic Catholic Christian Nationalist. Fuentes, who argues the U.S. is “a Christian nation,” pushes the “Christ is King” slogan to support his White Christian Nationalist vision. Other extremists and antisemitic figures also often post “Christ is King” on social media, meaning the growing popularity online of the phrase is occurring because of those also pushing hateful politics. And a Christian Nationalist conference earlier this year was held with the theme, “Christ is King: How to Defeat Trashworld!” It included prominent Christian Nationalist speakers like Steve Deace, Andrew Isker, Calvin Robinson, Joel Webbon, and Stephen Wolfe. ”(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
Schriver is, unfortunately, not an outlier. Outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a group of young men waved “America First” flags while chanting “Christ is King!” shortly before the pro-Trump crowd stormed the building in hopes of blocking Trump’s electoral defeat. The group mixing “America First” and “Christ is King” were followers of far-right commentator Nick Fuentes, a controversial antisemitic Catholic Christian Nationalist. Fuentes, who argues the U.S. is “a Christian nation,” pushes the “Christ is King” slogan to support his White Christian Nationalist vision. Other extremists and antisemitic figures also often post “Christ is King” on social media, meaning the growing popularity online of the phrase is occurring because of those also pushing hateful politics. And a Christian Nationalist conference earlier this year was held with the theme, “Christ is King: How to Defeat Trashworld!” It included prominent Christian Nationalist speakers like Steve Deace, Andrew Isker, Calvin Robinson, Joel Webbon, and Stephen Wolfe. ”(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
==melissa deckman======
Christian Nationalism is backed by a third of Arizonans and a majority of GOP, survey finds
In Arizona, 55% of Republicans surveyed identified as either adherents or sympathizers to Christian Nationalism. Among independents, just 21% identified as adherents or sympathizers; for Democrats, a mere 11% did. “Because a pretty solid majority of Republicans are Christian Nationalists, it helps explain a number of policies that are being enacted,” PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman said about the survey’s findings. While around 33% of Arizonans are either supportive of or adhere to Christian Nationalist beliefs, Deckman said that the Grand Canyon State actually falls a bit below the national average. “I think it shows you why Arizona is such a purple state,” Deckman said, adding that areas in the Bible Belt region of the country that are known Republican strongholds have much higher percentages than Arizona. (AZ Mirror; 2.24.26)READMORE>>>>>
In Arizona, 55% of Republicans surveyed identified as either adherents or sympathizers to Christian Nationalism. Among independents, just 21% identified as adherents or sympathizers; for Democrats, a mere 11% did. “Because a pretty solid majority of Republicans are Christian Nationalists, it helps explain a number of policies that are being enacted,” PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman said about the survey’s findings. While around 33% of Arizonans are either supportive of or adhere to Christian Nationalist beliefs, Deckman said that the Grand Canyon State actually falls a bit below the national average. “I think it shows you why Arizona is such a purple state,” Deckman said, adding that areas in the Bible Belt region of the country that are known Republican strongholds have much higher percentages than Arizona. (AZ Mirror; 2.24.26)READMORE>>>>>
3 in 10 Americans Support or Sympathize With Christian Nationalism, Poll Finds
Roughly one in three Americans are Christian nationalists or sympathetic to the cause, according to a new survey.
The survey, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, also found strong connections between support for Christian nationalism and support for the Republican Party and President Donald Trump in particular.
“I think the threat is (to) our democracy,” said Public Religion Research Institute CEO Melissa Deckman. “We found consistently that Christian nationalists tend to endorse more illiberal views in the sense that they’re more likely to embrace more authoritarian views, which can essentially be used to justify limiting access to the ballot for some people, or it can be used to use undemocratic means to stay in power.”
Roughly one in three Americans are Christian nationalists or sympathetic to the cause, according to a new survey.
The survey, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, also found strong connections between support for Christian nationalism and support for the Republican Party and President Donald Trump in particular.
“I think the threat is (to) our democracy,” said Public Religion Research Institute CEO Melissa Deckman. “We found consistently that Christian nationalists tend to endorse more illiberal views in the sense that they’re more likely to embrace more authoritarian views, which can essentially be used to justify limiting access to the ballot for some people, or it can be used to use undemocratic means to stay in power.”
- (TruthOut 2.18.26)READMORE>>>>>
How a bucolic Tennessee suburb became a hotbed of ‘Christian Nashville-ism’
Melissa Deckman, CEO of PRRI, said concern about cultural issues has driven support for MAGA-style politicians, rather than economic concerns. She pointed to data from PRRI’s latest Americans Values Survey, which found that white evangelicals (59%), white mainline Protestants (53%) and white Catholics (53%) — as well as Black Protestants (52%) — all preferred a presidential candidate who could “protect and preserve American culture and the American way of life” over one who could manage the economy. Republicans (58%) also preferred a president who could preserve American culture. “The economy truly takes a back seat for MAGA Republicans in most cases because they believe the threats they perceive in the country — growing secularization, changing demographics, more identification as LGBTQ among younger Americans — are far more disturbing to their worldview and to their own base of power,” said Deckman.
(Bob Smietana/Religion News 11/8/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Melissa Deckman, CEO of PRRI, said concern about cultural issues has driven support for MAGA-style politicians, rather than economic concerns. She pointed to data from PRRI’s latest Americans Values Survey, which found that white evangelicals (59%), white mainline Protestants (53%) and white Catholics (53%) — as well as Black Protestants (52%) — all preferred a presidential candidate who could “protect and preserve American culture and the American way of life” over one who could manage the economy. Republicans (58%) also preferred a president who could preserve American culture. “The economy truly takes a back seat for MAGA Republicans in most cases because they believe the threats they perceive in the country — growing secularization, changing demographics, more identification as LGBTQ among younger Americans — are far more disturbing to their worldview and to their own base of power,” said Deckman.
(Bob Smietana/Religion News 11/8/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
==brian k dees======
Pastor Brian K. Dees is the Senior Pastor of East Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church (EJMBC) located in Picayune, Mississippi. He has led East Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church for several years, following the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Alonzo Dees. Pastor Dees oversees the church's "House of Bread" food bank, which has been operational for over 15 years as of 2023. The food bank serves residents of Pearl River County and delivers to senior members of the church who are unable to attend services in person. He frequently officiates funeral services and community events in the Picayune area. He is the son of the late Reverend Alonzo Dees and Ruth Evelyn Manning Dees. He grew up in the Picayune area, where his father was also a prominent religious leader.
January 24, 2023: Picayune Item reported: East Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church’s Pastor Brian K. Dees said the food bank was been operational for about 15 years. Turner has been a part of it for seven and Barbra Walton’s been helping for two years now. The church’s food bank also delivers to its senior members who aren’t able to attend.
July 13, 2018: Picayune Item reported: Improvements at Friendship Park are first of many planned
Committee members include city of Picayune Grant Manager Christy Goss, Picayune Parks and Recreation Director Trevor Adam, Capt. Theresa Milar with the Picayune Police Department, Picayune Main Street Director Reba Beebe, Rev. Allen Hickman with Resurrection Life Ministries, Rev. Brian Dees, Pastor Darrell Worley of Christian Life Assembly of God and Laura Rutherford.
Committee members include city of Picayune Grant Manager Christy Goss, Picayune Parks and Recreation Director Trevor Adam, Capt. Theresa Milar with the Picayune Police Department, Picayune Main Street Director Reba Beebe, Rev. Allen Hickman with Resurrection Life Ministries, Rev. Brian Dees, Pastor Darrell Worley of Christian Life Assembly of God and Laura Rutherford.
==eli de la rosa======
Latino evangelical congregations are preparing for immigration enforcement in their places of worship
Bishop Ebli De La Rosa says his motto right now is “to prepare for the worst and pray for the best.”
De La Rosa, who oversees Church of God of Prophecy congregations in nine southeastern states, says he has had to respond quickly to the Trump administration’s new orders, which have thrown out policies that restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive locations such as schools and houses of worship. This move has imperiled 32 of the Latino evangelical denomination’s 70 pastors who are here without legal status and serve in some of the region’s most vulnerable communities, De La Rosa said. The bishop has instructed each congregation with endangered pastors to prepare three laypeople to take over, should their leader be deported. He has also told them to livestream every service, and to “keep recording even if something happens.”
(Milwaukee Indpendent 3/15/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Bishop Ebli De La Rosa says his motto right now is “to prepare for the worst and pray for the best.”
De La Rosa, who oversees Church of God of Prophecy congregations in nine southeastern states, says he has had to respond quickly to the Trump administration’s new orders, which have thrown out policies that restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive locations such as schools and houses of worship. This move has imperiled 32 of the Latino evangelical denomination’s 70 pastors who are here without legal status and serve in some of the region’s most vulnerable communities, De La Rosa said. The bishop has instructed each congregation with endangered pastors to prepare three laypeople to take over, should their leader be deported. He has also told them to livestream every service, and to “keep recording even if something happens.”
(Milwaukee Indpendent 3/15/25) READ MORE>>>>>
==mason dees======
Christian Nationalism can find some support for its views in the Old Testament, but it fails to take into account the political theology of Jesus and the apostles. A complete survey of the New Testament reveals that the apostles dealt with theological disputes through the church, apart from government action. Consider the strong language the apostle Paul used of the false teachers in Corinth. The context of the passage is Paul’s stinging reply to the “super-apostles” who charged Paul with preaching an unauthorized gospel given to him by men. In response, Paul had no hesitation in using this language of his critics: “So it is no surprise if [Satan’s] servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Cor 12:15). Despite unmasking these churchmen as Satan’s servants, he never advocates turning them over to the authorities for punishment, though clearly, the issues at stake in Corinth were matters of eternal significance. In those days, professing Christians suffered persecution from Jewish authorities and, increasingly, the Roman Empire. If Paul viewed theological disputes as being within the legitimate purview of the state, he could have easily suggested that the Corinthian Christians turn these false teachers over to the Jewish leaders or Roman authorities. He doesn’t.
Perhaps the most significant teaching relevant to this discussion is recorded in Matt 19. In the preceding verses, the Pharisees had been told by Jesus that in the marital union, husband and wife are joined together by God as one flesh: therefore man should not separate what God joined. They respond by asking why Moses allowed them to divorce their wives at will. Jesus responds, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning, it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery” (Matt 19:8-9).
Jesus makes it clear that, even in theocratic Israel, God made legal exceptions for certain immoral activities, here, illegitimate divorce (Matt 5:32). This was done because of the hardness of the Israelites’ hearts.
This concession is relevant to the discussion of Christian Nationalism. If even in theocratic Israel certain sins were tolerated by the government because of the people’s hardness of heart, it would seem even more appropriate that we who live under the new covenant begun by Christ should tolerate some sins and theological errors because of a similar hardness. I would argue that external religious practice would fall under this category. Religion is one of the things people keep closest to their hearts, and is the most difficult thing to change, even under threat of government action. Ephesians 2:1 describes unbelievers as being dead in their sins. Isn’t this the epitome of a hard heart? Arguing from the principle of the lessor-to-the-greater, if divorce was allowed because of hardness of heart, shouldn’t the exercise of false religion be as well?
There are very practical dangers to a Christian government that punishes the practice of heretical views through state action. The likely result of forcing heresy underground and creating a black market of ideas instead of addressing falsehood head-on in the open debate should concern Christians thoughtfully considering these issues. Giving the government the power to determine what is and what is not heresy can also have dangerous consequences, as seen in the Inquisition, witch trials, and numerous examples of abuse of power. Even today Christian churches disagree on theology and morality and who can say that the brand of Christianity the nationalist state supports is your brand?
Pragmatic reasoning aside, Christ and His apostles teach that false doctrine and unbelief, while serious matters, are things that should be left out of the government’s hands. If we wish to apply the Bible’s teachings faithfully in this subject, we should repudiate Christian Nationalism and seek a better way to address the issues plaguing modern society.
--Mason Dees; Religious Liberty TV; The Popularity and Pitfalls of Christian Nationalism 8.21.23
Perhaps the most significant teaching relevant to this discussion is recorded in Matt 19. In the preceding verses, the Pharisees had been told by Jesus that in the marital union, husband and wife are joined together by God as one flesh: therefore man should not separate what God joined. They respond by asking why Moses allowed them to divorce their wives at will. Jesus responds, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning, it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery” (Matt 19:8-9).
Jesus makes it clear that, even in theocratic Israel, God made legal exceptions for certain immoral activities, here, illegitimate divorce (Matt 5:32). This was done because of the hardness of the Israelites’ hearts.
This concession is relevant to the discussion of Christian Nationalism. If even in theocratic Israel certain sins were tolerated by the government because of the people’s hardness of heart, it would seem even more appropriate that we who live under the new covenant begun by Christ should tolerate some sins and theological errors because of a similar hardness. I would argue that external religious practice would fall under this category. Religion is one of the things people keep closest to their hearts, and is the most difficult thing to change, even under threat of government action. Ephesians 2:1 describes unbelievers as being dead in their sins. Isn’t this the epitome of a hard heart? Arguing from the principle of the lessor-to-the-greater, if divorce was allowed because of hardness of heart, shouldn’t the exercise of false religion be as well?
There are very practical dangers to a Christian government that punishes the practice of heretical views through state action. The likely result of forcing heresy underground and creating a black market of ideas instead of addressing falsehood head-on in the open debate should concern Christians thoughtfully considering these issues. Giving the government the power to determine what is and what is not heresy can also have dangerous consequences, as seen in the Inquisition, witch trials, and numerous examples of abuse of power. Even today Christian churches disagree on theology and morality and who can say that the brand of Christianity the nationalist state supports is your brand?
Pragmatic reasoning aside, Christ and His apostles teach that false doctrine and unbelief, while serious matters, are things that should be left out of the government’s hands. If we wish to apply the Bible’s teachings faithfully in this subject, we should repudiate Christian Nationalism and seek a better way to address the issues plaguing modern society.
--Mason Dees; Religious Liberty TV; The Popularity and Pitfalls of Christian Nationalism 8.21.23
==dusty deevers======
TPUSA Doubles Down on Christian Nationalism
TPUSA Faith, the group’s religious organizing arm, is hosting a “pastor roundtable” featuring two Christian nationalists, Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers and author and former Trump administration official William Wolfe, according to a flyer Deevers posted on his X account Wednesday. Both men have connections to extreme Christian nationalist Doug Wilson, who has been in the news recently, both for his claim that women should not have the right to vote and for his efforts to strengthen his influence within the Trump administration.
Right Wing Watch noted recently, “Few elected officials can match Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers in their desire to see the United States turned into a Christian nationalist theocracy.” Deevers calls the separation of church and state “blasphemous.” In a sermon at Wilson’s Idaho church last year, Deevers declared that it is the duty of civil leaders to “submit” to the authority of Christ. He has called on Christian men to “make offensive war on the gates of hell” and “dominionize” the world.
(Right Wing Watch 10/10/25) READMORE>>>>
TPUSA Faith, the group’s religious organizing arm, is hosting a “pastor roundtable” featuring two Christian nationalists, Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers and author and former Trump administration official William Wolfe, according to a flyer Deevers posted on his X account Wednesday. Both men have connections to extreme Christian nationalist Doug Wilson, who has been in the news recently, both for his claim that women should not have the right to vote and for his efforts to strengthen his influence within the Trump administration.
Right Wing Watch noted recently, “Few elected officials can match Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers in their desire to see the United States turned into a Christian nationalist theocracy.” Deevers calls the separation of church and state “blasphemous.” In a sermon at Wilson’s Idaho church last year, Deevers declared that it is the duty of civil leaders to “submit” to the authority of Christ. He has called on Christian men to “make offensive war on the gates of hell” and “dominionize” the world.
(Right Wing Watch 10/10/25) READMORE>>>>
==terry defoe======
Pastor Terry Defoe is an emeritus member of the clergy who served congregations in Western Canada from 1982 to 2016, and who ministered to students on the campuses of the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. He is the author of Evolving Certainties: Resolving Conflict at the Intersection of Faith and Science, a book which, among other things, chronicles his transition from Young Earth Creationism to evolutionary creation. Evolving Certainties is endorsed by scientists in biology, geology and physics, with a foreword written by Darrel Falk, former president of BioLogos, an organization that has as its goal the facilitating of respectful discussion of science / faith issues. Defoe has been educated at: Simon Fraser University (BA Soc); Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (M.Div.); and, Open Learning University, Burnaby, British Columbia (BA Psyc). In Evolving Certainties he compares scientific and religious worldviews, each, in its own way, seeking truth. His interest in science and evolution was initially prompted by a desire to get beyond typical young earth creationist claims and investigate the message science is trying to convey, with the goal of determining whether that message is inherently corrosive to the Christian faith and biblical authority. He argues that, rather than challenging faith, evolutionary science has the very real potential of enhancing faith as humanity slowly pulls back the curtain on what the abundant evidence, from disciplines as disparate as cosmology, geology and biology, has to say about God's creative activity.
Terry Defoe
In their article, “Galileo and Global Warming,” Rachel Roller and Louise Huang point out interesting similarities between a 16th century theological controversy involving Galileo Galilei and the contemporary evangelical response to global warming.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) lived around the time of Luther (1483-1546). Copernicus was a Catholic priest who studied the heavens. Based on his observations, he proposed the counter-intuitive idea that the earth orbits the sun, a theory called heliocentrism. This idea was later picked up by Galileo (1564-1642) in Italy. And Galileo’s telescope showed that it was, in fact, true.
Galileo’s claims were rejected by theologians of the day because he had the temerity to challenge orthodoxy, which, based on several verses of the Bible, argued that the earth does not move. Some individuals were invited to look through Galileo’s telescope and see the evidence for themselves. They refused, saying that God didn’t intend for human beings to have telescopic vision, a classic example of motivated denial.
The current controversy over global warming is therefore not the first time that Christians have been reluctant to accept implications of new scientific evidence. In our day, climate change has implications for how we perceive and interact with the natural world, and it requires significant societal and economic changes to mitigate its impacts. Those who work diligently to communicate the needs regarding climate change and global warming find it easy to feel overwhelmed, considering the opposition they often face. The magnitude of the problem and the complexity of its causes and solutions can make it feel like an uphill battle.
Acceptance of climate science is more likely when issues are framed in ways that resonate with rather than threaten group identity. It is counterproductive to force people into an ideological corner. It’s critical to get people of different persuasions to work together on issues of mutual interest. Evangelicals are called upon to be good stewards of God’s creation. Dealing with climate change gives them a chance to do just that. --Terry DeFoe; Righting America; Evangelicals and Climate Change Denialism 7.26.23
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) lived around the time of Luther (1483-1546). Copernicus was a Catholic priest who studied the heavens. Based on his observations, he proposed the counter-intuitive idea that the earth orbits the sun, a theory called heliocentrism. This idea was later picked up by Galileo (1564-1642) in Italy. And Galileo’s telescope showed that it was, in fact, true.
Galileo’s claims were rejected by theologians of the day because he had the temerity to challenge orthodoxy, which, based on several verses of the Bible, argued that the earth does not move. Some individuals were invited to look through Galileo’s telescope and see the evidence for themselves. They refused, saying that God didn’t intend for human beings to have telescopic vision, a classic example of motivated denial.
The current controversy over global warming is therefore not the first time that Christians have been reluctant to accept implications of new scientific evidence. In our day, climate change has implications for how we perceive and interact with the natural world, and it requires significant societal and economic changes to mitigate its impacts. Those who work diligently to communicate the needs regarding climate change and global warming find it easy to feel overwhelmed, considering the opposition they often face. The magnitude of the problem and the complexity of its causes and solutions can make it feel like an uphill battle.
Acceptance of climate science is more likely when issues are framed in ways that resonate with rather than threaten group identity. It is counterproductive to force people into an ideological corner. It’s critical to get people of different persuasions to work together on issues of mutual interest. Evangelicals are called upon to be good stewards of God’s creation. Dealing with climate change gives them a chance to do just that. --Terry DeFoe; Righting America; Evangelicals and Climate Change Denialism 7.26.23
==cora lynn deibler======
 Cora Lynn Deibler
“There were white Christian nationalist candidates across the country who embody the things we are critiquing in the video. Those signs didn’t encourage my vote. They said to me of those who posted them, ‘I’m bigoted, I’m misogynistic, I’m xenophobic, I’m homophobic, and I’m OK with that.’ And a shockingly large number of people are ready to support that.”” --Cora Lynn Deibler; Professors Challenge Christian Right to Live Out Their Faith with Humility and Compassion 12.9.22
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==mondo de la vega======
Mondo De La Vega, Executive Vice President of Television Production and Co-Host of The Jim Bakker Show. He is also known for his creative contributions as a Director and Producer of nationally syndicated television shows.
May 9, 2023: Charisma: The Jim Bakker Show’s Mondo De La Vega Reveals Reasons for Hope in Texas Mall Shooting Aftermath
Sitting down for an exclusive interview with Charisma News, host of “The Mondo Show” and co-host of “The Jim Bakker Show” Mondo De La Vega shares a deeper look into the spiritual battle taking place in America today.
Sitting down for an exclusive interview with Charisma News, host of “The Mondo Show” and co-host of “The Jim Bakker Show” Mondo De La Vega shares a deeper look into the spiritual battle taking place in America today.
Mondo de La Vega
“We’re witnessing what I believe the Bible talks about in 2 Timothy chapter 3, that we have become lovers of ourselves. Meaning that we want so much about us, and everything is about us. And a lot of these individuals, quite frankly, get inspired by other people that do this......The church, along with hospitals that deal with mental health issues, need to come together and resolve the problems that are taking place in our community with individuals that need our help." --Mondo de La Vega; The Jim Bakker Show; May 2023
==r0y delia======
Roy Delia left the Roman Catholic Church and started attending Bible-preaching, Independent Baptist churches that brought him to receive Christ as Saviour at the age of 32. The Lord called him into the ministry and became a pastor at the age of 38. After pastoring a church for 12 years and serving in another for several more years in Washington State, the Lord led him to eastern Oregon where he pastored a small church for five years and then started New Hope Baptist Church in Ontario in March of 2009.
Roy Della
The true Christian, led by the Holy Spirit, has a hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6), but is impeded by the old nature which hungers after the fulfillment of fleshly desires. This is why it is important for a Christian to daily spend time in prayer and Bible study, and to also unite with a Bible-believing local church. These things help us to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Again, as Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia to help them overcome: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16, 17). In the succeeding verses he describes the contrast between the Spirit and the flesh. I encourage you to read them. -Rev Roy Delia; New Hope Baptist Church; Ontario, Oregon
Again, as Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia to help them overcome: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16, 17). In the succeeding verses he describes the contrast between the Spirit and the flesh. I encourage you to read them. -Rev Roy Delia; New Hope Baptist Church; Ontario, Oregon
==Mike Demastus======
Michael "Mike" Demastus is a Pastor for the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ (Des Moines, IA). He has been the Pastor for the church for over fifteen years.
- Mike Demastus - Mary DuMuth - Craig Denison - Kurtis W Denton - Craig DeRoche - Jamie K Dew - Ceirion Dewar - Steve Dewitt -
- Mike Demastus - Mary DuMuth - Craig Denison - Kurtis W Denton - Craig DeRoche - Jamie K Dew - Ceirion Dewar - Steve Dewitt -
January 8, 2024: Demastus: “I find it absolutely sickening, period. Trump is not the Messiah.” (speaking about the "God Made Trump" video)
January 15, 2024: The Dispatch reported: In the wake of a once-in-a-decade storm, with snow still drifting over roads and temperatures in the negative teens, it was a small group that assembled Sunday morning at Fort Des Moines Church of Christ, a nondenominational congregation here in south central Des Moines. Pastor Mike Demastus, who has served at “The Fort” since 1998, has just launched a new sermon series on the book of Exodus and is preaching today on the account of the prophet Moses’ birth and rescue from the Nile River. But before he launches into that, he stops to offer “a couple of things I want to spend time and prayer about this morning.” “I want to give as strong of an encouragement as I can to you to be involved tomorrow night, to go to the caucus. You have a civic responsibility as a believer in Jesus Christ to do it,” Demastus tells his congregants. “I believe that it’s not my role to tell you who to vote for. It is my role to tell you that you need to go to the caucus site and honor God with your vote. That’s it. And so, do your duty, go tomorrow, and caucus—caucus for King Jesus.”
January 23. 2023: Deseret News reported: The agenda this week at Cornerstone World Outreach church in Sioux City, Iowa, looked something like this: On Sunday, congregants worshipped together in a morning service. On Wednesday evening, they studied the Bible. And on Thursday night, they learned how to vote. “Our faith is not just this compartment that stays for Sundays and Wednesday nights,” Pastor Mike Demastus told the congregation during Thursday’s meeting. “Our faith is for every area and arena of our life, and so it goes with us into the voting booth.”
April 12, 2023: Bharat Times reported: During the 2016 campaign, Rev. Mike DeMastus of Des Moines endorsed Cruz and called Trump “morally abhorrent,” “evil” and “a reprehensible person.” Today, DeMastus calls him “the most pro-life president I’ve ever seen”, and would consider supporting him in caucus with others.
Even Demastus’ qualified endorsement still puts Trump in a better position than in his first bid.
Even Demastus’ qualified endorsement still puts Trump in a better position than in his first bid.
May 7. 2023: Des Moines Register reported: GOP presidential candidates woo Iowa's pivotal evangelicals to pry them away from Trump: Des Moines Pastor Michael Demastus was meeting privately with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and a group of other faith leaders earlier this year when Scott asked if he could pray over the group.
“He said he felt like being a pastor is the hardest calling in the world,” Demastus said. “And so that was really crazy. That was my first encounter with him, and I was really blown away by that.”
“He said he felt like being a pastor is the hardest calling in the world,” Demastus said. “And so that was really crazy. That was my first encounter with him, and I was really blown away by that.”
April 4, 2022
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November 18, 2020: The Courier reported a mask mandate was opposed by Pastor Keeton Wainscott, Calvary Baptist Church, Waterloo; the Rev. Cary Gordon of Cornerstone World Outreach in Sioux City; Pastor Michael Demastus of the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ in Des Moines; the Rev. Christian Shields of Christian Life Church of Cedar Rapids; and Pastor Sam Jones, Faith Baptist Church, Hudson. |
==mary demuth======
Texas pastor's controversial sermons have driven 'hundreds' away from church
Mary DeMuth, a literary agent and prolific author of Christian books, attended Lakepointe Church in suburban Dallas for more than 23 years before leaving in December after she alleged senior pastor Josh Howerton began routinely revealing misogynistic beliefs during Sunday sermons. Amanda Cunningham, a former actor and model who went to Lakepointe for 12 years, cut ties with the megachurch in March after she said it apparently eliminated women's ministries, even while Howerton invited men to watch sports at Lakepointe's non-alcoholic tailgating events. And after Howerton told a now-infamous "old preacher joke" to the congregation about what women should do for their new husbands on their wedding nights. Melissa Ware got out of Lakepointe just last month after learning Howerton allegedly plagiarized his apology to the congregation for the joke from a similar apology by a Florida pastor—and after church staff reportedly tried to manipulate a traffic study to get a traffic light installed near its entrance. (MSN 8/23/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Mary DeMuth, a literary agent and prolific author of Christian books, attended Lakepointe Church in suburban Dallas for more than 23 years before leaving in December after she alleged senior pastor Josh Howerton began routinely revealing misogynistic beliefs during Sunday sermons. Amanda Cunningham, a former actor and model who went to Lakepointe for 12 years, cut ties with the megachurch in March after she said it apparently eliminated women's ministries, even while Howerton invited men to watch sports at Lakepointe's non-alcoholic tailgating events. And after Howerton told a now-infamous "old preacher joke" to the congregation about what women should do for their new husbands on their wedding nights. Melissa Ware got out of Lakepointe just last month after learning Howerton allegedly plagiarized his apology to the congregation for the joke from a similar apology by a Florida pastor—and after church staff reportedly tried to manipulate a traffic study to get a traffic light installed near its entrance. (MSN 8/23/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==craig denison======
Craig Denison
Jesus came to bring about the fullness of joy in man. Often we see Christians who are not exhibiting a lifestyle of joy, and therefore we assume God is not a happy God. We see all the darkness that surrounds us and assume that God is most often angry or sad. But in John 17:13 (ESV), Jesus prayed to the Father: “But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”
Jesus’s prayer in John 17:13 demonstrates two important, life-changing truths for you and me today. First, Jesus had joy. We could not have His joy fulfilled in us if He doesn’t have joy to start with. And the whole of Scripture supports the truth that within God dwells the fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11 (ESV) says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” And Galatians 5:22 tells us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. The God whom you have been filled with at salvation longs to produce the fruit of joy in your life. He longs to make you a joyful person from the inside out so that your joy wouldn’t be based on circumstances or the fleeting whims of the world.
Second, John 17 tells us that we can have the joy of Jesus for ourselves. The God of joy longs to fill you to overflowing with satisfaction and hope. He longs to make your joy abundant and transcendent of the good or bad around you. God is joyful because it’s a part of His nature. And He longs for it to be the same with you.
-Craig Denison; The Joy of The Lord; Sports Spectrum; 12.21.21
Jesus’s prayer in John 17:13 demonstrates two important, life-changing truths for you and me today. First, Jesus had joy. We could not have His joy fulfilled in us if He doesn’t have joy to start with. And the whole of Scripture supports the truth that within God dwells the fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11 (ESV) says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” And Galatians 5:22 tells us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. The God whom you have been filled with at salvation longs to produce the fruit of joy in your life. He longs to make you a joyful person from the inside out so that your joy wouldn’t be based on circumstances or the fleeting whims of the world.
Second, John 17 tells us that we can have the joy of Jesus for ourselves. The God of joy longs to fill you to overflowing with satisfaction and hope. He longs to make your joy abundant and transcendent of the good or bad around you. God is joyful because it’s a part of His nature. And He longs for it to be the same with you.
-Craig Denison; The Joy of The Lord; Sports Spectrum; 12.21.21
==angela denker======
Rev. Angela Denker is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a veteran journalist. Her first book, Red State Christians, was the silver winner in political and social sciences for the 2019 Foreword Indies Book of the Year awards. She is a columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune and has written for many publications, including Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, and Fortune magazine. She has also appeared on CNN, BBC, SkyNews, and NPR. Pastor Denker lives with her husband, Ben, and two sons in Minneapolis, where she is a sought-after speaker on Christian nationalism and its theological and cultural roots.
Protesters Disrupt Southern Baptist Church of Pastor Who Leads ICE Office in Minnesota
As videos of the protest quickly spread on social media Sunday, Angela Denker, a Lutheran minister in Minneapolis, praised the activists “for holding [Eastwood] and his congregation accountable.” “You cannot worship a Savior on Sunday who was crucified by a violent State, while the rest of the week acting as a violent agent of an unjust state force who is killing and targeting Americans according to hate,” added Denker, author of Disciples of White Jesus. “Christian Nationalism is diametrically opposed to the gospel of Jesus.”
(Public Witness; 1.18.26) READMORE>>>>>
As videos of the protest quickly spread on social media Sunday, Angela Denker, a Lutheran minister in Minneapolis, praised the activists “for holding [Eastwood] and his congregation accountable.” “You cannot worship a Savior on Sunday who was crucified by a violent State, while the rest of the week acting as a violent agent of an unjust state force who is killing and targeting Americans according to hate,” added Denker, author of Disciples of White Jesus. “Christian Nationalism is diametrically opposed to the gospel of Jesus.”
(Public Witness; 1.18.26) READMORE>>>>>
INTERVIEW: ‘Disciples of White Jesus,’ Disciples of Trump
When seeking answers about evangelical Christian Right in America, Angela Denker hits the road. As a journalist, award-winning author and pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Denker is well positioned to find them. For her first book, Red State Christians: A Journey into White Christian Nationalism and the Wreckage It Leaves Behind (Broadleaf Books, 2022), Denker journeyed across America to talk to the Christians who helped elect Donald Trump in 2016. Along her travels—from a glitzy megachurch in Orange County, California to a rural farming community in Denker’s home state of Missouri—she found diversity in what many view as a monolith. (Bucks County Beacon; 11.23.25) READMORE>>>>>
When seeking answers about evangelical Christian Right in America, Angela Denker hits the road. As a journalist, award-winning author and pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Denker is well positioned to find them. For her first book, Red State Christians: A Journey into White Christian Nationalism and the Wreckage It Leaves Behind (Broadleaf Books, 2022), Denker journeyed across America to talk to the Christians who helped elect Donald Trump in 2016. Along her travels—from a glitzy megachurch in Orange County, California to a rural farming community in Denker’s home state of Missouri—she found diversity in what many view as a monolith. (Bucks County Beacon; 11.23.25) READMORE>>>>>
Christ the Christian Nationalist Sunday?
Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker noted last year for Christ the King Sunday that the day “might just be the most important Sunday of the Church Year in an age of rising Christian Nationalism.” She explained the focus “offers us a critical reminder, a chance to say that if we cry out that Jesus is Lord, we must at the same time reject all earthly forms of royalty and political might. We must lift up the Way of nonviolence and compassion, and remember that our king rides in not on a chariot but on a lowly donkey (or maybe a colt?).”(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker noted last year for Christ the King Sunday that the day “might just be the most important Sunday of the Church Year in an age of rising Christian Nationalism.” She explained the focus “offers us a critical reminder, a chance to say that if we cry out that Jesus is Lord, we must at the same time reject all earthly forms of royalty and political might. We must lift up the Way of nonviolence and compassion, and remember that our king rides in not on a chariot but on a lowly donkey (or maybe a colt?).”(A Public Witness 11/18/25) READMORE>>>>
==kurtis w denton======
From Italy to the Ozarks
Led by AGWM missionary to Italy Kurtis W. Denton, five Italian students, along with Denton’s university-age daughter, Ariana, came mid-August to minister on the Fayetteville, Arkansas, campus. The 13-day mission of the University of Padova (Padua) student team in Fayetteville overlapped with Welcome Week, the University of Arkansas’ launch of the 2023-24 school year as students returning to campus were joined by more than 6,000 incoming freshmen. (Dean Alford/Assemblies Of God 10/6/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Led by AGWM missionary to Italy Kurtis W. Denton, five Italian students, along with Denton’s university-age daughter, Ariana, came mid-August to minister on the Fayetteville, Arkansas, campus. The 13-day mission of the University of Padova (Padua) student team in Fayetteville overlapped with Welcome Week, the University of Arkansas’ launch of the 2023-24 school year as students returning to campus were joined by more than 6,000 incoming freshmen. (Dean Alford/Assemblies Of God 10/6/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
==craig deroche======
May 30, 2023: Baptist News Global: Focus on the Family affiliate is the unifying force behind campaign to restrict transgender rights
FPA also promotes “election integrity” bills that FPA CEO Craig DeRoche said are needed because “everything has been engineered to suppress your vote and for you to give up.”
FPA also promotes “election integrity” bills that FPA CEO Craig DeRoche said are needed because “everything has been engineered to suppress your vote and for you to give up.”
==jamie k dew======
April 18, 2023: Baptist Press: SBC leaders, former presidents react to death of Charles Stanley
“Charles Stanley was one of the first preachers I listened to as a young Christian. Like many others, I was shaped by his love for the Bible and deep devotion to Jesus Christ. I’m thankful for his constant example of service and humility.”--Jamie K. Dew, president, New Orleans Baptist Seminary
“Charles Stanley was one of the first preachers I listened to as a young Christian. Like many others, I was shaped by his love for the Bible and deep devotion to Jesus Christ. I’m thankful for his constant example of service and humility.”--Jamie K. Dew, president, New Orleans Baptist Seminary
==Ceiron dewar=====
In what sense is Tommy Robinson a genuine Christian? None that I can see
I would certainly be interested to hear how Robinson and his newfound mentors such as Pastor Rikki Doolan or Bishop Ceirion Dewar would interpret either Exodus 23:9 (“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt”), or Matthew 25, in which Jesus suggests that the basis on which people will be separated into sheep and goats at the last judgment will be whether or not they visited the sick, fed the hungry or – most significantly in this context – were hospitable to strangers. Of course, they probably don’t care that they are flying in the face of the opinions of most Christians, whom they regard as weak and ineffectual. On the day that Dame Sarah Mullally was named as the next archbishop of Canterbury, Robinson retweeted a statement that she’d made in support of Black Lives Matter a few years previously with the gloss “Their churches will stay empty, a Christian revival will grow on the streets. Masculine christiany [sic] is coming not this weak drivel”.
(The Guardian 12/10/25) READMORE>>>>
I would certainly be interested to hear how Robinson and his newfound mentors such as Pastor Rikki Doolan or Bishop Ceirion Dewar would interpret either Exodus 23:9 (“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt”), or Matthew 25, in which Jesus suggests that the basis on which people will be separated into sheep and goats at the last judgment will be whether or not they visited the sick, fed the hungry or – most significantly in this context – were hospitable to strangers. Of course, they probably don’t care that they are flying in the face of the opinions of most Christians, whom they regard as weak and ineffectual. On the day that Dame Sarah Mullally was named as the next archbishop of Canterbury, Robinson retweeted a statement that she’d made in support of Black Lives Matter a few years previously with the gloss “Their churches will stay empty, a Christian revival will grow on the streets. Masculine christiany [sic] is coming not this weak drivel”.
(The Guardian 12/10/25) READMORE>>>>
==steve dewitt======
Steve Dewitt has served as Senior Pastor of Bethel Church since 1997. Bethel is a nondenominational church located in NW Indiana/Chicagoland and ministers to its community across multiple campuses. Steve is on the council of The Gospel Coalition and is a board member of Global Action. His teaching ministry can be heard on his popular podcast and media ministry The Journey. Steve and his wife, Jennifer, are the proud parents of two daughters. They live in Crown Point, Indiana.
Steve Dewitt
We want the love of a mother, the love a father, the love of a friend, the love of a spouse, the love of someone. We want an enduring and unconditional love. Even the worst criminal locked up in prison longs for someone to love him. Have you ever thought about why? If the origin of the universe is an accident, and if through time and chance human beings are who they are, why do all people want to be loved? Further, we might also ask why all human love is ultimately disappointing. No spouse loves us exactly like we want. Too often family love erupts into friction and conflict. Friends fail us. We desperately want someone to love us perfectly. This is why loneliness is so painful. I have spoken often to my church and others about my struggles with loneliness through years of singleness (not that those two always go together, they just seem to for me). There is a palatable ache within that can wash over you like waves of despair. I could analyze it. I could philosophize about it. I could even teach on it. But I could not overcome it. Then I began to look at the pain from the perspective of beauty and to consider why I felt the way I did. I came to discover that loneliness was not an enemy but a friend. It is a painful reminder that I was not made for myself. I was made for Him, and the pain is God’s way of saying, “Here I am!” Loneliness has become a guide and a friend in my spiritual journey. When I feel lonely, I am feeling theology inside. All the pleasures, desires, and loves in this world will not take that pain away. We desperately want someone to love us perfectly, yet no one does. But when we wake up to the fact that no relationship can fully satisfy, we realize that we are lonely for God.” –Steve DeWitt, Eyes Wide Open: Enjoying God in Everything.
