PART 1: The Great Awakening or The Great Deception

Understanding the MAGA Religious Coalition

I am composing this article at the beginning of March 2025. Donald J. Trump has been in his second term for two months. Over the past few months, I've been attempting to understand the developments in America's spiritual and political landscape. This article is not just the result of a two-month journey; it reflects over three decade's of studying the convergence of our current political and spiritual climate.

Who am I? I'm a Gen Xer born in 1969, striving to make sense of what's happening in America. I am supportive of America and desire for our nation to be a land of opportunity for everyone. I believe the U.S. Constitution offers the ideal framework to achieve these objectives. I am a Charismatic Christian who embrace's a historic Evangelical perspective of the word of God. I bring a distinct perspective as a missionary who lived outside of the country for ten years and as someone with over twenty years of experience in Corporate America. This has allowed me to view America both from an outside perspective and from within the heart of our most influential institutions, Corporate America.

I am composing this series of articles and the aim is to assist individuals in understanding the current political and spiritual climate in America. What I'm telling you isn't a conspiracy theory. Each of these movements is real and has direct access to the heart of the Trump administration.

The target audience I am trying to educate is those within the Evangelical community. A primary focus of my ministry is to aid believers in "contending for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3), which is also the central goal of this article. I have spent my life voting as a political conservative so the focus of this article will be primarily about what I see happening within the Republican party.

The articles I am writing are merely an exploration of the MAGA coalition and my observations. My aim isn't to be political, but to aid people in understanding the spiritual implications of the different ideologies within the MAGA coalition. In my concluding article, I will share some personal and spiritual insights to aid you. Our nation has never been on this journey before, and only God understands the path ahead. While history can somewhat guide us, I advise caution as you navigate through these times, as the fog of war can be quite bewildering. We are undoubtedly experiencing historic and significant changes.

Every perspective I will discuss has used apocalyptic language to describe our current political and spiritual environment. The MAGA coalition consists of four interconnected viewpoints that have united in the belief that the existing American system must be dismantled and rebuilt. However, the coalition does not agree on what will ultimately emerge from what they all refer to as a 'Great Awakening'.

Great Awakening as historically understood.

The phrase 'Great Awakening' is frequently used today, though it doesn't appear in the Bible. If you're an Evangelical Christian, you might associate it with the First Great Awakening in the American colonies from the 1730's to the 1740's. "The revival movement permanently affected Protestantism as adherents strove to renew individual piety and religious devotion".

Jonathan Edward's was the most well known figure giving his famous sermon "Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God."

The Second Great Awakening was from the 1790's to the 1840's preceding the Civil War. Due to the growing population centers in the United States and various movements, the Second 'Great Awakening' was not a single movement. It was a period marked by the Advent Movement, Holiness Movement, Latter Day Saints, Restoration Movements, Social Gospel Movements, Temperance Movements, and Abolitionists of slavery Movements. It was primarily rooted in historical Christian faith based solely on the Bible. However, as you can see, the Second Great Awakening saw the mixing of differing ideologies and emphases, with some actually departing from the historic faith established by the apostolic fathers in the New Testament.

A Methodist camp meeting in 1839.

In this article, I argue that when the term 'Great Awakening' is used, the differing groups don't automatically refer to the same idea. My argument is that the phrase 'Great Awakening' can be understood in various ways. One could argue that the Pentecostal Movement, which began in 1901, was merely a continuation of the Holiness and Restorationist movements that emerged during the Second 'Great Awakening'.

The false prophet John Alexander Dowie preceded the Pentecostal Movement, but many of it's adherents were part of his cult city in Zion, Illinois. It was William Branham who claimed he received the spiritual mantle of John Alexander Dowie that has left the largest imprint on our current spiritual movements in America today. It is the merging of a spiritual and political ideology that has found its home in the MAGA movement.

Is this an article about politics or spirituality? It's actually about both, as in modern America, the two are inseparable. Historically, America has always intertwined its political and spiritual spheres, but in Trump's era, we've entered a new phase. We're observing an unprecedented merging of the political and spiritual realms and America is undergoing a transformation. As an Evangelical Christian who upholds to the core doctrines of the faith, I pose the question: Is America heading into a Great Awakening or a Great Deception?

The Differing Views of The Great Awakening

What I am hoping to show you is that there are four main views of what many are calling the 'Great Awakening'. It's actually four spiritually infused political movements that have found home in the MAGA Movement centered around Donald J. Trump. Each has a different idea of what this coming Awakening means and there are a lot of differing characters that have hitched their wagon to the Trump Train.

The former political alliances of the Reagan Republican party have been supplanted. The conventional Republican party is fading as it has been consumed by the MAGA movement. This movement is not merely a political ideology but is interwoven with spirituality. It represents a blend of diverse spiritual concepts that have coalesced into a political ideology, with Trump serving as the central force.

I want you to think of this as more of a Game of Thrones alliance for the sake of power than the traditional power sharing of political coalitions. I'm going to identify four main groups, but you will find some individuals move in varying circles. For instance, Peter Theil is the leader of the Silicon Valley Tech Bro's and a gay Christian. He funded J.D. Vance's political campaign and funds Christian Nationalist. Lance Wallnau is a Charismatic Gnostic, but mingles with Tech Bros and is a moderate Christian Nationalist. He also appears on Steve Bannon's War Room Podcast. You will find those who get into power positions are chameleons because the core center they operate by is a thirst for power. The four legs of the MAGA coalition are outlined below and I list them in order of their power of influence.

1. Dark Enlightenment ~ Silicon Valley High Tech Religion

2. Opus Dei ~ Traditional Catholicism

3. The New Apostolic Reformation ~ Charismatic Gnosticism

4. Christian Reconstructionist ~ Christian Nationalist

This series of articles aims to offer you insight. The 2024 election has shifted the nation considerably to the right. My goal is to define the MAGA coalition and, as a believer in Christ, to exercise discernment. Political and spiritual movements are frequently constructed on myths and propelled by emotion. These movements are often driven by common beliefs, a quest for social change, and the pursuit of perceived justice. It is the desire for a better future, typically drawing inspiration from religious or philosophical principles.  

America is being transformed from within, and I urge you to analyze and think critically. It's progressing rapidly for a purpose. It's chaotic by design. Its goal is to destabilize and overwhelm you. Historically, revolutionary political and spiritual movements are disruptive, aiming to detach you from the past, disorient you, and establish a new reality. It discourages questioning, and dissenters are silenced. Opposition is not tolerated, and those who resist are labeled as enemies.

Political coalitions are layered.

Again I am writing this from an Evangelical viewpoint and my primary concern is "contending for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). Political coalitions are like the layers of a phone. What you are going to find is that these four groups differ and sometimes differ greatly. However, if you step back and look at the big picture what you will find is each one layers on top of the other. It's because they all have the same political ideology which is ultimately top down authoritarianism.

I encourage you to critically assess things. The Conservative Evangelical church is well-informed about the radical left and what they call the Woke Mob, but I want to help you understand that the counter-revolution presents an equal threat to the Evangelical church. Just because people use familiar terms doesn't mean they have the same intentions.

Jesus and the apostolic fathers warned us about false individuals who claim to want to help but actually cause harm. It's a mixture of the misguided with good intentions and the outright malicious imposters. We are urged to be discerning, and my goal is to highlight a movement aiming to transform American society. We must have our 'eye's wide open'. It's time we use our critical thinking skills. I understand that people are confused and desperate, but I pray that the Holy Spirit leads us into the truth centered in Christ.