After Christian apologist and political influencer Charlie Kirk was tragically assassinated six short months ago, there has been heightened debate among Christians about what our proper role in the public sphere should be: should we seek to improve society through apologetics, college campus discussions, and political involvement as Kirk did, or should we “stand above” the messiness of politics which is of “this world” and instead focus on personal transformation and thereby influence the culture in a less confrontational manner?

On his podcast “Theology in the Raw,” Preston Sprinkle recently interviewed pastor and podcaster Mike Erre about “political discipleship after Charlie Kirk.” Specifically, they questioned whether it’s accurate to refer to Kirk as a “martyr.” Erre explained, “The big wrestling we have in the church over the last several years has been, ‘Does the church exist to change and transform culture, or does the church exist to be transformed and be faithful to Christ, and then thereby through indirect witness be salt and light to culture?’”

But this is a false dichotomy: The church should both transform our culture in a way that glorifies God and continually ask God to sanctify us and be faithful to Christ.

Are Christians Involved in Politics “Dominionists?”

Erre went on to warn about what he calls a “dominionist” view that says “the church is to exert influence in all spheres of human life by placing Christians in positions of influence and power so that Christians are protected, Christians are uniquely privileged, Christians are magnified in culture, and there are those of us who really question whether or not that’s the role of the church theologically, biblically.”

However, while sadly there does seem to be a rise of Christian nationalism among the fringe alt-right, Erre tragically misunderstands the motives and history of Christians involved in government: We do not believe that we should seek to “influence power” solely for Christians so that they’re “protected,” “privileged,” and “magnified.” Rather, we seek to influence public policy for the common good of all of society because we love God and we love our neighbors as ourselves.

Sphere Sovereignty and the Cultural Mandate

Furthermore, Erre misunderstands the concepts of sphere sovereignty and the cultural mandate.

Sphere sovereignty is a view developed by Dutch prime minister and theologian Abraham Kuyper in the early 20th century: each “sphere” of life (family, church, state, education, etc.) has its own God-ordained authority. No sphere is sovereign over another. This enables a pluralistic society where each area functions independently under God, preventing tyrannical government or religious control.

The cultural mandate (or “cultural mission”) is found in Genesis 1:26-28: God told Adam and Eve to fill the earth and subdue it, having dominion over every living thing that moves on the earth. As Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey explain in their book “How Now Shall We Live,” “The generations since Adam and Eve still bear children, build families, and spread across the earth. They still tend animals and plant fields. They still construct cities and governments. They still make music and works of art” and therefore “fulfill our original purpose… to build societies and create culture — and, in doing so, to restore the created order.” Following the cultural mandate glorifies God.

As Colson and Pearcey proclaim, “Redemption is not just for individuals, it is for all God’s creation.” They go on to say that “we are meant to proceed to the restoration of all God’s creation, which includes private and public virtue; individual and family life; education and community; work, politics, and law; science and medicine, literature, art, and music. (Theologian Francis Schaeffer wrote his book “How Shall We Then Live” and built his life-transformative ministry based on this concept as well.)

The Great Commission

The last instructions Jesus gave his followers before ascending to heaven was, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus did not tell his disciples to make an exception in governments, nations, or cultures that might be offended by him. He himself transformed the world through his prayers, words, and actions. His disciples, early Christians, and many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world today have been martyred because they love God with all that they are, they speak the Truth in love, and they are salt and light in a dark world. Why should we shrink back and stay out of politics or any sphere of society simply to focus solely on our own personal transformation?

The Genius of America’s Constitution: Freedom of Religion for All — Not a “Christians-Only” Nation

Erre showed a lack of knowledge regarding America’s founding, history, and the Constitution when he described what he read on TPUSA Faith’s website: “Biblical citizenship teaches that the country was based on Christian principles or founded by Christians. … And it’s because of those Christian principles that America has been the most successful country in the history of the world. That’s what has led to our success. We’re no longer, as we drift away from biblical principles, we’re no longer successful. And so to save our country, we have to return to biblical principles.”

Far from wanting to impose a formal, government-sanctioned religion on the new United States of America, our Founders who established a democratic republic through the Constitution ensured that there would be freedom of religion, writing in the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

The Founders also understood that there is a moral law (or what C.S. Lewis called “Natural Law”) written on every person’s heart in every culture, referring to the “Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” and “unalienable rights” given by our Creator in the Declaration of Independence among which are “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” This moral law includes concepts such as “murder is wrong,” “stealing is wrong,” and “lying is wrong.” The Founders intentionally did not favor one religion over another and did not make Christianity the national religion. They simply referred to such important principles as morality, equality, unalienable rights, the freedom of speech, and the freedom of religion.

Are Christians “Exiles” in America?

Preston Sprinkle, too, believes that Christians should seek to stay above politics and not try to influence government officials in support of one party’s policies over another, as he argues in his book, “Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of the Empire.” In March 2025, he wrote on X: “My political theology has allowed me to be so hopeful in this political season. I reject the empire, yet submit to it, because Jesus is king. I embrace and celebrate Christ’s multiethnic kingdom and the many ways we are spreading good in the world. Christians should not be captivated by the binary political playing field that’s been handed to us by Babylon.”

Christians are not called to “reject the empire” (our governmental system). According to Romans 13, the purpose of government is to promote good and restrain evil. Jesus is King, and he has given humans the authority to govern societies, uphold order, and punish criminals. We should appreciate the God-ordained and government-protected freedoms that we have in the United States and support policies that uphold good and restrict evil.

As apologist and author Natasha Crain explains, we are not like the exiles in Babylon. The Babylonian exile was when the people of Judah were temporarily deported to Babylon under God’s judgment before they were restored to their land. They were told to “seek the welfare of the city” because in its welfare they would find their welfare. They had limited political opportunities. But even so, Jeremiah told them to seek the welfare of the city as best they could.

However, unlike the exiles in Babylon, thankfully, Christians in America are blessed to live in freedom under a constitutional republic. Therefore, we have many more options and opportunities to promote the common good and restrain evil than the Jewish exiles did.

Finally, the United States government historically and currently functions under a two-party system. While not always ideal, the parties’ platforms do help us recognize what each group believes and what policies they will advance. If one party’s platform happens to line up more succinctly with Christians’ beliefs and values, it is okay to openly support one party over another or one candidate over another. Although each party and candidate are far from perfect, it is wise to uplift and vote for the one that, for example, fights for the sanctity of life, parental rights, the innocence and safety of children, religious freedom, and strong families.

Was Charlie Kirk a Martyr?

In light of these reflections, is it therefore accurate to describe Charlie Kirk as a Christian martyr, as Erre and Sprinkle questioned? Charlie boldly, lovingly, and unapologetically shared the Good News of the gospel and the truth about God’s moral law, and he knew that someday someone might kill him because of this. His assassin did just that. That makes him a martyr.

Should Christians Influence Politics?

Jesus told us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Amid a dark and hurting world, we should shine our light into politics and every other sphere of life. This brings glory to God and is part of fulfilling the Great Commission and cultural mandate. May Our Heavenly Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. For His is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.