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Dominion!: How Kingdom Action Can Change the World

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The idea of dominion--believers using their God-given authority on the earth in order to expand the kingdom of God to the ends of the earth--is one of the theological themes that has so gripped my heart in the past few years. The more I study the Bible the more I see it all over the message of God's Word. Obviously, when I saw the title and subtitle of this book I was quite excited. However I was thoroughly disappointed with Wagner's theological conclusions. In the book he calls open theism (the idea that God does not have complete sovereignty on the earth and that if mankind does not advance the kingdom of God it will not be done) a revelation that is almost equivalent to the Protestant reformation! He also severely limits the role of the local church in advancing the kingdom of God and substitutes the need for more 'apostles,' whether 'workplace apostles' or 'nuclear church apostles.' He says that God's kingdom being advanced by the local church is an 'old wine' strategy and will soon be largely replaced by the work of apostles.
The one redeeming factor of this book is his section on prayer. While his theology is off in other sections, his description and testimony of how prayer advances the kingdom was both helpful and encouraging. Wagner is the editor of a series of books on prayer with special topics such as spiritual warfare and prayer-mapping in order to break strongholds in your city. I am interested in more of this to see how we can press into God through prayer and advance the Kingdom in this way.
In conclusion, I would not recommend this book by any means, but I do recommend the topic of dominion, and I hope that there will be other books on the subject that are more theologically sound than this one.

What this book boils down to is this: do we follow the Word of God and the teaching of Christ, or do we follow self-appointed lords, princes, and popes making up new traditions, rituals, and doctrine as they go along and claiming it came from Above? Perhaps if more Christians actually practiced what Christ taught we wouldn't be in this mess, with false prophets assaulting His church left and right.

A group of folks have brought this bizarre New Age movement to my attention, completely without preface. After being shocked and appalled by what I read, I was afraid to confront the woman who lent me this book and a few others, assuming that she was a practitioner or follower. After much prayer and reflection, God gave me the strength to finally do it- and boy, was I relieved to discover she was just as disturbed as I! We're starting a study group to evaluate how biblical this all is- so far, the prognosis is bad. Wagner invents traditions and doctrines left and right, to the point that it begins to look like some sort of semi-Christian occult system like Mormonism or the People's Temple.

One of the most shocking parts of Wagner's occult Christianity is that it's essentially polytheistic or henotheistic. At least, it's shocking to real Christians! He'd be right at home in pagan Rome or Babylon, where your favorite god was sort of a cosmic dictator you were hoping to put into power above the other gods. He professes something called "open theism," more correctly called polytheism or henotheism. Wagner's polytheism asserts that God is not all-knowing or all-powerful; He cannot know what has not yet occurred or what will occur, so like Zeus, Satan, or Thor He waits to see what will happen and changes His plans accordingly. For Wagner's god, everything is contingent upon the will of men; the forces of nature; and the activities of Satan, Satan's minions, Zeus, Thor, Ba'al, Tammuz, Ishtar, and Vishnu.

What's happening to the church such that so many seemingly God-fearing people would fall for false teachings like these? I wish I knew the answer- but unlike some people, I trust that God can know the answer without having to beg it off of a false prophet like Wagner.

For centuries we have prayed "thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" - Dominion tells you how we can accomplish it. Straight forward, logical and Biblical - this is a book you've got to get if you are Kingdom minded or want to be.

The openness and honesty with which Wagner explains his journey lends his message an air of sincerity and authority that is sadly lacking in most important books on Christian theology and doctrine. Wagner often describes how he has come to understand both Scripture and the Divine, and the teachings he has accepted and rejected along the way, and the reasons for his conviction.

But ever more importantly, Wagner is also able to describe the changes we are seeing in the church around us, and fit them into a theological and doctrinal framework that both makes sense of them, and demonstrates clearly the direction the church should be heading. Many ministries exist around the world that are already applying the principles Wagner espouses, but for the first time, I can see how these ministries exist as part of a single movement, and what the immediate goal is.

This is essential reading for the serious Christian, and I'm sure the whiners who do nothing but write blogs about how wrong other theologians are will be up in arms; which is proof enough for me that C. Peter Wagner is right.

Dr Wagner has provided us with a introductory and thought provoking primer for kingdom thinking and action for the 21st century. Even for those who will disagree with his thesis, it provokes a creative and challenging new way of pursuing ministry. I heartily recommend this book, and I look forward to watching the ripples of it spread.

Dominion by C. Peter Wagner - is a book for the times we are now in. If you are a believer or someone wanting to explore a deeper relationship with God by understanding God's timing for your life. This book has helped me to answer questions or dare me to seek God more with what I have come to know, believe and experience from God's move in my life on a deeper level.

I highly recommend this book to ministry Leaders and every believer wanting to experience God on a deeper level. Sheila Moore - Baltimore, MDDominion!: How Kingdom Action Can Change the World