Right-wing pastor Jesse Leon Rodgers is the founder and chairman of the Christian nationalist organization City Elders, which seeks to "establish divine order in spiritual and civil governance" by bringing local pastors together with elected officials and religious-right activists. Rodgers himself is a hardcore theonomist who believes that far-right Christians such as himself are to be responsible for "installing people in civil government."
During a recent City Elders event, Rogers bragged that while his organization already has significant influence over determining who runs for office in his home state of Oklahoma, as it expands its efforts, it will be able to "determine who gets in public office."
"Increase, multiply, subdue; that's the divine pattern," Rogers said. "Increase has to do with expanded spheres of influence and control. I use that word editorially, I use it intentionally, but control is not in the sense of you have to dominate people; we have to dominate the devil. We have to control and be in control of the powers of Hell and darkness. That's the reason for expanded spheres of influence."
"We have a far greater sphere of influence than our numbers presently are in Oklahoma," Rogers bragged, saying that those considering running for governor "regularly call" and ask him if they should run for office.
"As a matter of fact, we had one this past week that's in a very significant office and called and said, 'I just want to get feedback from City Elders whether you guys think I should run for this office,'" Rogers said. "This past week, I had three different ones running for office contact me."
Rogers said his organization is working toward establishing "spheres of influence in every county" in Oklahoma and once that is accomplished, "it won't just be people running for lieutenant governor or for Senate or House, there will be people running for offices across the state of Oklahoma that will go to that local City Elders council and say, 'I want you to pray for me because I'm running for office.'"
"At some point," Rogers declared, "we will determine who gets in public office."
"That's God's design," Rogers added. "That's God's intent. Not that the church be some little group on the other side of the tracks scratching out a little bit of influence. God gave the keys of the kingdom to the ekklesia. It should be godly men and women who determine who gets in public office."