Podcast Summary

The Tim & April Show – The New Evangelicals

Episode 76: Hiding in Plain Sight – The Christian Extremism that Fueled January 6th
Air Date: January 7, 2026

Main Theme

This episode takes a deep dive into the largely overlooked but powerful role of Christian extremism—particularly the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and independent charismatic leaders—in shaping the political and spiritual narratives that culminated in the January 6th, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Hosts Tim Whitaker and April Ajoy, joined by scholar Matthew Taylor, unravel the beliefs, hierarchical networks, and propaganda that tied faith to the January 6th events, and examine how Christian Nationalism and spiritual warfare have pervaded American political life.

Episode Breakdown

1. Setting the Stage: Reflecting on January 6th

[00:26–02:44]

• Tim and April open with ironic, somber banter about ignoring the significance of January 6, then pivot to the somber reality.
• Both share personal experiences; April notes 1/6 was her epiphany about her connection to Christian nationalism, knowing people arrested that day from church.
• Tim relates his own awakening after seeing Christian flags in the Capitol:

  “Wait a minute. I pledged allegiance to that flag at church my entire life. What is it doing during this thing?”
  – Tim [02:03]

• Both express continued shock at the open display of Christian iconography and worship mixed with violence on national TV.

2. Introducing Matthew Taylor

[06:11–07:55]

• Guest: Dr. Matthew Taylor, NAR scholar, author of The Violent Take It By Force, creator of podcast series Charismatic Revival Fury and American Unexceptionalism.
• Taylor’s expertise: the intersection of charismatic networks and Christian supremacy, especially within non-denominational spheres.
• New work focuses on theological critiques of Christian nationalism from within the Christian tradition.

3. Decoding the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)

[08:08–15:06]

What Is the NAR?

• NAR is a loosely-connected leadership network of “modern-day apostles and prophets” founded in the late 1990s around C. Peter Wagner.
• Operates in the fastest-growing sector of global Christianity: non-denominational charismatic networks.
• Evangelical “megachurches, televangelists, charismatic prophets on YouTube,” etc., are nodes in this less-regulated, influencer-driven landscape.
• “They believe in this vision of kind of global end times revival that they were going to bring about… on the order of the Protestant Reformation.”
  – Taylor [09:46]

Trump and Political Power

• NAR’s political mobilization accelerated with Trump’s rise (2015 onward), bringing them from the religious right’s fringe to its heart.
• NAR leaders created a “mythos of Trump as Messiah,” influencing narrative and theology within MAGA evangelicalism.

4. Core NAR Beliefs and Organization

[13:15–21:46]

• Apostles: Spiritual “fathers” and movement builders—e.g., Che Ahn leads a network of 20,000 ministries worldwide.
• Prophets: “Hear the voice of God” and provide “military intelligence” in a cosmic war paradigm.
• Intense focus on spiritual warfare, militaristic metaphors, and expansive, global Christian imperialism, not merely U.S.-focused nationalism.
• NAR’s endorsement of state actions (like the U.S. and Venezuelan oil) stems from a belief in spiritual authority and entitlement:

  “God just wanted America to have Venezuelan oil.”
  – April [17:24]

• Internal “apostolic-oligarchy”: Apostles and prophets mutually recognize and elevate each other through relational, not institutional, authority.

5. Spiritual Warfare: From Rhetoric to Action

[24:34–28:26]

• Taylor details how NAR leaders developed “strategic level spiritual warfare,” focusing on territorial spirits controlling cities or nations.
• Example: In 1997, Peter Wagner and Cindy Jacobs sent a “strike team” to Mt. Everest to pray against a demon they believed blocked Christianity in Central Asia.
• “At least one of the people from that strike team… show up on January 6th to do spiritual warfare at the Capitol.”
  – Taylor [28:25]

6. The Road to January 6:

[29:18–34:59]

• By 2020, NAR/aligned prophets uniformly prophesied Trump would win reelection.
• After Trump's loss, leaders claimed a “demonic conspiracy” had stolen the election, mobilizing followers to spiritual (and physical) action.
• Jericho Marches: Mass prayer rallies—thousands gathering at state capitals, culminating in a national event (Dec 12, 2020), with “spiritual warfare” declared against “demons” in the government.
• Clip illustrates the ritualized language of these gatherings: sanctifying territory, casting out demons, invoking spiritual authority [32:35].

7. January 6th: Rites, Rituals, and Rhetoric on the Ground

[34:59–41:15]

Shofars, Jewish Symbolism, Worship as Spiritual Weapon

• Shofars (ram’s horns) and tallit (Jewish prayer shawls) were appropriated as weapons of spiritual warfare—blown through Capitol windows to “summon the armies of heaven.”
• “She is summoning angels to do battle against the demons that they believe have occupied the Capitol.”
  – Taylor [36:35]
• Dozens in the crowd were seen with shofars; ritual worship and prayer were central to many participants.

Cindy Jacobs & the NAR at the Capitol

• High-profile prophet Cindy Jacobs, among others, live-streamed prayers and declarations, rationalizing the action and minimizing or denying violence:

  “There was no violence to it.”
  – Cindy Jacobs [47:45]

• Taylor points out their language: violence is spiritual, not physical—but the rhetoric still fuels and justifies violent action.
• Even after witnessing violence, leaders claim either it was justified, orchestrated by “antifa,” or simply didn’t happen.

8. NAR’s Role: Architects of the Capitol Riot

[43:47–47:29]

• Taylor emphasizes: NAR leaders may not have physically stormed the Capitol, but as spiritual generals, they shaped and drove the theological architecture of January 6.
• Their narrative demonizes opponents (“Demon-crats”), legitimizes action, and creates a reality where violence is seen as “God enacting His will.”

9. Music as Theology and Weapon

[43:09–45:37]

• Worship songs and music are explicit tools of spiritual warfare; “worship is our weapon” (per charismatic leader Sean Feucht).
• Much mainstream evangelical worship music originates in charismatic/NAR circles; these songs double as rallying cries and spiritual combat tools at events like January 6.

10. Popular Symbolism: The ‘Appeal to Heaven’ Flag

[61:10–64:02]

• The ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag became a core symbol of the Christian far right, adopted by NAR apostle Dutch Sheets in 2013 as a call for “spiritual revolution.”
• Massively visible at the Capitol on Jan 6, now flown outside the office of figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Supreme Court Justice Alito.

11. Contradictory Narratives & Continued Division

[47:29–54:53]

• Taylor: We live in “two diverging narratives”—one accepting the reality of an attempted coup, the other convinced, through religious and conspiratorial rationalizations, that January 6th was righteous, peaceful, or justified.
• The fracture remains, as the same rhetoric fuels ongoing political activism and escalated Christian nationalist ambitions.

Notable Quotes

• “Something is really wrong if the Christian iconography that I grew up using is being used to justify...what happened on that day.”
  – Tim [02:03]
• “Their notion of church leadership is built around charisma and spiritual gifting, and that comes directly from God.”
  – Taylor [22:23]
• “They are focused on global Christian conquest...He is a Christian imperialist on a global scale.”
  – Taylor [18:06]
• “You don’t negotiate with demons...Demons aren’t worthy. You can’t redeem a demon.”
  – Tim [53:29]
• “I would argue that January 6th never ended. We are still living through January 6th.”
  – Taylor [50:51]
• “These folks are the principal theological architects of the Capitol Riot.”
  – Taylor [46:08]

Key Timestamps & Memorable Moments

• [02:03] Tim on Christian symbolism in the Capitol
• [08:52–12:35] Taylor’s NAR primer: origins, global impact, ties to politics
• [15:07–20:00] Unpacking the apostle/prophet dynamic and the scale of NAR networks
• [24:34–28:20] Wild NAR spiritual warfare stories (Mt. Everest and “strike teams”)
• [29:18–32:27] How NAR mobilized for Trump/Stop the Steal; Jericho Marches
• [32:35] Clip: Jericho March spiritual language (“all evil spirits, you are cast…”)
• [34:59–36:35] January 6: Shofars and Jewish ritual appropriation
• [47:45–48:14] Cindy Jacobs’ “no violence” narrative post-insurrection
• [53:29] Demonization of political opponents and the impossibility of dialogue

Flow and Tone

• The episode employs a mix of wry humor, seriousness, and scholarly analysis.
• April and Tim emphasize personal connections to the topic and offer relatable, sometimes self-deprecating commentary.
• Matthew Taylor brings clarity and depth, grounding discussions in historical and theological context, while warning listeners about the ongoing power of NAR and related movements.

Takeaways for First-Time Listeners

• The Christian extremism at the heart of January 6th is not a sideshow or fringe—it is global, connected, and increasingly central to American (and global) right-wing politics.
• The NAR’s influence is felt not only in direct action but through pervasive worship music, symbols (like the ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag), and theological narratives spread via social media and charismatic networks.
• The movement reinterprets scripture and Christian doctrine to frame political enemies as demonic threats, justifying spiritual and physical warfare.
• The ongoing division in narratives about January 6th underscores the deep entanglement of faith, politics, and conspiracy in the American right.

Further Resources

• Find Matthew Taylor’s work on Substack and his books (The Violent Take It By Force; forthcoming: Defying: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists).
• For more on resisting Christian nationalism and finding compassionate, theologically-rooted community, visit The New Evangelicals and consider TNE Connect.

Closing Thoughts

The episode closes with gratitude to Matthew Taylor, a reminder of the importance of theological literacy and awareness, and calls for listeners to stay engaged. Through education and community, Tim and April invite listeners to reject Christian nationalism and continue unveiling the hidden spiritual influences shaping American politics.