In Genesis 1: 26-28, God gives humans power and dominion over the earth and its creatures. As such, humans can stand and conquer everything in their sight. However, in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them all of God’s teachings (Wagner, 2012). This is true dominion theology. It is in this verse that my dominion theology is based. My theology explains that the goal should be to be fishers of men, which means that in everything I do, there should be an element of spreading the Gospel, as this is what I am called upon to do. The analysis of my dominion theology and how it relates to multiple facets of life will be discussed in detail.
Key Insights on the Dominion Theology
When Jesus was leaving the earth, He did not instruct His disciples to make money or to pursue fame. His definition of God’s Kingdom involved preaching the Gospel to the poor and ensuring that everyone hears the Good News that Christ died for them, is risen, and is currently on God’s right hand (Romans 8:34). We should preach this message. This is the main idea of my dominion theology. The goal for dominion is not wealth, money, fame, TV deals, or fortune. Rather, it is that each person should preach the Gospel. In my theology, Dominion refers to the Kingdom of Christ, and gaining dominion means advancing God’s Kingdom on earth. My dominion theology aims to advance the Gospel and bring the knowledge of Christ to the masses (Isaacs, 2013).
In modern Christianity, there is a tendency to overlook those who are perceived as junior workers in the Kingdom of God. This includes the Sunday School teachers, the missionaries, and those who do high school ministry (Wagner, 2012). A friend who teaches Sunday school told me that the main question he receives from fellow believers is why he has not sought to advance his ministry. The expectation is that after serving in Sunday school, he would get a pastoral degree and start his own church. This shows how modern Christianity views their fellow workers in Christ. It is this approach that my dominion theology seeks to oppose (Isaacs, 2013). The truth is that every worker is vital in God’s Kingdom. While we value the head pastor, the Sunday school teacher is also as important. The goal of dominion in my theology is to preach the Gospel in all nations, from Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria (Acts 1:8). My theology preaches that everyone who is serving in the Kingdom is appreciated and valued by God.
My theology also goes against fishless fishermen. A story is told of fishermen who came from a fishing town where they had become very popular for their fishing exploits. They became renowned for their fishing, and they started being called to come and teach about fishing. So at first, they began balancing between fishing and giving talks and seminars on fishing while fishing. Eventually, they discovered they could make more money by giving seminars rather than fishing. It also felt that they were making a more significant impact as fishing teachers rather than fishermen, as there were several testimonies about how their techniques had helped individuals learn how to fish and how these techniques effectively taught other men to fish eventually. However, by taking this path, they had become fishless fishermen, teaching others to do what they do not.
This analogy helps to show modern evangelism. Many Christians have become fishless fishermen who come to teach and preach about the importance of evangelism but do not evangelize (Wagner, 2012). They have become too big for that and are seen as people who equip others for ministry. However, this goes against what Jesus taught and what Paul did. Jesus said he told everyone to go and make disciples. The best example of a person following this is Paul, who preached in cities, established churches, and continued teaching in other cities. He did not sit to become a bishop and stop preaching. He continued with the Lord’s work and kept up with His ministry. He did not become a fishless fisherman. He continued to expand the dominion by preaching the Gospel of Christ until he was martyred.
Granted, the role of bishops and other senior members of the church is essential. The administration is a critical element of the church, and I cannot stress how essential they are. Paul even explains to Timothy the importance of deacons in the ministry (I Timothy 3). However, to create God’s dominion here on earth, it is crucial that we do not become fishless fishermen. Each person in the Kingdom must work toward growing the Kingdom, including those in high places of leadership within the church.
My dominion theology does not object to promotion in ministry. Ephesians 4:11-12 states, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” This means that there are a variety of roles to be played in the body of Christ, which is the church. However, the goal should be for the church’s growth and edification, and the church grows through evangelism. This means that everyone, regardless of position in the church, should be able to preach the Gospel and further advance the ministry (McDurmon, 2013). This is why everyone is essential. From the ones who are seen as lowly, such as the missionaries and Sunday school teachers, to the bigwigs in ministries, such as the Bishops and Apostles.
The Dominion Theology and Wealth
My dominion theology is also very clear on wealth. Wealth is a critical part of God’s work. It takes money to preach the Gospel to lands far and wide. God is also the one who gives wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). The dominion theology explains why Christians are pursuing wealth. James 4:3 states, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” This is a perfect example of why the dominion does not grow. This is because, as Christians, we are focused more on the things of the earth rather than the things of heaven. Yet in the Lord’s prayer, Jesus explains that “you will be done as on earth as in heaven.” Our pursuits of wealth should be done to pursue God’s will (McDurmon, 2013). God’s will is that every person establishes a relationship with Him, as seen by His love for us that He gave His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. As such, while wealth is essential, it should be used to spread the Gospel, with that being the dominion theology.
However, it is essential to note that wealth does not substitute work in the dominion theology. I believe Christians should work, and God grants them the ability to make wealth. They should not substitute the pursuit of serving Christ and ministering to those needing money. Modern-day Christians have forgone the dominion theology provided they fund the Kingdom (Hennigan, 2013). It is common for individuals to argue that provided they have paid their tithe, they have contributed to the dominion theology. When fundraising in church, many individuals are willing to give intensely toward this purpose. However, when it comes to ministering and spreading the Gospel, that is where many Christians draw the line. They argue that it is the work of ministers and evangelists to spread the Gospel. This is where we go wrong.
The goal of wealth is to help with spreading the Gospel. It is not used to be used to show that Christians are much superior and that God wishes for us to have wealth. Instead, wealth should be used to spread the Gospel (McDurmon, 2013). In James 1:27, James perfectly explains true religion when he states, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Wealth should be used to help the poor and the needy for the advancement of the Gospel and to pursue Godly things. At the helm of the things that Jesus wants His followers to pursue is the Gospel. Therefore, wealth is a resource to spread the Gospel, not its substitute. This is why it is essential that the modern church does not emphasize creating fishless fishermen but advancing the Gospel and establishing God’s Kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven, due to His will.
The Dominion Theology and Life
My dominion theology seeks to spread the Gospel by integrating it with life. This means that regardless of an individual’s field, they are still responsible for spreading the Gospel in that domain (Hennigan, 2013). For example, a doctor meets patients who are not saved every day. They have a chance to minister every day to these people. Not only should your ministering be in how you preach the Gospel but also in how you show love. Jesus stated in John 13:25 that love for one another is what shows that an individual is a disciple of Christ. It is this love that Paul defines in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as kind, patient, absent of ency, selfless, even-tempered, rejoices in truth, and enduring. This love brings people to Christ and helps them learn to love God and come to serve Him. Throughout our lives, the greatest tool to utilize in ministry is love. Spreading the Gospel first begins with loving our neighbors (Hennigan, 2013).
This dominion theology is also reliant on us having a relationship with God. You cannot preach a Jesus whom you do not know. As we minister the Gospel, we must better equip ourselves with the knowledge of who Christ is (Hennigan, 2013). This means that before we can go out and preach the Gospel, we need to know Jesus, not just know of Him, but to have a relationship with Him.
Conclusion
The definition of dominion has changed over time to mean conquering worldly things. However, it is important to remember that the Kingdom of Heaven is not about silver or gold. The goal of dominion should also not be about silver, gold, or other earthly things. Rather, it should be about growth or the Kingdom through winning souls to Christ. This is the central part of my dominion mandate.
References
Bible, D. (1985). The Bible. Chrysalis.
Hennigan, T. D. (2013). Is there a dominion mandate? Discussion: A response to Darek Isaacs. Answers Research Journal, 6, 137-138.
Isaacs, D. (2013). Is there a dominion mandate? Answers Research Journal, pp. 6, 1–16.
McDurmon, J. (2013). Is there a dominion mandate? Discussion: The dominion mandate: Yesterday, today, and forever. Earth, pp. 1, 26–28.
Wagner, C. P. (2012). On Earth as It Is in Heaven: Answer God’s Call to Transform the World. Gospel Light Publications.
write