Kingdom Report
www.kingdomvision.co.za
Week of 8 November 2025
The Daily Maverick Christian Nationalism Accusation
The Daily Maverick did a hit job on Heinz Winkler and Angus Buchan this week. We are accused of 'Christian Nationalism.' I need to answer. And explain how we can use technology to build our own e-nation within Southern Africa using the Estonia template.
The Accusation: A Dangerous Misreading of Our Faith
In recent days, those of us within the evangelical and Charismatic community in South Africa have found ourselves the subject of intense and critical media scrutiny. Prominent publications, most notably the Daily Maverick, have leveled a serious and dangerous charge against us. Articles bearing alarming headlines about the "revival of Christian nationalism" have singled out respected figures like Angus Buchan and Heinz Winckler, painting their calls for national repentance and spiritual renewal as something far more sinister.
We must be clear about what is being claimed. Our critics are not merely disagreeing with our theology; they are accusing us of a political conspiracy. The Maverick articles, for instance, explicitly link Winckler’s ONE80 movement to US-based political organizations like Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point as some political conspiracy. This is not an accidental comparison. It is a deliberate rhetorical strategy designed to frame his ministry as a right-wing political project. This narrative claims that any movement of socially conservative Christians is a threat to democracy.
This "Christian Nationalism" label is intended to be a conversation-ender. As public commentary on these articles shows, the term is immediately effective in poisoning the well. Critics are quick to invoke the spectre of South Africa's past, stating, "The last time Afrikaners pushed nationalist ideology, it didn't turn out so great for the rest of the country". They conflate our desire for biblical values with the political platform of the American "MAGA crowd" and "Project 2025".
Let us be unequivocally clear: We deny this accusation in the strongest possible terms.
The charge is not just false; it is a profound theological misunderstanding. Our critics are making a fundamental category error. They are interpreting a spiritual awakening through a carnal, political lens. They see a movement of God, but because they only possess a secular-political vocabulary, they can only describe it using secular-political terms. They cannot distinguish between a desire to take over a country (Nationalism) and a burning, God-given desire to preach the Gospel to a country (Evangelism).
In the very document that critiques him, Heinz Winckler is quoted as identifying the real issue facing South Africa: "The core problem is not only corruption and mismanagement, but a crisis of worldview". The Daily Maverick's reporting is a perfect and tragic symptom of this very crisis. It sees a movement standing for "Faith, Family & Freedom" and, blinded by its own worldview, can only interpret this as a political threat.
Our first task, therefore, is not to debate their political science. It is to correct their theology. To refute this false charge, we must, as a church, answer two critical questions from Scripture: First, what is a "Christian Nation"? And second, who are the "people of God"? The answers, found in God's Holy Word, not only dismantle the Maverick's accusation but reveal the glorious, spiritual work God is actually doing in our midst.
What Is a "Christian Nation"? A Scriptural Definition
The entire premise of "Christian Nationalism" rests on the idea that a geopolitical country, like South Africa, can or should be "Christian." To the secular critic, this implies a theocratic state. To the biblical believer, this entire concept is a theological impossibility built on a fundamental misreading of Scripture.
The People of God: A Covenant, Not a Country
Our critics, and indeed many well-meaning Christians, are confused about the term "God's people." They assume it is a title that can be applied to a political state. But from the very beginning, the Bible defines "God's people" not by geography or ethnicity, but by covenant.
In the book of Exodus, God makes His promise to a group of slaves, not yet a nation. He says, "I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God". This status was a gift, established by God's call and Israel's acceptance of His covenant. It was a relationship, not a racial designation.
Critically, this covenant was never unconditional. This was not, as one analysis puts it, the "unconditional real estate of a nation". God's promise was explicitly conditional upon obedience. The prophet Jeremiah echoes God's central demand: "Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people". Israel's status as "God's people" was entirely dependent on their faithfulness to His commands.
The Revoked Title: When a Nation Stops Being God's People
Scripture is devastatingly clear about what happens when the people break that covenant. When Israel turned to idolatry and persistently violated His commands, God announced a judgment that shakes the very foundation of any "nationalist" theology.
He instructed the prophet Hosea to have a son and to "name him Lo-Ammi (meaning not my people), for you are not my people, and I will not be your God".
This is one of the most terrifying passages in the Old Testament. God Himself disowns the unfaithful Northern kingdom. He revokes the title. This single, stark precedent proves that God's identity is not permanently fused to any single, earthly nation-state. If God could declare the "chosen" nation "Lo-Ammi," He proves that being "His people" is a conditional, spiritual state of being, not a permanent political or ethnic reality.
The True "Holy Nation" in the New Covenant
This brings us to the glorious, clarifying truth of the New Testament. If God disowned unfaithful, political Israel, then who is the "nation" of God today?
The Apostle Peter, writing not to a government but to a scattered, persecuted, and multi-ethnic Church, gives the definitive answer. He takes the very titles once given to Israel and applies them to all believers in Christ:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
This is the "Great Transfer." The title "holy nation" has been transferred from a single ethnic-political state (Old Covenant Israel) to the global, spiritual body of believers (the Church, the Ekklesia). This "nation" is not South Africa. It is not America. It is not any political state. It is the borderless, spiritual community of all true, born-again believers in Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the very concept of "Christian Nationalism" is a theological oxymoron. We cannot, and do not, seek to turn the geopolitical entity of South Africa into a "Christian Nation." South Africa is a pluralistic, secular state, home to millions of God-fearing believers, but also home to millions of Muslims, Hindus, atheists, and animists—people whom we are called to love and evangelize, not to conquer. A "mixed, secular nation" cannot, by biblical definition, be the "holy nation" of God.
Our goal is not to "take over" the political state of South Africa. Our goal is to build the "holy nation" (the Church) within the borders of South Africa, calling people "out of darkness into his wonderful light."
The "Israel" Confusion: A Critical Error in Modern Evangelicalism
At this point, a sharp critic from the Daily Maverick—or even a confused brother or sister in Christ—might raise a potent objection: "But wait. Don't many of you Evangelicals treat the political state of modern Israel as 'God's people'? Don't you give political, financial, and theological support to that one nation-state as if it were holy?"
This is a fair, necessary, and painful question. As the mandate for this article rightly points out, this confusion is a critical theological error that has taken root in parts of modern Evangelicalism, and it is this error that our critics are observing.
This theological "Israel" confusion is the very thing that fuels the Daily Maverick's misunderstanding. When secular critics see some Christians treating the political state of Israel as a "holy nation," they logically (though incorrectly) assume we want to do the same thing to South Africa. They believe that if we are "Nationalists" for that nation, we must also be "Nationalists" for this one.
To defeat the false accusation of "Christian Nationalism," we must first pastorally but firmly correct the underlying theological error within our own camp.
Who Are God's "Sheep"?
The New Covenant defines the "people of God" not by ethnicity, but by faith in the Messiah. Jesus Himself, in John 10, provides the only definition that matters.
He is the Good Shepherd. Who are His "sheep"? His answer is beautifully simple and profoundly exclusive: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
This is the only qualification. It is not race. It is not nationality. It is not birthright. It is a personal, spiritual reality: hearing the voice of Jesus and following Him.
But what about those who don't follow? What about those who hear His voice and reject Him? Jesus is equally explicit. He speaks directly to the unbelieving religious leaders of His day and delivers a line that must force us to re-evaluate all political theology:
"...you do not believe, because you are not my sheep."
This is a hard, uncompromising, and vital word. The status of "God's people"—His "sheep"—is defined exclusively by faith in Him. Those who reject the Shepherd, even if they are ethnically "of Israel," are not His sheep. Just as God declared "Lo-Ammi" ("Not my people") in Hosea to a faithless nation , Jesus Himself makes the same covenantal distinction in John 10. His flock is one of faith, not race.
The True "Israel" and Our True Allegiance
Therefore, we must be bold enough to say it: The modern political state of Israel, which is largely secular and has, as a corporate entity, rejected Jesus as Lord and Messiah, cannot biblically be called "the people of God" in the covenantal sense. That holy title, "God's special possession," belongs exclusively to the Church—the true Ekklesia—which is comprised of believing Jews and believing Gentiles, who have both been brought into one flock. As Jesus promised, "other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring" [John 10:16].
This argument is the linchpin. It proves that true Biblical Evangelicals are not "nationalists" in any political sense. Our ultimate allegiance is not to South Africa. It is not to America. It is not even to the political state of Israel.
Our allegiance is to a King—the Lord Jesus Christ. Our loyalty is to a Kingdom—the spiritual, "holy nation" of His Church.
This single truth severs the final link the Daily Maverick tries to create between our faith and a worldly political agenda. We are patriots of heaven (Philippians 3:20). We seek the welfare of the earthly city we live in (Jeremiah 29:7), but we are citizens of a heavenly one (Hebrews 11:16).
A New 'Ekklesia': A Practical Model for the "Holy Nation"
We have established, then, what we are not doing. We are not "Christian Nationalists." What, then, are we doing? What is this "drastic change" we seek?
We are, as we have always been, obeying the Great Commission. We are building the "holy nation" of 1 Peter 2:9. We are calling "reborn citizens" into the Kingdom of God.
For centuries, this "holy nation" has been spiritual, invisible, and gathered in local assemblies. But in the 21st century, God has given us a powerful, practical metaphor—and perhaps a providential tool—to give this spiritual nation a tangible, visible form. As we are called to be wise, we can look to a most unlikely source for a powerful model. With modern technology we can build a national network of fellow believers who can act as a "nation" governed by our own laws of love and giving and mutual support.
A Modern Template : Estonia's "e-Residency"
We can look to the small, technologically advanced, and secular country of Estonia. A nation of 1,2 million people. In 2014, Estonia launched a revolutionary program called "e-Residency," effectively creating a "borderless" digital nation.
Here are the key principles of this system, which should sound prophetically familiar to the Christian:
- A Secure Digital Identity (The "Key"): Estonia offers a government-issued digital identity (an e-ID smart card) to anyone in the world. This card contains a microchip and operates on a system called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). It serves as the "key" to this digital nation, allowing a user to prove who they are (authentication with a PIN) and to provide a legally-binding digital signature.
- A "Borderless" Community: Crucially, e-Residency is not citizenship. It does not grant the right to live in Estonia, nor does it grant a passport. It is not a political status. Instead, it creates a "borderless" community, a "location-independent" network of people who share a common platform.
- A Trusted Framework: The primary benefit of this system is that it allows entrepreneurs from all over the world to establish and run a trusted European Union company 100% online. It provides a secure, transparent, and trusted legal and financial framework for them to operate as a unified community, from anywhere on earth.
The parallels for the Ekklesia are astonishing. Estonia, a secular state, created a "borderless" economic nation, built on a secure identity and a trusted framework. The Church is a "borderless" spiritual nation (the "holy nation" of 1 Peter 2:9), built on a secure identity (in Christ) and a trusted framework (the Word of God).
What if we stopped only being an invisible, abstract "nation" and learned from this model? What if we created a tangible, digital infrastructure for the "holy nation" of God's people? This is not about politics; it is about ecclesiology—the very nature and function of the Church in a new era.
The 'e-Citizen' Covenant: A Practical Vision for God's People
This is our positive, forward-looking proposal. This is the true "drastic change" we seek. Instead of being falsely accused of building a political nation, let us joyfully and openly build the spiritual one.
Let us, the evangelical, Charismatic, truly born-again believers in South Africa, create a "Christian e-Citizen Network."
The "e-Citizens" and Their "Identity Card"
This network would not be a state. It would be a Digital Ekklesia. The Greek word ekklesia, which we translate as "church," literally means an "assembly of the citizens". We are simply proposing that we create a 21st-century "assembly" that transcends the walls of our local buildings.
Who are the "e-Citizens"? This network would be for those who are "truly evangelical and born again," as the vision for this project states. This is not the "exclusion" that the Daily Maverick might fear. It is doctrinal clarity. Any true nation must have borders. A political nation has geographic borders. A spiritual nation has doctrinal borders. Our "holy nation" is defined by a "shared belief and purpose" , and that belief is in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, and the born-again experience as the "key" to entry.
What is our "e-ID Card"? Our "secure identity" is not a plastic card with a microchip. It is our confession of faith. It is our public, verifiable testimony that we have been "born again" and have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. This "digital identity" would allow us to find and authenticate one another as true members of the "household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).
The "Constitution" of the Holy Nation: The Law on the Heart
Every nation has a law. Estonia's e-citizens operate within the "trusted... legal and financial framework of the European Union". What is the legal framework—the "constitution"—of our holy nation?
It is the glorious fulfilment of the New Covenant promise, given by God Himself in the book of Jeremiah: "For this is the covenant that I will make... declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
This is the law of our nation. It is not an external, cold legal code that a "nationalist" government would impose on an unwilling population. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit, who writes God's commands onto the "inward man," causing us to delight in the law of God. This shared, Spirit-led worldview is the true answer to the "crisis of worldview".
The Final Vision: What God Is Actually Building
So, what is the purpose of this "e-Citizen Network"? It is to actualize our spiritual nationhood. It is to create a "networked faith community" that allows us to find and identify fellow believers. It will be a "trusted connection" that allows us to support each other's businesses, to hire one another, to share resources, to coordinate ministries, and to stand together as one in a culture that is increasingly hostile to our faith.
The Daily Maverick is looking for a political army, so they are completely blind to the spiritual nation God is assembling right under their noses. They accuse us of an old, divisive, political idea ("Nationalism") because they cannot see the new, connective, and glorious spiritual work the Holy Spirit is doing.
Let them have their political kingdoms. We are building the Church of Jesus Christ—a true, holy, and now digitally-connected "nation of God's people" [1 Peter 2:9] within South Africa. This is our prayer, this is our work, and this is our future.