Milton Dick, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, will appear as a guest speaker at an event promoting the Seven Mountains Mandate ideology that calls for Christians to conquer the key spheres of influence in society.

Mr Dick appears in promotional materials for the ROAR Leaders Summit, which will discuss topics including “what God is doing in various spheres of influence” and the “importance of kingdom leadership”.

Pastor David Vaka is hosting the $250-a-ticket event in Brisbane in September, with a number of dominionist Christian figures set to feature.

Pastor Vaka is an ardent supporter of the Seven Mountains Mandate, preaching it at his Breakthrough Church and also in the Pacific Islands. He has boasted that his church is “probably one of the only churches in Brisbane” to teach the Seven Mountains Mandate, “raising up disciples to disciple nations”.

The Rationalist Society of Australia is not suggesting that Mr Dick supports Seven Mountains Mandate ideology, only that he is a guest speaker at an event associated with that ideology.

The promotional materials being shared on social media promise attendees that the ROAR Leaders Summit will help them to: 

• “identify your kingdom assignment and how to impact your spheres of operation significantly”;
• “partner with like-minded leaders in your nation for nation-building and transformation according to divine architectural design”;
• “elevate your sight to see God as the builder of nations and your significance in His nation-building plan.”

The post on Facebook also says that the ROAR Leaders Summit in Papua New Guinea witnessed leaders from various spheres gathering to “unite in nation building according to God’s architectural design”.

Mr Dick also appeared at last year’s event – then called the ROAR Apostolic Summit – alongside the likes of Gold Coast City Council’s ‘spiritual advisor’ Sue Baynes, Gippsland church leader Brian Heath – accused of running a dominionist church – and David Balestri, a leader of the New Apostolic Reformation movement.

Mr Dick is the local Labor member of parliament for the federal seat of Oxley, where Pastor Vaka’s church is located. Mr Dick has appeared at Breakthrough Church on a number of occasions previously, including in 2021 to announce a government grant of $20,000 for the church to build a cafe.

Last year, the RSA reported that a Liberal National member of parliament credited Mr Dick for the retention of daily Christian prayers in the House of Representatives. Terry Young told Christian radio that he and his colleagues had expected the Albanese government would remove prayers but that the Speaker had ensured the practice continued.

Mr Dick has also appeared as a guest speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast in Canberra.

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Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.

Image: Milton Dick MP (Facebook)