Building a Kingdom of Real Estate Empires: Christian Dominionists’ Plans to Transform Pennsylvania One Town at a Time

“I saw the letters PA rise up above the mountains. And I saw a P and A standing for Prophets and Apostles. I feel like we are in such a time for our nation. That there’s a voice of influence and authority from this keystone state. We thank you for a Seed of a Nation that is buried in the ground of Pennsylvania,” said Prophet and Pastor Chandy Thomas of the Christian Dominionist New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) Life Center Ministries at the 2022 Shift America Doug Mastriano for Governor rally in Harrisburg.

Across Pennsylvania, Christian Dominionist apostles, prophets and pastors are now increasingly setting up real estate ventures and breaking ground in cities and small towns to transform those communities into Kingdom utopias under their Godly influence. Thomas’ influence has culminated in a 2022 Trump/Mastriano rally prayer and recent 2024 Stand with Israel speaking appearance along with his Apostle Charles Stock at the Harrisburg Capitol.

In response to the pandemic, Thomas launched Clear River Entrepreneurs Network (CREN) which is associated with Life Center. Their promo video states :

“We’re working to create a legal structure to represent CREN members against such future government overreach…As a network we also want to empower your voice in government and being engaged in legislation to help shape the well-being of the city. A prophetic word over Life Center is that laws would be changed by what happens here. Since our launch, incredible doors of favor have opened in building relationships with key legislators and Senators.”

And one of those state senators showcased in the video is Christian Dominionist Mastriano. Thomas’ CREN business initiative is rooted in the Business Mountain of the Seven Mountain Mandate. Thomas has recently branched off this root with his new CREN Real Estate group of builders, bankers, developers, investors, suppliers and real estate agents.

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His new CREN promo video sweeps across the Harrisburg region’ bucolic landscape beckoning viewers to long for the Promised Land and to stir up images of conquests of empires and nations. His call to action for his followers is one of making history with God:

“See Reformation in our cities…

Join us as we explore our Reformation dreams to transform our region.”

Specifically, Thomas wants to transform the capitol city Harrisburg through real estate. This desire was echoed by Life Center’s other Apostle Abby Abildness who has an Apostolic Hub influencing legislators in the Capitol Building:

“I felt that God impressed upon me ‘I want Harrisburg to be mine. I want it to be known as the City for God.’ I want the city to be operating like Penn planted and to be an example to the nations.”

With Abildness’ call for a City for God, Pittsburgh Christian Dominionist Grace Life Church pastor Buck Shafer answers that call with “Jesus for Monroeville.” Shafer also called for a “Jesus blood red wave” and a massive spiritual army along with Stock for another 2022 Mastriano rally at his church .

Shafer said in a 2022 video on elections:

“I determined that whoever is next Senator or Governor I’m going to know personally. So I’ve made it my purpose on the phone, burning up airwaves. We had a couple Senate candidates at our house. We had a thing at our church to find out what they believe.”

What Shafer, who teaches Seven Mountain classes at his church, believes in is Dominion. And he makes sure that his church followers know that their role is full of authority. Around July 4 he led his flock in a parade down to the Monroeville Doubletree Hotel for a surprise announcement. Their church’s authority would now extend to real estate with the new purchase of that multimillion dollar hotel backed by 36 anonymous investors. Yet their church’s new branch in the building would only fill the first floor , the rest of the 18 hotel floors would be a marketplace ministry’s dream of a newly branded hotel, restaurant, banquets and event center.

Five years ago Shafer labeled “Grace Life” a “marketplace ministry,” meaning it uses the businesses to support the nondenominational church. This 2017 article centered on his appealing Allegheny county’s decision to deny the church’s request for tax exemption on a property.

The term marketplace is a familiar and strategic one for NAR Apostles like Che Ahn, who activate business mountain leaders to influence due to lack of pastors. Ahn has been perhaps one of the most successful in real estate just recently announcing that he is selling his Harvest Rock Church’s Ambassador Auditorium for $45 million , a $33 million dollar increase from his original purchase in 2004 .

While Harrisburg Life Center’s Thomas was dreaming of apostles and prophets in charge of Pennsylvania mountains, NAR Apostle Mark Kauffman had already influenced one of his Jubilee Ministries church members in western PA to buy a mountain for God. Kauffman motivated her:

“It’s going to be a model for the Seven Mountains that the church is about to take. And people will come. Some of the most renowned Seven Mountain speakers will stand there, the Lance Wallnaus…And they will go back to take their mountains…I’ve raised you up For Such a Time as This…That if you get to the Mountain of the Lord in Franklin County PA, you’ll see the Glory of God.”

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Kauffman doesn’t just want only a Franklin County mountain. He wants the town of New Castle:

“We must arise and take our seat of authority and rule over principalities and powers as Royal Kings! The hand of the Lord will be against our enemies as we take the city for Jesus!”

And he is succeeding in taking the city. According to a prominent resident :

“To show deep appreciation for Dr. Mark and Jill Kauffman on Sunday. Their steadfast apostolic leadership is transforming my hometown of New Castle, Pennsylvania. They don’t lead a typical church measured by big buildings, budgets, and bodies. They are raising up leaders for the city. They have created Kingdom venture funds that are investing in entrepreneurs, creating jobs, and improving the economy. They are rebuilding a city. There is sociologically verifiable transformation taking place measured by changed lives and real impact in the community. New Castle, Pennsylvania is becoming a Kingdom city.”

Kauffman’s quest for Dominion in his community was featured in an ICALeaders post of which he is an Apostolic member. Kauffman has also spoken about the state of Pennsylvania, sharing expertise with other Apostles like Abildness, most recently on Apostle Clay Nash’s 50 State Prayer Call .

Like Abildness, he also has been successful in networking with Government Mountain leader legislators, including Representative Marla Brown. Brown spoke at his 2nd Annual International Network Kingdom Builders conference where “business owners operating from across the country who are contemplating moving their operations to Lawrence County and western PA.”

One of those migrating business owners to our state to achieve Kingdom dreams is Metrovitalization. The company is a steadfast partner of Kauffman’s, collaborating together for multiple real estate projects to entice even more migrating Kingdom business owners. The fruits of this partnership also include financial funding from the real estate initiatives. Projects include :

– Planning, financing, and development of a new world-class university in New Castle, PA that will host over 1,600 students and provide advanced education in business, technical fields and Biblical ministries.

– A Christian vacation resort with spiritual events.

– Design and development of a new state-of-the-art worship center for Kauffman’s Jubilee Ministries International.

– Kingdom Place Modular Homes.

– Royalty Camping RV Resort

– Preeminence mixed use project of office space and residential apartments

Some in New Castle have expressed concern about trusting Metrovitalization, but few have expressed qualms about the Christian Dominionist beliefs of Kauffman. A New Castle Councilman’s concerns included lack of market testing and no completed term sheet from a bank. The biggest trust issue? Metrovitalization leader Ricky Trinidad’s “past financial struggles, including filing for bankruptcy after his previous company fell into $87 million in debts in Miami, Florida.”

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Despite these misgivings from others, Kauffman and Metrovitalization broke ground with an October 2023 ribbon cutting ceremony for Royalty Place and Kingdom Place featuring Representative Brown. “This is the beginning of something great for our area,” said Brown.

These new real estate ventures in Pennsylvania are part of Christian Dominionists’ quest for Kingdom Reformation in their cities. Reformation for most Dominionists means institutional change. Kauffman, who is CEO of the Western PA Christian Chamber of Commerce, said in a social media post that “CCCWP has been chosen to help facilitate God’s DREAM of City Shaking Leadership in our region. God is going to shake our city of New Castle (the spiritual HUB of Kingdom activity in Western PA) in the area of governmental leadership.”

Which Pennsylvania town will be the next to be shaken by Christian Dominionists?