Editor’s Note: Woke Wars, formerly an email newsletter from The Sentinel meant to cover the cultural insurgence of wokeness in our society, is now exclusively available on our website.

Christians have long been noting a progressive shift in some of their prominent institutions.

In other cases, progressive organizations claiming to be Christian have infiltrated conservative denominations, often with intentions to quietly subvert doctrine on pressing cultural issues.

But as the federal government pauses USAID funds and even seeks to dismantle the institution, many conservative Christians are learning that the vast leftist patronage network bankrolled by the foreign aid agency has also funded some of the worst subverters in American Christianity.

They are on the payrolls of the state.

Christianity Today, a news magazine founded by the late evangelist Billy Graham, was a mainstay of the evangelical world for decades, yet has recently seen a decided leftward shift.

But a whopping $1.8 million of their total $9.7 million in contributions came from taxpayer funds and government grants, amounting to a shocking 19% of their overall contributions.

Redeeming Babel, a group founded by theologian Curtis Chang, worked alongside Christianity Today editor-in-chief Russell Moore and opinion writer David French to launch a project called The After Party, which took a progressive political curriculum into many evangelical churches.

That organization took $308,000 from the Rockefeller Foundation and $200,000 from Defending Democracy, which in turn received substantial federal taxpayer money from entities like USAID.

They are getting paid to subvert the church.

God warns throughout the Scriptures that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

There are clearly influential figures and organizations in the Christian world who are in bed with the state, receiving fees like harlots to undermine the impact of faithful Christianity in our land.

The federal government has created a patronage network of leftist actors who have taken taxpayer dollars and used them to weaken the political power of conservative Christians, a reality which has massive effects on issues like abortion, homosexuality, and immigration.

Christians must be aware of these schemes. They must be aware that there are many ravenous wolves seeking to undermine the health of the flock. They must beseech the Good Shepherd for protection, and listen to the teaching of faithful undershepherds who simply cannot be bought.