How Mercy Culture Church reshaped politics in

Your headline cuts off, but the search results point to Mercy Culture, a Fort Worth megachurch, and its growing political operation. The most substantial reporting I found is from the Fort Worth Report in November 2025 and Texas Monthly, so it may not cover the latest developments.

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How leaders describe the goal. Pastor Steve Penate told the Fort Worth Report that he and co-pastor Landon Schott long ago committed to building a church that would "turn the city upside down" and lead in local politics. The campaign classes teach that Christians have an essential role in government.

Local politics. The alt-weekly Fort Worth Weekly, in an editorial column, linked a Tarrant County PAC to people close to the church and argued the congregation helped shape a Republican primary. That is the paper's opinion, not neutral reporting. Mayor Mattie Parker, a Republican, didn't respond to the Fort Worth Report's request for comment on the church's impact.

Two perspectives. Supporters see this as ordinary civic participation by people of faith, with the church encouraging members to run and vote. Critics worry about blurring church and state, since churches risk their tax exemption if they intervene in campaigns, and about a church endorsing candidates. The reporting I found describes the church's activity but doesn't show any ruling that it broke the rules.

If you paste the full headline or link, I can check it against this reporting or look for newer developments, such as the 2026 elections.

Sources:

• [A Texas church's online class trains Christians to run for office (Fort Worth Report via Texas Tribune)](https://www.texastribune.org/2025/11/10/texas-mercy-culture-church-campaign-university)
• [Mercy Culture Church and Washington, D.C. (Texas Monthly)](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/mercy-culture-church-washington-dc-spiritual-warfare/)
• [Fort Worth Weekly editorial column](https://www.fwweekly.com/?p=386538)