Equal citizenship.
Freedom of belief.
A TENOK special project examining Christian nationalism, its implications for minority communities, and the constitutional protections shared by every Oklahoman.
The Oklahoma Constitution
“no religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.”
The focus
Whose rights.
Whose government.
For this project, Christian nationalism means a political vision that privileges Christian identity in government or treats it as a condition of full civic belonging. We examine specific proposals and conduct against the promise of equal citizenship.
Our research focuses on City Elders’ stated governance goals and reported organizational history, alongside questions about rhetoric and policies affecting LGBTQ+ people, religious minorities, and people of no faith.
Freedom of religion protects Christians and people of every faith. Private religious advocacy is protected expression. A claim of unconstitutional government conduct requires specific facts about government action.
Oklahoma connections · records and accountability
The Oklahoma record.
Jesse Leon Rodgers
Gateway Ministries, Inc.
City Elders
The research begins with the Oklahoma organizations and the public record of their leadership. Historical filings, a civil court ruling, and tax-exemption materials provide distinct pieces of that record.
Ada church-governance litigation
Rodgers was a defendant in a dispute involving Evangelistic Temple of Ada. On February 16, 2000, a Pontotoc County judge found the plaintiffs’ removal from duties inconsistent with church bylaws. The court also found they lacked standing and dismissed the case. This civil ruling did not determine tax fraud.
Read the court transcript, pages 5–6 ↗One corporation, successive names
Oklahoma filings show The Freedom Center of Ada, Inc. formed April 14, 2000; its name changed to Gateway Church of Ada, Inc. on May 27, 2011, and to Gateway Ministries, Inc. on March 2, 2015. A July 2, 2018 trade-name filing identifies Gateway Ministries as the registrant of City Elders. These are historical registrations; current corporate and tax status require separate checks.
Reported opposition to marriage equality
The Frontier attributed remarks rejecting same-sex marriage and urging religious criteria for candidate support to Rodgers. This is historical reporting; original recordings and subsequent responses remain part of the research.
A private group’s endorsement preferences are distinct from a government-imposed religious test. Our analysis will identify the statement, its context, and any government action separately.
Read the dated reporting and its source links ↗Exemption requests and taxpayer accountability
An archived application describes use as a parsonage and represents that there is no private advantage. A letter attributed to Rodgers asks the assessor to nullify 2016 taxes, citing a ministry budget deficit and a planned property sale.
A 2019 Frontier investigation reported parsonage-exemption approvals in 2017. We have not verified later enforcement outcomes or present eligibility. An approval alone does not establish fraud.
Next checks: the assessor’s complete decisions and reviews, actual use in the relevant years, current status, and any official enforcement findings. These records concern property-tax exemptions; federal clergy income-tax treatment is a separate question.
The public record · initial briefing
Start with what
is on the record.
Each entry identifies its source, context, and limits. Source review: October 26, 2026.
A stated goal for civil law
“Draft civil laws which reflect and uphold Biblical values and Judeo-ecclesia ethics.”
The Virginia affiliate lists this among its goals for City Elders. The page is undated; this is an affiliate’s published description.
What it establishes: a stated aim to shape civil law through religious values. The statement alone does not establish an unlawful government act.
Read the affiliate’s statement ↗Religiously framed councils
“Join us as Governing Councils are built in every county seat of America.”
The Kansas affiliate attributes this introduction to City Elders president Jesse Leon Rodgers. It describes participation by church, business, and civic leaders.
What remains open: which councils currently operate, what authority they claim, and what influence they have over particular government decisions.
Read the published introduction ↗The Tulsa organization
and its public leadership
City Elders’ February 12, 2026 newsletter identifies Jesse Leon Rodgers as chairman, lists Tulsa, and advertises a March 5 banquet.
What it establishes: the organization’s own identification and event promotion at that date. The announcement does not verify that the event occurred or establish current leadership.
Read the Oklahoma newsletter ↗These sources document statements and reporting. They do not establish that any named organization has violated the Constitution or tax law. TENOK’s analysis will identify the evidence for each conclusion and publish corrections when warranted.
The constitutional foundations
Rights belong
to all of us.
Religious liberty
and free expression
The First Amendment protects religious exercise, speech, assembly, and petition, and limits government establishment of religion. Religious participation in public debate is protected.
Read the First Amendment ↗Rights without
a religious test
Oklahoma’s Article I, Section 2 protects religious liberty and bars religious tests for the exercise of civil or political rights. This is a starting point for examining government rules and decisions.
Read Oklahoma’s protection ↗Follow the policy.
Examine the facts.
Our research distinguishes a private organization’s beliefs from the actions of public officials. We examine the actual policy, decision, or use of public resources and the legal context that applies.
See the research questions ↓What comes next
Ask specific
questions.
These are open lines of inquiry. Each published finding will be tied to identifiable statements, records, or government actions.
What role do these councils play in government?
Identify current council structures, public proposals, official decisions, and any documented relationship with a government body. A private council’s name does not establish that it holds public authority.
How are minority communities described?
Review original public statements in full context, with dates and recordings where available. Distinguish criticism of an idea from claims that people deserve fewer rights or less civic standing. Include relevant responses and corrections.
What do the organizational records establish?
Obtain incorporation and amendment records, trade-name filings, and current status information. Resolve the historical reporting’s conflicting name-change dates before publishing a corporate timeline.
How will TENOK keep this work accountable?
Publish source links, distinguish facts from analysis, identify uncertainty, invite substantive corrections, and describe what donated funds are intended to support. This project is organized around research and public education.
Support research and public education
Help make the
record accessible.
Support The Equality Network’s work to explain constitutional protections and bring documented public information to Oklahomans.
Contributions are processed by ActBlue Charities for Equality Network Corporation. For questions about supporting this special project, contact info@tenok.org.
Planned project work
- 01Obtain and organize original public records.
- 02Publish sourced, plain-language explainers.
- 03Develop accessible public education materials.
Have a source or a correction?
Send a link to the public record and tell us which statement it concerns.