Who goes to Ziklag group conferences?
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Executive summary
Ziklag is presented in reporting as a private, wealthy, Christian dominionist organization whose membership is limited to individuals with net worth over $25 million and which has engaged in political activity supporting Donald Trump and conservative causes [1]. Its conferences are described variably in sources as elite gatherings with political and religious speakers and workshops—while some local churches host smaller community “Ziklag” events that serve different audiences [1] [2] [3].
1. Who Ziklag says it is — and who its membership actually includes
Ziklag is identified in reporting as a Christian dominionist organization that was created after the 2016 election and registered as a nonprofit; multiple sources state its membership is exclusive to people with net worth above $25 million and to those with faith-based interests, which shapes who attends its private meetings [1]. The group’s leadership and backers include Silicon Valley entrepreneur Ken Eldred (founder) and past executives such as Rebecca Hagelin, indicating a mix of wealthy donors and organizational operatives among attendees [1].
2. What kinds of people attend Ziklag conferences — political and religious elites
Investigations and summaries of Ziklag portray its conferences as gatherings that attract prominent conservative political operatives, funders and religious leaders who coordinate strategy on education, cultural engagement and election-related projects; the organization has supported figures such as Cleta Mitchell and initiatives around “election integrity,” suggesting attendees include political strategists and activists [1]. Reporting also links Ziklag to efforts to influence public schools and media projects, reinforcing that attendees are people involved in policy, legal and media initiatives aligned with a conservative Christian agenda [1].
3. The dual character of Ziklag conferences — elite private forums versus public church events
Sources indicate a split in what “Ziklag conference” can mean. Investigative reporting frames Ziklag’s private, high‑net‑worth membership gatherings as elite strategy sessions tied to national politics [1]. By contrast, community organizations and local churches have used the same name for public religious conferences and faith‑renewal events open to local congregations, which attract a much broader, lay audience [3] [4]. Available sources do not say these two uses are organized by the same entity.
4. What happens at the conferences — themes, workshops and media projects
Coverage reports that Ziklag’s activities include efforts “to take down the education system,” promote prayer and a conservative biblical worldview in schools, and to fund media aimed at countering mainstream late‑night TV—documents leak reports cite fundraising for an Eric Metaxas‑hosted pilot as one example—signaling content at elite gatherings blends policy strategy, fundraising and media planning [1]. Critics and commentators say the conferences include workshops on “Christian citizenship” and public engagement that blur religious teaching with political training [2].
5. Legal and ethical scrutiny shaping who attends and why
Investigations by outlets like ProPublica have reported Ziklag’s activities supporting Trump’s reelection and raised questions from legal experts about whether some of its political work could violate nonprofit rules, a scrutiny that both reflects and shapes attendee composition—lawyers, political operatives and donors figure prominently in the reporting [1]. Such scrutiny implies attendees include people coordinating politically consequential projects who must weigh legal risk [1].
6. Competing narratives and open questions left by reporting
News outlets and investigative reports paint Ziklag as a secretive, ultra‑wealthy network focused on reshaping education and politics [5] [1], while community listings for “Ziklag Conferences” at churches present benign faith‑oriented gatherings [3]. Sources do not clearly connect every local “Ziklag” event to the private, donor‑level organization; available sources do not mention a comprehensive public attendee list for the private Ziklag gatherings [1]. The organization’s own opacity and claims about member privacy mean reporting relies on leaks and documents rather than full official disclosure [1].
7. Why it matters — influence, secrecy and the composition of attendees
Who attends Ziklag gatherings matters because sources link the group’s membership rules—only very wealthy, faith‑aligned individuals—and its connections to political projects to outcomes in education policy, election work and media investments [1]. The combination of high net worth membership, political strategy content and limited transparency has led journalists and watchdogs to highlight both the influence potential and the legal/ethical questions surrounding attendee activities [1].
Limitations: reporting in the provided sources is uneven; investigative accounts (ProPublica, The Guardian referenced in summaries) and local event pages use the same name for very different gatherings [1] [3]. Sources do not supply a complete, verified list of who attends private Ziklag donor conferences, nor do they confirm whether every event labeled “Ziklag conference” is run by the same organization [1] [3].