I had a look at The Upper Room, the Newmarket evangelical church that Christopher Luxon attends. I like the church's focus on community and much of its mission work is creditable. But this recent sermon by founder Craig Heilman is ... a bit weird. https://upperroom.org.nz/sermons/from-darkness-to-light/

It tries (I think) to make a case that it is our experience of "the darkness" that ultimately brings us close to God, referencing Psalm 88 and Greta Thunberg. But it's studded with tropes from far-right conspiracies: Soros, Saul Alinsky, et al.

Heilmann tells his congregation that Thunberg has an "eco-coach" funded by Soros. This is a straight-up conspiracy theory originally aired on the website Europe Reloaded, which rails against "globalists" and the climate change "hoax". Fact-checkers have found this theory wanting.

Heilmann tries to be even-handed (there's nothing wrong with protest, etc), but the fact he's quoting this kind of thing seems notable. It's an interesting environment for a prospective Prime Minister to emerge from.

Update: just browsed Heilmann's twitter. He thinks Brexit and MAGA are "really good", that Trump is the victim of a conspiracy by "the administrative state" and climate change isn't real. Frets about "globalist" Clinton-Soros plans for a "one world order". Etc, etc. Crikey.

He also retweets some pretty scary accounts, including True Pundit, source of some really ghastly fabricated news stories, including the claim that NYPD seized Hilary's emails as part of child sex trafficking investigation. Loves Tulsi Gabbard.