Having participated in various Facebook groups critical of Bethel for the past year-and-a-half, I can help answer that question for you. Candidate Ian Hill says he's running to to shine a spotlight on city needs and bring together resources and people to act on what's important. A non-Bethel incumbent up for reelection was the top vote getter. Dacquistos now-predictable Partin endorsements usually include Dacquistos mention that one of the reasons he endorses Partin is because Dacquisto is sick of being on the losing end of so many 3-2 or 4-1 votes. Things got especially slick when you introduced HR departments to this conversation and mention of potential lawsuits. This became apparent after I wrote the story about it and was scolded by Bethels then-communications person for not mentioning that many of those in attendance were from The Stirring, too. at the sports complex at the Bethel School. Imagine you are overworked and stressed out, Crocket explained, and your neighbor took it upon themselves to mow your lawn. . Dozens of local businesses have been started by Bethel attendees and many local short-term rentals are either owned by those affiliated with the church or house those who visit the region for faith tourism. (He probably knows it.). What about Schreder, Sullivan, and Dacquisto? Prayer Meeting for Redding. Sterling: 3 inches. To make a donation,click here. Here are nine things you should know about the Johnsons and the Bethel movement. They can be a nuisance. This view is shared by numerous Christian discernment websites around the world that consider Bethel pastors Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton frauds and heretics. Now Im not, Listen to Sheas story, and then tell me youd reject this former Wall Street finance expert, Northern Pygmy Owl Whiskeytown Nat. But humor me for a moment, and set aside knowledge of candidates who attend The Stirring and Bethel Church. The trio of Redding City Council candidates who attend Bethel Church are Audette, Shea and Munns. Westbrook: 2.8 inches. I recall my concerns/fears/disappointment when Julie Winter first won a seat on the Redding City Council. Several of the candidates running for the Redding City Council this fall are connected to Bethel Church. Bill and Beni Johnson, senior pastors Bethel Redding. encourage attendees to vote for Trump or risk facing Gods displeasure. May 11th 2022, 6:13 PM PDT. Connections between some of those candidates and Bethel Church have become a flashpoint in the race. Is it religiously intolerant to reject the most obviously qualified candidates solely because of the churches they attend, and their religious practices inside those churches? Dacquisto may have once been an active member in the community, but it is widely known locally that is no longer the case. . As it grows, Bethel has better connected Redding to the world. No gold dust, please. Julie was elected to the City Council in November 2016 for a four-year term, and re-elected in November 2020 for an additional four-year term. Several of the candidates running for the Redding City Council this fall are connected to Bethel Church. Listen to Johnson speak and tell me youre not impressed. The sobering reality is that Redding voters are backed against a Bethel wall with some tough questions: Do I wish, for the sake of a more balanced election playing field, that the Redding City Council race wasnt flooded with candidates who attend The Stirring or Bethel Church? Some are even Trump supporters, so go figure. When the Redding Civic Auditorium faced closure, Bethel created the nonprofit Advance Redding to lease the facility. These groups arent devoted to hating Bethel Church and its members, theyre devoted to exposing the grip Bethel has on Redding and their lives, and theyve garnered national media attention with their efforts. Tenessa is a graduate of Leadership Redding, and serves on the Steering Committee, organizing the Government program. Disclosure:Annelise Pierce is a former member of Bethel Church and a graduate of the first year of BSSM. Johnson, who publicly endorsed Trump in 2016 and 2020, teaches that part of that revival will come through ballot boxes. is listed by the Shasta Economic Development Corporation as the 8th largest employer. Bethel Church can push ahead with its plans to build a new campus on 39 acres on the northeast of Redding despite ongoing concerns from neighbors about . He said in his speech to delegates 'They are pressing and saying, 'no peace without the Jewish state Classificados de Traduo nos Estados Unidos. Lead Bethel pastor Bill Johnson has written all about it in hisbook, Invading Babylon, The Seven Mountain Mandate. Members of the group have been known to cold-call new business owners and just flat-out ask them, Do you have a Bethel affiliation? Sometimes they answer, sometimes they dont. They say that judging by his frequent absences, it appears he no longer prioritizes his city council position. While two of Bethels candidates won their races, former Bethel celebrity Sean Feucht was less successful in his worship-music-meets-campaign efforts on behalf of two Trump-endorsed candidates. I hope everyone knows those things too.. Granted, The Stirring lacks Bethel Churchs flashy signs and wonders fixation on everything from speaking in tongues, healings, tunnels of fire, and gold-dust glory cloudsto angel feathers, grave-soaking, gay-conversion therapy and attempts to raise the dead. She lives in Redding, California. In reply to R.V. Duly noted. Theres more evidence of collaboration between The Stirring Church and Bethel Church, but you get the idea. Members of Bethel, the 11,000-member northern California megachurch famous for elaborate healing services, Bethel Music, and musician Sean Feuchts nationwide worship protests against COVID restrictions, now hold the majority on the Redding City Council after Novembers elections, according to nearly complete vote counts. They feel like their vision for Redding is being supplanted by someone elses, that theyre being replaced by Bethelbots, that the system is rigged. Online streaming now reaches over 412,800 users internationally. She attended Bethels School of Supernatural Ministry and says she now teaches a God and Government class there to help ensure that Christians know the importance of maintaining the appropriate separation between church and state. 1. Hmm! Some people even draw parallels between Councilman Dacquisto and his broken website address. Bloomberg News and on CNN, KQED and KPFA. Scheide. Yikes!! Some locally higher amounts are possible . While the Seven Mountain Mandate is controversial even among many Christian denominations for Bethel devotees, its considered gospel. Do I know what Im writing about? Bethel teaches what is known as the 7 Mountains Mandate, a theology that encourages Christians to influence the seven mountains of society, including the political realm, to bring Gods kingdom realities to earth. Instead, I make my selections based upon candidates backgrounds, experience, endorsements, creativity, tenacity, enthusiasm, ideas, energy, and the amount of work theyve invested in their campaigns. Theres also concern that Bethel members are fanning secessionist movements and supporting militia groups in Shasta County. She didnt. Steve Rabey is a veteran author and journalist who has published more than 50 books and 2,000 articles about religion, spirituality, and culture. And with that slippery slope, youve hit rock bottom. Theyre not telling you what to do, or how to do it or keeping track of what you do. Theyre threatening to boycott not just Bethel businesses, but any business represented by the chamber. But Bethel Senior Associate Leader Kris Vallotton has made multiple political statements from the pulpit, including his prophecy that Donald Trump would win the 2020 presidential election. How about You can tellthose with a certain gender preferencerun this business because it has that look.?. The council voted 4-1 to draft a contract with Bethel for running the 41-year-old . Reminding readers Bethel saved the Civic Auditorium and funded the RPDs homeless squad only rubs it in. Since then, the North State is still in recovery over the dirty recall of a stellar supervisor, the baseless firing of the countys chief health officer and the resignation of a blackmailed CEO. First, many members view Bethels strange brew of Christianity and New Age as a straight-up cult, a holy rolling, faith-healing pyramid scheme sucking the lifeblood out of the town and preaching a false gospel. If he does have campaign signs, they must be hidden in secret locations. In interviews with local candidates Shasta Scout avoided asking directly about Bethel Church involvement to avoid discriminating against individuals on the basis of their faith. His answer matters, because if he lives in Mt. Discagem Grtis: Estados Unidos e Canad: 1.855.613.2303 ou 1.800.709.6205 - Brasil: (800) 591 4613 - WhatsApp: (+001) 310.844.0166 San Francisco: (415) 537-9877 - Fort Lauderdale: (754) 702-0257 - Tampa: (813) 803-9457 - Braslia: (61) 4042 1275 - Belo Horizonte: (31) 2342 1207 - Porto Alegre: (51) 2042 0087 - Rio de Janeiro . My focus in my run for City Council is on minimizing homelessness, fighting crime, and strengthening our economy. Im not down with cancel culture. Hi. Redding Municipal Library Board - Regular Meeting. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Bethel's first global campaign, Arise & Build . If they lose, will they cry fraud? He said he used to work for the church but no longer holds any staff or leadership positions there. In fact, in most places it would be considered impolite and inappropriate to ask about candidates religious lives. Listen to Audettes desire to make Redding a safe, thriving city. Julie Winter, a Bethel elder, already sits on the five-seat Redding City Council. At Shasta Scout, we believe a democratic community requires access to just and equitable news. In reply to Jeff Gorder. Why are my palms sweating? He and his wife Lois live in Colorado. Others have been threatened by Bethel supporters. Were you afraid to write black people? Email us, or join the community conversation at Shasta ScoutsFacebook page. Or will we now see what the true intentions of Bethel Church, School, And Ministry really are. . widely believed to include the idea that believers should take dominion over society to bring more of heaven to earth. One of the most frequent election questions posed recently on North State social media sites pertains to whether candidates do or do not attend Bethel Church or The Stirring. In fact, aside from the times she recused herself to avoid even the perception of a conflict, as far as I know, Winter never uttered the the word Bethel. This is Vollmers second try at elected office. I just hope they dont stop there. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. All rights reserved. Bethel Affiliated Businesses currently lists 67 businesses, including restaurants, bakeries, cafes and salons as having a Bethel affiliation. Ministry Watch reports: Redding is a city of 93,462 in Trump-red Shasta County, which has a popula Likewise, this new Bethel-hater label could easily lead HR folks to feel pressured just to be on the safe, right side to take action against any employee who says so much as an unkind word about Bethel on social media. Its not clear whether he continues to attend there. The Bethel Church can be characterized as promoting Word of Faith teaching, the prosperity gospel, dominionism, " grave sucking ," and other aberrant doctrines and practices. Email:[emailprotected] Absences: Dacquisto has missed a number of meetings, including closed session meetings, joint session meetings, RABA, Library, Housing, Capital Services, and Successor Agency meetings. By continuing to use this website, youconsentto the use of cookies in accordance with ourprivacy policy. Christianity Today defines Christian Nationalism, Supervisor Jones Wants More Power To Set The Board, And The Peoples, Agenda. But he lacks endorsements, and his social media pages look like neglected, empty warehouses decorated with some 60s-era posters that fit perfectly with his slogan, Chill with Hill. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Shamed, Excommunicated Mother for Refusing to Take Back Child Abuser, Days-long Revival Sweeping Asbury University in Kentucky, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Covered Up Pastors Sexual Abuse, Witnesses Say, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthurs Church Supported Convicted Child Abuser & Pedophile, Records Show, Dante Bowe Posts, Then Removes, Apology for Behavior Causing Split with Maverick City Music, Matt Chandler Steps Aside After Admitting Inappropriate Online Relationship, John MacArthur Pulls Out of Ligonier Conference, Pastor Resigns From Houston Megachurch After Admitting Affair, Televangelist Creflo Dollar Renounces Past Teachings on Tithing, But Questions Persist. I have the financial skills and experience to help us navigate the coming recession. Alex Shea hosted a launch party for his candidacy Saturday and Joshua Johnson made . Slight segue, but Vollmers and Valenzuelas distrust in the election system begs the question: If the women win, will they accept the election results as valid? Brad Everett, Bethels Director of Communications, declined to answer any of Shasta Scouts questions for this story. For example, during one of the forums, when asked how he would deal with homelessness, Crockett addressed the audience, flipped the question and asked whattheyd done. Help increase access to important information. Audette, a district representative for state Sen. Brian Dahle, has received $37,670 in contributions since the beginning of the year, according to electronic financial disclosure statements. Frankly, theres an unfortunate campaign trait shared by Vollmers, Hill and Valenzuela: Although they can accurately identify Reddings problems homelessness, crime, water issues, mental illness, housing shortages, etc. You then assert the same sort of hateful things are being posted, with Bethel taking the place of Blue People, in Bethel Affiliated Business, Investigating Bethel and numerous other Facebook groups you say are devoted to hating Bethel Church and its members., You write, Any of these posts would create a huge issue in the human resources department of your business and perhaps land the author in court for libel, defamation of character, or perhaps even a hate crime.. We are on the edge of the greatest revival of all time, says Bethels website. He was an instructor at Fuller and Denver seminaries and the U.S. Air Force Academy. You know the difference between Bethel Church and a casino, Jake? Both Bethels size and its commitment to Seven Mountain dominionism have gained it increasing local influence over the last decade as it seeks to create heaven on earth.. Ten candidates are running for three seats on the Redding council this fall. A big fat $150 million casino on the south side of town, a den of iniquity to balance the $150 million purity palace Bethels constructing on the north side of Redding. Identity. Youre committing the fallacy of composition here, mistaking the part for the whole, missing the forest for the trees. Old Lyme: 3 inches. I don't know about Dacquisto. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of "Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse" by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Danny and Sheri Silk moved to Redding to become a part of the Bethel Senior Team. Listen to Sheas story, and then tell me youd reject this former Wall Street finance expert, the grandson of immigrants who fled Communist China. In reply to R.V. Feb 21, 2023 5:15 PM Agenda Agenda Packet Action Agenda More recently, he has also compared women who seek out abortions to school shooters. Bethel's mission is revivalthe personal, regional, and global expansion . I grew up embracing a ranch life with early mornings feeding horses and late nights mucking stalls. Candidate Jack Munns has also attended Bethel Church. My heartburn worsened after watching Audettes guest appearance on Bethel top-gun pastor Kris Vallottons podcast, where Audette discusses, among other things, Gods role in government and if politicians should Christianize a nation. I read your blog post last week, in which you wrongly accused thousands of local citizens of religious discrimination, with concern from the very beginning. I presume your third analogy, easily the clumsiest, refers to the shopworn trope that gay males have prowess in interior decorating, but you appear to have confused the term sexual orientation with gender identity. Feb 20, 2023 5:15 PM . They maintain an extensive . Is it appropriate to scrutinize candidates religious beliefs or the church they attend? Redding City Council approved Bethel to apply for development of a new church and school campus facilities. His honors include winning the California Newspaper Publishers Associations Freedom of Information Act and best columnist awards as well as best commentary from the Society of Professional Journalists, California chapter. From Audettes perspective, the impact from Bethel has been overwhelmingly good. . I think they are going to be disappointed after they find out that their positions will force them to be focused on municipal needs such as water, sewer, traffic issues and infrastructure needs, not drag shows and woke teachers.. At first you are thankful, but you feel like it was a bit invasive. Some Christian Nationalists advocate keeping prayer in schools, outlawing abortion access and gay marriage and enshrining a Christian Nationalist version of American history in public school curriculums. Colossal understatement. Dacquisto was recently quoted in a newspaper story with words that may eventually come back to haunt him: If people dont think I participate enough and want someone to do more, then they should vote for that candidate., Bingo! As a reader-funded outlet, we rely on donations to fund our work and keep our content paywall free. If you agree please share this blog on your social . In a normal county, candidates religious beliefs wouldnt/shouldnt be relevant in local elections. Its designed to attract shoppers downtown during the holidays and drive-by stoners, I guess, for the rest of the year. Photo by Steve DuBois. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. Bruce Dean . His fellow senior leader Bill Johnson has also compared the COVID vaccine to the mark of the beast. Audette sees the issue differently, saying that people shouldnt discriminate against a candidate based on their attendance at a church and emphasizing that Bethel doesnt participate in candidate election activities or try to influence votes. The city approved a 10-year. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. Council candidate Tenessa Audette lays out her goals to KRCR's Sam Chimenti (KRCR) REDDING, Calif. Another candidate has thrown her hat into Redding's crowded city . Redding will lease its civic auditorium to Bethel Church for up to a decade. Although Im a Democrat, for me, a shared party is not reason enough to vote for someone as politically out of touch and woefully inexperienced as Hill. Like the $500,000 Garden of Lights project dreamed up by Redding City Council member and Bethel Elder Julie Winter and recently passed by the council. The large number of travelers who visit the megachurch and its five schools Bethel Christian School, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, Bethel Conservatory of the Arts, Bethel School of Technology and Bethel Music College helped attract nonstop United Airlines flights to Los Angeles. Some in the community worry about how the churchs out-sized funding and theological beliefs, including the 7 Mountains Mandate, might impact local political candidates. Christian nationalist Doug Mastriano of Pennsylvania lost his Senate race to his Jewish opponent, while Kari Lake lost Arizonas governors race to the incumbent. Local critics oppose Bethels promotion of gay conversion therapy and its fight against COVID masks, vaccinations, and closures. Interestingly enough, Ive yet to hear Partin ask voters to cast their votes for Dacquisto. Bethel members Tenessa Audette, 45, a first-time candidate, and Jack Munns, 64, who first ran two years ago, will now join Bethel elder Julie Winter on the 5-member council. Literally. Redding residents are divided on the churchs impact on their city. I spend just 2 hours at Bethel each week and 45+ hours in the community, helping unlock funding for real estate deals, putting my financial skills to work, and investing in our local nonprofits. You recently wrote fondly of the project. If you are new here, or if you just fell off a turnip truck, Bethel Church is a world-famous Redding mega-church that boasts more than 10,000 members. 2008. Redding Area Bus Authority - Regular Meeting. Do you have feedback on how we are covering Bethel or other topics? Three spots are up for grabs this November, and . Houses and apartments are being snapped up and rented out for outrageous prices to BSSM students, often at the expense of longtime tenants. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Again, its not necessarily hateful to notice this. Full disclosure: Im a member of two such Facebook groups, Bethel Affiliated Businesses and Investigating Bethel. A meme response to Jakes blog post I found posted on Facebook. With that kind of success, it would be waste of talent and experience to not tap him as a resource to create a similar Redding program. Behind the scenes last week, a struggle played out over the Shasta County Board of Supervisor's agenda. The North State city of 91,000 is home to a church, Bethel, with 11,000 members and a commitment to community so intense it's almost supernatural. Audette called the idea that she has access to Bethel funding one of the biggest myths she has heard. Were talking about vision, Jake. Michael Dacquisto is the only incumbent candidate, and hes struggling to keep his footing upon a slippery slope studded with loopholes, gray areas and alleged white lies. Mr. Scheide welcomes your comments and story tips. But you know what else has pretty lights? I certainly dont advocate boycotting, doxing or threatening anyone. No one from Bethel staff has organized, solicited or directed anyone to donate to my campaign., Sheaagreed, saying that Bethel has not contributed to his campaign and has no legal means of doing so. Correction made. Some in the community worry about how the church's out-sized funding and theological beliefs, including the 7 Mountains Mandate, might impact local political candidates. (Stay tuned for that story soon.). Some say the church has helped the city in many ways: Members volunteer and serve throughout the city. This article, which originally appeared at MinistryWatch, has been corrected to accurately state details of a Facebook group. The problem with this rigid strategy is that generally speaking, once Bethel and Stirring-related candidates are removed from the playing field, the remaining choices are inoffensively OK at best, and stunningly out-to-lunch at worst. For some, its one more reason to appreciate the churchs outsized local impact, which they feel is mostly positive. Candidate Alex Sheaalso confirmed that he attends Bethel Church. Both Bethels size and its commitment to Seven Mountain dominionism have gained it increasing local influence over the last decade as it seeks to create heaven on earth.. They are predominantly well-coifed young hipster men dressed in skinny jeans and designer t-shirts with that preternatural glow that comes from a ramen starvation diet, abstinence from sex, cigarettes and alcohol and countless late-night sessions getting drunk in the spirit.. I have received no funding from Bethel, Audette wrote, In fact I have one donor from the over 400 staff that work there. To donate, click here. Work ethic and family values were built and fostered in me beginning in the . Incumbent Michael Dacquisto posted on Facebook a photo of his completed ballot marked with just two Redding City Council selections. However, Munns does have one interesting detail that sets him apart from the rest of the candidates: He spearheaded in Reno an award-winning homeless-assistance program that he believes could work in Redding. Some of them have been doxing you. Based upon his performance during forums (though absent from the Shasta Environmental Alliance event), he seems a nice enough, grandfatherly guy. The last go-round she was running for the Shasta County District 1 race, but she dropped out mid-race, citing a lack of financial resources that would enable her to compete with the other well-funded candidates. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. In fact, I agree with you on at least one thing you wrote: Were on a slippery slope here. Clearly, theres no love lost between Dacquisto and his three female city council colleagues, Erin Resner, Julie Winter and Mayor Kristen Schreder. Feucht also worship-campaigned for Doug Lamborn, U.S. House member from Colorado Springs, who coasted to reelection. On the plus side, Vollmers has fairly lively, updated social media pages. At stake is whose vision of downtown Clearwater will prevail: the city councils or Scientologys? Erin Resner. Bethels slogan, On earth, as it is in heaven, directs its believers to infiltrate every aspect of their communities. Six evangelicals three Bethel members and three members of The Stirring church, which has connections to Bethel were among 10 candidates running for three open seats, according to Doni Chamberlain, editor of A News Caf, a feisty local publication that expressed concerns about Bethel dominance. Photo: KRCR video screengrab. Kind of like Dacquisto. Jack Munns is one of three Bethel Church members running for the Redding City Council. Munns did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Theyll show up and work hard. Prayer Meeting for Redding. That struggle led Jones to create a new, On February 28, Supervisor Jones hopes to persuade others on the Board to initiate hand counting as a way to tabulate election results in Shasta.