Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. 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. Bill and Beni Johnson, senior pastors Bethel Redding. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. Kind of like Dacquisto. Is ctfirewood.com a scam or a fraud? In fact, Johnson agrees so much that he took to Facebook with an accounting of the some of the most damning charges against Dacquisto in a post that pretty much summarizes Johnsons stance, I voted for Michael Dacquisto 4 years ago. Feucht kicked off his first unauthorized Let Us Worship event beneath the Sundial Bridge in Redding. Methinks this explains wee Patrick's attempt to change the oath for county employees. Do I know what Im writing about? I'm scared Lol. There are three primary reasons members are concerned about Bethel, not all of them shared by all members. Feb 21, 2023 5:15 PM Agenda Agenda Packet Action Agenda Thousands of people attended, the majority of whom were members of Bethel Church and The Stirring. Its not so easy for incumbent Dacquisto, who is trying with all his might to prevent an energetic pack of young evangelical candidates from overtaking Dacquisto and stealing his chair during his run for re-election. Some of them are angry, as youve probably gathered from the voluminous negative emails youve received in response to your blog. Redding is a city of 93,462 in Trump-red Shasta County, which has a population of 182,000. Local critics oppose Bethels promotion of gay conversion therapy, and its fight against COVID masks, vaccinations, and closures. Others have been threatened by Bethel supporters. Scientologists have bought most of downtown and the chamber of commerce. Cancelled . I have received no funding from Bethel, Audette wrote, In fact I have one donor from the over 400 staff that work there. 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. Their roadmap, the Seven Mountain Mandate, influences how believers approach politics and culture. They have creative ideas. Crockett says while hes sure some in the church would endorse Christian Nationalism he doesnt believe most in the churchs rank-and-file are even sure what that term means and he has not heard it taught from the pulpit. The way Dacquisto drags Partin behind him reminds me how my mom insisted I bring my little sister along to birthday parties when we were kids; invited or not. Many Buck Fethel citizens vehemently believe that Bethel Church in particular will lead to the North States eventual downfall. Shea said he would represent all citizens in office, irrespective of their sexual identity, race, color, creed, religion, social status, housing status, or national origin. Online streaming now reaches over 412,800 users internationally. Julie Winter, a Bethel elder, already sits on the five-seat Redding City Council. Pity Partin, whos a respected professional in his own right. 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. But Shasta County is anything but normal. I realize many interpret it differently, as a mandate to Christians to control all institutions, She explained. My duty isto serve ALL people . More recently, he has also compared women who seek out abortions to school shooters. Second, Bethel Church and its infinite number of horizontally networked sub-ministries has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars during the past decade and hasnt been shy about spreading the manna around. In English, that means its critics believe Bethel is taking over the town and re-creating it in its own image, as its theology commands. The theology is sometimes referred to as dominionism, and is widely believed to include the idea that believers should take dominion over society to bring more of heaven to earth. I recall my concerns/fears/disappointment when Julie Winter first won a seat on the Redding City Council. In fact, I agree with you on at least one thing you wrote: Were on a slippery slope here. Contact usor review ourprivacy policyfor more information. Hes also the brother of Jeremy Edwardson, the director/producer of the Red, White and Blueprint movement/docuseries that helped splinter the already heavily conservative Shasta County into ultra conservative take back Shasta County factions. The two discuss Jordan's backgr. 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. Feb 20, 2023 5:15 PM . Bethel is a church not a PAC, she wrote. eceived more than $15,000 in campaign consulting fees from Sean Feuchts failed congressional campaign in 2019 and early 2020, along with $2,800 in. Join Kris Vallotton as we seek the Lord for heavenly strategies to release our city into breakthrough, prosperity, and abundance. In reply to R.V. I know what he means, because Audette and Shea in particular do come across a bit on the Up-With-People uber-perky side. R.V. . Cover photo for Bethel Affiliated Businesses Facebook group. No gold dust, please. There are three seats open for this November's election for Redding City Council. 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. Do I feel fantastic about my conclusion? 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. The four have disagreed over everything from land issues and staff raises to homeless solutions and even holiday lights at Turtle Bay Museum. Old Lyme: 3 inches. Atlanta Megachurch Files Suit Charging Lenders with Predatory Behavior, Alleges Widespread Fraud Against African-American Churches, MinistryWatchs 2022 Shining Light Awards. Absences: Dacquisto has missed a number of meetings, including closed session meetings, joint session meetings, RABA, Library, Housing, Capital Services, and Successor Agency meetings. Scheide. The church elder on the Redding City Council. Email:[emailprotected] Great! 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. Redding council candidate Tenessa Audette is open about her involvement at Bethel Church. Brad Everett, Bethels Director of Communications, declined to answer any of Shasta Scouts questions for this story. Im not religious. 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. Theres also concern that Bethel members are fanning secessionist movements and supporting militia groups in Shasta County. His fellow senior leader Bill Johnson has also compared the COVID vaccine to the mark of the beast. One area of government that could see significant turnover: the Redding city council. 2 min read. Members of Bethel the 11,000-member northern California megachurch famous for elaborate healing services, Bethel Music and musician Sean Feucht's nationwide worship protests against COVID restrictions now hold the majority on the Redding City Council after November's elections, according to nearly complete vote counts. 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. By continuing to use this website, youconsentto the use of cookies in accordance with ourprivacy policy. You know the difference between Bethel Church and a casino, Jake? He said in his speech to delegates 'They are pressing and saying, 'no peace without the Jewish state Together, the trio has amassed hundreds of endorsements from the proverbial Whos Who of Shasta Countys movers, shakers, makers, workers, creators, business people, educators, elected leaders, law enforcement and influencers. 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. Patrick "Hacker" Jones He knows a thing or two about hackin', lemme tell ya. On Good Friday, KRCR's Sam Chimenti sat down with the youngest (known) candidate for Redding city council, Jordan Valenzuela. Identity. Hmm! The race for Redding City Council is heating up as two candidates have made public announcements in recent days. She cited the churchs involvement in bringing funding to the city to help secure a daily flight from Redding to Los Angeles on United Airlines, the half-million in funding given by Bethel in 2017 for local police staffing, and Bethels decision to form Advance Redding, a nonprofit that was awarded a contract to run the citys Civic Auditorium. In 2018, the last year for which data is available, the church had annual revenue of more than $60 million. Four to eight inches of snowfall is expected in most of the state. Thats why, for this 2022 general election, I will overlook candidates religious affiliations. The Legislature banned performing this known harmful practice on people 18 years old and younger several years ago. While Crockett says its clear that Bethel is passionate about making a positive impact in the city, he worries that the ways they attempt to do so may not take into account the perspectives and needs of all. If you agree please share this blog on your social . I dont understand Catholic incense, midnight mass, Mormon underwear or Jehovah Witnesses disdain for celebrating birthdays, Thanksgiving or other wonderful events. He ran for a seat on the Redding City Council in 2018, but lost. In many ways, Crockett is a bright outlier in this race; but also someone who can come across as somewhat prickly at times. Am I too angry about the subject material? You recently wrote fondly of the project. She also served on the board of Advance Redding that manages the Redding Civic Auditorium, as well as Bethel Tech. . Redding is a city of 93,462 in Trump-red Shasta County, which has a population of 182,000. One of the most persistent criticisms against Dacquisto has to do with what should be a simple question: Michael Dacquisto, where do you live?. The device costs $2,000 and will make AED available to the general public 24/7. As a reader-funded outlet, we rely on donations to fund our work and keep our content paywall free. Several of the candidates running for the Redding City Council this fall are connected to Bethel Church. Our news will always be free to read, but its not free to create. Theres more evidence of collaboration between The Stirring Church and Bethel Church, but you get the idea. . Behold, Redding City Council candidate choices: (Click on their names for more information.). Hand Counting, Supervisor Jones Says. But click on the link, and its soon apparent that theres no there, there, and that site has been non-functioning for some time. Listen to Audettes desire to make Redding a safe, thriving city. Tenessa Audette leads the way in fundraising in the crowded Redding City Council race. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Have a question? Absolutely. Both candidates said despite that teaching they would not discriminate against the gay community in any way in their role on the council. This view is shared by numerous Christian discernment websites around the world that consider Bethel pastors Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton frauds and heretics. The seven mountains are education, religion, family, business, government/military, arts/entertainment and media. 2008. Whats it all mean, Jake? 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. During winter storms, Shasta Countys lack of low-barrier shelter leaves many struggling to stay warm in the cold and snow. Thats a vision for everybody, Jake. Redding is teetering upon the unprecedented brink of being governed by a city-council majority comprised of followers of Bethel Church, The Stirring church or a combination of both. Lake has claimed the vote was rigged and B.S. and is challenging the outcome. Photo by Steve DuBois. Local critics oppose Bethels promotion of gay conversion therapy and its fight against COVID masks, vaccinations, and closures. Ministry Watch reports: Redding is a city of 93,462 in Trump-red Shasta County, which has a popula View Calendar. Bethel attendees represent approximately 10 percent of the City of Redding and Bethel is listed by the Shasta Economic Development Corporation as the 8th largest employer in Shasta County. Who the heck are these Blue People, Jake? While neither candidate directly addressed whether they might be able to pull on Bethel funding for the city in future, both said the churchs finances had not impacted their campaigns. Non-Bethel City Council Candidates. He and his wife Lois live in Colorado. For some, its one more reason to appreciate the churchs outsized local impact, which they feel is mostly positive. Below are excerpts from Johnsons post of accusations against Dacquisto: City of Redding insiders describe incumbent Dacquisto as weary and worn out. 1. Get involved and join us as we pursue the personal, regional, and global expansion of God's kingdom through His manifest presence. Here are nine things you should know about the Johnsons and the Bethel movement. All rights reserved. But after watching many hours of multiple candidate forums, and after spending entire days transcribing audio, trawling websites and doing deep dives into social media pages, Ive reached a conclusion: Of the 10 Redding City Council candidates, Audette, Johnson and Shea appear the most qualified to serve as Redding City Council members. Having participated in various Facebook groups critical of Bethel for the past year-and-a-half, I can help answer that question for you. Dacquisto may have once been an active member in the community, but it is widely known locally that is no longer the case. Shes participated in all the candidate forums. I have no influence on Bethels decisions, financial or otherwise, Shea wrote, I am just one of several thousand people who choose to spend my personal time there as a private citizen on Sunday mornings.. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. Alex Shea hosted a launch party for his candidacy Saturday and Joshua Johnson made . 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. Some say the church has helped the city in many ways: Members volunteer and serve throughout the city. 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. 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. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. We could have heaven and hell on earth, twin beacons demarking our strategic position on the I-5 corridor. Bethel's mission is revivalthe personal, regional, and global expansion . Mr. Scheide welcomes your comments and story tips. 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. Thats the lens through which the people in the groups youre maligning see the world unfolding in front of them, Jake. Theres also concern that some church members are fanning secessionist movements and supporting militia groups in Shasta County. widely believed to include the idea that believers should take dominion over society to bring more of heaven to earth. But some residents have grown frustrated with the megachurchs combination of other-worldly theology and increasing this-worldly clout, as the appearance of Buck Fethel T-shirts show. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Again, its not necessarily hateful to notice this. She's been featured and quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, L.A. Times, Slate. Former Bethel volunteer worship leader and visible political activist Sean Feucht has openly endorsed Christian Nationalism over recent months, but Shea and Audette both said that belief is not part ofthe churchs teachings. Disclosure:Annelise Pierce is a former member of Bethel Church and a graduate of the first year of BSSM. Ive been in churches my whole life, she said, and Bethel is the least religious church Ive ever been in. AFAIK, Schreder and Sullivan are not. Their social media pages are meaty, informative and substantive. The Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Pamme Jones as its newest addition to the Board of Directors. Crockett says he attended Bethel for nine years and continues to maintain friendships with individuals at the church. We are on the edge of the greatest revival of all time. I certainly dont advocate boycotting, doxing or threatening anyone. This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. 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. Steve Rabey is a veteran author and journalist who has published more than 50 books and 2,000 articles about religion, spirituality, and culture. Jack W. Hayford, an author, radio teacher, and pastor once called The Pentecostal Gold Standard, died Sunday morning at his home in, Vandals defaced a California church hosting a New Years Eve event by controversial worship leader Sean Feucht with messages like F*** Sean, A charismatic minister is apparently widening his revival and healing ministry despite having been disqualified because of a steady pattern of ungodly. Linen Service Companies near Redding, California, Petaluma, California and Irvine, California Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Three spots are up for grabs this November, and . Kathy Vallotton, Bethel Church senior pastor, $1,000. Do you have feedback on how we are covering Bethel or other topics? Sterling: 3 inches. Dacquisto delivers that line with a chuckle, but his meaning is serious: Dacquisto and Partin will vote in tandem. Is it appropriate to scrutinize candidates religious beliefs or the church they attend? This story is part of Shasta Scout's citizen-powered election coverage. ), Similarly, Bethel members, especially Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry students, have a certain look. Photo: KRCR video screengrab. Hmm! 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. We are on the edge of the greatest revival of all time, says Bethels website. 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. As you can imagine, the conversation sometimes gets testy. Imagine you are overworked and stressed out, Crocket explained, and your neighbor took it upon themselves to mow your lawn. These three appear the most polished, most prepared, most experienced, most articulate and most accomplished. Christian nationalist Doug Mastriano of Pennsylvania lost his Senate race to his Jewish opponent, while Kari Lake lost Arizonas governors race to the incumbent. Feucht also worship-campaigned for Doug Lamborn, U.S. House member from Colorado Springs, who coasted to reelection. Members of Bethel, the 11,000-member northern California megachurch famous for elaborate healing services, Bethel Music, and musician Sean Feucht's nationwide worship protests against COVID restrictions, now hold the majority on the Redding City Council after November's elections, according to nearly complete . But most of all, at what point will citizens who feel distraught by what they classify as lousy election options stop complaining and run for office themselves? If he does have campaign signs, they must be hidden in secret locations. When the Redding Civic Auditorium faced closure, Bethel created the nonprofit Advance Redding to lease the facility. 2018. Did you mean the Blue Man Group? She also praised the volunteerism Bethel students are required to engage in with the city as part of Bethels School of Supernatural Ministry, a total she says of over 14,000 hours of community service every year. Audette says those hours indicate strong community buy-in and that as a result of them, the city has regularly qualified for andreceived grant funding. She left the church eight years ago. Third, as a result of its newfound power and its dominionism, Bethel has become openly entangled in city of Redding finances as well as our politics on the local, state and federal level. Old City Hall Gallery Exhibion Proposal 2017 2018 Shasta County Arts Council accepts Exhibion Proposals for art . You, the well-paid president and CEO of the Redding Chamber of Commerce, barged ahead and went full Bethel, suggesting that thousands of members of the numerous Facebook groups dedicated to criticizing the charismatic evangelical megachurch in our midst are committing the sin of hate speech. Hates a strong word. 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? Will City of Redding City Council continue to let them take shelter from the cold and rain there? Access to MinistryWatch content is free. As a result, followers of such anti-Bethel Facebook pages as Investigating Bethel (924 members) and Bethel Affiliated Businesses (1.8 mil members) have vowed to shun Bethel/Stirring candidates and choose only from the remaining candidates. 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. Audette called the idea that she has access to Bethel funding one of the biggest myths she has heard. 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. While his two hours weekly at the church are important to him, he said, they have less weight in his life than the forty-plus hours he spends working and interacting in the city. (Stay tuned for that story soon.). It's designed to attract shoppers downtown .