widely believed to include the idea that believers should take dominion over society to bring more of heaven to earth. The Awakening Australia eventand its main speaker, Bill Johnsonare increasing the awareness of the controversial church throughout the continent. She left the church eight years ago. If they lose, will they cry fraud? Sunday morning sermons stream out to viewers in more than a hundred-and-fifty countries via Bethel TV, and church leaders are in demand as itinerant speakers both nationally and internationally. 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. I have received no funding from Bethel, Audette wrote, In fact I have one donor from the over 400 staff that work 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. I have the financial skills and experience to help us navigate the coming recession. Have I done the research? Julie Winter, a Bethel elder, already sits on the five-seat Redding City Council. Once was the churchs vocal response to a 2018 California bill which would have made it illegal for Bethel to sell resources with the intent to reduce or eliminate same-sex attraction, according to a tweet from Vallotton. Christian nationalist Doug Mastriano of Pennsylvania lost his Senate race to his Jewish opponent, while Kari Lake lost Arizonas governors race to the incumbent. Lake has claimed the vote was rigged and B.S. and is challenging the outcome. I recall my concerns/fears/disappointment when Julie Winter first won a seat on the Redding City Council. And with that slippery slope, youve hit rock bottom. Bruce Dean . But right now, after all the North States been through, Redding could benefit from some youthful zeal. Steve Rabey is a veteran author and journalist who has published more than 50 books and 2,000 articles about religion, spirituality, and culture. 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.. As Trump ran for reelection, Vallotton used the Bethel pulpit to encourage attendees to vote for Trump or risk facing Gods displeasure. Tenessa is a graduate of Leadership Redding, and serves on the Steering Committee, organizing the Government program. The race for Redding City Council is heating up as two candidates have made public announcements in recent days. Scheide. Get involved and join us as we pursue the personal, regional, and global expansion of God's kingdom through His manifest presence. And Lord have mercy, what does Bethel have against the LGBTQ community, outside of selective biblical literalism? View Calendar. However, as much as some members of The Stirring church might like to distance themselves from Bethel Churchs dramatic spiritual feats, its indisputable that The Stirring and Bethel Church are Christian kissin cousins. Candidate Jack Munns has also attended Bethel Church. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response. A dear Democrat friend of mine, whos voting only for Hill out of solidarity with his fellow progressive, said he finds Audette, Johnson and Shea just a bit too zealous for his liking. We are on the edge of the greatest revival of all time, says Bethels website. Such a deal! The second time they got involved, Audette continued, was when the city, county, and law enforcement asked for their help to pass Measure A (a 2020 proposed 1% county sales tax). Audette said the city ran a voter registration campaign at that time to encourage members to become more involved. Cancelled . AFAIK, Schreder and Sullivan are not. Yikes!! Now Im not.. Cancelled . 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 . Article VI, Clause 3 works both ways. While the Seven Mountain Mandate is controversial even among many Christian denominations for Bethel devotees, its considered gospel. 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. Earnest deputy county clerk Ian Hill falls into a bless his pea-pickin heart category. 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. The device costs $2,000 and will make AED available to the general public 24/7. A Bethel majority on the council concerns him, he explained, because its been his experience that people at the church often think similarly and have an agenda that might not serve the city as a whole. Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? Recreation Area, Shasta County Supervisor Kevin Crye (252), Win-River Casino Expansion: One Step(4,632), Gateway School District Update: Clif(3,529), Comment on Against Ad Hoc Committee Advice, New State California Secessionist Chriss Street May Be Countys CEO by Jolly, Comment on Against Ad Hoc Committee Advice, New State California Secessionist Chriss Street May Be Countys CEO by George Winship. These three appear the most polished, most prepared, most experienced, most articulate and most accomplished. 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. We are on the edge of the greatest revival of all time. Connections between some of those candidates and Bethel Church have become a flashpoint in the race. For the November 8, 2022 general election . Is ctfirewood.com a scam or a fraud? The Redding City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved renewing Advance Reding's contract to run the Redding . Riddle me this: Pretend you are a retired lawyer, and you have a beautiful Siskiyou County home, and a vacation get-away in Mexico. 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.. But many in the community, including Crockett, feel that a harder look at Bethel-affiliated candidates is valid given the size, funding and theology of Bethel Church. How about You can tellthose with a certain gender preferencerun this business because it has that look.?. 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. is listed by the Shasta Economic Development Corporation as the 8th largest employer. 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. Again, its not necessarily hateful to notice this. Houses and apartments are being snapped up and rented out for outrageous prices to BSSM students, often at the expense of longtime tenants. (Stay tuned for that story soon.). Kathy Vallotton, Bethel Church senior pastor, $1,000. What about Schreder, Sullivan, and Dacquisto? Hmm! At Shasta Scout, we believe a democratic community requires access to just and equitable news. I was born in the mid 80's in Yuba City, California but moved as an infant to Redding, California where I was raised and ultimately started my family. On the plus side, Vollmers has fairly lively, updated social media pages. . Identity. Both Bethel Church and The Stirring are noteworthy because The Stirring is often described as Bethel lite or Bethels little-sister church. Julie Winter, Redding City Council member/Bethel Church elder, The 10 following candidates are competing for three available Redding City Council seats. In reply to Jeff Gorder. . 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. Redding Municipal Library Board - Regular Meeting. Redding City Council candidates Joshua Johnson, left, and Alex Shea. One area of government that could see significant turnover: the Redding city council. And while she believes the Bible calls homosexuality a sin, Audette added, the Bible also says no sin, including lying or greed, is greater than any other. 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. I hope everyone knows those things too.. Their roadmap, the Seven Mountain Mandate, influences how believers approach politics and culture. A lack of effort put into the job of being an elected official. Mayor Kristen Schreder declined to run for re-election. I've searched the names on the ballot and I found James Crockett and Erin Resner are both associated with Bethel. 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. Four to eight inches of snowfall is expected in most of the state. Redding council candidate Tenessa Audette is open about her involvement at Bethel Church. . 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. Why are my palms sweating? To think that people wouldnt call out my attendance at one of the biggest organizations in town, Shea said, is unreasonable. Hes back for more, and once again, he hasnt asked for anyone to endorse him, or to donate money to his campaign, because he doesnt want to be beholden to any person or organization. Add to the information pile the fact that Valenzuela, one of the youngest candidates at age 30, is one of three Redding City Council candidates recommended by Kathy Stainbrook, a notorious ultra-right Red, White and Blueprint supporter, and Leonard Moty recaller. All rights reserved. His fellow senior leader Bill Johnson has also compared the COVID vaccine to the mark of the beast. With 10 city council candidates competing for three seats in the Nov. 8 general election, its a contentious game of political musical chairs. In reply to R.V. Whats Next For Shasta County Voting? Is it fair to criticize any candidate who has the courage, confidence, vision and chutzpah to run for city council, board of supervisors, or any number of school boards or water districts? In the meantime, pass the Alka Seltzer. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. 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. Redding City Council approved Bethel to apply for development of a new church and school campus facilities. Bethel wields immense local influence: of Redding's 90,000 residents, 11,233 are Bethel members, according to a report from northern California magazine A News Cafe. Its not clear whether he continues to attend there. The church elder on the Redding City Council. Literally. Colossal understatement. Redding is a city of 93,462 in Trump-red Shasta County, which has a population of 182,000. Aside from not attending either Bethel Church or The Stirring, another noteworthy distinction is that Hill is the only Democrat in the race, which tells you everything you need to know about Shasta County politics. Of those 10 candidates, three are current Bethel Church members, and three are members of The Stirring Church, including one whos a former Bethel Church member. Bethel.TV established. 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? Listen to Audettes desire to make Redding a safe, thriving city. The large number of travelers who visit Bethel and its five schools (Bethel Christian School, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, BethelConservatory of the Arts, Bethel School of Technology, Bethel Music College) helped attract nonstop United Airlines flights to Los Angeles. Do I know what Im writing about? Hates a strong word. Work ethic and family values were built and fostered in me beginning in the . Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. If you believe their statements and I do these three are enthusiastic in their dedication and genuine desire to make Redding a better place. Old City Hall Gallery Exhibion Proposal 2017 2018 Shasta County Arts Council accepts Exhibion Proposals for art . Duly noted. The fact that members of the group routinely observe and discuss whats known as the Bethel look is not necessarily hateful. Jack Munns is one of three Bethel Church members running for the Redding City Council. Shes engaged with the public. Audette said the way the church engaged that time was legal and appropriate because it would have affected their ability to exercise their 1st Amendment rights.. 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. Some say the church has helped the city in many ways: But some residents have grown frustrated with Bethels combination of other-worldly theology and increasing this-worldly clout, as the appearance of Buck Fethel T-shirts show. Bethel is a church not a PAC, she wrote. She didnt. The church was established in 1952, and is currently led by Bill Johnson.Bethel has its own music labels, Bethel Music and Jesus Culture ministries, which have gained popularity for contemporary worship music.The church runs the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry with . 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. Contact usor review ourprivacy policyfor more information. 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. . 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. 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. Do you have a correction to this story? 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. This story is part of Shasta Scout's citizen-powered election coverage. In 2018, the last year for which data is available, the church had annual revenue of more than $60 million. at the sports complex at the Bethel School. Shasta where the couple owns a spacious view-lot if thats his main residence, then Dacquisto cannot legally sit on the Redding City Council. Redding City Council - Special Meeting - Budget Workshop. 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.. Subscribe to Signals from Shasta Scout our stories and news updates, right to you. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? I confess to suffering significant election heartburn with the knowledge that Audette was Winters former campaign manager, and that Audette received more than $15,000 in campaign consulting fees from Sean Feuchts failed congressional campaign in 2019 and early 2020, along with $2,800 in reimbursements. Put all three of those concerns together, Jake, and Redding starts looking a lot like Clearwater, Florida, global headquarters for Scientology. His work has appeared in the Tenderloin Times, Sacramento News & Review, Reno News & Review, Chico News & Review, North Bay Bohemian, San Jose Metro, SF Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, Alternet, Boston Phoenix, Creative Loafing and Counterpunch, among many other publications. In fact, I agree with you on at least one thing you wrote: Were on a slippery slope here. During winter storms, Shasta Countys lack of low-barrier shelter leaves many struggling to stay warm in the cold and snow. Bethel frightens the hell out of a considerable number of people, many of whom shop at businesses represented by the chamber. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! . This view is shared by numerous Christian discernment websites around the world that consider Bethel pastors Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton frauds and heretics. Our news will always be free to read, but its not free to create. Thats why, for this 2022 general election, I will overlook candidates religious affiliations. Redding Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jake Mangas. 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. Yikes!! (And yes, it's free!). . The two discuss Jordan's backgr. Pastor Bill Johnson, who became leader of the Assemblies of God congregation in 1996, described his view of the churchs role in society in Invading Babylon: The 7 Mountain Mandate, a book he wrote with self-proclaimed Trump prophet Lance Wallnau: Jesus instituted it as an army that brought transformation to society, starting with salvation and continuing with seven spheres of influence: Church, family, education, government, media, arts, and commerce, they wrote. The Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Pamme Jones as its newest addition to the Board of Directors. Absences: Dacquisto has missed a number of meetings, including closed session meetings, joint session meetings, RABA, Library, Housing, Capital Services, and Successor Agency meetings. Editors note: Portions of this column have been edited for clarity. compared women who seek out abortions to school shooters. Patrick "Hacker" Jones He knows a thing or two about hackin', lemme tell ya. For others, its an indication of the dangerous power and influence on local politics that the church already wields. Independent online journalist Doni Chamberlain founded A News Cafe in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke. Youre on your own., Like many evangelical American churches, Bethel teaches that homosexuality is sin. the three fall flat when it comes to suggesting tangible, realistic solutions for those problems. Some people even draw parallels between Councilman Dacquisto and his broken website address. Yes, Johnson attends the Stirring Church. Both candidates said despite that teaching they would not discriminate against the gay community in any way in their role on the council.