Faith Healing Bethel School of Ministry Scene of COVID-19 Outbreak

While Bethel volunteer worship leader Sean Feucht travels the nation defying COVID-19 health orders, back home Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry is having a COVID-19 outbreak. Since early September, the unaccredited school has reported 137 cases, with 68  current active cases. Yesterday, Bethel issued a statement detailing their response.

This has been going on awhile back in California. Meanwhile Feucht has been spreading the gospel of Bethel and maybe COVID-19 all around the country. Watch this earlier this week in Kerrville, TX.

So Feucht is out doing this while his home place is being overrun with COVID-19. What a knucklehead.

This summer in Texas, two church camps were sources of scores of COVID-19 cases, some severe due to activities just like was Feucht is doing in the video above. He should know better since he is a minister of a church with a significant outbreak. Apparently, jumping up and down is more important than the health of people in that audience.

A fruit of the spirit is patience. If we can be patient, we will be able to bang on guitars and make imitation pop and rock music with repetitious religious words all we want next year. Just have some patience. Breathe. But do it with a mask on.

I learned after I posted this that Bethel Church has expressed some mild concern about Feucht’s worship events. Nonetheless, he remains a volunteer worship leader and valued member of Bethel.

 

64 thoughts on “Faith Healing Bethel School of Ministry Scene of COVID-19 Outbreak”

  2. If this is Bethel in Redding, CA, everyone I know who hails from Redding calls Bethel “That CULT”.

    And if they start keeling over from COVID, they can call upon their in-church Dead Raising Team to resurrect them.

    You know, those Virile Young Men in their too-tight “DEAD RAISING TEAM” T-shirts striking Bodybuilder poses showing off their Manly Pecs and Biceps?

  3. This is a portion from their website (Emphasis mine)

    “God is King of all. This virus, too, will bow to the name of Jesus. We are not moving in fear, but in kindness and in “going the extra mile”—or “test”— to be a blessing to others. Thank you for all you do and will
    continue to do for the sake of loving others well.”

    1. I’m very much afraid that viruses have no religious beliefs. They have no beliefs at all. They just do what viruses do, and infect what cells they can. If those cells belong to a deeply religious person, the viruses do not care, because they cannot. They just do what they do.

      The virus causing COVID-19 is part of a pandemic, and people all over the world have sickened and died. No god, so far, has shown an interest in stopping the spread of the disease. It’s up to science. I wish that religious people of all stripes understood this.

  5. With the immense influence Bethel has on the church right now (and bad press every 3-6 months) I’m surprised there hasn’t been more assessment of their ubiquitous music in churches. Turn on K-Love or Air1 and hear it every hour, look at CCLI and their musicians are getting significant play. Meanwhile they’re pretending they can raise kids from the dead and have conferences where they scare away the virus — all to the contrary of any evidence.

    The CCM worship music scene is pretty scandal-prone as it is (The top bands of the scene — Hillsong, Vertical, Elevate, Bethel/Jesus Culture — all have pastoral and/or abuse scandals), and it will likely not be going away any time soon. Much like the megachurch/pastor issues of the past few years, it’ll likely be ignored until becomes impossible to do otherwise.

    2. Thank you for these insights. Are there any counter-movements among musicians intentionally avoiding the Hillsong Industrial Complex (by which I mean any megachurch brand that looks/sounds like Hillsong’s stale, saran-wrapped theology)? Black Gospel is still alive even though CCM keeps it segregated. Hymns and liturgical songs are still in the mainline denominations, which CCM ignores. Where would congregants go when searching for anything other than Hillsong brand worship, which is little more than a motivational soundtrack for predatory capitalist expansion?

      1. There is a scene, and I have no idea what to call it. Alt-worship sounds weird, Commercial-free worship isn’t wholly accurate. Free-range praise? Sure, let’s go with that.

        I’d start with Sandra McCracken — of the the best contemporary church music people around today. There’s a sense of reverence yet unease to some of her music, including many songs based on Psalms. Her and Sara Groves are major ones who carry Rich Mullins’s spirit in their songs IMO.

        Also, CityAlight is almost setting itself up as the anti-Hillsong: An Australian church with intentionally singable songs (“Yet Not I” is a good start) with a fair amount of scripture. Some is more contemporary and some is more hymn-like, so there’s some diversity in the music.

        Other names include Liz Vice, Urban Doxology, Indelible Grace, Wendell Kimbrough, Andrew Peterson, Liturgical Folk, Cardiphonia, The Porter’s Gate. There’s a LOT out there that deserve to be heard and sung.

      2. There is a scene, and I have no idea what to call it. Alt-worship sounds weird, Commercial-free worship isn’t wholly accurate. Free-range praise? Sure, let’s go with that.

        I’d start with Sandra McCracken — of the the best contemporary church music people around today. There’s a sense of reverence yet unease to some of her music, including many songs based on Psalms. Her and Sara Groves are major ones who carry Rich Mullins’s spirit in their songs IMO.

        Also, CityAlight is almost setting itself up as the anti-Hillsong: An Australian church with intentionally singable songs (“Yet Not I” is a good start) with a fair amount of scripture. Some is more contemporary and some is more hymn-like, so there’s some diversity in the music.

        Other names include Liz Vice, Urban Doxology, Indelible Grace, Wendell Kimbrough, Andrew Peterson, Liturgical Folk, Cardiphonia, The Porter’s Gate. There’s a LOT out there that deserve to be heard and sung.

      3. It’s got to be hard for budding Christian musicians to turn down chances to participate in the lucrative megachurch scene — the reach, the production values, the concerts, etc. Nobody is immune to that desire to be able to earn a living from your art, even if you might have misgivings about certain aspects of a ministry.

      4. It’s got to be hard for budding Christian musicians to turn down chances to participate in the lucrative megachurch scene — the reach, the production values, the concerts, etc. Nobody is immune to that desire to be able to earn a living from your art, even if you might have misgivings about certain aspects of a ministry.

        1. It must be especially hard for musicians in the debt-driven megachurch rallies supporting Trumpvangelicals. But I assume they stay where they are by choice.

  6. Thank you Dr. Throckmorton for this reporting. It will be interesting to see if COVID-19 continues to spread throughout White Nationalist Evangelical populations. Several pastors have already died, infected or were infected by their congregations. Then there are the reports on COVID outbreaks at Fellowship Church in Grapevine and Allasso ranch, the outbreak at “(White) Focus on the (White) Family” in Colorado, the Trumpvangelical outbreak infecting over two dozen of those in proximity, some predictable infections at Liberty University though that’s the least of their problems. And now Bethel School of Ministry.

    1. So, what is the goal of people like you by selectively pointing out the behavior of Christians you don’t personally approve of? Is it to convince the world that the entire Bible-based Christian faith is evil and that people shouldn’t follow it because, in your mind, we are hateful white supremacists, xenophobes, misogynists, and homophobes? In other words, do you want to ban evangelism because you also think it’s a health risk?

      Could it be possible that it’s Democrats and their allies who intentionally go around at various events, including this one, and infect people with COVID in order to drag the pandemic which benefits their political purposes, whatever they are?

      1. What in the Sam-hill are you going on about???

        Large assemblages of unmasked folks, pressed closely together, breathing-in deeply each other’s exhalations, for any reason are not smart at this point in time.

        For Sean to continue is sociopathic.

        1. I am responding to ortotierra’s comments where he or she made connection between Christian organizations, including Bethel, and white racism. It’s quite a stretch to make such connection because most of them support Trump and the Republican Party. I also wonder if Democrats are using COVID as a way to control people’s lives. It appears as if it is convenient for them that we still have it.

          1. Otrotierra pointed out the connections, because they exist. Otrotierra didn’t claim that all christians are racist, however large numbers of racists are Trump-supporting christians and covid-19 deniers.

          2. And many other Christians refuse to distance themselves from them or criticize them.

            If you hang out with racists, and refuse to criticize their racism… you’ll have to live with the fact that we will draw the conclusion that you too are a racist.

          4. Trump has publicly condemned white supremacists several times, especially around the first debate. But liberals keep spinning this lie about “fine people on both sides” in order to falsely accuse everybody who vote Republican and for Donald Trump and ruin our lives. Bethel Ministry and Focus on the Family are neither white nationalists nor racists, but I am afraid that if Trump loses, all people who have been associated with these particular organizations, would disproportionately lose their jobs because of being perceived not only as racists, but also as homophobes and xenophobes. It appears that ortotierra and Mr. Throckmorton would like that because they personally feel discomforted with Focus, Bethel, and everything that is conservative and they want us to feel uncomfortable. Today, it is very easy to get somebody in trouble by labeling them as racist, and going after those who vote Republican seems like a perfect opportunity.

          5. It took Trump, what, two days, and multiple attempts to finally make an unequivocal condemnation of white supremacy. Whether it was racism, reluctance to call out his racist supporters (and he has many, that is undeniable), or plain old stupidity, it’s his own fault he’s being raked over the coals for it.

            Even major Trump boosters were shaking their heads and saying he’d missed the simplest of layups after that first debate. I mean, personally, I think most of the issue is Trump’s being so paranoid and self-centered that he believes every question is some kind of personal attack or trap, and he’s afraid that he’ll look weak if he answers it.

            It doesn’t take a genius to know how to answer that question clearly and forthrightly at then turn the spotlight on your opponents, if the occasion warrants, but Trump was either too arrogant or too lazy to prepare for the debate, and fluffed the simplest of questions.

            Does that mean I don’t think Trump is a racist? No. His track record over his career doesn’t leave much doubt that he is, but ironically, even if he was a non-racist “like you’ve never seen before” he would still have botched his answer during the debate, because he can’t get his own ego out of the way.

          6. It took Trump, what, two days, and multiple attempts to finally make an unequivocal condemnation of white supremacy. Whether it was racism, reluctance to call out his racist supporters (and he has many, that is undeniable), or plain old stupidity, it’s his own fault he’s being raked over the coals for it.

            Even major Trump boosters were shaking their heads and saying he’d missed the simplest of layups after that first debate. I mean, personally, I think most of the issue is Trump’s being so paranoid and self-centered that he believes every question is some kind of personal attack or trap, and he’s afraid that he’ll look weak if he answers it.

            It doesn’t take a genius to know how to answer that question clearly and forthrightly at then turn the spotlight on your opponents, if the occasion warrants, but Trump was either too arrogant or too lazy to prepare for the debate, and fluffed the simplest of questions.

            Does that mean I don’t think Trump is a racist? No. His track record over his career doesn’t leave much doubt that he is, but ironically, even if he was a non-racist “like you’ve never seen before” he would still have botched his answer during the debate, because he can’t get his own ego out of the way.

          7. “Trump has publicly condemned white supremacists several times,”

            But only after he refused to condemn them at 1st. It is very clear that Trump’s “condemnations” are nothing more than political spin after he said something stupid.

            “Bethel Ministry and Focus on the Family are neither white nationalists nor racists,”

            No one here has made this claim. This statement is just you setting up a straw man argument. No one here has claimed that “All Trump supporters are white nationalists or racists.” What has been claimed is that white nationalists and racists ARE Trump supporters (and Trump encourages that support). You keep trying to reverse the 2nd claim into the 1st claim so you can misrepresent what is being said.

            While I don’t know anything about Bethel Ministry, I do know that FoF IS a homophobic organization.

          8. Trump has publicly condemned white supremacists several times, especially around the first debate.

            Any such condemnation from him rings awfully hollow to me, in light of his actual behaviour last year. Trump outright told four of his fellow citizens to “go back” to other countries, and fix those countries’ problems before they have any right to criticize him or his administration. All women, all people of colour, all citizens (three of them natural-born), and all elected officials — and therefore, his colleagues.

            If Trump wants to convince me that he condemns white supremacy, he needs to start with his own attitude. Until he apologizes for his heinous remarks, he’s nothing but a white supremacist himself.

          9. if Trump loses, all people who have been associated with these
            particular organizations, would disproportionately lose their jobs
            because of being perceived not only as racists, but also as homophobes
            and xenophobes.

            You mean Teh FAGS will come after us and our children?

          11. Your problem is you seem to label anybody you disagree with as “the Radical Left”.

            Looks like your own tactics aren’t that much different from “the Radical Left”

          12. I would not want anybody to be fired let alone be arrested if they disagree with me whether on the issues of race, healthcare, economics, foreign policy, environmental policy, or sexual ethics, even if I personally be offended by their disagreement, not that I ever feel this way. I believe that in America people should have the right to freely express themselves without any repercussions.

          13. “in America people should have the right to freely express themselves without any repercussions.”

            This situation has never been the case in the US. You are confusing freedom of speech with freedom from the consequences of speech. Freedom of speech just means you are free to say what you wish. However, if I don’t like what you say (because it is racist, homophobic, anti-semitic, transphobic, islamaphobic etc) then I am free to call you out on it or to not associate with you or not do business with you if I wish. I’m also free to tell others about your statements and encourage them to also no associate with you.

            These sorts of actions are NOT exclusive to “liberals”. Conservatives try them as well. In the mid-90s the Southern Baptist convention called for a boycott of Disney, because they granted domestic partner benefits to same-sex employees. The problem was it had no noticeable effect. Perhaps what you are really upset about is that the liberals are better at it than the conservatives are.

          14. We still have to deal with COVID-19 because the head of the government (a Republican, remember?) has done nothing to co-ordinate a response to something he knew about, and knew how serious it could become, back in February. He left any response to the states, so we have a patchwork of some successful, some not, responses. He continues to disdain mask-wearing and social distancing, downplaying the effects of the virus, although he has it himself. Democrats have nothing to do with this one. They control one of the divisions of the Congress, which can do very little by itself. Republicans control all the rest of the government.

          15. And this is exactly the strategy of Democrats to get elected by making a claim that Republicans cannot handle COVID. Kamala Harris’s admitance that she would refuse any vaccine that comes from Trump and Mike Pence’s request for her to stop making it a political issue tells us a whole lot.

          16. Indeed it does. It tells us that Trump has been pressuring drug companies to cut corners to get a vaccine out on his watch, so he can take credit for it. I wouldn’t take such a vaccine, either. I’ll wait for Dr. Fauci’s approval, not Trump’s.

          17. Rule of thumb:
            EVERYTHING coming out of Trump Tower DC (formerly the White House) is PROPAGANDA, NOT SCRIPTURE(TM).

            And I would trust Putin’s “Sputnik Pyat” vaccine before I would a “THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP” Vaccine.

          18. Not “republicans” Trump specifically. it is quite clear that Trump isn’t capable of handling this crisis.

            Further, you misrepresented what Harris said. She said she would be 1st in line to get a vaccine that the medical professionals say is safe, but she wouldn’t take a vaccine that only Trump (or his sycophants) claims is safe.

          19. Because TV is a Trump Syncophant.
            Brown your nose enough and YOU’ll be allowed to get the vaccine when it becomes available.
            LOYALTY, LOYALTY, LOYALTY.

        2. What in the Sam-hill are you going on about???

          Apostasy, Christians Falsely So-Called, and PERSECUTION!!!!!

  8. I’d remind people that Bethel is one of the centers of prayer and healing among certain charismatic groupings. And of course, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry is often called “Christian Hogwarts.” I’m not going to criticize them so much for having a COVID-19 outbreak because the big state U eight miles thataway >>>>> has been having outbreaks for weeks. But you’d *think* these people, as representatives of Jesus, would set a better example. However, we’ve seen all this year how some Christians believe that the best example to set is that of lording it over everyone else and exerting their own privilege.

    1. Benny Hinn’s multi-million dollar estate is just outside Dallas/Fort Worth. How many healings has he performed in area hospitals? Where’s his television production team to broadcast all the healings?

      So I assume the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry is part of that “name it and claim it” Prosperity Gospel, yes? Several months into the global pandemic, would they not already have several documented cases of healings and recoveries?

      1. Bethel’s Dead Raising Team has LOTS of “documented” cases of Raising the Dead!

        (Always on the other side of the world where it can’t be verified, of course.)

        1. At minimum, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry should be able to show several documented healings from surrounding medical facilities right there in Redding, CA. Of the over 16,500 COVID deaths in Shasta County so far, Bethel has approximately ZERO resurrections on record. If there were any actual resurrections, first-hand reports from first responders, doctors, nurses, EMTs, hospital administrators, coroners, family members of the formerly deceased, and the resurrected themselves would be making headlines globally, and everyone would be pointing to Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry as the source of all the resurrections.

          Bethel’s COVID-19 count: 137, with 68 active cases
          Bethel’s healing & resurrection count: ZERO cases

      1. Except Bethel are the REAL Masters of Mighty Magick.

        Soaked up from “Mighty Men of GAWD” by lying on their graves at midnight to absorb their “Blessing”. Sounds more like Necromancy than Hogwarts.

    3. True, there are a ton of public Universities that have gone back to school and promptly saw a spike in the state’s numbers. But Bethel’s been selling miracles and protection for years by claiming their theology doesn’t allow for sickness. It’s the spiritual version of selling essential oils to cure cancer. They own this one.

      1. It’s the spiritual version of selling essential oils to cure cancer.

        Don’t forget Mystic Crystal Revelation.
        (And the Mind’s true Liberation — Aquariuuuuus!)

  9. Sean Feucht was also at the prayer event on the Washington Mall on September 26, along with Franklin Graham, Greg Laurie and others. Graham and Laurie (and presumably others) then decamped to the White House for the Amy Coney Barrett introduction (and to demonstrate to the faithful who they’re supposed to vote for). Laurie now has COVID-19 and is whining about how this has gotten political. I told him it was political when he showed up for the White House event. *snort*

    1. It is frustrating that COVID is being used to justify extreme economic restrictions which cross over to First Amendment violations, just because somebody doesn’t like Trump and the Republicans. That’s pretty much political.

      1. these restrictions might not have needed to be as “extreme” had there been competent leadership in the WH. Many countries (china, Taiwan, South Korea) have mostly opened back up, because they did what was necessary early on in this pandemic.

        the person who caused the problems by politicizing this pandemic was Trump.

        1. I’m trapped in the USA because of our generally non-existent policy towards COVID-19, while an amusement park in Japan with a Godzilla you can zip-line through just opened. (Yes you can see where my priorities are at.) Japan still has issues with COVID-19 but there is a general culture of wearing masks unlike here, where it’s a political issue.

          1. Oh, we do have a policy towards “China Virus”:

            EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF. HAIL TRUMP!

        2. I wish this fact, or this line of argument was shown on every nightly news program country wide…about every other night: Maybe it would start sinking in… If every local station news desk had a segment, “So, Japan, S Korea, Australia, etc etc opened up this and opened up that and see what they’re all doing now and oh look at their economic numbers… and btw here’s what they’ve been doing, all together for the last 6 MONTHS! – And here’s what the good ol Exceptional! USA has been doing in that time… ” and then have those newsdeskers lean front a little and point a finger and say – “You, covid-19 denier, yeah you – You bear all the responsibility for the visible, quantifiable difference”.

    2. maybe Laurie could go get a quick heal at the Bethel School of Soopernatural Healing (Heeling?)…they could pipe in some inspiring Feucht up-beat toons.

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