Bethel Church Leadership Issues Public Apology for Mishandling Allegations Against Shawn Bolz

In a significant moment for the charismatic Christian community, the leadership team at Bethel Church in Redding, California, delivered a public apology during their Sunday morning services on January 25, 2026. The apology addressed the church's failure to adequately respond to serious allegations against Shawn Bolz, a prominent prophetic minister who Bethel had previously platformed and endorsed. The statement, issued by senior leaders including Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, and Dann Farrelly, acknowledged mistakes in handling claims of false prophecies and sexual harassment, expressing regret for not communicating more openly and promptly to protect the broader church body.

Bethel Church, known for its emphasis on modern-day miracles, supernatural gifts, and prophetic ministry, has long promoted the idea that spiritual gifts like words of knowledge and prophecy are active in the church today, drawing from biblical examples in both the Old and New Testaments. Leaders such as Bill Johnson have taught that believers should pursue these gifts, as referenced by the Apostle Paul. Shawn Bolz, a Los Angeles-based minister, rose to international prominence within charismatic circles, partly through Bethel's support. Bolz was celebrated for his apparent prophetic accuracy, often calling out specific names, birthdays, or addresses during conferences, which would prompt audience members to respond, leading to personalized prophecies.

Bolz's association with Bethel deepened around 2016, when he was featured at events like the Azusa Now conference in Los Angeles, where he delivered words of knowledge to large audiences. He became a frequent guest speaker at Bethel, despite running his own ministry, Bolz Ministries. Bethel sold his books and resources, further elevating his profile. However, concerns began to emerge in 2019. European church leaders contacted Bethel with evidence suggesting Bolz was using data mining—scouring social media and public records—to fabricate his "words of knowledge" rather than receiving them supernaturally. Separately, former male team members accused Bolz of creating a culture of sexual harassment and misconduct during travel and work engagements, with claims corroborated by multiple witnesses and some video evidence.

According to the timeline outlined in Bethel's apology and corroborated by investigations, church leaders confronted Bolz multiple times. Danny Silk initially addressed the sexual harassment claims, which Bolz denied. Further inquiries, including speaking to three former team members, confirmed a problematic culture within Bolz's ministry. Kris Vallotton traveled to Los Angeles for a four-hour in-person confrontation, citing Galatians 6:1 as a framework for restoring a friend in sin. Bolz continued to deny the allegations. Bethel reviewed 14 pieces of evidence regarding the integrity of his prophetic ministry. Despite these red flags, Bethel's response was limited: they stopped platforming Bolz in 2019, removed his resources from their store, and warned some ministry partners privately. However, they did not make a public announcement at the time, a decision now admitted as a grave error.

The catalyst for the recent public apology was a nearly six-hour investigative video released by apologist Mike Winger, which detailed the allegations against Bolz, including verified evidence of data mining and witness testimonies of abuse. The video, released on YouTube around January 17, 2026, and viewed over one million times, sparked widespread outcry and prompted Bethel's alumni—numbering around 18,000 globally—to demand accountability. Winger's work highlighted not only Bolz's actions but also Bethel's role in enabling them through delayed and insufficient responses.

In their January 2026 letter, Bethel's leaders took full responsibility. Kris Vallotton admitted his initial approach treated Bolz as a friend rather than recognizing the church's broader duty to protect the community, especially since Bethel had given him a global platform. He apologized for lacking compassion toward victims and for mishandling scripture in an earlier message on January 18, 2026. Bill Johnson confessed to "unsanctified mercy," where his loyalty to Bolz blinded him to the victims' needs, delaying confrontation and contributing to further harm. The letter emphasized James 4:17: "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." Leaders clarified they are not responsible for Bolz's sins but for their own inactions, which included not communicating "truth enough, early enough, long enough, or loud enough."

The apology extended to specific groups: victims of Bolz's harassment and those who made life decisions based on his prophecies. Bethel stated they no longer trust Bolz's ministry, believing he was untruthful about his prophetic sources and engaged in harassing behavior. They advised against interacting with his materials.

This episode underscores ongoing challenges in charismatic leadership, where gifting often overshadows character scrutiny. As Bethel seeks restoration, the apology marks a step toward transparency, though rebuilding trust will require sustained action. The full service recording, with the statement starting at 1:05:20, is available on Bethel's website for those interested in hearing it directly.

Looking forward, Bethel outlined steps for their reform: increasing oversight with a senior leadership team of over 25 and more active eldership; additional prophetic training; a new confrontation model for public communication on substantiated allegations; and support paths for victims. In February 2025, they launched a "Safe Church" process via a third-party team for reporting abuse, now open to the local and online community at bethel.com/safechurch. Those directly impacted by Bolz can email safe.church@bethel.com for pastoral care or resources.

Bethel's Safe Church process, detailed on their website (bethel.com/safechurch), partners with a third-party organization (Syntrio) for confidential and anonymous reporting of concerns like verbal, physical, or sexual abuse, harassment, or spiritually coercive behavior. Reports can be submitted online or via a 24/7 hotline, with investigations handled objectively, potentially involving law enforcement if needed. The framework emphasizes biblical family-like safety (e.g., 1 Timothy 5:1-2), healthy boundaries, permission for touch, and prohibiting rude, harassing, or abusive conduct. It promotes encouragement, truth in love, and responsible prophetic ministry while excluding everyday interpersonal conflicts. The goal is restoring community safety first, then individual healing, with support available via safe.church@bethel.com. This system, expanded in response to recent events, applies to the local congregation, online community, alumni, and others affiliated with Bethel.