Charismatic Circles Rattle as Investigation Unveils Allegations Against Minister Shawn Bolz
The Christian community is grappling with revelations brought forward by Mike Winger, a Christian apologist, in a comprehensive investigation that spans almost six hours. His findings spotlight allegations of misconduct and deceit involving well-known prophetic minister Shawn Bolz, prompting Bethel Church to issue a formal response.
In a revealing video titled “The Skeletons in Bethel’s Closet are Now Going to Speak,” Winger exposes a ten-year pattern of alleged fraudulent prophetic practices and inappropriate sexual behavior by Bolz. He claims that these allegations are substantiated by testimonials from former employees and ministry insiders.
Winger notably charged key church figures with neglecting to alert their congregations and the broader Christian community after becoming aware of the allegations years prior.
“This is cover-up culture,” Winger asserted. “The elites all knew about it. … I’m doing [this video] for the benefit and blessings of the Charismatic Church. I’m exposing a whole bunch of corruption inside the Charismatic Church. It has to be done.”
One focal point of Winger’s investigation is Bolz’s public prophetic ministry, famous for delivering highly precise “words of knowledge,” which included personal details like birth dates and addresses. Winger suggests that Bolz acquired this information through conventional means like social media, presenting it as divine revelation.
“I started to get birth dates and anniversary dates of strangers, grounding them in the knowledge that God knows them and cares about what they care about,” Bolz stated in a 2016 interview cited by Winger. “I began to hear where people went to school and the types of careers they had, right, almost like it was information on their ‘about’ tab.”
Further claims depict a pattern of inappropriate and abusive sexual behavior by Bolz, allegedly spanning over a decade. Former associates described incidents involving Bolz’s nudity before younger men and other inappropriate conduct during ministry-related travel.
Winger relayed the psychological trauma some victims experienced, including suicidal thoughts and PTSD-like symptoms.
A significant segment of Winger’s investigation critiques the role of Bethel Church, a prominent charismatic congregation that had given Bolz a platform for years. Winger accused the church leadership of awareness of Bolz’s misconduct but not taking decisive public action.
In a January 25 statement, Bethel Church leadership admitted to mishandling the allegations against Bolz, acknowledging a lack of prompt and effective communication.
“We take responsibility for the fact that we did not properly and fully bring discipline, closure, or clear and timely communication regarding the gravity of our concerns with Shawn Bolz,” the statement read, signed by senior leaders Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, and Dann Farrelly.
Bethel leaders revealed that they first received allegations of sexual harassment in 2019 and acknowledged a concerning culture within Bolz’s ministry.
“We platformed him because we believed in him,” Vallotton explained. “And when he failed, and failed to repent, it was our responsibility to tell people that we no longer trusted him in order to protect them. That was my decision to not communicate more widely, and my error in judgement.”
The church statement concluded by withdrawing support for Bolz’s ministry and advising caution for those considering engagement with his materials.
In response to the investigation, Bethel Church has introduced additional measures to ensure accountability and invited those affected by Bolz’s alleged misconduct to receive support through counseling and pastoral care.
Winger positions the Bolz case as indicative of broader issues within some Charismatic movements, which he argues prioritize spectacle at the expense of discernment and accountability. He urges reform, emphasizing his love for charismatic Christianity: “I’m doing this for the Charismatic Church. I love you guys. I believe in the gifts,” he stated. “I’m hoping to bring positive reform into the charismatic church.”
Shawn Bolz has been contacted for comment regarding the allegations, but no response was received by the time of publication.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
