Huh. Did not see that coming.

Bethel Church in Redding, CA is renowned for what some might call "hyper-spiritual, cult-like and spiritually dangerous practices."

By "some," I mean me. I would call them that. But don't take my word for it... the Cultish podcast has done a great job of providing an even-handed exposé on Bethel's interesting practices, and features interviews with former and current members.

Or, you know, just take a look for yourself...

The most recent example: Bethel School of Witchcraft and Wizardr-- I mean Supernatural Ministry has sparked a local coronavirus resurgence, with 137 students and staff testing positive

Actual footage from the outbreak.

Just to be clear: The school that is designed to teach people how to use faith-healing is now responsible for 10% of the cases in their county.

I know what you're gonna say:

I'm sure Bethel never made any guarantees that the faith-healing classes would render everyone impervious to COVID, but you gotta admit... it kind of makes you wanna listen to Alanis Morissette.

There, I spelled out the reference for everyone under 30. You're welcome.

Look, I don't have a problem with gatherings during the pandemic. In the debate over freedom vs safety, there's no right or wrong (okay, there probably is a wrong, and it's the one where everyone is a prisoner in their own homes while their livelihoods collapse). But Bethel has an unfortunate habit of building up expectations... with some rather anticlimactic results.

Probably their most hilarious example is the time they dressed like Gandalf and ENDED RACISM ONCE AND FOR ALL with their MAGICAL STAFF:

Yeah. That happened.

So, uh... you know. Somebody better tell everybody that racism is over now because I don't think everyone got the memo.

And, sure... it's fun to chuckle at these comical antics, but there have been more serious, heart-breaking consequences to Bethel's name-it-and-claim-it style theology. Such as the time they spent nearly a week commanding the deceased child of their worship leader to rise from the dead.

Sadly, this is pattern behavior for Bethel, as the school and church encourages its followers to proclaim and prophesy, with seemingly little regard for the consequences of false prophecies.

Spoiler: It's not a good thing.

I'm not saying God doesn't heal. I'm not saying prophecy can't happen in the modern age. I'd even be open to the possibility that God might have done some amazing supernatural things in Bethel's past. But when God does something miraculous, the appropriate response is to be grateful for it, praise God for it, and even tell others about it as a way of pointing them to the Creator. An inappropriate response to a miracle is to take it for granted by expecting it to reproduce itself at your command.

For most of the Bethel students, the direct, long-term impact of contracting COVID will probably be minimal, once they've recovered and moved on with their lives. But the spiritual damage of a highly flawed understanding of God might last much longer.