Last weekend three friends and I made the drive across the mountains to Redding, California to visit Bethel Church. It was a 3.5 hour drive one way, so in total we spent about 7 hours traveling that day.
We had each heard different things about Bethel. Some good, some bad. So we decided it was time to go check out this church for ourselves. Around 3,000 people attend this church. We went to the Sunday night service, which had maybe 400-500 people in attendance. I was both nervous and excited to attend this church. I knew that it would be outside of my comfort zone.
I got even more excited as we arrived at the church. We walked through the doors and took a seat. We were fifteen minutes early, the band was practicing and the staff were praying. From the start of the service there were people standing in the front. By the end of worship probably at least 100 people were in the front. Some of these people had their hands raised, some were laying on the ground, some dancing, some laughing hysterically. Worship lasted like this for 1.5 hours. My favorite part of worship was what I would call "free worship". The band stopped singing, just played music softly, and the people raised their voices and hands. Each person practiced own type of worship. It was beautiful. It sounded beautiful. The whole idea of hundreds of people worshiping God in their own ways is beautiful.
Towards the end of worship came a time of healing. They told amazing stories of people who had been healed. One was healed of Lupus and another of shin splints. They called out for different diseases people might be suffering from: missing knee cartilage, more shin splints. As people raised their hands, they would be surrounded by prayer. The healing time lasted for about twenty minutes. It was interesting to watch, I wasn't sure what I myself should do. After worship and healing, as the offering/sermon time was starting, a lady laid on the ground laughing hysterically. It seemed uncontrollable until a church staff member came up to help here. The laughing girl stood up and said "I'm fine" and sat down, like nothing had happened.
After worship came offering. Throughout worship, things took place that I was uncomfortable with just because I hand not experience them before. But that didn't make them wrong. On the other hand, the way Bethel does offering is something I see as "wrong". Before people came up to give money, they had the whole church recite a statement that went along the lines of "Dear God: we believe that....we will receive promotions, raises...find money...receive inheritances....and will have enough money to live and more then enough to give..." The "..."'s are in place of more promises this church seemed to be giving to its people. Promises of a good life if you give to this church. Promises of riches. Promises of success. All for giving to this church! Pretty awesome, right? I want to go give to this church! Only problem: it's not Biblical. No where in the Bible are we told "give to the church and you will be rich!" Sure the Bible says "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38) So ya, if we give we will receive. But this verse doesn't give a time line for this receiving, and it does not say we will receive this through any human methods, in fact it doesn't state any methods. I don't know anyone who gave money and received a promotion in return. I do know people who gave and then found a bag of food on their porch, or an unexpected check in the mail. God works outside of human ways. He works outside of expected ways. And God works outside of human timing. I also felt like this promise that Bethel gave would hurt people's faith rather then help. What happens when I take a step of faith, donate a lot of money, and don't receive my promotion? Or I give and then I have a rough month financially? How does that work with Bethel's promise?
The sermon was great. The preacher used to be deaf, so his voice sounds like that of a deaf person. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about this, but then I realized it is great that this guy got through his trial and made something out of his life. He even managed to do something that most people in his situation don't. The sermon focused on building deep roots in your relationship with Christ. The only thing I really disagreed with was towards the end, the pastor prayed and said "Dear God: Thank you for these fun trials we go through." And he did not sound sarcastic. I don't know about you, but I don't find trials fun. They are hard!! But I guess that is a matter of opinion.
As quickly as the service started, it ended. It ended with a "fire tunnel". I had never heard of this before, and was somewhat nervous. We all lined up, and the staff made a tunnel of people in the front. We walked through and each staff member laid hands on us and prayed. Well at least I think they prayed....my friend was standing in front of me, and one of the staff, quite creepily, said "freedom, hehehe" when she laid her hands on her. Other people made whooshing sounds and moved their hands like they were trying to push something. I'm not sure what that was about...the hysterical laughers were standing a couple of people in front of me. Through the whole tunnel they were keeled over laughing, and it seemed that as each hand was laid on them, their bodies lowered further. I would like to know what was going on with them: Holy Spirit, mental disorder, demon?
Overall, Bethel was a good experience. Would I go there regularly if I lived in Redding? Probably not. But only because I prefer smaller churches, and am not so into charismatic worship. Am I glad I checked it out: Yes! Do I agree with most of what they did: Yea, I about 80% agreed. This church has an effect on our culture, and as a Christian I find that it is important to be aware of what is going on with Christian culture.
Have you ever visited Bethel? Or do you attend it regularly? What do you think?
We had each heard different things about Bethel. Some good, some bad. So we decided it was time to go check out this church for ourselves. Around 3,000 people attend this church. We went to the Sunday night service, which had maybe 400-500 people in attendance. I was both nervous and excited to attend this church. I knew that it would be outside of my comfort zone.
I got even more excited as we arrived at the church. We walked through the doors and took a seat. We were fifteen minutes early, the band was practicing and the staff were praying. From the start of the service there were people standing in the front. By the end of worship probably at least 100 people were in the front. Some of these people had their hands raised, some were laying on the ground, some dancing, some laughing hysterically. Worship lasted like this for 1.5 hours. My favorite part of worship was what I would call "free worship". The band stopped singing, just played music softly, and the people raised their voices and hands. Each person practiced own type of worship. It was beautiful. It sounded beautiful. The whole idea of hundreds of people worshiping God in their own ways is beautiful.
Towards the end of worship came a time of healing. They told amazing stories of people who had been healed. One was healed of Lupus and another of shin splints. They called out for different diseases people might be suffering from: missing knee cartilage, more shin splints. As people raised their hands, they would be surrounded by prayer. The healing time lasted for about twenty minutes. It was interesting to watch, I wasn't sure what I myself should do. After worship and healing, as the offering/sermon time was starting, a lady laid on the ground laughing hysterically. It seemed uncontrollable until a church staff member came up to help here. The laughing girl stood up and said "I'm fine" and sat down, like nothing had happened.
After worship came offering. Throughout worship, things took place that I was uncomfortable with just because I hand not experience them before. But that didn't make them wrong. On the other hand, the way Bethel does offering is something I see as "wrong". Before people came up to give money, they had the whole church recite a statement that went along the lines of "Dear God: we believe that....we will receive promotions, raises...find money...receive inheritances....and will have enough money to live and more then enough to give..." The "..."'s are in place of more promises this church seemed to be giving to its people. Promises of a good life if you give to this church. Promises of riches. Promises of success. All for giving to this church! Pretty awesome, right? I want to go give to this church! Only problem: it's not Biblical. No where in the Bible are we told "give to the church and you will be rich!" Sure the Bible says "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38) So ya, if we give we will receive. But this verse doesn't give a time line for this receiving, and it does not say we will receive this through any human methods, in fact it doesn't state any methods. I don't know anyone who gave money and received a promotion in return. I do know people who gave and then found a bag of food on their porch, or an unexpected check in the mail. God works outside of human ways. He works outside of expected ways. And God works outside of human timing. I also felt like this promise that Bethel gave would hurt people's faith rather then help. What happens when I take a step of faith, donate a lot of money, and don't receive my promotion? Or I give and then I have a rough month financially? How does that work with Bethel's promise?
The sermon was great. The preacher used to be deaf, so his voice sounds like that of a deaf person. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about this, but then I realized it is great that this guy got through his trial and made something out of his life. He even managed to do something that most people in his situation don't. The sermon focused on building deep roots in your relationship with Christ. The only thing I really disagreed with was towards the end, the pastor prayed and said "Dear God: Thank you for these fun trials we go through." And he did not sound sarcastic. I don't know about you, but I don't find trials fun. They are hard!! But I guess that is a matter of opinion.
As quickly as the service started, it ended. It ended with a "fire tunnel". I had never heard of this before, and was somewhat nervous. We all lined up, and the staff made a tunnel of people in the front. We walked through and each staff member laid hands on us and prayed. Well at least I think they prayed....my friend was standing in front of me, and one of the staff, quite creepily, said "freedom, hehehe" when she laid her hands on her. Other people made whooshing sounds and moved their hands like they were trying to push something. I'm not sure what that was about...the hysterical laughers were standing a couple of people in front of me. Through the whole tunnel they were keeled over laughing, and it seemed that as each hand was laid on them, their bodies lowered further. I would like to know what was going on with them: Holy Spirit, mental disorder, demon?
Overall, Bethel was a good experience. Would I go there regularly if I lived in Redding? Probably not. But only because I prefer smaller churches, and am not so into charismatic worship. Am I glad I checked it out: Yes! Do I agree with most of what they did: Yea, I about 80% agreed. This church has an effect on our culture, and as a Christian I find that it is important to be aware of what is going on with Christian culture.
Have you ever visited Bethel? Or do you attend it regularly? What do you think?
