Some of my most beloved worship songs from youth group and summer camp were created by Bethel Music, the music label that was birthed out of the music ministry at Bethel Church in Redding, California. Songs like “You Make Me Brave,” “No Longer Slaves,” “King of My Heart,” “Raise a Hallelujah,” and “Goodness of God” became some of my favorite songs to listen and sing along to. Despite not intentionally listening to these songs in many years, much of these lyrics are committed to my memory.
However, as I’ve grown in my faith over the last several years, I’ve learned more about Bethel Church and the doctrines she teaches. The more I’ve learned, the more skeptical I’ve become of their theology and philosophy. And within the last year or two, I’ve come to realize that the kingdom they preach is a counterfeit one.
Bethel Church subscribes to a belief which has been named the New Apostolic Reformation (or NAR for short). As Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett argue in their book Counterfeit Kingdom, NAR is an extremely unbiblical and dangerous movement.
What exactly is NAR? It’s a movement of professing Christians who greatly emphasize signs, wonders, and miracles. Their churches are led by apostles and prophets who are believed to share fresh revelations to their congregants. You may be wondering what the harm is in this. After all, a lot of charismatic churches heavily focus on things like healing, revival, and speaking in tongues, and they’re not necessarily “dangerous” or “harmful.” The problem is that NAR churches take part in some shady practices that are suspiciously similar to the New Age and the occult.
While there are numerous NAR-influenced churches across America and all around the world, Bethel is one of the biggest and most influential NAR churches out there, perhaps partially due to the popularity of their music label. In Counterfeit Kingdom, Pivec and Geivett expose the strange practices of Bethel Church, such as grave sucking, angelic slumber, and the belief that they can physically resurrect people. Members and students of Bethel have also been known to participate in spirit readings, using destiny cards, communicating with the deceased, telepathy, and levitation.
Pivec and Geivett discuss the leaders of Bethel Church—Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton, head apostle and prophet respectively. They examine the different kinds of prophecies Johnson, Vallotton, and other Bethel leaders have shared and how these prophecies routinely fail or are set up to deceive their hearers. Speaking of deceit, the authors also describe how Bethel’s leadership has deceived and attempted to control their audience by twisting Scriptures, disparaging or threatening those who disagree with them, and using euphemisms—such as alignment, spiritual covering, or grace gift—to disguise their toxic and abusive behaviors.
Additionally, for those who fear that NAR may be creeping into their own church, the authors share some signs of false revival. If your pastor starts talking about “activating the Holy Spirit” or making “prayer declarations,” it might be time to leave your church. If you begin hearing teachings that God will always heal you and make you prosperous, run the other way. If your church hosts a 24/7 prayer room or discusses encounters with angels, it has likely embraced NAR theology. If you’re being taught that Jesus was merely a man when He performed his miracles and that you need fresh revelation (as if the Bible wasn’t fully sufficient for life and godliness), you are being given a very false gospel. These things are not signs of revival.
“Biblical revival is measured in terms of obedience and holiness. Anything short of that is a counterfeit.”[1]
In Counterfeit Kingdom, Pivec and Geivett answer a lot of tough questions. Should I be reading the Passion translation? Should my church be playing Bethel songs? Is it always God’s will to heal? In short, the Passion translation was created by a man with no qualifications, and it adds NAR beliefs to the Scriptures. It is not a true translation of God’s Word and ought to be avoided at all costs. Playing and singing Bethel Music should also be avoided, as they use their music to smuggle NAR theology and influence into churches worldwide (and they make a lot of money from their music to continue funding their mission). And while God will heal many who pray to Him, there are also many who will not be healed. But contrary to what NAR teaches, this lack of healing is not due to a lack of faith.
“True faith is not the belief that God will heal because He is good; rather, it is trust that He is good no matter what He decides.”[2]
Counterfeit Kingdom will easily be one of my top reads of 2023. The details Pivec and Geivett share about Bethel Church are eye-opening and enlightening, and I appreciated that they weren’t afraid to expose their unbiblical beliefs and practices, despite the church’s immense popularity. They covered a lot of great topics and stayed true to the gospel, and near the end of the book, they even offered tips on how to equip the younger generation to think biblically and critically so that they may reject NAR theology when it is offered up to them.
What is the conclusion of this book? The theology of Bethel Church and other churches like them do not line up with true Christianity, with the truth of the Bible.
“Our faith is not based on emotions, subjective experiences, and dubious miracle claims, but on a sure and stable foundation.”[3]
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[1] Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett, Counterfeit Kingdom: The Dangers of New Revelation, New Prophets, and New Age Practices in the Church (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2022), 121.
[2] Ibid., 180.
[3] Ibid., 200.
