But some residents have grown frustrated with the megachurchs combination of other-worldly theology and increasing this-worldly clout, as the appearance of Buck Fethel T-shirts show. Audette sees the issue differently, saying that people shouldnt discriminate against a candidate based on their attendance at a church and emphasizing that Bethel doesnt participate in candidate election activities or try to influence votes. This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Now Im not, Listen to Sheas story, and then tell me youd reject this former Wall Street finance expert, Northern Pygmy Owl Whiskeytown Nat. Some of them are angry, as youve probably gathered from the voluminous negative emails youve received in response to your blog. Redding approves Civic Auditorium lease, picks new mayor Redding campaign disclosures in City Council race of 10 shows who's The large number of travelers who visit the megachurch and its five schools Bethel Christian School, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, Bethel Conservatory of the Arts, Bethel School of Technology and Bethel Music College helped attract nonstop United Airlines flights to Los Angeles. Shes engaged with the public. On the plus side, Vollmers has fairly lively, updated social media pages. KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES: Tenessa Audette, Redding City Council Two closed Facebook groups the 960-member Investigating Bethel Redding and the 1,800-member Bethel Affiliated Businesses monitor and critique the church. Scheide is an award-winning journalist who has covered news, politics, music, arts and culture in Northern California for more than 30 years. Anyway, your post begins with some rather inauspicious analogies, which might explain the perspiring palms: What if you stumbled upon a post on social media that read FingBlue People! or That ethnic groupis going to hell!? Cancelled . Meeting Calendar - Redding City, California She didnt. Bill and Beni Johnson, senior pastors Bethel Redding. The feds will ultimately approve the casino, the tribal members of the Redding Rancheria will get their due, but one cant help wondering: Is this virtue signaling by the council and the supervisors just another case of whites speaking with forked tongues, or is a certain megachurch concerned a big fat casino might cut into its grift? Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. We are on the edge of the greatest revival of all time, says Bethels website. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Jesus instituted it as an army that brought transformation to society, starting with salvation and continuing with seven spheres of influence: Church, family, education, government, media, arts, and commerce, they wrote. Granted, The Stirring lacks Bethel Churchs flashy signs and wonders fixation on everything from speaking in tongues, healings, tunnels of fire, and gold-dust glory cloudsto angel feathers, grave-soaking, gay-conversion therapy and attempts to raise the dead. While neither candidate directly addressed whether they might be able to pull on Bethel funding for the city in future, both said the churchs finances had not impacted their campaigns. One area of government that could see significant turnover: the Redding city council. In reply to Jeff Gorder. One of the most frequent election questions posed recently on North State social media sites pertains to whether candidates do or do not attend Bethel Church or The Stirring. . View Calendar. Work ethic and family values were built and fostered in me beginning in the . Bethels slogan, On earth, as it is in heaven, directs its believers to infiltrate every aspect of their communities. About | Bethel - Bethel Church Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? Redding Homeless Suffering Horribly This Holiday Season North Haven: 2.5 inches. Do I know what Im writing about? . You, the well-paid president and CEO of the Redding Chamber of Commerce, barged ahead and went full Bethel, suggesting that thousands of members of the numerous Facebook groups dedicated to criticizing the charismatic evangelical megachurch in our midst are committing the sin of hate speech. . Hmm! Bethel helped raise money to assist the completion of Redding's free water park, Fantasy Fountain, and design-savvy Bethel members voluntarily created a style guide for signage in city parks. Members of Bethel the 11,000-member northern California megachurch famous for elaborate healing services, Bethel Music and musician Sean Feuchts nationwide worship protests against COVID restrictions now hold the majority on the Redding City Council after Novembers elections, according to nearly complete vote counts. Prayer Meeting for Redding | Aug 17, 2023 | Bethel Calendar Plus, Jeremy Edwardson is a producer for Bethel Church-affiliated musician/failed congressional candidate/evangelical egomaniac Sean Feucht, dubbed by the Rolling Stone magazine as Jesus Christ, Super Spreader for his national protest/worship concerts held during the pandemic. When the Redding Civic Auditorium faced closure, Bethel created the nonprofit Advance Redding to lease the facility. Is This NAR? Bethel Church Successfully Takes Control of their City's Some in the community worry about how the church's out-sized funding and theological beliefs, including the 7 Mountains Mandate, might impact local political candidates. When Crockett quips that hes attended more city council meetings in these last few years than incumbent Dacquisto, that line always gets a laugh, but its no joke. In fact, in most places it would be considered impolite and inappropriate to ask about candidates religious lives. Michael Dacquisto is the only incumbent candidate, and hes struggling to keep his footing upon a slippery slope studded with loopholes, gray areas and alleged white lies. Bloomberg News and on CNN, KQED and KPFA. Great! To think that people wouldnt call out my attendance at one of the biggest organizations in town, Shea said, is unreasonable. Johnson, who publicly endorsed Trump in 2016 and 2020, teaches that part of that revival will come through ballot boxes. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. (Click on names for more information about each candidate.). Incumbent Michael Dacquisto posted on Facebook a photo of his completed ballot marked with just two Redding City Council selections. Some students are packed-to-the-max into single family homes; their fancy cars clog neighborhood driveways. Its notable that Partin, like Valenzuela, has also been identified and selected as a true conservative candidate by some of the same ultra-conservative folks whove embraced Dacquisto. You recently wrote fondly of the project. Editors note: Portions of this column have been edited for clarity. Johnson, who publicly endorsed Trump in 2016 and 2020, teaches that part of that revival will come through ballot boxes. I believe elected officials should serve the people they represent, not control them, and that the government should empower its constituents, not restrict them., Audette said Bethel leaders wouldnt influence her vote because they dont tell her what to believe about anything. Listen to Sheas story, and then tell me youd reject this former Wall Street finance expert, the grandson of immigrants who fled Communist China. As evidence, she points to the Civic; to Winter's place on the city council; to the hordes of Bethel students who volunteer across Redding, saving the city money. At first you are thankful, but you feel like it was a bit invasive. Tenessa Audette leads the way in fundraising in the crowded Redding City Council race. Even if Valenzuela hadnt liked [S]election Code on her Facebook page, the fact remains that Valenzuela like Hill and Vollmers lacks even a modicum of experience necessary to be an effectively qualified council member. The Redding City Council seat that belongs to non-evangelical councilor, Mark Mezzano, is his to keep for another two years, alongside Winter. The city approved a 10-year. The Awakening Australia eventand its main speaker, Bill Johnsonare increasing the awareness of the controversial church throughout the continent. The seven mountains are education, religion, family, business, government/military, arts/entertainment and media. I'm scared Lol. The trio of Redding City Council candidates who attend The Stirring church are Joshua Johnson, Kymberly Vollmersand former Bethel member James Crockett. Three spots are up for grabs this November, and . Bethel members Tenessa Audette, 45, a first-time candidate, and Jack Munns, 64, who first ran two years ago, will now join Bethel elder Julie Winter on the 5-member council. This couldnt be further from my goals and ideas about how the government should work. If he does have campaign signs, they must be hidden in secret locations. Redding council backs Bethel's new campus. Between both departments, they set a goal of selling 500 signs (250 for each department), with all profits (about $4 per sign) going to a fund to buy an AED all-weather enclosure, along with AED for installation. First, many members view Bethels strange brew of Christianity and New Age as a straight-up cult, a holy rolling, faith-healing pyramid scheme sucking the lifeblood out of the town and preaching a false gospel. Clearly, theres no love lost between Dacquisto and his three female city council colleagues, Erin Resner, Julie Winter and Mayor Kristen Schreder. Its not so easy for incumbent Dacquisto, who is trying with all his might to prevent an energetic pack of young evangelical candidates from overtaking Dacquisto and stealing his chair during his run for re-election. There are three primary reasons members are concerned about Bethel, not all of them shared by all members. The Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Pamme Jones as its newest addition to the Board of Directors. is listed by the Shasta Economic Development Corporation as the 8th largest employer. The City of Redding has allowed them to sleep and stay there For months. Both candidates said despite that teaching they would not discriminate against the gay community in any way in their role on the council. Dacquisto may have once been an active member in the community, but it is widely known locally that is no longer the case. They say that judging by his frequent absences, it appears he no longer prioritizes his city council position. He said he used to work for the church but no longer holds any staff or leadership positions there. Editors note: This section was revised on 10/20/22 for corrections. I often find myself saying, each time a new Bethel business pops up, The place looks nice, but why would I want that? (This is probably because Im old. Im not religious. Redding is the economic and cultural capital of the Shasta Cascade region of Northern California and the county seat of Shasta County.Redding lies along the Sacramento River, 162 miles (261 km) north of Sacramento, and 120 miles (190 km) south of California's northern border with Oregon.Its population is 95,542 as of the 2022 census, up from 89,861 from the 2010 census. Both Bethel Church and The Stirring are noteworthy because The Stirring is often described as Bethel lite or Bethels little-sister church. The council voted 4-1 to draft a contract with Bethel for running the 41-year-old . They are young. Candidate Johnson agrees wholeheartedly. (He probably knows it.). A dear Democrat friend of mine, whos voting only for Hill out of solidarity with his fellow progressive, said he finds Audette, Johnson and Shea just a bit too zealous for his liking. Feucht also worship-campaigned for Doug Lamborn, U.S. House member from Colorado Springs, who coasted to reelection. Suddenly, theres the implication that companies should protect themselves and be rid of those youve now damned as Bethel-haters people whove done nothing more than belong to a Facebook group, or who happen to express negative opinions or concerns about Bethel Church on social media. Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce Announces New Appointment Colossal understatement. The two churches sometimes share resources, facilities, musicians, staff and speakers. In reply to R.V. You then assert the same sort of hateful things are being posted, with Bethel taking the place of Blue People, in Bethel Affiliated Business, Investigating Bethel and numerous other Facebook groups you say are devoted to hating Bethel Church and its members., You write, Any of these posts would create a huge issue in the human resources department of your business and perhaps land the author in court for libel, defamation of character, or perhaps even a hate crime.. I spend just 2 hours at Bethel each week and 45+ hours in the community, helping unlock funding for real estate deals, putting my financial skills to work, and investing in our local nonprofits. Some locally higher amounts are possible . Steve Rabey November 30, 2022. They continue saying you should be appreciative of the help and that they really dont need to stop because they are just doing it to serve you. Bethels 2017 donation of half-a-million dollars to help fund Redding police and another $25,000 to fund police drones hasnt been forgotten by the community. Shasta where the couple owns a spacious view-lot if thats his main residence, then Dacquisto cannot legally sit on the Redding City Council. Shea said he would represent all citizens in office, irrespective of their sexual identity, race, color, creed, religion, social status, housing status, or national origin. Linen Service Companies near Redding, California, Petaluma, California Third, as a result of its newfound power and its dominionism, Bethel has become openly entangled in city of Redding finances as well as our politics on the local, state and federal level. The large number of travelers who visit Bethel and its five schools (Bethel Christian School, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, BethelConservatory of the Arts, Bethel School of Technology, Bethel Music College) helped attract nonstop United Airlines flights to Los Angeles. The sobering reality is that Redding voters are backed against a Bethel wall with some tough questions: Do I wish, for the sake of a more balanced election playing field, that the Redding City Council race wasnt flooded with candidates who attend The Stirring or Bethel Church? Whats Next For Shasta County Voting? I just hope they dont stop there. In fact, aside from the times she recused herself to avoid even the perception of a conflict, as far as I know, Winter never uttered the the word Bethel. Kind of like Dacquisto. God, masks and Trump: What a coronavirus outbreak at a California Brad Everett, Bethels Director of Communications, declined to answer any of Shasta Scouts questions for this story. Elections 2022: Some Say Bethel And City Council Politics Don't Mix As a result, followers of such anti-Bethel Facebook pages as Investigating Bethel (924 members) and Bethel Affiliated Businesses (1.8 mil members) have vowed to shun Bethel/Stirring candidates and choose only from the remaining candidates. Thats why, for this 2022 general election, I will overlook candidates religious affiliations. His answer matters, because if he lives in Mt. Its not clear whether he continues to attend there. Bethel Church can push ahead with its plans to build a new campus on 39 acres on the northeast of Redding despite ongoing concerns from neighbors about . Munns did not respond to multiple requests for comment. I don't know about Dacquisto. More recently, he has also compared women who seek out abortions to school shooters. Bethel businesses do indeed have a trendy, over-designed-yet-spartan feel to them. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of "Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse" by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Some Christian Nationalists advocate keeping prayer in schools, outlawing abortion access and gay marriage and enshrining a Christian Nationalist version of American history in public school curriculums. Redding City Council - Special Meeting - Budget Workshop. If you believe their statements and I do these three are enthusiastic in their dedication and genuine desire to make Redding a better place. Within the last two tumultuous years, Jeremy Edwardson partnered with a seemingly unlikely docu-series collaborator: militia-member, former-strip-club-owner Carlos Zapata, known for blood in the streets violent rhetoric that briefly thrust Zapata into fleeting, international alt-right celebrity status. Bethel can be felt in the trendy new coffee shops and restaurants where young, well-dressed people huddle at tables with open Bibles and nary a mask . Get involved and join us as we pursue the personal, regional, and global expansion of God's kingdom through His manifest presence. Help increase access to important information. Scheide. Bethel Church will run Redding Convention Center While two of Bethels candidates won their races, former Bethel celebrity Sean Feucht was less successful in his worship-music-meets-campaign efforts on behalf of two Trump-endorsed candidates. Several of the candidates running for the Redding City Council this fall are connected to Bethel Church. Connections between some of those candidates and Bethel Church have become a flashpoint in the race. But you know what else has pretty lights? Do I feel fantastic about my conclusion? Second, Bethel Church and its infinite number of horizontally networked sub-ministries has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars during the past decade and hasnt been shy about spreading the manna around. But forget election-deniers for a moment. Yes, Johnson attends the Stirring Church. Bethel members Tenessa Audette, 45, a first-time candidate, and Jack Munns, 64, who first ran two years ago, will now join Bethel elder Julie Winter on the 5-member council. Not by a Shasta County country mile. Online streaming now reaches over 412,800 users internationally. A lack of effort put into the job of being an elected official. Independent online journalist Doni Chamberlain founded A News Cafe in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke. Hes also the brother of Jeremy Edwardson, the director/producer of the Red, White and Blueprint movement/docuseries that helped splinter the already heavily conservative Shasta County into ultra conservative take back Shasta County factions. At every forum Ive attended, Dacquisto has made a shameless plug for his pal Partin. To donate, click here. Prayer Meeting for Redding. This has become a great concern for many people who believe the separation of Church and State imagined by the Founders is a solid wall, not a picket fence. The church used to be part of the Assemblies of God denomination but is now non-denominational. We break down why. As Trump ran for reelection, Vallotton used the Bethel pulpit to encourage attendees to vote for Trump or risk facing Gods displeasure. These two closed groups combined have more than 2000 members, most of them local citizens concerned about Bethels growing influence on our economy, our politics and our lives. Members of Bethel the 11,000-member northern California megachurch famous for elaborate healing services, Bethel Music and musician Sean Feucht's nationwide worship protests against COVID restrictions now hold the majority on the Redding City Council after November's elections, according to nearly complete vote counts.. Bethel members Tenessa Audette, 45, a first-time candidate . Identity. As a reader-funded outlet, we rely on donations to fund our work and keep our content paywall free. eceived more than $15,000 in campaign consulting fees from Sean Feuchts failed congressional campaign in 2019 and early 2020, along with $2,800 in. During winter storms, Shasta Countys lack of low-barrier shelter leaves many struggling to stay warm in the cold and snow. Mr. Scheide welcomes your comments and story tips. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. In reply to R.V. It's designed to attract shoppers downtown . encourage attendees to vote for Trump or risk facing Gods displeasure. The additional negative news is that Vollmers social media pages suggest her comfort with election-fraud conspiracy theories, such as those promoted in the film [S]election Code, produced by My Pillow Guy Mike Lindell. Submit ithere. He ran for a seat on the Redding City Council in 2018, but lost. In reply to Jeff Gorder. No one from Bethel staff has organized, solicited or directed anyone to donate to my campaign., Sheaagreed, saying that Bethel has not contributed to his campaign and has no legal means of doing so. Since the late 90s, under senior leader Bill Johnson, the church has been devoted to the pursuit of the presence of God, manifested in supposed signs and wonders, including messages from heaven, miraculous healings, gold glitter, feathers, and special stones. 2008. We are a non-profit, independent, civic news organization focused on Shasta Countys diverse and investigative stories. Some say the church has helped the city in many ways: But some residents have grown frustrated with Bethels combination of other-worldly theology and increasing this-worldly clout, as the appearance of Buck Fethel T-shirts show. Linen Service Companies near Redding, California, Petaluma, California and Irvine, California Subscribe to Signals from Shasta Scout our stories and news updates, right to you. Im not down with cancel culture. Bethel Church Members Now Have Majority on Redding City Council Bethel is a church not a PAC, she wrote. However, as much as some members of The Stirring church might like to distance themselves from Bethel Churchs dramatic spiritual feats, its indisputable that The Stirring and Bethel Church are Christian kissin cousins. Christianity Today defines Christian Nationalism as the idea that America is defined by Christianity and should take active steps to keep it that way. Each year, thousands of believers come from every corner of the globe to worship at Bethel, or spend thousands of dollars to enroll in its three-year-long Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Is this heaven, or Redding? The way Dacquisto drags Partin behind him reminds me how my mom insisted I bring my little sister along to birthday parties when we were kids; invited or not. I confess to suffering significant election heartburn with the knowledge that Audette was Winters former campaign manager, and that Audette received more than $15,000 in campaign consulting fees from Sean Feuchts failed congressional campaign in 2019 and early 2020, along with $2,800 in reimbursements. Dacquisto was recently quoted in a newspaper story with words that may eventually come back to haunt him: If people dont think I participate enough and want someone to do more, then they should vote for that candidate., Bingo! Tenessa Audette, age 45, Representative for Senator Brian Dahle, James Crockett, age 41, Social science teacher, Michael Dacquisto, age 68, Redding City Council incumbent, Ian Hill, age 30, Shasta County deputy clerk, Joshua Johnson, age 39, Business owner/developer, Jack Munns,age 64, Retired police officer, Alex Shea, age 36, Housing finance executive, Jordan Valenzuela, age 30, Business owner, book, Invading Babylon, The Seven Mountain Mandate, Connecting yet more Bethel/Stirring dots, Nathan Edwardson, Feucht kicked off his first unauthorized Let Us Worship, I voted for Michael Dacquisto 4 years ago.
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