This post is short because the problem is easily diagnosed and the solutions are clear. No need for a 60, 90 or 120 minute video. Updated January 25, 2026, including Bolz’s “solution” and repentance from Bethel leaders at their church service on that date.
Shawn Bolz has been credibly accused of data mining his prophecies, particularly on Facebook, and passing them off as coming from God by direct revelation. Now he is being credibly accused of sexually harassing many young men in his employment, in hotel rooms.
Let’s divide this post up in two main categories: the church and civil authorities, and then a conclusion.
As usual, these are allegations until proven in a court of law.
(1) The church
Various Christian youtubers have published videos slamming Shawn Bolz and those who protect him. Mike Winger is the one who provided the bulk of the evidence of Bolz’s misconduct (January 17, 2026). A section of his long video goes into the gross details of the sexual harassment. But a year before this, the Minor Prophets exposed Bolz for faking prophecies by data mining (January 10, 2025).
Then other youtubers have criticized Bethel Church (Redding, California) and Pastor Kris Vallatton’s January 18, 2026, sermon that did not deal by name with Bolz, but the timing is unmistakable. Vallatton was explaining why Bethel does not or cannot do what the critics demand.
Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson: Mike Winger: Bill Johnson Covers for Shawn Bolz’s Deviancy (January 19, 2026)
The Remnant Radio: Examining Cover Up Culture: Bethel Church’s Response to Mike Winger (January 20, 2026). You can see Vallatton’s sermon on January 18, 2026 at RR’s link.
Vallaton’s basic thesis in his sermon was that the web is worldwide and hard to manage, so Bethel cannot really micro-manage cases like Bolz’s. However, Vallatton seems proud of his 72-nation global reach. If he cannot simply publish the dangers of Bolz’s ministry, so the larger church can be warned, then Vallatton needs to stop boasting about Bethel’s global reach. He should cut this association of like-minded churches loose. Bolz has called Bethel his “mother church.” And Senior Pastor Bill Johnson platformed him long after some of the allegations surfaced, on TBN, in 2023. Bethel owes the larger Body of Christ better information and care for the victims.
However, Vallatton in his sermon also played ignorant about what to do with cases like Bolz’s. Yet he saw something wrong, since he had personally confronted Bolz earlier (probably in 2022). Okay. But Vallatton should have gone further, namely, issuing a strong public statement to warn the entire church. Don’t just keep Bolz’s misconduct secret among the church leaders. This smacks of mega-ministry coverup culture. People are fed up with it.
So Vallatton’s sermon gets an F for his playing dumb, when he knows what to do. He states that he is on an apostolic team at Bethel, but he seems to back away from being an apostle (as he badly defines the term), when being passive and silent is more convenient.
Vallaton does not need to play dumb. Here’s the guiding verse:
But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. (1 Tim. 5:20, NIV)
When that verse is followed, everyone is warned. Always consider the victims first, when they are credible. And Bolz’s victims are credible. Don’t defend or remain silent about predators.
Updated January 25, 2026:
These verses also tell which steps to take if someone is credibly accused.
16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matt. 18:16-17)
Note that v. 17 says to tell it to the church, which means to make Bolz’s sins public to the wider church. Treating him like a pagan or tax collector means to kick him out of the local church or shun him. He has turned himself into an outsider. Bethel failed on those latter two points, especially when Bethel did not warn the entire church.
Update: January 25, 2026: Here is the apology sermon from Kris Vallatton: Bethel Church Service: Bill Johnson and Kris Vallaton.
My opinion: Kris repented (sincerely, I believe), and that’s good, and he asked for help along the way. But he still seems incompetent to lead. He does not know what to do. Maybe it’s time to step away or work part time at the church and live in semi-retirement. But he does not seem willing to do this, so I’m happy he did say he will refocus on the victims.
As to Bill, he repented (sincerely, I believe), and he asked for help along the way. He said he has a new leadership team and will refocus his attention on the victims. So far so good. However, maybe he too should retire or work part-time at the church and live in part-time retirement. But he does not seem willing to do this, so let’s hope his new leadership team can guide these mature men.
So the bottom line: my assessment of their repentance is the same for both: sincere. And they repented in public, which is excellent. Let’s hope for the best and be vigilant over them.
(2) .Civil authorities
Shawn Bolz’s false prophecies and sexual misconduct have devastated many people. It is frustrating that men like him do not get arrested. I cannot expect the ministries linked above to deal with the legal aspects. But this needs to be done.
Sexual harassment is fully actionable in California, where Bolz is headquartered, in Los Angeles County (or he used to be. I now hear he moved to Dallas / Fort Worth). Sexual harassment is fully actionable in Texas, too. Wherever the jurisdiction, I can easily imagine this legal action would be particularly strong due to repeated sexual harassment, with many employees, over time.
Therefore, Mike Winger must encourage the many young men whom Bolz sexually harassed to file a complaint in the local District Attorney’s office. Winger seems to enjoy a lot of prosperity, so maybe he can pay for an attorney to file the initial complaint. Then let the civil authorities take it from there.
Bottom line: we need to see false prophet Bolz sentenced in a court of law and hauled off in handcuffs to prison. (Think of Robert Morris.). This will put the wholesome fear of God in the larger church, particularly the elders / leaders who are sinning.
Updated January 25, 2026: I see by Torn Curtain that Bolz issued a statement that says he is going on sabbatical, implying that in his own time, he will return to ministry. He’s in charge of his own restoration. Sorry, no. This is arrogant. But if he is put on trial and found guilty, then his self-imposed sabbatical will be over. Jail time tends to restrict a man’s plan. This needs to happen.
(3) Conclusion
Bolz is forever disqualified from ministry because his sins are long-standing, manipulative, unrepented of, and deviant. His prophecies have become lies. We can never trust them again. And his letter of a sabbatical to his followers is arrogant and self-serving.
We should never give up on the gifts of the Spirit because of the false practioners. All the gifts in Scripture, particularly the ones in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, are valid for today (1 Cor. 1:7).
Keep up the good work, all you youtube ministries who cover the misconduct in the charismatic church. Now let’s spur the civil authorities to get involved in Bolz’s case.
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