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Bethel’s ‘malicious’ legal bullying of Mike Winger?

By churchwatcher on March 5, 2025

Mike Winger took to X to expose what he claims as ‘malicious’ behaviour of Bethel Church:

I woke up today with a sudden, new copyright claim on my video from 2018, a video called “Bill Johnson’s Theology and Movement Examined Biblically”. I honestly think this copyright claim is malicious.

Here’s why. Bethel leadership knows that I am investigating them right now. I even sent them a message the other day (which they confirmed receipt of) asking if I could speak to Kris Vallotton or someone else in leadership, to talk about the problems within Bethel’s culture that seem to raise up abusers and don’t bring proper justice when victims come forward. I’ll post screenshots of that message here.

I have reason to believe that Bethel leadership is doing some amount of damage control right now, privately telling people they are learning from their mistakes and making big changes to increase accountability. However, their public actions are consistent with minimization and lack of accountability. For those who know about it, their recent announcement about Shawn Bolz seemed calculated to protect Bethel, not to deal justly, and it was offensive to the victims and even many BSSM alumni.

And now there is a sudden attempt to copyright claim my 7 year old video though they still refuse to speak to me. I’ve learned from Joel Osteen doing this to me, that a copyright claim can easily be used to silence a video.

My official response to Bethel is:
“No.”

I intend to fight this copyright claim and continue to join my voice with those who have been trying to shine a spotlight on these issues in the charismatic world. Though I am not opposed to the gifts, just their abuse, toxic elitism, bullying, manmade visions, false ministers/prophets, fake healings, fake miracles, spiritual pride, and more. The issue is multigenerational and far bigger than I ever realized before. I’ll be sharing my research in coming videos but it will take time to do this.

Source: Mike Winger (@mikewingerii), X, https://x.com/MikeWingerii/status/1896961904939302958, Posted March 05, 2025. (Accessed March 05, 2025.)

This is the letter Mike Winger publicly made available:

I’m Mike Winger. I’m preparing to make a video addressing the situation with Shawn Bolz and would appreciate a conversation with someone in leadership at Bethel before I do this. Preferably Bill, Kris, or Danny Silk.

I’d like to better understand Bethel’s process with Shawn and why they didn’t warn their congregation about him and make a public statement that his prophetic words were in legitimate question. I have spoken to multiple witnesses and done a good bit of research on this already. I hope this message can reach Kris. Kris, I know you don’t think much of me and from our brief interaction on X years ago I can guess that you still view my ministry as ungodly.

All that aside, I am reaching out because I know you did try to confront Shawn and I suspect that you personally wanted to do more than you did in response to allegations. I’m not interested in telling a juicy story but in bringing a proper correction and spotlight to a complex issue within the charismatic church. There’s a reason that so many predators and fake prophets have been in your circle. Bob Jones, Mike Bickle, Paul Cain, Bob Hartley, Shawn Bolz, TD Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn. It’s not a fluke, it’s a pattern. And correction simply will not come from within your leadership team. They have habits and a culture which protects abusers and cripples those within your team from exposing them as Scripture demands. Will you speak with me? I’d rather make this video with more info so I rather make this video with more info so I can rightly represent things. And if my current view is so far off as to be utterly erroneous and I have wrongly concluded that their is a culture at Bethel that enables fake prophets and cuts off justice when abusive leaders should be exposed, then I will not make this video and will be happy to defend you all in this regard. I’m being completely transparent with you here and I’m open to hearing where I may be wrong. Currently I believe that the same cultural problems you have at Bethel are present in Charismatic churches all over, and have been for decades. My video is meant to help change that culture for the glory of God.

Source: https://x.com/MikeWingerii/status/1896961904939302958/photo/2