#wakeupolive

Many Christians know only of Bethel as a kind of worship powerhouse - my own boyfriend included. As a lil bit of background, he's heavily involved in sound and production. That's been his passion since he was a young teenager, that's what he has a degree in, that's what he does for his work. He enjoys live music, putting on a production and mixing live sounds, solving those problems that always seem to occur when putting on a show. He's also very involved in church. That's where he got his first real experience of sound engineering. He's also interested in using his production skills in a church setting and putting on he kind of spectacular shows that Bethel is famed for.

I myself have problems with worship as a performance, and so when he mentioned Bethel by name, I was concerned. I have no problems with him working for a church in any capacity, but I do have strong negative feeling with the capitalisation of God and of worship. So I did a some digging regarding Bethel, and the way their church operates.

I found this article by BuzzFeed news (I know, I know). It gives a greater history of the church and their delusional belief in the supernatural at the expense of everything else.

Is 2-year-old Olive Heiligenthal from Bethel “Church “RIP? (Podcast Eps. 10):

Tragically a week ago two-year-old Olive Heiligenthal from Bethel “Church” in Redding California unexpectedly died. But as you know, the Bethel Church movement is full of egregious false teachings and heresies. Therefore it does not surprise me that their pastor called their “church,” as well as the church universally, to pray that God would raise Olive from the dead, even days later as her body lay in repose at the Coroner’s office.

But that’s not what this Podcast is about.

My Podcast is in response to how many other professing Christians are responding to this tragedy on the internet. Lots of emotionalism, false teachings, as even some alleged “reformed” brethren are declaring Olive as “RIP.” As one person asked me, “Do you believe Olive is RIP?” Hence, my response via this Podcast.  

In regards to my confession of faith that I read from, you may view that here http://www.1689.com/confession.html

The sweet little girl who died is named Olive. She is the daughter of two major leaders involved with Bethel Music. The fog of confusion only intensified when Kari Jobe and other mainstream radio artists began to claim that their “Jesus” guaranteed that the dead would be raised, and others commanded God to do what Jesus’ death paid for. Namely, that He produce “guaranteed” signs and wonders, and in this case, a resurrected little girl.

This theological viewpoint on raising the dead stems from their belief that when Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…” (John 11:25), that He meant we could raise someone from the dead “in Jesus’ name,” under the guarantee that Jesus said He was “the resurrection.” Unfortunately, those who hold this view have been poorly taught and severely misguided; missing the eternal resurrection that Jesus was referring to. All of this only multiples the heart-breaking reality surrounding this situation.

In the end, our concern is for the hearts of people involved, and the wave of confusion this sort of misguided effort causes. Scripture is clear about our supernatural God! I personally believe that we should pray for miracles, but this sort of circus is not how the scene looked surrounding the tomb of Lazarus or how God has called us to pray for the miraculous to occur. Most of all, if someone claims to wield supernatural gifts (as the leaders of Bethel do), then why not simple go the morgue and command her to raise from the dead? Further, why not do that for the other dead people in the morgue?

Wake up Olive girl.

Still crying. Still praying. Still believing.

Call it crazy faith? Yeah — cause that’s what I’ve got.

This little girl’s parents have been encouraging my faith as they worship and cry out believing that God would breathe life into Olive’s body.

If you see this post, would you please say a prayer for Olive and her family? Whether you have big faith, little faith, or none at all, do it.