Bethel Survivor tells her story—Will they care? Abuse or affair?

I’ve been thinking about Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn. In one of her Olympic appearances, she chose to compete despite a serious knee injury—a ruptured ACL and related damage. Her determination was widely seen as heroic. But the reality was unavoidable: her body was injured, and pushing forward did not mean she was whole.

Before the charismatic world can simply move on, we need to acknowledge something similar: the Body has a broken leg. 

The revelations that Shawn Bolz was not only fabricating prophecies but was also a sexual predator have once again shaken the charismatic world. And now it has come to light that Bethel restored a “favorite son” after what they determined was merely an affair with his intern. Yet the facts tell a different story: she lived with him, spent extensive time with him, was under his authority, and he functioned as a spiritual father figure. He was restored. She disappeared. 

On Saturday night, I sat down with Rozanne Strydom, a former student at Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry. That same man was assigned as her mentor around the same time that his “affair” was exposed. By all accounts, he used his position as a “prophet” and spiritual authority to groom her toward a more intimate relationship. Her story is powerful, and I hope you’ll take the time to listen.

Addressing these issues is not about shaming the Church. It is about calling the Church to act with integrity so that real healing can begin. The Church should be the safest place of all—most people assume it is when they walk through the doors. But too often, it isn’t. Wolves pretending to be shepherds exploit the flock. 

This is a season in which we can learn, grow, and heal—but only if we are honest about the injury. 

My book, When Shepherds Prey, is about to go back to the editor for a second pass and then on to publishing. Please pray with me that it will have its intended impact—not merely confronting the problem, but helping educate us on how to overcome it. I’m not an expert, which is why the book includes so many voices and quotes. Like many of you, I’m still learning—but I am trying to be proactive. 

God bless you all, and have a great week. 

And please say a prayer for “the intern”—who was not involved in an affair, but was a victim of clergy sexual abuse. I suspect her story may come out sometime this week.