Megachurch Trafficking

In recent years, the rise of megachurches and Christian celebrity culture has reshaped part of the American church, consolidating power, influence, and wealth in ways that leave congregations more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. In these environments, some leaders have strayed from Christ’s purposes, building empires and pursuing personal agendas instead of following Jesus’s teachings, being led by His Spirit, and caring for God’s people. As a result, the pursuit of success, recognition, and financial gain has caused disorder and corruption, undermining the spiritual health of some congregations. Even more disturbing, though less visible, is that where human agendas have replaced Christ’s leadership in these enterprises, something sacred is being stolen. The church’s inheritance is being trafficked for personal gain. This isn’t just failed leadership; it’s a matter of justice.

Though I worked in a megachurch for years, I never considered I could be part of such an oppressive system until one night when God showed me in a dream. In the dream, a missionary approached me and shared how people were being abducted from their new church plant every week. As she spoke, I saw an unmarked van pull up, and a group of masked individuals rush out, swiftly snatching fifteen people from their meeting before speeding off. Later, I learned that one of the traffickers was actually the missionary’s cousin, who wasn’t 'right in the head.' Since Jesus alone is the rightful leader and 'head' of His church, I understood that the dream was revealing a broken leadership structure within part of the church, where human authority had replaced Christ’s leadership. The consequences were devastating: an underground trafficking ring was operating within the church, pulling people away from the Spirit’s leading.

Not long after, I had another dream that revealed more. I heard a voice declare that a great injustice had been committed. Someone had illegally trespassed over a spiritual boundary. When I woke up, I realized the dream was connected to the previous one I had about the traffickers. God was showing me how the rise of megachurch movements in America, and particularly the Bethel Church Movement, had overstepped their bounds, claiming "land" that He had set apart for other parts of His family. In these places, human ambition had overtaken His purposes, blocking opportunities He had allotted for future generations and opposing the work of His Spirit.

In these endeavors, God’s people are being exploited. A focus on corporate leadership, celebrity followings, and worldly success has transformed part of the church into an empire for its leaders, built on the backs of employees, volunteers, and interns. In these systems, people are being taken advantage of for their labor, gifts, and callings, using them for personal gain. God's people aren’t valuable for what they can build, but for who they are to Him. When we lose sight of this truth, the church stops being a place of healing, safety, and growth. Instead, it becomes a system that mirrors human trafficking, trading people for power, influence, and success.

FAMILY BUSINESS

In the Old Testament, Yahweh chose Israel to reveal Himself to the world, giving each of the twelve tribes their own inheritance of land. Though each tribe was unique, none was complete on its own. Every tribe had a vital role in Israel’s identity and purpose. In the same way, God still sets boundaries for His people today. However, under the New Covenant, our inheritance isn’t about geographical land. Instead, we’re part of a spiritual body made up of many members, with Christ as our head and leader (Romans 12:4-5). In Him, our inheritance is eternal and secure, shaped by who we are in Him rather than physical land or possessions. This inheritance includes our salvation, as well as the gifts, calling, and blessings God has given us to share the gospel and invite others into His heavenly kingdom.

"The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance." – Psalm 16:6

When leadership is misaligned, however, churches and ministries can begin to operate more like businesses, prioritizing numbers, financial growth, and influence over their true calling as a family, tending the inheritance we've all received by grace. In these situations, ambitious leaders may overstep their roles, expanding their influence at the expense of others and plundering their inheritance for personal gain. As a result, individuals may be persuaded to abandon their unique callings in order to serve the influential and wealthy, while newer ministries are sometimes neglected in favor of supporting what is already established and well-known. In doing so, the church drifts back into traditions and cultural customs that honor the past, rather than following the leading of the Spirit.

This business mindset can also place pressure on younger generations, creating expectations for them to uphold past legacies instead of encouraging them to step into their own unique callings in Christ. Some might feel obligated to carry out the personal visions of others rather than being led by the Spirit. This often results in inheriting burdens like debt and mortgages, which trap them in a system instead of freeing them to build what God has called them to. As a result, the church risks alienating future generations by stifling their ability to follow God’s direction and share the gospel in a way that is uniquely theirs.

Another consequence of this system is the rise of favoritism and nepotism, where leadership roles are given based on personal relationships rather than calling, gifting, or the Spirit’s guidance. This creates a power structure within the church that undermines Christ’s authority. Jesus alone is the head of the church, sustaining His people and calling each of us to play our part under His leadership and direction (1 Peter 2:5). When the church values personal connections and networking over God’s calling, it shifts from being a spiritual family to an institution focused on maintaining power and control. This misalignment breeds false authority, trapping people in rigid hierarchies instead of empowering them to step into their God-given callings.

In America, we must repent for conforming to a business model that measures success by followers, dollars, and influence. This mindset has led us to create organizations that prioritize celebrities and CEOs instead of being a family that nurtures and values the unique contributions of each member. The church was never meant to be led by a small group of famous or self-appointed leaders. Instead, it is a united body led by Jesus, with each member empowered by His Spirit to fulfill their unique purpose in Him. We are called to encourage one another, supporting each person in walking out the calling God has placed on their life.

Today, God still sets clear boundaries for His people to represent Him in the world. When we step outside these boundaries, we build something with our our own strength rather than by His Spirit. Right now, God is speaking to the American church through Ezekiel 34:20-22, warning of the consequences of straying from His leadership and purposes.

Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.

Where human ambition has taken over, we must repent for exploiting God’s people. If we refuse, God will allow trials and hardships to realign us with His true purposes for the church.

What God intends to do in the American church in the future must be planted today, requiring the right soil and resources to grow. Yet, many are still being held back and exploited instead of being released to plant and build. If large movements continue prioritizing personal legacies and empires over yielding to God’s Spirit, they risk making the same mistake as Hezekiah. When God extended his life by fifteen years, he was so consumed with success and comfort that he neglected Israel’s future. His short-sightedness and disobedience ultimately led to the nation’s downfall. In the same way, if we don’t shift our focus and follow God’s Spirit, we risk building empires and campuses that leave behind a worldly legacy, but lack a true spiritual foundation in Christ, leaving nothing of lasting value for future generations.

FAULTY CEILING

Several years ago, I had a dream that God prepared a special door for me. In the dream, I saw the pins being removed from a door's hinges and replaced with the nails from Jesus's cross. It was a powerful reminder of Isaiah 22:22, about Jesus having the authority to open and close doors according to His will. That dream was on my heart when I received an offer to start working as an executive assistant at Bethel Church in Redding, CA. To me, it felt less like a job and more like a calling, even though I didn't fully grasp its significance at the time.

Therefore, when my offer email arrived without listing my pay rate, I accepted it anyway, fully trusting that God was leading me in this direction. However, when I discovered that my hourly wage was similar to what I made as a waiter in high school, my heart sank. It was barely enough to provide for my family, but I still believed God was behind this very narrow door.

In the beginning, the work was straightforward and easy. I managed phone calls and emails for the senior administrator, one of the kindest people I’ve worked for. Being new to the environment, I kept a low profile, spending much of my time observing. My desk was right in the heart of the senior leadership team, giving me a front-row seat to the inner workings of the church. It was a unique experience, especially watching visitors pass through the office.

One day, Randy Clark’s ministry team was in town for a conference and ministered to the office support staff. When it was my turn to receive prayer, someone spoke James 1:2 over me with a sympathetic smile. Though I didn’t fully grasp its significance then, that verse became a defining word for my time at Bethel.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Over the next six months, my role evolved significantly. What began as filtering emails and phone calls soon expanded into project management, coordination, and budgeting for Bethel's new campus expansion. As the scope of my responsibilities grew, I found myself enjoying the work more, especially as it allowed me to lead, collaborate with contractors, and build teams.

When it came time to formalize my new role, I requested a compensation analysis from Human Resources. Bethel only had a handful of job titles, and the responsibilities for a project manager in one department could differ vastly from those in another. The same was true for assistants. Some handled event planning and budget reports, while others took on personal errands like washing the church leaders' cars and picking up dry cleaning. Since my position was newly created, there wasn’t an internal benchmark to compare it to.

When the report came back, Bethel offered me a wage that was 39 percent lower than the county’s mean salary for the exact same position and responsibilities. I was deeply grieved, especially considering that this was the same organization funding new ministries and privately paying for public city projects while knowingly underpaying its employees. Unlike when I first accepted my job offer without any mention of pay, I couldn’t stay silent this time. Over the past few months, I’d been having recurring dreams about reallocating resources in a way that could lift employees out of the 'poverty range,' one of which was an organization-wide pay analysis.

With that in mind, I wrote a letter to my manager and the Director of Human Resources expressing my concern about the pay gap compared to the rest of the county. I also shared the dream I had. The response was revealing. I learned that some leaders in the organization believed employees should pay a price to be part of what God was doing at the church. Since the current generation of leaders had all made sacrifices, they expected future leaders to do the same. I wanted to believe they had good intentions, but it was strange given that the church often taught that one generation’s ceiling was the next generation’s floor. Instead, they were intentionally placing future leaders through the same struggles that the previous generation had endured, which in this case was financial hardship. This was just one example of hypocrisy that kept me up at night during those painful years.

At first, my letter was frowned upon. I had come across as ungrateful and possibly arrogant. For a time, it made me question the dreams God had given me and whether I had shared them at the right time. Maybe I could have done or said some things differently, but my conviction was firm and pure. Eventually, my letter was reconsidered, and once everything settled, my offer was adjusted. It was still well below the county average, but my pay was increased some, and I was led to believe that my suggestions would be considered for the rest of the staff.

DESERT MIRACLES

As I continued in my role, I sensed a growing disconnect between my experiences at Bethel and the teachings it promoted. For example, during staff meetings, it was common for people to share testimonies about what God was doing in their lives. Still, I cringed when I heard employees joyfully share how their cars had broken down, but God miraculously provided the money for repairs or even restarted the engine to get them to work. While these were certainly good things, I couldn’t shake the feeling that these weren’t the types of miracles God wanted to perform there. They felt more like desert miracles, or manna in the wilderness, rather than the transformative power Jesus spoke of in the new covenant. These were just issues that could have been avoided with responsible resource management and fair compensation.

When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they had to learn to steward resources differently than when they were in the wilderness. Instead of relying on manna every day, they were called to take responsibility for planting crops and building homes. God’s supernatural provision in the wilderness wasn’t meant to last forever. In the Promised Land, they were instructed to work the land, plant, and build for themselves. Similarly, I found myself working in a multi-million-dollar ministry, yet its employees were still praying for basic needs like rent money and car repairs because they couldn't afford them with their ministry pay. The church’s leaders were more focused on launching new businesses, ministries, and city relations than on taking care of the very people who had worked to build their ministries and platforms. To me, it felt like the church was stuck in an Old Testament mentality, waiting for miracles instead of holding the leaders accountable and embracing stewardship and responsible community.

The issue with pay was an easier injustice to identify because I could immediately feel its impact on me and my family. What I didn’t discern until later, after nearly accepting a position at another ministry school in the Bay Area, was that my calling was at risk of being spiritually trafficked. In this situation, the Holy Spirit warned me that if I stayed in the role, I’d be helping build the ministries and projects of another leader who wanted to implement their own ideas and agendas in the church, rather than contributing to a genuine move of God. This realization was just as, if not more, distressing than watching devoted employees endure leadership-induced poverty.

DROP THE AX

Toward the end of my time at Bethel Church, I had a dream where a woman approached me and anointed my neck with oil, sternly telling me to “drop the ax.” When I looked down, I saw my hand clenched into a fist. Though I couldn’t physically see an ax, I could distinctly feel it in my grasp. I realized the 'ax' ws spiritual, representing the message I received from the Lord in my dream warning about the misuse of authority. While I didn’t fully understand the interpretation at the time, I felt compelled to email the message to the senior leadership team before resigning from my role at Bethel. It felt like my final significant act as an employee there.

In some places, the Bride of Christ has been tasked with making the church bigger, prettier, shinier, and more appealing to the world. However, this approach doesn't reflect Jesus's heart or His teachings. Instead, it serves the personal agendas of church leaders who have brought their own ambitions into the church, sometimes at the expense of the very people they are meant to serve. These leaders, perhaps unknowingly, exploit the talents, gifts, and experience of those they lead to build their own ministries, businesses, and platforms. Despite God's warnings, many continue down this path, building their own kingdoms instead of faithfully sharing Jesus's teachings and caring for those they are called to serve.

This cycle continues when Jesus's bride is addicted to the influence, ministry, and affection of her leaders. In such cases, she will serve them unflinchingly and adoringly, often at great personal cost. Meanwhile, the very work Jesus desires to do through His people remains dormant and untouched because they have unknowingly become enslaved to human leadership. Part of the American church has invested a great deal of time and resources into building the vision of church CEOs, rather than equipping and commissioning believers to fulfill what God has uniquely placed within their hearts. In the end, instead of building God’s kingdom, they build someone else’s.

God allowed me to directly witness and experience this injustice within the Bethel Church movement while also revealing His heart to me about it. At the same time, I was exposed to the addiction of man-serving, which tripped me up for a time. God had to shake me hard so I could sober up and write down what He showed me.