It's that time of the year again, the Bethel School of the False Prophets is upon us...

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An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? - Jeremiah 5:30-31 (ESV)

Purveyors of my ministry are well aware that Bethel Church is one of the most heretical churches today and a literal cesspool of false theology. Most false churches center around one or two theologies, but Bethel is very non-discriminatory. If it is false, they probably embrace it. False signs and lying wonders, experiential Christianity, prosperity, word-faith, NAR, dominionism, gemstones, gold dust, angel feathers, glory clouds, mandatory healing on demand, grave sucking and dead-raising are just a few of the lowlights. Bill Johnson is the lead pastor, and his preaching is random mystical rabbit holes and blurbs meant to sound deep but are just usually absurd. Shawn Bolz is their resident false prophet dude who openly uses a smart phone to pretend he is getting prophetic words or words of knowledge from God. Perhaps the sleaziest part of the unholy Bethel triumvirate is Kris Vallotton, who is the church pimp. His job is to hock the wares and drive up revenue not only for Bethel but obviously for himself. He co-founded and leads the silly Bethel School for the Supernatural, where they admit they are trying to teach you the gifts of the spirit despite the bible stating only God metes those out as He sees fit.

A more recent offshoot of the supernatural school silliness is the "School of the Prophets (SOP)," which is not a school and has nothing to do with real prophecy. What it is, however, is a week in August where Vallotton and his false prophet gaggle at Bethel put on a dog and pony show for those stupid enough to pay the $425 "tuition" for a week worth of bogus classes. Oh and "activation," whatever the heck that unbiblical nugget is supposed to be. That may not sound like a lot but in 2019 the general school of the supernatural boasted over 2400 students worldwide and that number has probably only grown over the past four years. If we just go by the 2019 numbers to project attendance, this week of heretical training would net Kris and Bethel over one million dollars. As usual, Kris has been hard selling this to his email list, of which I am an interested listee. I will be going over the claims made in just three of the emails I received. The first came in March, the second is from July, and the last is from this week in August, one week before the fake school begins. Let's start however with the introductory blurb from Vallotton on the website where you can register. Let us reason once more beloved.

"The School of the Prophets has deep roots in biblical history. In the Old Testament, the prophet Samuel started a school for the purpose of training young prophets. Elisha succeeded Samuel as the head of the school. At the School of the Prophets this August, we hope to continue this Biblical legacy, and to help connect and develop prophetic people, prophets, and prophetesses who can effectively work with five-fold leadership teams to see the history of their cities rewritten! God is calling His prophets and leaders to recognize this epoch season and like John the Baptist, courageously prepare the prophetic path for cultural change"shake the realm of passivity, speak to the mountain of fear, and break the silent status quo. Your decision to rise up will positively influence the course of history. Will you answer the call?" - Kris Vallotton

It is true that the concept of a school of prophets is biblical. Samuel, Elijah and Elisha were all involved at different points. These people were probably among those who had not bowed the knee to Baal worship so to compare them to yourself, when you attend Bethel, is comical at best. This scam does not continue this biblical legacy. I do not recall the bible telling me that Samuel charged $425 per enrollee. The school did not last a week. There is also nothing in these texts that refer to the "fivefold ministry" teachings of the modern apostate church. You are not like John the Baptist. He was sent by God, and you will sent by Kris Vallotton. Actually, you probably won't be sent anywhere. Not once your check is cashed. This is the play Kris always makes. You are so important that you can positively influence the course of history if you just pony up the dough to him. Beloved, prophecy is a gift that the Holy Spirit gives, not Bethel. God calls, not Kris Vallotton. Moving on, we will first look at the early email push from March of this year, five months before the "school" begins.

"Not all supernatural experiences or practices hail from the kingdom of darkness. In fact, the truth is that many spiritual encounters or expressions that are demonstrated in darkness are often a perversion of something created by God! I'm concerned that in an effort to not be deceived, some Christians take things that are spiritually powerful or supernatural and assign them to the New Age movement by default! Consequently, what's left is a passive, paralyzed, and powerless Church." - Kris Vallotton

Let me start by saying there is actually no push in this email for the SOP in August, probably because it was still to far in the future. The purpose however becomes clearer when we start to receive the solicitous emails. These are grooming emails designed to pique the interest of his email readers and prepare them for the grift. Now, the reason why the church is powerless spiritually is because of false prophets like Kris Vallotton and because of the teachings he supports at Bethel. The bible says false doctrine is what divides the church. It is the fuel for the great apostasy we see today. Some schemes have ulterior and insidious motives but this one is pure greed. Let's just deal with the obvious disconnect. The nature of this scam invites everyone to sign up. It does not matter if they ever had the gift and it doesn't matter if they are "called." It just mattered if they were duped and had the cash.

I've found that often Believers pick and choose which bucket they delineate a spiritual experience to be in based on fear or misunderstanding of how Jesus wants us to operate in the gifts of His Spirit today. For example, when some people read the words of Jesus like these, "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect," (Matthew 24:24), they are convinced that Jesus said, "In the last days ALL the prophets will be false." Most of the heresy hunters don't believe there are prophets in the last days, so they deem all signs and wonders as false! - Kris Vallotton

So, he plays two of his favorite cards early here. The first is playing to the ego of people by calling them cowards if they are discerning. The second is the old Paul Crouch/TBN charge of people who are heresy hunters, as if this is disparaging. Paul was a heresy hunter. Peter was a heresy hunter. Jesus was a heresy hunter. The bible demands that we be heresy hunters. Do you know who doesn't like heresy hunters? Heretics. It is true that all end time prophets are not false but the ones who are making merchandise of the gospel to try and church out a million bucks? Yeah, they are.

Of course, there are false prophets, false signs, and wonders, demonic trances, demonic tongues, etc., but the devil most often counterfeits things that are valuable! Nobody ever counterfeited a penny or a dollar bill; it's just too much work for very little impact. I'd propose that the devil has a great strategy to disarm the church - that is to convince her that the weapons of warfare, the very tools she has been given to win the battle against evil, are from the prince of darkness himself. - Kris Vallotton

Another common tool Vallotton relies on is to try and sound reasonable to make his accusers seem unreasonable. The notion however that the devil only counterfeits what is valuable is biblically moronic. The issue is not that the devil counterfeits these things but that the things themselves are demonic. Trances, false signs and wonders and misappropriated spiritual gifts are demonic all by themselves. Satan does not need to counterfeit what is already false. The church is disarmed because false churches preach false gospels. A church that does not preach the gospel, like let's say Bethel, does not have the Holy Spirit to begin with. Try focusing on the gift-giver instead of the gifts themselves. Leave that to the Lord.

What I'm getting at is that you can't separate the gospel from the power of God! Paul put it like this, "In the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:19)

He brings this point home in 1 Corinthians 4:20, "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power." If we teach that there are no longer gifts of the Spirit - that prophecy, healing, and deliverance are not for today - and that all spiritual experiences and/or supernatural encounters have passed, is this not reducing the gospel? Isn't it just as dangerous to remove the power of God from the people of God as it is to be deceived? In fact, isn't this, in itself, partnering with deception?- Kris Vallotton

The gospel IS the power of God Kris! You are the one separating these things. The signs and wonders Paul speaks about were not gold dust and glory clouds! Salvation is a supernatural act of God! It is the ultimate sign and wonder! The referenced verse speaks about power and Vallotton automatically correlates it to his notion of spiritual power but this is so far beyond that. It is not about mere words of man but about the words of God. That is the power. Listen, the theological position of cessationism is unbiblical but so is the opposite extreme of false signs and lying wonders. Let us switch now to the July email:

"In today's world, the Church at large has diminished and disregarded the role of prophets and prophetic ministry outside the four walls of the church. It can leave you wondering "Where did all the prophets go?" and questioning the significance of prophetic ministry. It is common in prophetic culture today, for prophets to simply make powerful prophetic proclamations from the podium. But, I'd propose that we have diluted prophetic ministry in the 21st century " the role of a prophet is so much more than making forth-telling statements. We see in the Bible that rarely were prophets confined to church settings or congregations but rather lived outside of the four walls shifting culture and shaping history." - Kris Vallotton

Really? Because I can't walk a block without tripping over one. There is a billion on social media. There are plenty who run their own grifts and scams online like Jennifer LeClaire or James Goll. The reason the real prophets of the Old Testament were not confined to the church building is there were no church buildings! Israel was usually spread out or in many cases in captivity. Notice that Kris does not dismiss the modern prophetic culture of forthtelling, which is a sanitized way of saying soothsaying or fortune telling. He affirms this notion but just thinks they should be doing other heretical things as well. Beloved, the final revealed will of God has been given to us. It is called the bible. If you want a prophetic word, read it. If you want an audible word from God, read it out loud. God did not "forget" something that He now wishes to reveal to us through Kris "Poverty Spirit" Vallotton. Please. For the record, Old Testament prophets did not shift culture or shape history. Most were marginalized and not listened to. Many were killed. Kris only makes this point to continue to play to the readers' vanity. You too can shift culture! Yeah, no, you can't. Especially not by attending a week's worth of trash like this.

"I'd like to point out that in the days of the prophet Elijah, there arose a company of men who were called the "sons of the prophets" (Kings 20:35). These men traveled throughout the world ravaging the powers of darkness and wreaking havoc on evil kingdoms. They had no tolerance for the destructive behavior of wicked kings but rather turned many to righteousness. They raised the dead, healed the sick, parted rivers, destroyed false prophets, and saw revival spread throughout their land. They were feared by many and respected by all. They walked in great purity, and God was their friend. They were cultural catalysts, not just prophets behind a pulpit.

Consider the life of Joseph " he influenced the king of his day, by not just interpreting his dream, but by providing solutions and strategies for the seven prosperous years and seven lean years the nations would face (Genesis 41)." - Kris Vallotton

You too can be feared and respected! You too can be a cultural catalyst! But wait! There's more! Have you ever wanted to raise the dead? Part the rivers? See revival spread across the lands! This all can be yours if the price is right. Oh, and the price is just a measly $425 for the week of "activation!" This is beyond an oversell. It is true that GOD, remember Him, sent some prophets to deal with unfaithful kings but this was all contained within Israel/Judah. Jonah was sent to Nineveh, and they did repent, but only for a while. Then they were destroyed by God as promised. Prophets were not these glorious positions as Kris outlines them to be. This is marketing by creating an image that the buyer would want but that image does not align with reality and by the way, none of it matters because Kris Vallotton is a false prophet selling a false training. So, you will not be pillaging evil kingdoms and the only havoc will be wreaked will be on your bank account.

"I recently sat down for a conversation with Lindsey Reiman, Director of Prophetic Ministry at Bethel Church and School of the Prophets Instructor. Lindsey has ministered prophetically in multiple metrons and spheres of authority. In our discussion, she brilliantly explained how to navigate stepping into your unique sphere of influence as a prophet. She stated, "Language is a gateway to trust. We must be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Can you imagine the impact it would have on the world if prophets stepped outside of the four walls of the Church and into the unique sphere they are called to? What would it look like to pull down Heaven's strategy and become kingdom solution leaders in society? If you desire to refine your gifting, grow in confidence to prophetically spearhead the way of cultural change, and be empowered to influence the unique sphere you are called to, I want to invite you to the School of the Prophets on August 7-11, 2023. You can register for both in-person, in Redding Ca or online here. It is time to break the silence, stand boldly in the dark places, and resound truth across the nations. God is calling His prophets to courageously prepare the prophetic path of divine providence. In this one-week intensive training school, you will gain an understanding of the prophetic gifting, the office of a prophet, and how to operate effectively in your unique prophetic calling. I hope to see you there!" - Kris Vallotton

The savvy grifter saves the pitch for the end after you have whetted the appetite and piqued the interest. So, we come to it here. Of course, it gives no specifics here because they want you to click the link. Wow, he sat down with someone who will be an instructor at the grift? Is this supposed to be impressive? This "pulling down heaven" theology is a core heresy of Bill Johnson and Bethel. It is not our job to pull heaven down to earth but to save people out of the earth for heaven. Kris Vallotton is not interested in anyone's salvation. He interested in their money. What if you do not have a prophetic calling? Well, you will have paid $425 to find out I guess but more than likely, Kris will assure you that you are a prophet. You can then open your own YouTube channel and Facebook page. You can do appearances at seedy hotels until maybe you hit it big enough to start your own website and maybe come under the "covering" of a better grifter-prophet than you are, and you can pay him to loan you fake credibility. Then you will be on your way to LeClaire status where you to can command angels and write meaningless books until you stand before Christ to give account for the blood on your hands. Let us now conclude with the email from this week:

"Are you still hoping to join us at School of the Prophets 2023 next week? I have good news! The doors are open for 3 more days. Now, I know you might think it's a lot of effort to figure out travel plans in just 3 days as well as taking off a week from work or other responsibilities with such short notice. Well, the School of the Prophets online experience is incredible and nothing short of the in-person experience. This option provides exclusive events and opportunities to connect daily with School of the Prophets instructors and students from all over the world.

Additionally, if you are needing an experience that is more accommodating to your schedule the online School of the Prophets allows you to watch the live portions of the conference on demand.

This year's School of the Prophets, happening August 7-11 will not just equip and advance you in your unique prophetic calling but will infuse you with a fresh "now" word of God, to be deployed like John the Baptist to prophetically prepare the way as His prophets and prophetic people in this unique epoch moment in history. The season has shifted - God is doing a new thing and there is an invitation for His prophets to rise to the occasion, to break the silence, and courageously and confidently stand in their prophetic calling." - Kris Vallotton

The final email is very targeted because the grift just needs a push. It doesn't need a full letter. Instead, it is presented as if time is running out! Only three days left to get your activation! What is loathsome here is the notion that there is a fresh "now" word, you know, as opposed to that crusty old bible those religious spirits keep insisting on! Beloved, the word of God is always fresh! The insights we can glean are always fresh! And we do not have to pay $425 for that fresh word! This is a scam, run by a seasoned grifter who is making merchandise of the gospel by exploiting the churched. Kris Vallotton's very testimony from his fake school of the prophets is that Jesus Christ performed a waking visitation on him when he was in the bathtub. In this demonic visitation, because it couldn't have been Jesus, he was told he would be a prophet to the nations and speak to kings. If you buy that I want to tell you about my super-duper gold platinum prophesy that I only release to 100 people for $1000 dollars. Call 1-800-Don't Be A Sucker. All kidding aside, save yourself $425 dollars and let me give you the best prophetic word you can get today. Kris Vallotton is a huckster and charlatan. No charge. That word as always was free.

If you were considering this scam however, you need to find a real bible preaching church so you can hear the real gospel and hopefully repent. The key verse is from a real prophet, Jeremiah, and laments that the people love to lap up false prophets like Vallotton. The prophets prophesy falsely across the land but what will you do when the end comes? Do not be like so many standing before Christ saying "Lord Lord, didn't we attend the school of the prophets and get activated in your name?" It will be too late then to realize what you had been following. I would say mark and avoid but hopefully we all have been doing so already.

Reverend Anthony Wade - August 4, 2023

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.