Bethel Church Considers Launching Election Groups, Partners with Activist Laura Hobbs to “Sign Up Poll Workers”
During a documentary film screening last week, the internationally-known Redding megachurch surveyed attendees about their interest in joining elections-related action groups. Laura Hobbs, a community member whose claims of local election fraud were recently thrown out by a judge, was there to “sign up poll workers” according to the Bethel pastor who coordinated the event.
On September 4, attendees of Bethel Church’s Equip class met in the sanctuary of the College View campus, where Community Life Pastor, Kristy Tillman, introduced a screening of conservative radio host Eric Metaxas’ film, Letters to the American Church. Metaxas became well known after the 2020 election as a proponent of the false claim that Biden won the American presidency through fraud.
“Good evening all you Bethel patriots!” said Tillman addressing the audience before the lights dimmed.
Letter to the American Church explores alleged parallels between the Christian church in Germany during the 1930s and the American Church today. According to Metaxas, American Christian currently faces “the emergence of ideas and forces that ultimately are at war with God Himself” coming from “atheistic Marxist ideology” and “radical transgender and pro-abortion ideologies” that are “inescapably anti-God and anti-human.”
Those forces, Metaxas says, include the Black Lives Matter movement, drag queen story hours, COVID restrictions, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Pastor Tillman said Bethel chose to screen the Metaxas film because she and others at the church felt it is an imperative moment for Christians to contemplate their relationship is with the larger societies that they live in.
“Our nation was founded upon a covenant of the God of all nations,” Tillman explained, “and we’ve allowed the culture to kind of suppress and squash, maybe even shame our voice. And in this season, we feel like we really want to come together and have a unified voice and know the things that are important to stand for.”
Bethel is a non-denominational megachurch that’s known both nationally and internationally for its focus on signs and wonders including claims of healing. The Church is one of Shasta County’s largest employers. In 2018, Bethel brought in $60 million in revenue and averaged 10,000 attendees. Three Bethel-connected individuals currently form a majority on the Redding City Council.
In 2020, Bethel’s Senior Associate Leader, Kris Vallotton, falsely prophesied that Trump would win the presidential election. He later apologized. A few months later, Bethel’s Senior Leader, Bill Johnson, claimed that Joe Biden’s election was “100% fraud.” The church is a proponent of a theology known as the Seven Mountains Mandate which says individual believers should partner with God to bring heaven to earth through influence on societal “mountains” including government and the media.
Following the film Tillman welcomed Bethel Deacon Carl Lysgaard up on stage. “Given the opposition we’re up against nationally and worldwide,” he told the audience, “there’s only one fork we can take, and that’s the one that God has put in front of us.”
He and his wife Swan Lysgaard also shared ideas for next steps including helping register people to vote, attending a Bethel civics class and signing up to work at local polling places.
Attendees at the Bethel event were also requested to fill out a paper survey that inquired about their interest in participating in “government-focused intercession”, joining a research group on local and state laws, participating in “action groups” related to “election integrity” and “constitutional protections,” and helping with voter registration on Sunday mornings.
Survey responses, Tillman said, would be used to create an email list to keep people informed and more connected as the next election approaches.
Before the meeting ended Tillman introduced Laura Hobbs, a failed candidate for County Supervisor who unsuccessfully sued the Elections Office for alleged misconduct earlier this year. Hobbs attended the event to connect with audience members about the opportunity to sign up to work at polling stations.
Hobbs also recently posted on social media saying poll workers are urgently needed. The post which was put out by Hobbs’ candidate Facebook page said: “Contact Laura . . . to sign up to be a poll worker.”
Signing up poll workers is the role of Shasta County Elections staff, not activists such as Hobbs, according to Shasta County Registrar of Voters (ROV) Tom Toller. The post on Hobbs’ candidate Facebook page has since been removed.
ROV Toller told Shasta Scout on Friday that while any community member can encourage others to apply to serve as a poll worker, only the Elections Office can vet, train, select and assign poll workers.
“There’s nothing out of the ordinary about community members working to encourage others to be poll workers,” Toller said. “They just certainly can’t promise that to anyone just because they’ve provided their name and contact information,” he explained.
Shasta Scout reached out to Hobbs multiple times for comment for this article but did not hear back. Bethel Church Communications department replied to a request for comment by saying staff did not have availability to answer Shasta Scout’s questions including which member of Bethel’s senior leadership team signed off on the Metaxas event and whether the Church is aware of Hobbs’ unsubstantiated claims of misconduct in the local Elections Office.
Last Wednesday, as attendees filed out of the room, community member Linda Glass handed out red, white and blue papers encouraging attendees to speak at Shasta County Board and Elections Commission meetings and to join the meetings of the “Elections Task Force,” a group which is not connected to any official Elections Office activity.
Community member Benjamin Nowain attended part of that community meeting on Sunday, September 8, and shared a recording with Shasta Scout. The meeting was led by Shasta County Elections Commission member Patty Plumb, who did not mention her official role as a Commissioner while speaking to the group.
Laura Hobbs was also in attendance and provided information to attendees of the “Election Task Force” meeting on how to conduct “canvassing” activities to “ensure our voter rolls are accurate” – something some group members reportedly have already been doing. Hobbs advised community members that it’s a good idea to let people know you’re part of a citizen group to “avoid having them accuse you of impersonating an election official.”
In the fall of 2022, when a group of citizen activists conducted similar “canvassing” activities, some community members reported them to law enforcement. That led former Shasta County Elections Clerk Cathy Darling Allen to issue a public warning about the possibility of “voter intimidation,” something which violates federal law. Shasta Scout has reached out to ROV Toller for comment on the canvassing activities described at the “Elections Task Force” event but has yet to receive a reply.
The handout given out at the Bethel Equip meeting last week also included a link to a “Shasta County Elections Task Force” website which encourages viewers to “expose election fraud in Shasta County.” As previously mentioned, claims of voter fraud in the local elections process have not been substantiated, despite an attempt to do so through the courts earlier this year.
“Our mission in Shasta County,” the “Shasta County Elections Task Force” website reads, “is to make elections fair and transparent, first by getting rid of the machines, then same day voting with paper ballots, paper poll books, voter ID, and hand counting of all ballots at the precincts. Cleaning up voter rolls is a priority. We are a grassroots citizens’ group.”
That mission parallels the stated goals of the current majority of the Shasta Elections Commission, which was put in place by Shasta County’s board majority and has issued several recommendations suggesting the Board institute hand counting across Shasta County. This afternoon, September 9, the Commission will consider issuing a recommendation for one-day voting.
Both recommendations are illegal under current California election law.
Do you have information or a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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Well if Bethel wants to get involved in Government issues then they should LOSS ALL TAX EXEMPTION!!!!
Too bad the Bethel Elders didn’t have a hand in this gathering of naive and illegal pronouncements. Laura Hobbs credibility is out the window since her mega loss in the Shasta County Superior Court case; which cost Shasta County thousands of dollars of our tax money. And this Kristy Tillman and Eric Metaxas…when did they become fully knowledgeable of California Election laws ? Shame on the Bethel hierarchy for letting a group of folks think they can ‘just’ do this.
Folks, THIS is the reason they want to do away with vote-by-mail.
You can’t harass, intimidate, threaten or demean would-be voters if they vote from home, and that is precisely what the MAGA cult wants.
People don’t go to church to be told to vote, how, who what and where! They go because they love a Savior who’s only desire is to love His church, which is His bride! If God really IS IN CONTROL then there shouldn’t have to be all of these extra programs that most people will tire of! If only the focus were on healing the body of Christ, more love, more power, more of Him in our lives!
Mr. and Mrs.Nowain Did come into the Election task force meeting, quietly sit down and he set his phone on the table as if to record. He was told by the leader that it was a private meeting and recording was not allowed. He did not make a move towards his phone. Subsequently, they were Politely asked to leave Which they did, quietly.
Many local people believe that common sense and logic are synonyms for the same idea. Here is what I believe.
“Common sense” is when someone believes in something because “most everyone else believes it” and I feel much better with these people’s ideas.
Logic diagrams show that common doesn’t mean for all or most. Logic is like a camera, without filters, and produces graphic images in circles, and explains the if’s or when’s. Look it up. So, common sense is common sense and logic is logic. Research for yourself and discover why logic is not based on feelings and emotions but mathematically proves what is false and what is true, without the feelings and emotions. So, have no fear.
I am not always logical and that is when I usually feel comfortable believing that there is a God, Creator, or some other unknown, that is in charge of ALL of us. This is also logical as all these words can fit in the same graphic circle. It also makes common sense because so many religions all over the world believe in their language of a similar beginning. We humans can be confusing when we just disagree and argue and take our camera and leave. No questions, no knowns. We all say, “What was that all about?” And, then AI comes along, by some inventors, and it says, “501(c)(3) is in force and you are out of compliance.” We should just “go back” to just talk respectfully with each other knowing we are each in charge of only ourselves..
The handout clearly shows a violation of church and state. The crazy bethel cult members are out of control! While we in the USA, have the freedom of religion, those of us who aren’t cult members, have the freedom FROM their religion! The bethel Jaggernuts on city council, specifically Julie Winters, has already been busted by a Shasta County Judge for illegally selling off taxpayers property to block Win Rivers expansion. Now, the cult members want take control of the Riverwalk and rodeo grounds to sell them to their investors!. The bethel jaggernuts also broke tradition to keep control of city council by bypassing the next in line mayor, and making Cult member Tennesa Audette mayor! Do we, the non cult members really want bethel taking more control of Shasta County? Bethelites have already made Shasta County residents look crazy with their failed attempts to raise that poor dead 2 Year old Bethel members child, Olive, from the county morgue! Wake up people, show bethel cult members they’re NOT as loved as they THINK they are , so start telling them so! BUCK FETHEL is a good motto!
This seems to be a clear violation of the separation of church and state doctrine.
Bethel’s tax exempt status should be challenged.
Bethel’s intention to take over local government is as much of a threat to our democracy as Trump’s inanity!
Thank you Larry! My thoughts as well.
Jane
I have been thinking the same thing. The are stealing from the public by not paying their fair share of the 60 million dollar revenue
Taken from IRS Publication
Tax-Exempt Status
Churches and religious organizations, like many other charitable organizations,
qualify for exemption from federal income tax under IRC Section 501(c)(3) and are
generally eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. To qualify for tax-exempt
status, the organization must meet the following requirements (covered in greater
detail throughout this publication):
n the organization must be organized and operated exclusively for religious,
educational, scientific or other charitable purposes;
n net earnings may not inure to the benefit of any private individual or shareholder;
n no substantial part of its activity may be attempting to influence legislation;
n the organization may not intervene in political campaigns; and
n the organization’s purposes and activities may not be illegal or violate
fundamental public policy.
I agree 1,000% take away Bethel’s tax free status.. they’ve become too political..
Who exactly gave you the divine knowledge that they’ve become “too political”?
Joe…what gives you the divine knowledge that you, or Bethel leaders, can usurp California Election Laws ? Is this what Bethel candidates plan to do when, and if, they get elected in November ?
So When the conservatives form groups to help with elections, it’s wrong? When the left storms the streets, it’s OK!
Apples and oranges!
Thank you!
Except that isn’t what happened. The “Election Task Force” does not appear to be a partisan group at face value. They have no authority to educate anyone on voter registration status. If this was to be a partisan group, why was that not explained in the flyers inviting people to attend? It was not advertised as a private group, and not as a partisan one. So pretending to be non-partisan and then asking people who do not align with their beliefs to leave does not appear to be supporting election integrity. I care about election integrity and I was asked to leave this meeting because of my political beliefs.
Interesting.
SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, two different things.
“help with elections” Yeah, I’ve seen that kind of “help” in other countries. The underlying idea being if enough of the right kind of “help” is involved then their in-group will be victorious in an election. I mean there is no way many people find their ideals detestable, and therefore vote against them, it must be the election system. Better send some “help”. Even better, some “help” with the backing of “God”. That way everyone knows it’s on the up and up.
In what way are they Helping with elections?
Friendly reminder that you can check your voter registration status by going to California’s Secretary of State website, and searching “voter status”.
You can also report churches and charities with tax exempt status to the IRS for engaging in political activity. Just follow the instructions on Form 13909 found on the IRS website. 🙂
thank you, they NEED to be taxed!
Helpful,
You’re such a kind and helpful person picking on people who go to church and reporting them to IRS.
There is a good reason this country has separation of church and state, and Bethel is showing that they are no more of a church than Scientology.
Although I find the beliefs espoused by the Bethel people cited in this story to be abhorrent and untrue, I don’t want to take away their right to express them in a public forum. That’s the difference between them and me. I strongly dislike their ideas but respect their right to hold them. So why are they so fixated on taking away my right to hold my own beliefs?
Karl Poppers paradox of tolerance, eventually tolerance, and their intolerance, leads them to some degree of victory. Historically repeated, rhyming through human societies. They get their way, whether it be subjugation of women, sticking whomever in camps, killing whichever heretics or out group. Until they are defeated by force, rinse and repeat.
“Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. […] We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant.” – Karl Popper
Must draw a line somewhere. Draw it where they openly vocalize desires and plans to interfere with the lives of others? Draw it where they start to assemble and organize the means to do so? (see Project 2025) Draw it where they forcefully implement their plans? Draw it after they have been successful, but the misery has become too much to tolerate?
During the initial stages of vocalizing and planning, the tolerant will defend the intolerants right to do so. It’s just words right, since when do they carry power and lead to action?
“Draw it where they openly vocalize desires and plans to interfere with the lives of others?”
Who exactly gets to determine this? You?
If I convince enough people.
I love your word’s and just have one thing to add; BUCK FETHEL!!
I think most Americans will agree that everyone has an individual right to engage in political activities as long as they are within the law. For example, there should be no violent attempt to overthrow the United States or obstruct or circumvent the right to vote.
If you do some basic research, I think most would agree that Redding’s Bethel Church has a direct relationship with Trump (MAGA).
Perhaps some would argue that MAGA is in direct conflict with the teachings of Christ and might even go so far as to say the 7 Mt. Mandate is an example of “Christofascism Lite.” On the other hand, some would say if you’re not MAGA, you’re a Marxist, in direct violation of Christ, as in “Opiod of the people.” and all. And they might continue that, after all, Christ wants us to be very rich and drive around in Ferraris and such.
Just to be clear, although labeled as such, this writer is far from being a Marxist and, like many “religious” citizens of all faiths, has deeply held “religious” beliefs that are Constitutionally protected. But, in this particular case, I see a rather Cult-like similarity between MAGA and Bethel.
However, perhaps what is really at issue here are Federal and State Tax Codes that “ban political campaign activity by charities and churches created by Congress more than a half-century ago.” That said, “Certain (political) activities or expenditures may not be prohibited depending on the facts and circumstances. For example, certain voter education activities (including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides) conducted non-partisanly do not constitute prohibited political campaign activity.”
And so, with the well-established history of Bethel being very partisan, the solution might be a court case challenging Bethel’s Tax status. That leads us to the question of who would bring such a court case before a judge?
I was there and I am not.