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Bethel Church is a Christian religious organization based in Mansfield Woodhouse, England once headed by John Hibbert and Jean Spademan. Spademan, known as "Syro" to church members, claimed to have the "gift of prophecy"; her words were infallible and believed to be directly from God. Jean Spademan died in England in 2007. It is unclear who has taken over the role of "prophet" of this controversial group.
Bethel is currently headed by John Hibbert, Stephen Jeffs, and Spademan’s grandson, Christopher Jenkinson.
There are dozens of churches around the world known as Bethel churches. They are known for their emphasis on faith healing.
Distinctive Teachings
Murmuring
Murmuring is to air some sort of grievance with another person, either within the church or even worse, outside. The grievance itself could be something very minor, or some resentment about treatment by the ministry. It supposedly has the effect of poisoning the heart of the other person, which if they are an outsider is particularly bad since it could stumble them and thus prevent them receiving salvation. It is often preached against, and held up as one of the reasons the church does not reach its potential in the world. From a control point of view, those leaving the church have often eventually seen this teaching as a control mechanism. This alone is one of the main reasons many in the church do not see the depth of control being used. Those disciplined behind the scenes in harsh ways are often reluctant do discuss what has happened to them, seeing it as murmuring to do so.
God's Perfect/Permissive Will
This is an important teaching in the church. Basically, God has a perfect will for a Christian's life. The Devil constantly tries to hamper that plan. Each time a Christian commits sin, the Devil has an automatic right to contest God's will for that person's life. God is absolutely just, so the Devil gets what he's after. This is where God's permissive will comes in. God will turn the mistake around to something good in the end, but the result will never be as good as God's original plan for that person's life. The same happens in the church as a whole. Each time a church member commits some sin, the Devil gains entrance into the church and is able to hamper what God wanted the church to do. The result is that the congregation will frequently be 'blasted' in a message from the platform. They will be told God wants to work miracles within the church, but he cannot until sin is removed. Murmuring (see above) will often be mentioned here, and held up as one of the reasons God cannot do what he wishes to do.
King's Chapel
A sister church, originally known as King's Chapel, is located in Norwich, Connecticut, in the United States. King's Chapel, led by Sam J. Wibberley, under the guidance of John Hibbert and Jean Spademan, is a controversial organization that incites strong reactions from those affected by the church and those who are participants. While anyone is free to leave the church, many ex-members describe practices rampant with mental abuse, charlatanry, and dominance. Detractors claim that those who leave the church spread lies out of revenge or misguidance. Parishioners are discouraged from speaking to those who have left, so as not to catch a spirit of doubt. To doubt is a major sin, obedience is a must. The church in Norwich has changed its name to the Peniel Church.
Further reading
Bethel Interdenominational Church - Religious cults and sects, doctrines and practices