Opinion: Susanne Maynes.
I’ve never attended Bethel Church or their school of ministry, and I’ve only listened to a handful of sermons by Bill Johnson. However, as a lifelong Pentecostal/charismatic, I’m aware that Bethel’s influence has saturated charismatic culture for decades.
One concept Bethel promotes is creating and maintaining a “culture of honor.” This sounds like a beautiful and biblical idea, since human beings should honor one another as image bearers of God — but what does it really mean?
In Bethel’s view, current forms of church leadership should be discarded, and five-fold ministers (based on Ephesians 4:11) should be placed in charge. While the notion of five-fold ministry is a theologically complex issue, suffice it to say this reconsideration of leadership structure offers an alternative to top-heavy, authoritarian, pastor-led churches.
Keeping in mind the gamut of views on what five-fold ministry should look like, one supposed benefit of implementing this type of leadership is that it puts people in power in a position to empower those around them, thus making it possible for God’s kingdom to come and his will to be done.
The blurb on the back of Culture of Honor by Danny Silk makes exactly this claim, and quotes Matthew 20:25-26 in that context:
“But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.’”
Yet note that Jesus doesn’t say we should seek positions of honor in order to empower others. He explicitly says we are not to exercise authority over others — we are to serve them.
The question must be asked: How has honor culture worked out in real time?
Culture of Honor was written in 2013. At the time, its premise resonated with many charismatics, feeling like a breath of fresh air in its attempt to contrast the culture of shame that is present in certain swaths of the church. It tapped into something real.
Sadly, the concept didn’t age well.
Despite the appeal of honor culture (and many people’s genuinely positive experience of feeling honored and loved at Bethel), evidence now reveals its significant flaws.
Recently, Bethel leaders offered an apology for failing to protect and prioritize victims of abuse in the case of Shawn Bolz. Since then, another abuse survivor has stepped forward, this time with regard to Bethel’s prophetic ministry overseer Ben Armstrong.
If we pan out to look at the charismatic church in general, one celebrity leader after another is tumbling off their pedestal as more and more abuse victims speak out. (Of course, this issue is not limited to charismatics.)
I’m afraid we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg. The problem is systemic. And with the charismatic movement in particular, honor culture is part of the issue.
The idea of people in power using their position to empower those around them sounds nice — but the actual practice doesn’t work.
Instead, the people who receive honor in a “culture of honor” aren’t the ordinary folks. Honor is reserved for leaders.
Leaders are elevated, revered, cherished, and protected. Just watch what happens when a celebrity pastor commits clergy sexual abuse.
What is seen as the tragedy in that scenario? Not the unfathomable damage to the soul of the victim(s). Not the fact that a leader used his position of power to selfishly use and abuse someone in his spiritual care.
No, the great tragedy, apparently, is that a minister’s reputation might be tarnished and he might lose his position.
At least Bethel made a public apology, which is more than can be said for other churches facing this kind of egregious shepherding failure. But a public apology is the very smallest first step in the direction of real repentance — and that’s only if the apology is sincere, which will take time to prove.
When we discover that our admired leaders have been covering for abusers (or have been abusers themselves), here’s the question we face: Shouldn’t we be more concerned about the sheep who’ve been wounded than with the shepherds who let the wolves in—or worse, who are wolves themselves?
It appears that the “culture of honor” functionally means that every leader has so much potential good in them that they can never be held accountable or face any significant consequences for sin, no matter how reprehensible.
Which in turn means we push for the “restoration” of our cherished celebrity leaders — and revictimize the wounded in the process.
But Jesus’ heart is for the marginalized, the spurned, the rejected. We do well to pay attention to his harsh words for those who harm the vulnerable: “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away — it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).
The abominable behavior of abusive, predatory spiritual leaders causes trauma in those they harm. The combination of spiritual abuse and SA is especially soul-shattering.
It’s no wonder many victims have left the faith.
So, how has “honor culture” worked out in real time?
Has it demonstrated value for every image-bearer, not just for those at the top? Does it prioritize justice, righteousness, protection, peace, and well-being for all? Have those in power empowered everyone else?
No.
Instead, “culture of honor” is code for, “Don’t ever make your leaders look bad, no matter how badly they behave.”
In other words, leaders matter, and the people they hurt do not. Turns out, honor culture is not honorable at all.
It’s just a prettier name for a culture of idolatry.
About the Author: Susanne Maynes is the author of Prophesying Daughters: How Prophetic Ministry and Women in Leadership Strengthen the Church. She holds a Master of Theological Studies degree and served as Director of Prophetic Ministry for six years at her former church (she currently co-leads a house church with her husband). Susanne offers an original, scholarly research-based workshop on prophetic development to churches and enjoys preaching as opportunities arise, as well as blogging regularly.
