Introduction
Evangelical Dark Web has been one of the foremost discernment ministries calling out what we have called Branch Covidianism in the church. Along these lines, it is unmistakable that Sean Feucht has been a man of action. However, not everyone we agree with is someone we can trust. Independently, the writers of Evangelical Dark Web were undergoing research on Feucht which has been merged in this report. In the beginning of this process, we reached out to Sean Feucht and were denied an interview by his publicist. We report our findings below.
Appearance With Elijah Schaffer
In branching his faith into a series, former Blaze TV host Elijah Schaffer entitled it Messy Christianity, which is a clever play off his disheveled personality and life journey, even if accidentally cliché. In the inaugural (and perhaps only) episode, Schaffer interviewed Sean Feucht, a notable worship leader, activist, and musician associated with Bethel Church.
Throughout the interview, Feucht (pronounced “Foyt”) discussed his experience leading outdoor worship services throughout America beginning in the latter half of 2020. His “Let Us Worship” tour was the primary subject of the interview in which he recalled how he performed in spite of restrictions and faced legal repercussions from the government and media for his actions. He stated how his zeal for protesting the lockdowns stemmed from his overseas mission trips and conversations with foreign pastors whose governments actively persecute Christians. Feucht described various stories of large crowds gathering and people who were despondent, drug abusers, or otherwise un-churched coming to know Christ at these events. He then discussed various media hit-pieces, the attempts to cancel his latest book, and an upcoming movie entitled Superspreader.
While they discussed the worship revivals during the conversation, Feucht failed to mention his claims that miracles occurred at these events with several who “were deaf” becoming capable of hearing. It is quite conspicuous that he omitted this in front of Schaffer when testifying to his work. Why not bring up a supernatural miracle if one indeed did occur? After all, he talked about a suicidal man with pills in his pocket intent on killing himself repenting. Is not the deaf hearing more miraculous?
What struck me as the most glaring red flag of the interview was the implication that they were baptizing on the spot at some of these events. None of these concerts were Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, where the first mass conversion entailed believers who were likely familiar or witness to Jesus’ earthly ministries and even His resurrection, just without the Holy Spirit’s descendance or the proper understanding of the context. Unless that is the case, which it was not, then spontaneous baptisms in large crowds of people unfamiliar to the baptizer should be met with scrutiny. Aside from this, the conversation was restrained to the church’s failed response to Covid, which is otherwise agreeable. Whether out of pragmatism or subject matter, there was no discussion on the eccentric practices pertaining to his brand of charismatic worship, so while many might agree with Feucht superficially, they did not get the full picture on his theology and beliefs. To an unfamiliar audience or infantile believers, Sean Feucht presents himself as otherwise orthodox, but is he?
Background on Feucht
It is in researching Feucht where the dangers lie. Obviously, his association as a former worship leader with Bethel Church should be seen as a glaring sign to all with ears to hear and eyes to see. As a musician attached to Bethel’s label, his songs are of the typical Bethel stylings in that they employ language describing a spiritual jihad being overcome through the power of God. Naturally, within NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) circles, even innocuous diction has ulterior implications which might easily go unnoticed by the laity on Sunday mornings or fluent English speakers in general. Words like “atmosphere” and “fire” have different connotations in NAR theology, which does seep into Feucht’s music. His song “Praise Is the Highway,” which he co-wrote through Bethel, contains the following chorus:
Praise is the highway to the throne of God
Praise is the highway to the heart of God
Praise is the highway to the move of God
Jesus is the highway—and the only way to the Father. This is NAR influence of viewing praise as being capable of drawing the presence (atmosphere) of God. His song “Awake My Soul” contains the words, “You’re the beautiful man, my only One” that while sung by a woman is “Jesus is my boyfriend” music. The same could be said of “Favor of Your Face” which contains the chorus “Won’t You come a bit closer/I’ll stay a little bit longer” which also sounds disturbingly romantic. In general, his music is not as egregious as Bethel’s Reckless Love. His lyrics are not overtly heretical, although they are quite theologically ambiguous, reduced to metaphorical imagery, biblical allusions, and repetition. I would believe that the errors come out of emotionalism rather than the meticulous craftsmanship of songs often found within hymnals.
Aside from his associations, the most flagrant red flag for Feucht is his obsession with the number “222,” which is an occult omen denoting harmony, divine blessing, and opportunities. Deuteronomy 18:10 forbids the use of divination and interpretation of omens. Such obsession over numbers is unbiblical, yet these practices are not unusual within Bethel circles. This is a sinful habit that has be prevalent for years and continues to this day. On February 22, 2022, he was conflating bible verses with his 222 numerology, which he would again do in July on Instagram pertaining to his air travel. On September 17, 2022, Feucht performed a “222 Night of Worship” in Fresno, CA.
For years, Bethel has promoted a plethora of scams from their healing school, to unverified claims of miracles, to products with occult influence. They promote the heretical Passion Translation (TPT) which adds entire sentences to scripture with NAR theology with very narcissistic language. However, in his current speaking tour, called Hold the Line, Feucht can be seen employing the NASB and NIV, not the TPT. While someone returning to the faith like an Elijah Schaffer might understand the overt falsehoods associated with a Joel Osteen type, he is probably unaware to the errancy of NAR types like Bill Johnson or Mike Bickle.
In the interview, they reference a hit-piece article by Rolling Stone decrying his events as being super spreaders of Covid—to which is the basis for the documentary title. In July, it seems that Rolling Stone, while a pitiful excuse for journalism, has doubled down on their attacks against Feucht, with their hit piece entitled “MAGA Preacher Sean Feucht Scored Millions From His Trump-Loving Flock.”
Aside from bashing his religious views, denouncing his violation of Covid tyranny, and calling him a bigot for opposing the Rainbow Jihad, the most striking revelation Rolling Stone discussed was the paper trail. They found that according to ProPublica, Sean Feucht Ministries Inc. saw a rapid increase in revenue in 2020 of $5.3 million, up from under $300,000 in 2019. In other words, Feucht has seen an influx of cash go to his “ministries” since beginning his “Let Us Worship” tour. Rolling Stone also found that he purchased two homes, one in California and the other in Montana, with an estimated combined value exceeding $2 million. The article implies financial impropriety and identifies other evidence of lavish living. However, the money was not shown to be coming from Sean Feucht Ministries, as his benefits were listed at $119,000. This hit piece should be taken with a grain of salt considering Rolling Stone has falsified rape allegations in the past, so they have no journalistic integrity.
Sean Feucht’s Ministry Projects
Over the years, Feucht has been instrumental in launching various ministries and brands. The three most prominent being Burn 24/7, Light a Candle, and Hold the Line.
Burn 24/7 is the most problematic of the three. Feucht founded this ministry and is on the board with three other pastors: Caleb Klinge of New Life Novato, an egalitarian Assemblies of God Church that is very Charismatic; James Dickson of Kingdom Life Church in Maine, an egalitarian and charismatic church that pays homage to Bill Johnson on its website; and Alex Miller of Life Church Washington, PA, a church that is NAR which seemingly prioritizes its music over ministries. Burn 24/7 seeks to host continuous worship 24-7-365 and has hosted spontaneous worship services called “burn furnaces” around the world. Burn 24/7 is very much aligned with NAR’s continuous worship ideology derived from a misapplication of Amos 9:11. This is a heresy associated with New Apostolic Reformation leaders like Mark Bickle and the International House of Prayer and that earthly worship can draw physical manifestations of God’s presence as was specially noted in Scripture when God anointed the tabernacle, the first temple, and Christ Himself, who fulfills the physical temple. There also is eschatological significance in doing this 24-hour worship. Given his proclivity to starting brands, it is safe to conclude that his more recent projects take priority over Burn 24/7.
Light A Candle is Feucht’s international missions ministry which sponsors children and missionaries predominately in the Middle East and India. While the theology of this organization’s missionaries is more dependent on the individual servants themselves, their beliefs page “embraces the rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David” which is the same aforementioned NAR heresy behind continuous worship. Feucht is the son of medical missionaries which has driven his interest in missions.
Hold The Line is Feucht’s podcast in which he has hosted several high-profile politicians like Josh Hawley. At a glance, Hold the Line functions as a normal political podcast, but does contain episodes that are sermons. This project coincides with his ongoing “Let Us Worship” tour as his primary ministry. Overall, Feucht is very entrepreneurial in his approach to starting ministries.
Political Involvement
One of the elements that both makes Feucht appealing and dangerous is his political involvement. He has done political rallies, speaking gigs for TPUSA, and a failed run for Congress, where he received only 13.5% in the 2020 primary for the 3rd Congressional District in California. He believes that his unsuccessful campaign was an opportunity for him to peak behind the veil. In recent years, he has made appearances with many rising political stars, including Doug Mastriano, Ron DeSantis, Lauren Boebert, and Josh Hawley. He has been vocal against abortion and Black Lives Matter. He mocks those with pronouns and has held protests against Disney for their grooming. In many ways, he is a political activist, though he might claim reticence to politics. Needless to say, celebrity culture has its perks and has earned him massive exposure to those unchurched on the right.
Yet the potency in Feucht is not necessarily his false theological leanings, his mushy music, his hippie looks, or his charismatic antics, but rather in that he is unapologetically taking the stand the Church should be taking. It is his activism which has thrusted him into prominence. He stood out when other churches were still shut down. He took on the leftist mayors and Antifa while most pastors held zoom church and lamented for past racism. In many ways, the prominence of Feucht is an indictment against the church. Put the music aside, he is doing what many wished their pastors did. The world was watching, and they saw this guy take a stand.
Superspreader Movie
On September 29th, Sean Feucht’s documentary Superspreader debuted in theaters, documenting his “Let Us Worship” tour and the media slanders surrounding it. From the trailer, the documentary shall contain numerous clips from politicians and media pundits, with emphasis on Governor Gavin Newsom proscribing singing within church settings. Clips of liberal media and pro-mask protestors are contrasted with clips of Feucht’s worship tour, which displays unmasked individuals engaged in passionate and joyous worship. In its hour and fifteen minute runtime, the trailer gives the impression that the movie will address issues of suicides and drug use during lockdowns, Christian Nationalism, and testimonials.
Alongside Feucht, prominent figures included in the cast includes Eric Metaxas and Che Ahn, the latter of which is a prominent NAR heretic and self-proclaimed apostle-evangelist. Bill Johnson is listed second in the official credits.
Sermons by Feucht
Through his Hold the Line ministry, Sean Feucht has taken to preaching on a couple occasions, though the sermons in question appear to be his events, not Sunday morning church services. Overall, his style is charismatic and friendly towards a megachurch mentality, but his content is contrary to most megachurch preachers, who tend to preach seeker-friendly messages that avoid hot buttons.
In his sermon entitled “Expanding Spiritual Territory” published on June 22, 2022, he presents a rather topical sermon on the need to Hold the Line, declaring that the church should lead the way in the Culture War, not politicians. He calls out those who took PPP from the government who remained shuttered and eventually promoted the vaccines. He called out Disney and espoused that the church should “unfriend the world.” The most problematic things he says deals with altar calls from his “Let us Worship” tour, but that is a secondary or tertiary issue.
In his July 6th sermon “Worship is our Weapon,” Feucht recounts a firsthand account from a mission trip in India where he witnessed an Indian pastor perform an exorcism of a woman who was about to sacrifice children on a demonic altar. The Indian pastor conducted it as if it was normal and Feucht attests to witnessing the altar and observing the exorcism. He then uses the story of Gideon to contend that worship (i.e. the gathering of the saints) is a weapon that will overcome the demonic forces in our culture. Feucht describes how he envisioned the millions of aborted children cheering them on from heaven to encourage the church to continue the fight against abortion. Whether he meant this literally or figuratively is ambiguous, but that becomes a concern because of other theological issues surrounding Feucht. In the beginning of this sermon, he does make a passing reference to his “222” numerology in citing Isaiah 22:22 that would go unnoticed to one who was not overly familiar with him.
In his South African Sermon “Obliterating Timidity,” Feucht takes his message of boldness abroad, speaking how “Let Us Worship” began with a few hundred in San Francisco before sparking a “revival.” This was in comparison to Gideon. He also touched on Roe v Wade being overturned and the hands of God working upon America. This is before shifting into Acts 4 where Peter and John remain steadfast in peaching the gospel in face of the Sanhedrin (government) in a statement that modern pastors should have been bold in worship during Covid. The sermon ends with an eccentric prayer over those who suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts.
Though there are theological concerns surrounding Feucht, there is no overt heresy in his preaching. Within the church, there is debate surrounding the nature of demonic possession and exorcism, which is a bold attestation for any man to claim in a sermon. After all, the exorcism in India could have happened, or it could be fabricated. Neither video depicted a gospel presentation during his sermons. This is not to claim the gospel was not presented, but just that Feucht is not shown giving a thorough presentation. Nevertheless, he does touch on salient cultural issues and points to Jesus and the Church as the light and the solution.
Current Trajectory
In researching Feucht, he presents an interesting case study as wolves hardly improve over time. Others might rightfully point out Feucht’s previous grave soaking incident in which he, with his son, practiced “impartation” at the grave of Charles Finney. However, this was 2013. During that time, Feucht did advocate impartation and other Bethel practices. In 2015, Feucht tweeted that “There is absolutely no substitute for time spent in His presence. No self-help book or “impartation prayer” can dig for you that well.” Although inconclusive, this could reflect a shift in theology away from the most egregious of occultic heresies of Bethel. For purpose of analysis, the scope must focus on recent years.
It can be speculated that he has an upward trajectory in recent years as he has become independent of Bethel, possibly receding back into his Assemblies of God roots. Undoubtedly, he has taken up a more politically and socially active mantel. However, many of the warning signs and red flags remain evident, even though they are not as pervasive as they were when he was more affiliated with Bethel. Following the death of Beni Johnson, Bill Johnson’s wife, he did attend the funeral and has occasionally tweeted quotes from Bill Johnson, so this association is still ongoing.
He has called out various apostacies in Woke Preacher Clips fashion, reposting content of mainline apostate churches promoting woke culture. Ironically, he even retweeted Protestia, who is highly critical of Feucht. He has called out pastors who function as “life coaches” who do not address pressing cultural issues yet there is a cognitive dissonance to the bad theologies of various mega-churches like Bethel and Hillsong, the latter of which is woke on race and weak on abortion, contrary to Feucht’s politics. One would hope he comes to realize these false teachings and repents of his numerology. When it comes to Feucht’s recent sermons, they do not mirror the heretical teachings of Bethel despite his personal associations.
Conclusion
Even on the right, many Christian figures are shills or false teachers, and not every false teacher can be sorted out by litmus testing on social issues. Just because a pastor is on the right or is pro-life and anti-lockdown does not make them theologically orthodox. At a minimum, there is a demonstrable pattern of sin in new-age, occultic practices. While we did not endeavor to conclude his state of salvation, Feucht has, tragically, been discipled by false teaching and should be viewed with extreme caution, or avoided outright.
It should be viewed with great shame that the churches who stood out the boldest against Covid tyranny and subsequent “vaccines” were in theologically charismatic or even outright apostate camps. Good theology meant nothing when Caesar proclaimed himself head over the church and all areas of life. At best, Sean Feucht has horrendous theology and dangerous tendencies, yet he stood up when the church closed down. At worst, he’s tickling our ears in a creative way.
