The Alisa Childers Podcast

#262 Leaving Bethel: Christian Couple Shares Their Deconstruction/Reconstruction Story

Sep 1, 2024

Jesse and Kali Westwood share their gripping journey of leaving Bethel church culture. Jesse, a former worship leader at Bethel, and Kali, who faced immense grief after her brother's tragic death, delve into the emotional fallout from their experiences. They discuss the challenges of deconstructing faith, the complexities of miracles, and the pressure of charismatic beliefs. Through personal stories, they advocate for a biblically grounded approach to spirituality, emphasizing critical thinking and authentic grieving processes as essential for reconstructing faith.

01:29:53

Creator website

Episode guests

Jesse Westwood

Kali Westwood

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Quick takeaways

Jesse and Kaylee Westwood share their transformative journey of leaving Bethel Church, highlighting the need for discernment in contemporary Christian worship.

Kaylee's traumatic experience with her brother's death reveals the emotional and spiritual harm caused by unbiblical theological practices surrounding healing.

The guests emphasize the importance of grounding faith in sound theology, rather than solely in emotional experiences, to prevent theological confusion.

Deep dives

Exploring Bethel's Influence

The episode delves into the influence of Bethel Church, a prominent charismatic church in America, on contemporary Christian worship. Many churches incorporate its music without fully understanding the underlying theology, which can often diverge from historic Christianity. The guests, Jesse and Kaylee Westwood, share their personal experiences of being raised in this culture and highlight the necessity for informed discernment among worshippers. They emphasize that while the music may be engaging, the beliefs supporting it can lead to theological confusion.

Navigating the Mountain of Faith Deconstruction

02:00

Examining Miracles and Prophecy in Religious Practice

03:42

Intro

4min

Journey Through Bethel: Music, Ministry, and Prophecy

15min

Faith and Experience at Bethel

5min

Navigating Spirituality: Emotions, Creativity, and Charismatic Practices

4min

Navigating Spiritual Guidance and Personal Connections

3min

A Journey of Worship and Love

6min

Interconnected Christian Music Movements and a Pro-Life Mission

4min

Navigating Faith Deconstruction

11min

Miracles, Grief, and Faith

13min

10.

Navigating Grief and Spiritual Reconstruction

25min

Today's show features Jesse and Kali Westwood as they share their powerful story of leaving the culture of Bethel church and the affiliated organizations. Jesse graduated from Bethel Supernatural School of Ministry and went on to lead worship with former Bethel Worship artist Sean Feucht. The Westowood's share their personal stories of deconstructing out of that culture and belief system, and then ultimately coming back to the historic Christian gospel. Kali shares the deeply personal and gut-wrenching story of her brother dying suddenly in an accident, and a "Dead-Raising Team" being called to bring him back to life in the hospital. Reflecting on their failure to raise her brother, she explores the emotional fallout from the teaching of Bethel alum Tyler Johnson, and his book, "How to Raise the Dead."

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