A formal complaint has been filed with Australia's national charity regulator against Bethel Sydney, raising serious concerns about its governance, safeguarding practices, and ongoing ties to Bethel Church in the United States.
According to reporting by The Christian Post, the complaint was submitted to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and questions whether Bethel Sydney operates with sufficient independence from its U.S. counterpart, particularly in light of recent admissions by Bethel Redding leaders that they mishandled serious misconduct allegations involving prominent figures connected to the church.
Allegations at the Center of the Complaint
The complaint alleges that Bethel Sydney is not merely a loosely affiliated congregation, but is relationally, culturally, and theologically shaped by Bethel Redding-whose leadership has publicly acknowledged failures in handling corroborated allegations of sexual misconduct against prophetic minister Shawn Bolz. The complaint argues that these failures, and the delay in disclosure, raise red flags for any ministry operating under the same leadership influence or spiritual authority.
It further notes that senior Bethel Redding leaders, including Bill Johnson, publicly commissioned Bethel Sydney's leaders in 2024 and were expected to be involved in its official launch-fueling concerns that accountability, culture, and oversight are not as separate as claimed.
The complaint also references allegations involving another Bethel leader, Ben Armstrong, asserting that unresolved concerns and continued leadership roles point to broader safeguarding and accountability issues within the Bethel ecosystem.
Governance and Safeguarding Questions Raised
Central to the filing is whether Bethel Sydney has adequately addressed the implications of Bethel Redding's admitted failures, especially given Australia's stringent expectations for charities that work with children, young adults, and vulnerable people. The complaint claims that no clear public reckoning or distancing statement has been issued by Bethel Sydney addressing how it will prevent similar failures from occurring in an Australian context.
Bethel Sydney Responds
In response, Bethel Sydney leadership has stated that the church is independently governed, with its own board, constitution, and safeguarding frameworks, and that Bethel Redding exercises no financial or operational control over the Sydney congregation. Leaders say comprehensive policies covering child safety, sexual misconduct prevention, whistleblower protections, and pastoral accountability were implemented prior to the church's formal launch.
Bethel Sydney has also indicated it has communicated with its congregation about the broader controversy and has informed the ACNC that it is willing to cooperate fully with any regulatory inquiries.
Why This Matters
The complaint places Bethel Sydney under the spotlight at a critical moment, as Australia continues to scrutinize religious organizations over governance, transparency, and survivor protection. The ACNC has the authority to investigate whether charities meet legal standards of accountability and safeguarding-and the outcome could have significant implications for how global church networks operate within Australia's regulatory framework.
At its core, the filing reflects a growing demand that churches demonstrate not only theological alignment, but ethical independence, survivor-centered accountability, and transparent leadership, especially when past failures have been publicly acknowledged.
This matter remains under review. No findings have yet been made by the ACNC.
