Grace upon grace – and who's actually picking up the stones?Nåde over nåde – og hvem samler egentlig stenene op?

Let me start here:

My heart is first and foremost with those who have been hurt. With those who have been deceived, manipulated or betrayed by people they trusted. That deserves our sympathy, our anger at injustice – and our clear voice. The Bible never gives us permission to stay silent when people are being exploited.

Jesus himself got angry. But he did not sin.

And that's exactly where the tension lies that we have to learn to live in.

Honestly:

I would rather be part of a community that sometimes believes in people too much, than a community that constantly tears each other down, casts suspicion on motives and doubts intentions.

What has hit me hardest lately is the speed with which Christians pick up stones. There's an almost euphoric energy in exposures. As if someone has finally given us permission to judge.

But Scripture says something else.

The letter of James reminds us that God alone is judge.

In Matthew 18 Jesus shows us a far more demanding – and slower – way: confrontation, conversation, a call to repentance and, if necessary, clear consequences. Not a public execution dressed up as love of the truth.

We need grace-filled communities.

Not naive. Not without boundaries.

But grace-filled.

We have to speak up loudly when something is wrong.

But we have to forgive just as quickly – even when there isn't yet full understanding or remorse. Otherwise we make room for bitterness and darkness. I don't know about you, but my life is simply too short to carry other people's offenses. Yes, we carry each other's burdens – but we are not called to carry hate.

That's also why I get uneasy when exposures get mixed up with theological agendas.

If your real errand is to shoot down the whole charismatic movement – then say so honestly.

But don't wrap it up in "care for the victims" if it's really about positioning.

👉 Let's not do the very thing we accuse others of: manipulation.

Don't throw stones if you live in a glass house yourself.

This week I've been physically together with one person from Bethel's Senior Leadership Team and have had close written dialogue with another. So I have no doubt at all about the remorse and self-examination I see.

Should more have been done earlier? Absolutely.

But it's also important to be precise:

Shawn Bolz was never employed at Bethel, and they never had leadership oversight of him – even though over the years they tried to confront him. He has done a number of seriously wrong things, and he carries the responsibility for that himself.

Bethel's SLT's failure therefore doesn't lie in direct action, but in a lack of action and action that came too late. And they have – rightly – taken responsibility for that.

The remorse and repentance I have seen most recently from Bethel's leadership has therefore given me greater respect for them. Not because they're perfect – but because they said: We should have done more. We showed misplaced mercy.

That's leadership.

And yes – I'm actually looking forward to Bill Johnson visiting our church in 2026.

Let me make one thing completely clear at the end:

What Shawn Bolz has done is deeply wrong. He – like all of us – will one day have to answer to God.

But that's exactly why we have to hold on to the double calling:

Truth and grace.

Accountability and restoration.

Justice and mercy.

Anything else doesn't bring us closer to Christ –

only further away from each other.

Lad mig begynde her:

Mit hjerte er først og fremmest hos dem, der er blevet ramt. Hos dem, der er blevet bedraget, manipuleret eller svigtet af mennesker, de havde tillid til. Det fortjener vores sympati, vores vrede over uretfærdighed – og vores klare stemme. Bibelen giver os aldrig lov til at tie, når mennesker bliver udnyttet.

Jesus selv blev vred. Men han syndede ikke.

Og netop dér ligger spændingen, vi må lære at leve i.

Ærligt talt:

Jeg vil hellere være en del af et miljø, der nogle gange tror for meget på mennesker, end et miljø der konstant piller hinanden ned, mistænkeliggør motiver og tvivler på intentioner.

Det, der har ramt mig hårdest i den seneste tid, er hastigheden, hvormed kristne samler sten op. Der er en næsten euforisk energi i afsløringer. Som om nogen endelig har givet os tilladelse til at dømme.

Men Skriften siger noget andet.

Jakobs brev minder os om, at Gud alene er dommer.

Jesus viser os i Matt 18 en langt mere krævende – og langsommere – vej: konfrontation, samtale, kald til omvendelse og, hvis nødvendigt, tydelige konsekvenser. Ikke offentlig henrettelse forklædt som sandhedskærlighed.

Vi har brug for nådefyldte miljøer.

Ikke naive. Ikke grænseløse.

Men nådefyldte.

Vi skal råbe højt, når noget er forkert.

Men vi skal tilgive lige så hurtigt – også når der endnu ikke er fuld forståelse eller anger. Ellers giver vi plads til bitterhed og mørke. Jeg ved ikke med dig, men mit liv er ganske enkelt for kort til at bære på andres krænkelser. Ja, vi bærer hinandens byrder – men vi er ikke kaldet til at bære had.

Derfor bliver jeg også urolig, når afsløringer blandes sammen med teologiske agendaer.

Hvis ens egentlige ærinde er at skyde hele karismatikken ned – så meld det ærligt ud.

Men pak det ikke ind i “omsorg for ofrene”, hvis det i virkeligheden handler om positionering.

👉 Lad os ikke gøre det, vi beskylder andre for: manipulation.

“Kast ikke med sten, hvis du selv bor i et glashus.”

I denne uge har jeg været fysisk sammen med én fra Bethels Senior Leadership Team og haft tæt skriftlig dialog med en anden. Derfor er jeg slet ikke i tvivl om den anger og selvransagelse, jeg ser.

Skulle der være gjort mere tidligere? Helt sikkert.

Det er dog også vigtigt at præcisere:

Shawn Bolz har aldrig været ansat i Bethel, og de har ikke haft ledelsestilsyn med ham – selvom de gennem årene har forsøgt at konfrontere ham. Han har gjort en række alvorlige ting forkert, og ansvaret for det bærer han selv.

Bethels SLT’s svigt ligger derfor ikke i direkte handling, men i manglende og for sen handling. Og det har de – med rette – taget ansvar for.

Den anger og omvendelse, jeg senest har set fra Bethels ledelse, har derfor givet mig større respekt for dem. Ikke fordi de er perfekte – men fordi de sagde: Vi burde have gjort mere. Vi viste misplaceret barmhjertighed.

Det er lederskab.

Og ja – jeg glæder mig faktisk til, at Bill Johnson besøger vores kirke i 2026.

Lad mig slå én ting helt fast til sidst:

Det Shawn Bolz har gjort, er dybt forkert. Han – som os alle – skal en dag stå til ansvar for Gud.

Men netop derfor må vi holde fast i det dobbelte kald:

Sandhed og nåde.

Ansvarlighed og genoprettelse.

Retfærdighed og barmhjertighed.

Alt andet fører os ikke tættere på Kristus –

kun længere væk fra hinanden.