Shawn Bolz of “Bolz Ministries” | Sexual Abuse & Grooming Allegations

Multiple former employees of Shawn Bolz have accused him nonconsensual sexual exposure, grooming, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse while acting in a position of spiritual and professional authority. 

The alleged victims were members of his ministry team and spiritual mentees who, according to reports, relied on Bolz for housing, travel, employment, and spiritual mentorship.

Shawn Bolz was closely connected to Bethel Church, where he was repeatedly invited to preach and was publicly platformed and endorsed by senior leaders over many years, helping elevate his profile and influence within the charismatic Christian community.

Leadership at a Redding California megachurch, Bethel Church, has recently acknowledged that sexual harassment allegations were raised and corroborated internally as early as 2019 and that the conduct reflected a “broader culture within Shawn’s team.” 

Despite this knowledge, Bethel’s leadership failed to act decisively or warn others, raising serious concerns about institutional responsibility, survivor safety, and potential civil accountability.

Shawn Bolz Sexual Abuse Allegations 

In the nearly six-hour YouTube video, “The skeletons in Bethel’s closet are now going to speak,” commentator Mike Winger details allegations made against Shawn Bolz by former employees.

According to multiple witnesses, Bolz allegedly exposed himself and engaged in sexually explicit conduct in the presence of men who were living with him or traveling with him for ministry work. 

Allegations include walking around naked in shared spaces, masturbating in a vehicle, and performing lewd acts without consent. At the time, Bolz was a mentor and employer to these men, creating a significant power imbalance.

Victims also allege that Bolz sent unsolicited images of his genitals, made persistent sexualized comments, and attempted to normalize the behavior as “locker room” conduct. Bolz allegedly invoked his spiritual authority to justify his conduct, telling victims, “‘I’m a prophet. I need release.’”

Some victims reported being shamed or spiritually berated when they raised concerns.

Winger reported that the victims he spoke to were aware of at least twelve alleged victims. They described serious mental and emotional harm that resulted from Bolz’s alleged actions, including trauma and PTSD.

Bolz’s Response

In response to these allegations, Bolz released a statement to his team saying he would not “engage in online narratives or speculation” and announced that he was stepping back from public ministry leadership to “enter a season of sabbatical.”

Shawn’s website is no longer active, and his social media accounts appear to have been removed or deactivated.

As of this writing, no criminal charges have been filed.

Bethel Church’s Response

Bethel Church is a non-denominational neo-charismatic church based in Redding, California with about 11,000 members. It operates the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry and is home to a globally recognized Christian music label. 

Shawn Bolz was closely connected to Bethel for many years. He was repeatedly invited to preach and minister at the church and was publicly platformed and endorsed by senior Bethel leaders, helping elevate his profile and influence within the Christian community. 

Following the release of Mike Winger’s video in January 2026 and the scrutiny that followed, Bethel Church issued a public apology saying that it failed to communicate sooner after learning of credible allegations against Shawn Bolz.

While Bolz was not a staff member, Bethel leadership has acknowledged that they promoted him and worked alongside him. “This was someone we platformed to preach and prophesy in our house and with our teams on many occasions up until 2019,” they wrote.

According to Bethel leadership, Bolz was confronted in 2019 after a former team member disclosed allegations of sexual harassment to them. Bolz reportedly denied the allegations. However, “[a]fter further investigation, which included speaking to three of Shawn’s former team members, the accusations were corroborated and showed that this was a culture within Shawn’s team.”

Vallotton wrote in his statement, “regrettably, when one of the victims of Shawn’s sexual allegations reached out to me for help in this crisis, after several conversations and phone calls, I made a decision to remove his access to me without compassion due to my personal overwhelm. I am grieved by my actions.” 

Lead pastor Bill Johnson claimed “he was not good at confrontation” and then also acknowledged that he compounded the harm of the victims, stating that he “contributed to their trauma.”

“Sunday night’s message communicated that I cared more about the leader than the victim…I did not extend compassion to these victims in my message, and I am deeply sorry for this,” said Johnson.

Bethel has announced the creation of a “Safe Church” reporting process, allowing individuals to report abuse through a third-party system outside of church leadership. Bethel said that the program was intended to improve accountability.

Apologies Do Not Equal Accountability

Apologies alone do not repair the harm done to victims. While an apology may acknowledge that harm occurred, accountability requires action and meaningful change.

An apology may acknowledge regret, but accountability demands more. It requires asking and answering harder questions: 

• What was the culture of the environment where the abuse took place? 
• Who was permitted to hold unchecked power, and why? 
• Were institutional image and reputation prioritized over victim safety? 
• What warning signs were missed or minimized? 
• What concrete changes are being made to ensure this cannot happen again?

When An Apology Comes After Public Exposure

The timing of Bethel’s response is notable. Bethel leaders addressed their congregation with emotional remarks a week after the release of a nearly six-hour investigative video by Winger examining allegations of sexual harassment involving Shawn Bolz. 

This response followed widespread public scrutiny, not the initial internal corroboration of allegations years earlier. 

When apologies follow public scrutiny rather than internal findings, it raises difficult but necessary questions about who was prioritized, and whether there was a true concern for survivors or fear of reputational harm.

When Spirituality Is Placed Above Ethics and the Law

In many religious environments, sexual abuse is framed primarily as a spiritual failing, something to be addressed through “repentance” or restoration,” rather than as a violation of ethics, consent, and the law. 

This mindset is especially dangerous. Repentance may carry meaning in a spiritual context, but it does not negate harm or replace accountability.

When institutions treat abuse primarily as “sin” rather than as a safety crisis, survivors may feel silenced, dismissed, or pressured to forgive instead of being supported in pursuing their own justice and healing.

Civil Liability and Institutional Accountability

Civil liability may exist in cases involving grooming and sexual harassment, particularly when it involves abuse of authority.

Civil cases may examine whether leaders or institutions knew or should have known about abuse, whether complaints were adequately investigated, and whether reasonable steps were taken to prevent further harm. 

Civil accountability does not require a criminal conviction, and it can provide survivors a path to answers, acknowledgment, and justice when systems fail them. 

Support and Legal Options for Survivors

Sexual abuse by a spiritual leader can cause profound and lasting harm. 

If you or someone you love experienced grooming, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment by a religious leader or authority figure, you are not alone. 

There may also be civil legal options available to you, particularly when abuse was enabled by unchecked authority or institutional inaction.

Andreozzi + Foote is a civil law firm dedicated to representing survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation nationwide. Our firm focuses on holding the institutions that enabled harm accountable. 

Speaking with our firm does not obligate you to take legal action, but it can help you to understand your rights and options.

You deserve to be heard. You deserve accountability. You deserve justice. 

Contact us today. 

📞 (866) 311-8640
📧 info@vca.law 

Image source: Shawn Bolz via Bolz Ministry