REDDING, CA – Bethel Church has placed its Overseer of Prophetic Ministry, Ben Armstrong, on administrative leave after new allegations of clergy sexual abuse came to light last week. The church’s senior leadership team shared an update with supporters on Sunday (Feb. 15).
“Late on February 13, 2026, we became aware of a video containing serious allegations of clergy sexual abuse pertaining to Ben Armstrong and events that took place in 2009,” the update began. “Earlier that day at 1:30 p.m., PT, we released a statement on our website based on the information that we were aware of at that time, and our understanding of Ben’s lived repentance since that time.”
Bethel Church addressed accusations made against Ben Armstrong with an initial statement on Friday (Feb. 13). In the statement, the church’s senior leadership team acknowledged what they believed to be a moral failure of Armstrong’s that he addressed over a decade ago.
According to the team, “Ben publicly repented, was removed from ministry, and walked through a multi-year healing and restoration process” after admitting to having an affair with a BSSM student in 2009. New allegations surrounding that affair, however, point to sexual assault and not a consensual relationship.
“In light of these new and previously unknown allegations, we have placed Ben Armstrong on administrative leave,” the senior leadership team at Bethel Church said in Sunday’s statement. “He will not be ministering while an independent third-party investigation takes place.”
The senior leadership team of Bethel Church told supporters that the administrative leave “is not a verdict, but a necessary measure intended to reflect the care and sobriety with which we approach matters of this nature and our desire to operate in transparency and truth.”
Ben Armstrong has been with Bethel Church for decades. He and his wife, Heather Armstrong, currently serve as pastors in the ministry.