Decoding Bethel Lingo

Last week I teased some of the common Bethel and BSSM lingo, and this week I’m back to translate a few phrases for those of you who don’t speak “Bethel”! 😊 Here are a few of the common sources of confusion:

Revival: The dictionary defines revival as “restoration to life” or “an awakening.” There have been many revivals in church history, and revival is commonly recognized as a time when the Holy Spirit is moving in the church – when the glory is present. Habakkuk 2:14 says, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Bethel’s view is that revival is supposed to be continuous, not for just a short time. Bill Johnson says, “Revival is basically the heart of God made manifest.”

BSSM: Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry

BLN: Bethel Leaders Network

RG: Revival Group. A group of 30 (online) to 60 (on-campus) BSSM students who meet weekly. A way of facilitating community in school.

RGP: Revival Group Pastor. The leader of each revival group who is on staff at BSSM.

AMTs: Advanced Ministry Trainings. Courses BSSM students can sign up for to learn more about specific ministry topics.

Fire tunnel: This sounds way more spiritual than it is. I was weirded out by this concept until a leader actually explained it. A fire tunnel is just an efficient, time-effective way for leaders to lay hands on and pray for several people at a time. Leaders form two lines to create a “tunnel,” and students walk through the tunnel so leaders don’t have to walk around laying hands on every single person in the room. 1 Timothy 4:14 references the laying on of hands: “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” There are also several instances of this in Acts and throughout the Bible.

Sozo: The Greek word in the Bible meaning “saved, healed, and delivered.” Dawna DeSilva and Teresa Liebscher began a ministry several years ago called Sozo, and this is Bethel’s deliverance and inner healing ministry. A few examples of the word “sozo” in the Bible are found in Matthew 16:25, Matthew 19:25 and Mark 10:52.

Impartation: Praying for or laying hands on someone to release the gifting or anointing to them that’s on your life.

Receive: The action or heart position when someone gives you an impartation or prophetic word. You don’t need to do anything or perform in any way; you just receive. Some people may extend their hands with their palms up to demonstrate a position of surrender or humility.

Anointed: This often describes a person God has chosen or set aside for a specific purpose, and there are many Old Testament examples of people being anointed. One example of this word “anointed” in Scripture is found in Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Some people use the word “anointing” interchangeably with “gifting,” but the Bible says the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). You can lose your anointing, as Saul did in 1 Samuel. A person can be very gifted but not anointed, or a person can be both gifted and anointed. The anointing is like a supernatural grace God gives you to be used for his purposes.

Prophecy/prophetic word: A word (or many words) you receive from the Lord. There are many ways God can speak to you, but it may be something you hear in your mind, something that jumps out to you while reading Scripture, or something you receive in a dream. The word might be for yourself or for someone else. Prophecy is intended to build the recipients up, encourage them, or comfort them, as it says in 1 Corinthians 14:3.

Prophesy: To speak out the word you heard from the Lord for the purpose of building people up, encouraging them, and/or comforting them.

Soaking: Spending time in God’s presence. Some people might call it “resting” or “abiding” in him. Some listen to certain “soaking music” to help facilitate this quiet time, often songs without words to allow for better concentration. I could not for the life of me figure out what “soaking” meant when I first heard it in the early 2000s, but it’s really not that complicated.

First heaven: The physical world we live in and can see with our physical eyes.

Second heaven: The demonic realm that most of us cannot see with our physical eyes.

Third heaven. Heaven. Where we spend eternity if we have accepted Jesus Christ. Also what BSSM students jokingly call the highest section in the Redding Civic Auditorium.

Spiritual Intelligence: Kris Vallotton’s latest book and the spiritual equivalent to emotional intelligence or “EQ.”

Hope that clears a few things up for you!