Global Awakening

STATEMENT

In light of recent events and the growing concern within the wider Body of Christ, we believe it is necessary to offer an official statement regarding Shawn Bolz. We do not take this step lightly. Our desire has never been to contribute to speculation or unnecessary division, but rather to speak with honesty and pastoral responsibility.

In July of 2025, our Chief Operating Officer, Joshua Clark, released a public video interview with Elijah Stephens, one of the many who were victimized by Shawn Bolz’s “prophetic ministry.” In that interview, Josh expressed remorse and asked forgiveness for not doing more with the information that we had collected in 2018 after the Voice of the Prophets conference. Based on our experiences with Shawn within our own meeting, we decided to not associate with him going forward. Even though we were not 100% certain regarding our belief that Shawn’s “prophetic words” were likely datamined, we determined that the benefits of having Shawn (if we were wrong) did not outweigh the risk of harm to the Body (if we were right). That decision was made prayerfully, but—regrettably—quietly.

We acknowledge that we should have done more. I acknowledge that I should have done more. We should have communicated publicly about our decision to not have Shawn back and, more importantly, why we were taking such actions. This is covered in detail in the interview; however, we recognize that not everyone has seen that interview, and even fewer have the free time to watch a conversation that spans more than two hours. For that reason, we felt it important to apologize and repent publicly here, along with stating where we stand today concerning Shawn Bolz.

First, to those who were negatively affected by our inaction, we are deeply sorry. We recognize that as leaders we are responsible for how prophetic voices are welcomed and overseen within our community. While the prophetic gift is valued and important, gifts must always be exercised in ways that edify the Body, and where they do not, leaders must intervene sooner and communicate clearly to prevent ongoing harm. We know this now, but we did not fully grasp the gravity of this responsibility then. We know that silence or slow responses can feel like indifference, and that was never our intention. However, we recognize impact matters more than intention. We repent for this abdication of responsibility.

We also repent for ways in which we helped foster a culture that elevated gifting and spiritual “effectiveness” above the slow, tested fruits of character and humility. This misguided emphasis was the seedbed for deception, placing pressure on ministers to be performative instead of simply walking humbly in their gifts.

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Please note that any past book endorsements written by me (Randy Clark) for Shawn were given prior to our suspicions in 2018. I retract those endorsements, particularly where they speak to the character, integrity, or trustworthiness of the author.

Further, since the time of Josh’s interview last year, a significant amount of new and deeply disturbing information has come to light. This information was not known to us until very recently. When viewed alongside what we already suspected regarding his “prophetic” ministry, this expanded body of evidence has only served to further confirm the seriousness of the situation and the necessity of a clear pastoral warning.

With humility, trepidation, and in the fear of the Lord, we believe it is appropriate to warn believers within the Body of Christ and to say plainly that, from a spiritual and pastoral standpoint, we believe it is best to treat Shawn Bolz as an unbeliever.

Jesus instructs the Church that when someone persists in unrepentant sin and refuses correction, even after appropriate confrontation, they are to be regarded “as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). This instruction is not given as a license for contempt or rejection, but as a sober recognition that relationship, trust, and spiritual authority must change when repentance is absent. Importantly, this posture does not diminish our love—it clarifies it. We do not cease to care; rather, we change how we pray. We pray not from a place of affirmation or partnership, but from a place of evangelistic intercession, longing for genuine repentance and salvation.

Finally, because people’s opinions about what is now happening in our movement vary, we want to state our belief plainly: we believe the shaking we are experiencing in this season is not random, nor is it evidence of God’s absence. Rather, we understand it as an act of His mercy. This is a gracious invitation from a faithful Father who loves His Church too much to leave her unexamined or unrefined.

What is being brought into the light in this moment, though often painful and disorienting, is part of the Lord’s redemptive work among us. Scripture reminds us that light does not expose in order to shame, but in order to heal; not to destroy, but to save. (Eph. 5:11–14; 1 John 1:7–9).

We sense that the Lord is giving His Bride a sacred opportunity to pause, to look honestly at our lives, our leadership, and our practices, and to ask whether they are truly healthy, biblical, and reflective of Christ. In this moment, let the Church commit herself to seek the Lord with humility and courage, trusting that He is our strong tower. Let us not miss what He is doing in this moment, but instead emerge more radiant, more trustworthy, and more fully conformed to His image.

“Let it be so with us first, Lord!” is our prayer. It is within this setting that we acknowledge the Spirit working in us, searching our hearts about ways any prior silence has covered over or distorted reality. This statement is about Shawn Bolz, and it is appropriately limited to that topic given the severity and the notoriety of the situation. However, we recognize that the problem is broader than just Shawn Bolz. We are actively asking the Lord to help us look back with eyes now open in a new way regarding what further actions we must take to hold ourselves and those we platform to account for the sake of the name of Jesus and the health of His Church. Please pray for wisdom, love, and grace during this season as we search our hearts, refresh our recollections, and seek to please the Lord.

With sorrow for the ways we failed her, and with deep love and affection for the Church,

Dr. Randy Clark and Global Awakening Leadership