A Few Observations
According to taxemptworld.com, Bethel Music is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation (FEIN 47-4005681), whose mailing address is 5090 Caterpillar Rd., Redding, CA 96003-1412. Its stated purpose is:
Production, publication, and sale of assets exclusively for the benefit of Bethel Church of Redding (FEIN 94-1514037).The most recent information is that Bethel Music holds approximately 1 million dollars in assets, and its annual income is 10 million dollars.
Yes, you have read that correctly. Its annual income is 10 million dollars. The purpose of Bethel Music is to benefit Bethel Church. That's probably a whole lot of benefit, even when you subtract out the operating expenses. I was surprised.
So if there are any church leaders out there who dislike pastor Bill Johnson and Bethel Church but don't mind paying Bethel Music licensing fees to use its copyrighted worship music — because it is trendy and "top of the charts" — well, be aware that those fees ultimately are used to benefit Bethel Church. This may or may not have been your intention.
My personal feelings are pretty much limited to the modest opinion that Bethel Music music is starting to be played to death (the same goes for Hillsong music). For example, "Reckless Love" gets kind of old after you have heard it in church about two or three dozen times. I think we're overdue to move on.