Worship leader Sean Feucht’s meteoric rise to prominence began in 2020 during the pandemic. Now, several former associates are accusing him and his organization of financial mismanagement, lack of transparency and mistreatment of volunteers.
The star of Sean Feucht — once a little-known conservative Christian worship leader and musician — began to climb in 2020 as he challenged government restrictions brought on by the coronavirus’ tightening grip on the world.
At well-attended protest concerts that brazenly flouted social distancing rules, he became a poster child against public health regulations curtailing in-person religious practice. It put Feucht in league with high-profile conservative pundits and elected officials from President Donald Trump to conservative influencer Charlie Kirk and Pete Hegseth, now the secretary of defense.
Alongside his Christian rockstar status, revenue to Feucht’s ministry also skyrocketed, jumping from $243,000 in 2019 to $5 million in 2020 — the last year his ministry filed a Form 990 with the IRS. It’s that deluge of money, Feucht’s and his ministry’s amassing of expensive real estate in its wake and their lack of financial transparency, which has former ministry staff and volunteers now accusing the worship leader of mismanaging ministry funds.
Three former associates with Feucht’s worship organizations, such as Burn 24-7, Let Us Worship and Light a Candle, shared details with The Associated Press about Feucht’s alleged financial mismanagement, verbal abuse and overworking volunteers and staff without fair wages.
Christy Gafford, the former national director and communications lead for Sean Feucht Ministries, said she was fired in May 2024 after demanding accountability and questioning why volunteers had to pay for Feucht to come to their communities.
“I would get very vague answers,” said Gafford, who served for eight years in various roles, including leading a Texas chapter of Burn 24-7. She believes those answers because the Charismatic Christian world emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit in the form of spiritual gifts, and that faith leaders embody that spirit. “You’re supposed to put your trust in your leaders.”
After being fired, Gafford began questioning why more money wasn’t used for local ministry initiatives when millions of dollars were spent by Feucht and his organization on real estate.
Feucht, who did not respond to the AP’s repeated requests for comment, dismissed these allegations as false in a social media video posted in June. He called them “embittered, upset, angered former volunteers” who had no knowledge of the ministry’s financial situation and “had to be dismissed because of moral issues.”
“We’re in great standing with the IRS, with our accountants,” he said. “Every single penny you have donated has gone to fulfill kingdom-ordained purpose and I stand by that.”Real estate acquisitions questioned
Feucht said his ministry has spent money on visits to all 50 state capitals and about 30 other U.S. cities, purchased a tour bus and sound systems for concerts, and acquired real estate around the country.
“We’ve got real estate in D.C., which is awesome,” he said, referring to his ministry’s headquarters known as Camp Elah on Capitol Hill in Washington. “It’s such a blessing. We’re taking ground for Jesus and we’re not apologizing for that.
