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Bill Johnson (pastor)
Bill Bryant Johnson (born July 18, 1951) is the senior leader of Bethel Church, a Charismatic megachurch in Redding, California. Under his leadership, the congregation reportedly grew from approximately 2,000 members in 1996 to more than 11,000 by 2026. Johnson promotes beliefs related to revival, faith healing, and supernatural manifestations—topics, which are central to the Bethel movement and have influenced contemporary charismatic Christianity.
In 1998, he co-founded the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. Johnson is also an author and itinerant speaker, appearing in Christian media and documentary films. His ministry has attracted both widespread support and criticism, particularly in relation to theology, charismatic practices, and political involvement. Johnson has also gained recognition in popular media, appearing in documentaries like Father of Lights and American Gospel: Christ Alone, and in interviews with CBN and Charisma magazine.
Politically, he has expressed conservative views, endorsing Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 due to positions against abortion, same-sex marriage, and globalization. Johnson opposes homosexuality as a sin, aligning with Bethel Church's stance on heterosexual marriage. The church has actively supports the practice of conversion therapy.
Johnson is a fifth-generation pastor and has held the position of senior leader at Bethel Church since 1996. His ministry is associated with a charismatic movement emphasizing revival, healing, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. According to Christianity Today, Johnson holds "considerable influence among charismatic Christians all over the world". His father, M. Earl Johnson, previously served as Bethel's senior pastor from 1968 to 1982, during the church's affiliation with the Assemblies of God. Before joining Bethel, Johnson and his wife served as the senior pastors of Mountain Chapel in Weaverville, California from 1978 to 1996.
In 1987, Johnson attended a "signs and wonders" conference led by John Wimber in hopes of advancing healing ministry, but later expressed disappointment: “They had fruit for what they believed. All I had was good doctrine.” He identified this as a turning point, stating that embracing “faith”—understood as taking risk—opened the way for reported healing manifestations in his ministry. In 1995, he traveled to Toronto, Canada to attend some of the Toronto Blessing revival meetings, where he described being significantly affected by the spiritual atmosphere and shifted toward a stronger emphasis on charismatic gifts and supernatural ministry in his leadership.
In 1998, Johnson, along with Bethel Senior Associate Leader Kris Vallotton, started the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. The school has over 2,000 students from 57 countries. Johnson is also part of the Core Residential Faculty at Wagner University in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Brenda ("Beni"), the wife of Bill Johnson, died of cancer on July 13, 2022.
Bill and Brenda Johnson have three children including: Brian Johnson, Eric Johnson and Leah Valenzuela.
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Bill Johnson (pastor)
Bill Bryant Johnson (born July 18, 1951) is the senior leader of Bethel Church, a Charismatic megachurch in Redding, California. Under his leadership, the congregation reportedly grew from approximately 2,000 members in 1996 to more than 11,000 by 2026. Johnson promotes beliefs related to revival, faith healing, and supernatural manifestations—topics, which are central to the Bethel movement and have influenced contemporary charismatic Christianity.
In 1998, he co-founded the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. Johnson is also an author and itinerant speaker, appearing in Christian media and documentary films. His ministry has attracted both widespread support and criticism, particularly in relation to theology, charismatic practices, and political involvement. Johnson has also gained recognition in popular media, appearing in documentaries like Father of Lights and American Gospel: Christ Alone, and in interviews with CBN and Charisma magazine.
Politically, he has expressed conservative views, endorsing Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 due to positions against abortion, same-sex marriage, and globalization. Johnson opposes homosexuality as a sin, aligning with Bethel Church's stance on heterosexual marriage. The church has actively supports the practice of conversion therapy.
Johnson is a fifth-generation pastor and has held the position of senior leader at Bethel Church since 1996. His ministry is associated with a charismatic movement emphasizing revival, healing, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. According to Christianity Today, Johnson holds "considerable influence among charismatic Christians all over the world". His father, M. Earl Johnson, previously served as Bethel's senior pastor from 1968 to 1982, during the church's affiliation with the Assemblies of God. Before joining Bethel, Johnson and his wife served as the senior pastors of Mountain Chapel in Weaverville, California from 1978 to 1996.
In 1987, Johnson attended a "signs and wonders" conference led by John Wimber in hopes of advancing healing ministry, but later expressed disappointment: “They had fruit for what they believed. All I had was good doctrine.” He identified this as a turning point, stating that embracing “faith”—understood as taking risk—opened the way for reported healing manifestations in his ministry. In 1995, he traveled to Toronto, Canada to attend some of the Toronto Blessing revival meetings, where he described being significantly affected by the spiritual atmosphere and shifted toward a stronger emphasis on charismatic gifts and supernatural ministry in his leadership.
In 1998, Johnson, along with Bethel Senior Associate Leader Kris Vallotton, started the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. The school has over 2,000 students from 57 countries. Johnson is also part of the Core Residential Faculty at Wagner University in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Brenda ("Beni"), the wife of Bill Johnson, died of cancer on July 13, 2022.
Bill and Brenda Johnson have three children including: Brian Johnson, Eric Johnson and Leah Valenzuela.
