Bill Johnson

&

Bethel Church

Bill is a fifth generation pastor on his dad’s side of the family, fourth on his mom’s. His three children are now the sixth generation of pastors. Bill grew up in a very good Christian home and had a fear of God, and while he never lived in out-and-out rebellion, neither was he a passionate follower of Jesus. The thought of becoming a pastor never once entered his head.

In 1968 at the end of my high school years he moved from the LA area to Redding, California where his parents became the pastors of Bethel Church, and in 1970 the Holy Spirit began to move powerfully in the church community.

It was around this time that Mario Murillo would come and visit his church and speak about being absolutely abandoned to Christ. One Saturday night, alone, Bill finally said yes to God – the absolute yes. For him everything changed that night.

Bill was invited to pastor Mountain Chapel in Weaverville, California, in 1978 and accepted only on the basis that this assignment was from the Lord, that he would be sent out from Bethel Church in Redding, and that he would still be able to come under the supervision of his dad who continued to pastor the church in Redding.

He served in Weaverville for 17 wonderful years.

During this time the presence of God was so strong on his church family that they extended their times of worshiping and glorifying God but in those first years they saw few miracles despite praying for many.

Bill's greatest breakthrough in ministry came after attending two conferences in 1987 put on by John Wimber. He realized he needed to “put a demand” on what he believed – his risk factor had to line up with the boldness of his beliefs. As he did this there was an immediate change in his ministry and they began to see healing and miracles increase.

Bill moved back to Bethel Church in Redding in 1996 after the leadership there unanimously supported his one condition : he was born for revival and would pursue revival – this was not negotiable.

The outpouring when they started to minister at Bethel began almost immediately, although in seed form, yet grew rapidly and thry began to see many healings including multiple cases of cancer healed.

Healings and miracles have become normal today and Bill rejoice in this.

Many visit Redding weekly, hoping that God will touch them. Bill is happy to report that many leave well and whole. But many others leave in the same condition in which they came. He refuses to blame God for this, as though He has a purpose in their disease. While Jesus did not heal everyone alive in His time, He did heal everyone who came to Him. His is the only standard worth following.