May Bethel

Bill Johnson, born July 18, 1951, is the senior leader of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Under his guidance, the church experienced significant growth, reportedly expanding from 2,000 members in 1996 to over 11,000 by 2026. Johnson's ministry emphasizes themes of revival, faith healing, and supernatural phenomena, which are central to the Bethel movement and have influenced contemporary charismatic Christianity. He co-founded the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in 1998, which has attracted thousands of students globally. Johnson is also an author and travels extensively as a speaker. His theological positions and practices have drawn both strong support and criticism. He has expressed conservative political views, endorsing Donald Trump in recent elections due to opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, and globalization. Bethel Church holds a stance against homosexuality, viewing it as a sin, and has supported conversion therapy practices.

A fifth-generation pastor, Bill Johnson has led Bethel Church as senior leader since 1996. His ministry is deeply rooted in the charismatic tradition, focusing on spiritual revival, divine healing, and the manifestation of spiritual gifts. Johnson has stated that a turning point in his ministry occurred after attending a "signs and wonders" conference, where he felt a lack of tangible results despite sound doctrine. He later embraced "faith" as a form of risk-taking, which he believes opened the door for supernatural healing experiences. A significant shift in his approach followed a visit to Toronto's "Toronto Blessing" revival meetings in 1995, after which he intensified his focus on charismatic gifts and supernatural ministry.

Scholars and publications such as Christianity Today and the Christian Research Institute identify Bill Johnson as a key figure within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). This movement is characterized by beliefs in modern-day apostles and prophets receiving divine revelation, a doctrine known as the Seven Mountain Mandate advocating for church and state integration, and an emphasis on "signs and wonders" like healing and prophecy accessible to ordinary believers. Bethel Church's practices, including treating Johnson and his associate Kris Vallotton as apostles and prophets, their teachings on an imminent "billion soul" revival fueled by miracles, and their use of the Passion Translation of the Bible, align with core NAR tenets. Johnson himself has sometimes distanced himself from the NAR label, though his teachings and influence are widely recognized within the movement.

Bill Johnson holds conservative political views, notably endorsing Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. His stated reasons included alignment with Trump's positions against abortion, same-sex marriage, and globalization. Johnson publicly opposes homosexuality, describing it as a sin and a "violation of design." Bethel Church's official stance affirms sexual intimacy within heterosexual marriage while also advocating for compassion towards LGBTQ individuals. In 2018, Bethel Church actively opposed California state legislation that would have restricted conversion therapy, arguing that such laws could impede their ministry to individuals seeking to alter their sexual orientation.