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 WARNING - BILL JOHNSON and BETHEL CHURCH by Andrew Strom

am really hoping to make this the last of this type of article for awhile. Some people think I "love" putting out this stuff. But I honestly wish it would all go away, so we could get on with the 'real' work of building the kingdom.

However, Bill Johnson is doing such damage to the Body of Christ around the world that I simply cannot stay silent. In New Zealand (where I am currently) he holds a huge Conference once a year called "Manifest Presence". This is amost certainly the biggest and most influential Christian conference in the whole country. And likewise in other nations, such as UK, Australia, Singapore, and many others. His influence is enormous.

Bill Johnson is a very charming man. He also emphasizes a number of things that I heartily agree with - such as street evangelism using the gifts of the Spirit, prophecy and healing on the streets, etc. But the problem is that he endorses and promotes an "anointing" exactly identical to the one that Todd Bentley promotes. The "drunken glory", fire-tunnel, laughing, jerking, gold-dust, "Angel-mania"-type anointing that has done such damage to the Charismatic movement around the world and in many cases reduced it to a shocking travesty of what it once was. What would Derek Prince or Keith Green think of the things these men are into - spiritual drunkenness, "portals", 'visualization', spirit-travel, fire-tunnels, angel-orbs and the like? (Found all the way through the New Age movement, but not in the Bible).

Bill Johnson was one of the biggest supporters of the Lakeland revival led by Todd Bentley. And even after the fiasco that it became, he publicly endorsed Todd Bentley's ministry again in 2011. But Bill does it all with such "down-to-earth" charm and wise-sounding words - "how could this be deception?" That is what makes him so dangerous.

His wife Beni is co-pastor with Bill of Bethel church in Redding, California. And interestingly she is even more open about the bizarre things that theyare into. She even puts it in writing on the Internet, for all the world to see.

For example, in her "Life and Wellness" blog on July 6 this year, here is what she wrote in an entry called 'Love Shack Time': "I was talking with Ray Hughes the other day and was telling him about using a 528 HZ tuning fork as a prophetic act. Someone told me that this tuning fork is called the tuning fork of LOVE..." (Please note that crystals and tuning forks are used in NEW AGE therapy - and have nothing to do with Christianity in any way).

Beni continued: "Recently I got up to speak at a meeting and walked up to the song "Love Shack" by the B52's. I was calling people to more love. It was so fun."

I guess we are now beginning to get a sense of the strange spiritual world that these people inhabit. Another blog post that Beni wrote about 'WAKING UP ANGELS' in March 2009 was also very revealing:

"In the last couple of months, I personally have become more aware of the angelic activity in this realm. One of those times was when we were on a prayer trip to Arizona... One morning as we were driving up over Tehachapi Pass and coming down into the Mojave Desert, I began to feel angels. The closer we got, the stronger the impression felt. I could see them everywhere!.. I announced this to the group and said, "We have got to stop! We have to stop somewhere..." As we drove around a corner I said, "I think that we are going to wake up some angels here..."

"We knew we were to turn around, get out of the RV and wake up the angels. I wish I could convey to you the energy and the quickness of how God was working. We jumped out of the RV, I blew the shofar and rang the bell, and we yelled "WAKEY WAKEY." We got back into the RV and drove off. As we drove off, hilarious laughter broke out! We were stunned at the speed at which this all took place and were spinning from the adventure and the angelic activity. What in the world had just happened?! Heaven collided with earth. Woo hoo!!

"Since that time, there has been astirring in me to awaken the angels for use in this Kingdom reign that is upon us here on earth. I have shared these two stories in other places and have done a prophetic act of waking up the angels: having everybody cry out, "WAKEY WAKEY!" I know it is strange but it is very effective... One of our gals who enjoys God's angels... gets pretty wacked when they are around..."

The reference that Beni makes here to "Heaven colliding with earth" is of course directly tied to Bill Johnson's most famous teaching on "When Heaven Invades Earth". Clearly, this is the kind of thing they mean when they use that phrase. So if we get with their program so-to-speak, we too can go around "waking up angels" and getting "pretty wacked" when these 'angels' are around.

I guess the obvious question is whether they are "serious" about all this. Sadly, the answer is "Yes." When you get so completely deceived that you think "drunken glory" and 'tuning forks' and getting "wacked" are normal Christian behaviour, you are open to anything. Tragically, if we look at all that these people have said and done now for years and years, we have to conclude that one of Christendom's biggest leaders (Bill Johnson) inhabits the most bizarre quasi-spiritual universe that you can imagine. And he is spreading this deceived foolishness in the Body of Christ on a mass scale. It might seem almost "funny" if it wasn't so 'New Age' serious.

One young lady named Johanna who had been a student for many months at Bill Johnson's 'Bethel' school wrote to me the following:

"In August 2008 I moved to Redding, California to attend Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). I graduated in May 2009... Almost right away I began to question the bizarre behavior that is so normal there.

"At Bethel, there are many sayings that are tossed around daily... "God only has nice things to say," "There´s no high like the Most High." There would be all kinds of distracting behavior (random shouting, laughing, etc.) during school sessions and church services. When any guest speaker came to school, students would flock to the front to get as close to the speaker as possible. We were taught that any anointing we wanted could be received by simply "claiming it" for ourselves. Students would rush the stage and the front of the sanctuary so the speakers could lay hands on them.

"Among the guest speakers were Bob Jones, Heidi Baker, Georgian and Winnie Banov, Randy Clark, John and Carol Arnott... We also had regular sessions with Bill Johnson, Beni Johnson... and other Bethel pastors. The drunken behavior and questionable teachings from some, if not all, of these speakers was shocking at times. I can safely say that I never heard the word "repentance" once in any teaching.

"I remember when the Banovs came, the whole place was complete chaos. When they touched someone, that person would jerk violently or stumble around as if they were drunk. The Banovs minister to people in trash dumps around the world... What I remember them talking about was love, joy, bliss, and the new wine.

"Angels were often talked about. I remember Beni Johnson actually took an RV across Arizona and New Mexico to wake up angels that were supposedly sleeping. (Another one of the common phrases, "Wakey wakey"). I would always hear people talking about their encounters with angels and how they visited heaven. One young woman I knew said she could see angels everywhere, she talked to them all the time, and she would help her friends to do the same... God becomes like Santa Claus. Without the preaching of the true gospel, the fear of the Lord is lost."

ANDREW AGAIN: As you can see from all these reports, the ministry of Bill Johnson is highly suspect. Sadly, because the deception is not as "obvious" as Todd Bentley, people are charmed into thinking he's "fine". Charismatic leaders around the world flock to his meetings and openly endorse his teachings. For this reason I believe he is far more dangerous than Todd Bentley ever was. The Bible says that in the last days will come false teachers and "lying signs and wonders" to deceive if possible the "very elect." And what do we see today? New Age practices and spirits are flooding the church. And it is men like Bill Johnson that have become the "acceptable face" of this invasion. Please, friends, steer well clear.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2014/5/19 22:31Profile









 Re: WARNING - BILL JOHNSON and BETHEL CHURCH by Andrew Strom

I first read this post at 1:40 AM, woke out a fitful sleep, Lord bless for posting it brother, and God bless Andrew for staying on this.

I remember, last night, making a bagel with cream cheese, that's how you get back to sleep....and i'm pondering on this ongoing HELLISH counterfeit, praying, thinking how much I love the Pure Witness of Jesus, how much I loathe the polluted counterfeit antics of lucifer , and I sleep back to sleep, only to hectored awake by ugly nightmares at 5 AM. prayed, and now i'm back up.

Greg, we cant let this one go, do you or should I RE-post brother Andrew's 4 part video warning series on this unholy, anti-Christ wickedness?

its so disheartening.....no True Christ centered Revival, but this lot continues unabated, playing games with God, consorting with vile spirits.

I think i'm going to write a letter to Bill Johnson, imploring him to turn from such folly. That's Scriptural....be gentle, he is an "elder" as outlined in 1 Peter. people might say, "that wont do anything"...maybe not, but its the first salvo, subsequent broadsides would be vastly more strident....maybe letters to Charisma mag...I don't know.

I do know this is all terrible...how foolish, Todd Bentley must have NO fear of God...and Bill Johnson and his "angel waking" wife?!?

It does teach us one thing, how long suffering and patient God is with us.

 2014/5/20 11:25
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

I agree this is dangerous stuff. There definitely is a "culture" with is own lingo etc. I went to a church briefly in this movement and it was bad news. Didn't take long to figure that out.

It is def a mixture of new age mumbo jumbo and Christianity. More new age though.


_________________
Todd

 2014/5/20 11:53Profile
havok20x
Member



Joined: 2008/9/14
Posts: 980
Pineville, LA

 Re:

The Band Jesus Culture comes out of this church. I have noticed that many completely reject the doctrines taught by these guys, but still listen to the band. Am I right to be concerned?

 2014/5/20 12:00Profile
dolfan
Member



Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

It is wise to be wary of Jesus Culture music. It shares a lot of qualities of the "soaking" music that is also to be warily watched. But, then, some of their songs and music are no more problematic than Chris Tomlin. If I know Jesus Culture produces a song, I am probably going to be doubly watchful on all aspects, and I'm already probably overly analytical and critical of P&W songs in the eyes of some. (Probably? I know I am; been told so! :) )

Some of it I actually like and find edifying. But, like everything these days, even the good is overdone (like singing it thirty-eleven times over and over).

Bethel Redding is a heresy hellhole, though. [Please note: My use of that word is intended to describe the abode of Satan, not a byword.] Yet, they actually do read real Bibles. If Bill Johnson reads a bible out loud on a CD without comment, does that make it wrong? Of course not. If they happen to speak actual truth in song from Jesus Culture, I can sing with my mind and in my spirit. But, I do kick in another set of Bethel filters before I do it.


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Tim

 2014/5/20 12:26Profile
PaulWest
Member



Joined: 2006/6/28
Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas

 Re:

I've noticed that people influenced by this stuff talk a lot about "releasing the kingdom". They are also big on cancer and other diseases being "illegal" (that is, having no legal right to be in our bodily flesh); the unavoidable influence of generational curses; and how the power of our words can alter our physical reality -- be it positive or negative. It's absolutely crazy how someone can read the New Testament and arrive at these beliefs.

One of my in-laws is really into Bill Johnson, and uses a lot of his lingo to interpret his own visions (which he purports to have very often). I've noticed an element of the demonic is very often the fulcrum of the vision; i.e. a large mountain in the way is a picture of Satan obstructing the Lord's work; demons looking through windows and trying to force open doors, demons in trees, ominous shadows over certain churches, etc. It's never a vision of the mercy of Jesus Christ, of His compassion or God's love. The visions or dreams are instead always enigmatic with mystical overtones and almost always with cryptic Satanic elements.


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Paul Frederick West

 2014/5/20 12:38Profile









 Re: WARNING - BILL JOHNSON and BETHEL CHURCH by Andrew Strom

Brother Andrews first video WARNING:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbVYalAE5-8

 2014/5/20 12:52
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

PaulWest wrote:

Quote:
It's absolutely crazy how someone can read the New Testament and arrive at these beliefs.


Therein lies a fundamental cause of the problems in much of the Charismatic and/or Pentecostal movement. Many do not really encourage believers to really study to know their Bibles systematically, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Many place feelings and experiences above the Word of God. I know from past involvement with that movement. This is not to paint a broad brush over all believers involved in that movement but simply to point out what I noticed as huge problem there.


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Oracio

 2014/5/20 12:58Profile
havok20x
Member



Joined: 2008/9/14
Posts: 980
Pineville, LA

 Re:

Agreed, Oracio. The problem is that experience is being canonized and used to interpret the Scriptures. Everything is an opinion. Nothing is concrete. Everyone's views are equally valid. Truth is "springy".

No wonder it is turning into the circus it is. Anything goes.

 2014/5/20 13:02Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

Havok--

I like quite a bit of Jesus Cultures music and I like a lot of Bethel music stuff to (bill Johnson's don Brian and wife Jen lead that). They wrote the song "One thing remains" that I really like.

I have cooled to them somewhat in that I have not purchased anything for the past couple of years.

But some of their worship music is really good there is no denying it.


_________________
Todd

 2014/5/20 14:36Profile





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