Bill Johnson is the senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, and a prominent figure within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), Word of Faith movement, and the kenosis doctrine. His teachings are widely disseminated through Bethel Church's music, conferences, books, and online platforms, and they have gained significant influence in charismatic circles. However, his theological views differ substantially from confessional Christianity, particularly in areas related to the nature of Christ, spiritual gifts, and the role of the church.
Key Beliefs and How They Differ from Confessional Christianity
1. Kenosis and the Nature of Christ:
- Bill Johnson's View: Johnson teaches a version of the kenosis doctrine, which asserts that Jesus, during His earthly ministry, operated solely as a man empowered by the Holy Spirit and not in His divine capacity. He claims that Jesus “laid aside His divinity” and performed miracles as a Spirit-filled man, thus setting an example that all believers can emulate. According to Johnson, this teaching implies that Christians today can perform the same miracles as Jesus if they are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, possessing two natures—divine and human—united in one person (Colossians 2:9; John 1:1, 14). TJesus’ divinity was never set aside or diminished during His earthly ministry. Biblical Christianity rejects any teaching that implies Christ ceased to be fully divine and affirms that His miracles were evidence of His deity and messianic authority (John 10:30, 38).
2. Beliefs about the Kingdom of God and Dominion Theology:
- Bill Johnson's View: Johnson teaches a form of dominion theology, which claims that believers are called to establish God's kingdom on earth by taking authority over all areas of society, such as government, education, and business. This teaching is rooted in the belief that Christians can bring heaven to earth by exercising supernatural gifts, including healing, prophecy, and miracles, to transform society. Johnson frequently emphasizes that the church's role is to demonstrate God's power and advance His kingdom in every sphere of life.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that while believers are called to live out their faith in all areas of life, the kingdom of God is primarily a spiritual reality that will be fully realized at Christ’s return (John 18:36; Philippians 3:20). The Bible and the Westminster Confession of Faith emphasize that the church's mission is to proclaim the gospel and make disciples, not to establish a theocratic kingdom on earth, although large numbers of conversions will inevitably result in political change. But the ultimate fulfillment of God's kingdom awaits Christ’s second coming, and it rejects any notion that the church's main calling is exert dominion over society through supernatural means. The kingdom of God advances through the gospel, not political mandates - thaat is to put the cart before the horse.
3. The Role of Prophecy and Modern Revelation:
- Bill Johnson's View: Johnson is a leading advocate for the belief that the gift of prophecy is still active today and that modern prophets receive direct revelations from God. Bethel Church frequently promotes prophetic ministry and encourages believers to seek prophetic words for guidance in their personal lives and ministry. Johnson's teachings suggest that contemporary prophets can speak with authority and that prophetic experiences are a normal part of the Christian life.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that Scripture is the final and complete revelation of God’s will (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). God’s revelation is sufficient. No new, authoritative prophecies are being given today. Reformed theology emphasizes that prophecy in the sense of delivering new revelations has ceased, and that the Holy Spirit now illuminates believers through the already revealed Word of God.
4. Word of Faith Teachings and Positive Confession:
- Bill Johnson's View: Johnson's teachings include elements of the Word of Faith movement, particularly the idea that believers can exercise faith to “speak” things into existence, such as healing, prosperity, and success. He often teaches that faith is a force that can be activated by declaring God’s promises and that believers should expect miraculous outcomes as a result of their faith-filled declarations. This approach suggests that Christians have a measure of authority to create reality through their words.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that faith is trust in God’s promises, grounded in His sovereign will and not a tool for manipulating reality (Hebrews 11:1; Ephesians 2:8-9). God is sovereign over all things and believers are called to submit to His will in all circumstances. The Biblie rejects the idea that faith is a force that can be wielded to achieve personal desires and insists that prayer and faith are expressions of dependence on God’s grace and sovereignty (James 4:13-15).
5. Supernatural Gifts, Healing, and Signs and Wonders:
- Bill Johnson's View: Johnson places a strong emphasis on the miraculous, teaching that supernatural gifts such as healing, prophecy, and miracles are available to all believers and should be a regular part of the Christian life. He claims that it is always God’s will to heal and that believers should expect to perform the same signs and wonders as Jesus did. Bethel Church frequently conducts healing services, supernatural schools, and training programs designed to equip believers to operate in these gifts.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity acknowledges that God can perform miracles but teaches that the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, such as healing and prophecy, were primarily given for the foundational period of the apostolic era (Hebrews 2:3-4; 1 Corinthians 13:8-10). God primarily works through ordinary means of grace—such as preaching, the sacraments, and prayer—to accomplish His purposes. While God can and does heal according to His will, it is not guaranteed, and believers are called to trust in God’s sovereignty in all circumstances.
Summary of Differences
Why Bill Johnson should be regarded as a false teacher and why his teachings should be avoided:
1. A Distorted View of Jesus’s Divinity and the "Kenosis" Heresy
One of the most concerning aspects of Bill Johnson’s theology is his teaching that Jesus, during His earthly ministry, performed miracles, healed the sick, and cast out demons solely as a man empowered by the Holy Spirit, rather than as God. This teaching suggests that Jesus set aside His divine attributes, often referring to it as the "kenosis" doctrine. While it is true that Philippians 2:6-7 says that Jesus "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant," this does not mean that Jesus ceased to be God. The doctrine of the Incarnation teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man—He never stopped being divine while on earth (Colossians 2:9: "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily").
By teaching that Jesus operated only as a man and not as God during His earthly ministry, Johnson undermines the biblical truth of Christ’s divinity. This teaching dangerously implies that believers can perform miracles on the same level as Jesus, distorting the uniqueness of Christ's person and work. The Bible is clear that while believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus alone is the Son of God who holds divine authority (John 1:14, Hebrews 1:3).
2. Promoting a "Signs and Wonders" Theology That Focuses on Experience Over Scripture
Bill Johnson’s ministry emphasizes supernatural signs and wonders as the primary evidence of God’s presence and power. This emphasis can lead to a fixation on miracles, healing, and prophetic experiences, often to the exclusion of sound biblical teaching. However, Jesus warned against seeking signs as the foundation of faith, saying, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign" (Matthew 12:39). The Bible teaches that faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), not from the pursuit of supernatural experiences.
Furthermore, the Bible warns that not all miraculous signs come from God (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, Matthew 24:24). The pursuit of supernatural experiences over the truth of Scripture leads people into spiritual deception, making them susceptible to false teachings and practices that are not grounded in God's Word. Johnson’s emphasis on signs and wonders risks leading believers into a faith based on emotional experience rather than on the truth of the Gospel.
3. The "Little gods" Teaching and Elevating Man’s Authority
Bill Johnson often teaches that believers are to exercise the same authority and power that Jesus demonstrated, encouraging Christians to view themselves as having a divine-like ability to declare and create reality through their words. This teaching aligns with the "little gods" doctrine, which suggests that Christians, as children of God, share in God’s divine nature in a way that elevates them to a god-like status.
However, the Bible teaches that God alone is sovereign, and humans are His creation, not little gods (Isaiah 45:5). While believers are made in God’s image and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they are not divine and do not possess the power to declare reality into existence. The Bible warns against exalting oneself or seeking to elevate oneself to a god-like status, as it leads to pride and rebellion against God’s authority (Genesis 3:5, Ezekiel 28:2). Johnson's teaching blurs the distinction between Creator and creation, leading people into a false sense of their own power and authority.
4. Promoting the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith Teachings
Bill Johnson's teachings often incorporate elements of the Prosperity Gospel and the Word of Faith movement, which claim that God wants all believers to be healthy, wealthy, and successful. These teachings suggest that faith can be used as a tool to manipulate God into providing blessings, healing, and financial prosperity. However, Scripture never promises that believers will experience material wealth or physical health in this life. Instead, it teaches that suffering and trials are part of the Christian experience (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:12).
The Bible also warns against the love of money and the pursuit of material gain, declaring that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). By teaching that faith can be used to gain prosperity and success, Johnson’s message shifts the focus away from the Gospel of Christ’s sacrificial love and the call to follow Him, even in suffering.
5. False Prophecies and Unbiblical Practices
Johnson’s Bethel Church is known for promoting unbiblical practices such as "grave soaking," where individuals lie on the graves of deceased Christians to absorb their anointing. This practice, along with other mystical activities such as "glory clouds," gold dust, and angel feathers, are not supported by Scripture and often resemble occult practices rather than genuine expressions of biblical faith. The Bible strictly forbids any practices that resemble necromancy, mysticism, or attempts to contact the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
Moreover, Johnson’s church has a history of promoting false prophecies and prophetic declarations that do not come to pass. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 clearly warns against false prophets, stating that if a prophet’s words do not come true, they have spoken presumptuously and should not be feared. Such unbiblical practices and false prophecies reveal a lack of discernment and fidelity to God’s Word, which is the ultimate standard for truth.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible consistently warns believers to be on guard against false teachers who distort the truth and lead others astray. In 2 Peter 2:1-3, Peter writes, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies… And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words." Bill Johnson’s teachings align with this warning, as he promotes heretical ideas about Christ, encourages unbiblical practices, and leads people into a faith based on personal experience and prosperity rather than on the unchanging truth of God’s Word.
Paul urged believers to "test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and warned that "even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). Johnson’s teachings present a different gospel that is centered on human empowerment, prosperity, and supernatural experiences, rather than on Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins and the transformation of believers’ lives.
For these reasons, based on the authority of Scripture, Bill Johnson should be regarded as a false teacher, and his teachings should be avoided. Christians are called to remain grounded in the truth of God’s Word, which is "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16), and to reject any teaching that leads them away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The true Gospel calls us to repent, believe in Christ, and follow Him in obedience and humility. Any teaching that elevates human power, distorts the nature of Christ, or promotes unbiblical practices is a false gospel that must be rejected. Therefore, believers should avoid Bill Johnson's teachings and remain steadfast in the truth of God's Word, which alone is the foundation for genuine faith and life in Christ.
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