Who is Bill Johnson and what does he believe?
Bill Johnson, senior leader at Bethel Church
MARCH 14, 2023 | RYAN HEFFERNON
This week, James River Church is hosting a Week of Power. This event desires "spiritual awakening in Missouri and our nations" as well as "healings, signs, wonders, and deliverance."
The keynote speakers are Bill Johnson and Randy Clark. Johnson is the senior leader of Bethel Church and the co-founder of the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). Clark is also tied to BSSM but is more widely known as the founder of Global Awakening and a self-proclaimed apostle, focusing on miraculous healing and prophecy.
This is not the first time Johnson has spoken in our city, and he is not the first controversial preacher to preach here
So why is this important? And what makes this different? Here is what you need to know about these figures and their beliefs, focusing on Johnson.
This week, James River Church is hosting a Week of Power. This event desires "spiritual awakening in Missouri and our nations" as well as "healings, signs, wonders, and deliverance."
The keynote speakers are Bill Johnson and Randy Clark. Johnson is the senior leader of Bethel Church and the co-founder of the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). Clark is also tied to BSSM but is more widely known as the founder of Global Awakening and a self-proclaimed apostle, focusing on miraculous healing and prophecy.
This is not the first time Johnson has spoken in our city, and he is not the first controversial preacher to preach here
So why is this important? And what makes this different? Here is what you need to know about these figures and their beliefs, focusing on Johnson.
Who are Bethel, Bill Johnson, and Randy Clark?
Bethel Church is a charismatic church founded in 1952. They have long been known for their worship band, but also for their unorthodox tendencies, including claims of "glory clouds" or gold dust and "angel feathers" falling from the ceiling in worship services, to the existence of BSSM.
BSSM exists so that students can "learn how to read, understand, and “do” the Bible, how to practice His presence, to witness, heal the sick, prophesy, preach, pray, cast out demons and much more."
I emphasized that last sentence because it encapsulates the overall bend of Bethel towards miraculous giftings. Johnson is the co-founder of BSSM, and Clark is a teacher at the school.
BSSM exists so that students can "learn how to read, understand, and “do” the Bible, how to practice His presence, to witness, heal the sick, prophesy, preach, pray, cast out demons and much more."
I emphasized that last sentence because it encapsulates the overall bend of Bethel towards miraculous giftings. Johnson is the co-founder of BSSM, and Clark is a teacher at the school.
What do they believe?
The lack of a concrete confession or statement of faith from Bethel or Bill Johnson makes identifying false teachings more difficult. For instance, River Stone's statement of faith is the Baptist Faith and Message, the most prominent doctrinal statement in Southern Baptist Churches. Bethel's statement of faith is much more vague, so it is necessary to dive into the personal theology of men like Johnson.
Much of Johnson and Bethel's theology falls into an extreme version of charasmaticism. For instance, he adheres to doctrines such as his own "Jesus is perfect theology" doctrine, which more or less claims that Jesus will always heal when we ask Him to heal.
However, when you dive deeper, Johnson's root theology is much more troublesome, specifically his beliefs on the Trinity and Jesus' divinity. Johnson flirts with what we would call kenoticism, which is the belief that Christ emptied himself of His divinity. I say flirts with because while his published words reflect this theology, his public claims deny this theology, as we will see.
This theology is loosely based on Philippians 2:7, where Paul writes that Jesus "emptied himself by taking the form of a servant." Here's a better interpretation of that text.
Much of Johnson and Bethel's theology falls into an extreme version of charasmaticism. For instance, he adheres to doctrines such as his own "Jesus is perfect theology" doctrine, which more or less claims that Jesus will always heal when we ask Him to heal.
However, when you dive deeper, Johnson's root theology is much more troublesome, specifically his beliefs on the Trinity and Jesus' divinity. Johnson flirts with what we would call kenoticism, which is the belief that Christ emptied himself of His divinity. I say flirts with because while his published words reflect this theology, his public claims deny this theology, as we will see.
This theology is loosely based on Philippians 2:7, where Paul writes that Jesus "emptied himself by taking the form of a servant." Here's a better interpretation of that text.
Johnson's writings over the years have often focused on Christ's divinity, specifically the relationship between Jesus as man and Jesus as God. In four different books, including When Heaven Invades Earth, Johnson says a variation of the same quote.
“Jesus set aside his divinity, choosing instead to live as a man, completely dependent on God."
Johnson has attempted to clarify these words as well, claiming that Jesus was fully God and fully man. He also says that he reached out to the publisher of When Heaven Invades Earth to rephrase several problematic aspects of that book. This is a wonderful thing! We shouldn't deny that.
“Jesus set aside his divinity, choosing instead to live as a man, completely dependent on God."
Johnson has attempted to clarify these words as well, claiming that Jesus was fully God and fully man. He also says that he reached out to the publisher of When Heaven Invades Earth to rephrase several problematic aspects of that book. This is a wonderful thing! We shouldn't deny that.
Johnson says this: "Jesus chose to live in the limitations of a man, dependent on the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit. So He was living in what was possible for us...it doesn't come from questioning his divinity. It just comes from the choice He would make to live a style that can be followed by those who have no sin and are empowered by the Holy Spirit."
The description states that "neither Bethel Church nor Bill Johnson believes in kenosis theory." This is, again, a wonderful thing. However, we must still deal with Johnson's own words in other publications.
In Heaven Invades, Johnson writes:
"Jesus Christ said of Himself, ‘The Son can do nothing.’ In the Greek language that word nothing has a unique meaning—it means NOTHING, just like it does in English! He had NO supernatural capabilities whatsoever!…He performed miracles, wonders, and signs, as a man in right relationship to God…not as God."
And again in The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles, Johnson writes:
"Jesus had no ability to heal the sick. He couldn’t cast out devils, and He had no ability to raise the dead. He said of Himself in John 5:19, ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself.’ He had set aside His divinity. He did miracles as man in right relationship with God because He was setting forth a model for us, something for us to follow…Jesus so emptied Himself that He was incapable of doing what was required of Him by the Father – without the Father’s help."
The quotes above, including from his clarification, have one important thing in common: They either question or outright reject Jesus acting as God while on Earth. That is, they may not reject that Jesus was and is God, but they question Jesus' functional capacity to act as God while a man on Earth. His works were done by a man in right relationship with God, but not as God. This tears apart the theological concept of the Hypostatic Union, which affirms that "Jesus was both God and man, fully divine and fully human."
Specifically, they go as far as to say that Jesus had no supernatural capabilities and that his miracles were the result of his right relationship with God, a tacit undermining of Jesus' divinity altogether.
This brings us to a fork in the road. How do we reconcile Johnson's clarification with his own words?
The description states that "neither Bethel Church nor Bill Johnson believes in kenosis theory." This is, again, a wonderful thing. However, we must still deal with Johnson's own words in other publications.
In Heaven Invades, Johnson writes:
"Jesus Christ said of Himself, ‘The Son can do nothing.’ In the Greek language that word nothing has a unique meaning—it means NOTHING, just like it does in English! He had NO supernatural capabilities whatsoever!…He performed miracles, wonders, and signs, as a man in right relationship to God…not as God."
And again in The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles, Johnson writes:
"Jesus had no ability to heal the sick. He couldn’t cast out devils, and He had no ability to raise the dead. He said of Himself in John 5:19, ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself.’ He had set aside His divinity. He did miracles as man in right relationship with God because He was setting forth a model for us, something for us to follow…Jesus so emptied Himself that He was incapable of doing what was required of Him by the Father – without the Father’s help."
The quotes above, including from his clarification, have one important thing in common: They either question or outright reject Jesus acting as God while on Earth. That is, they may not reject that Jesus was and is God, but they question Jesus' functional capacity to act as God while a man on Earth. His works were done by a man in right relationship with God, but not as God. This tears apart the theological concept of the Hypostatic Union, which affirms that "Jesus was both God and man, fully divine and fully human."
Specifically, they go as far as to say that Jesus had no supernatural capabilities and that his miracles were the result of his right relationship with God, a tacit undermining of Jesus' divinity altogether.
This brings us to a fork in the road. How do we reconcile Johnson's clarification with his own words?
When False Teaching Flirts with Heresy
In the entirety of church history, nearly every heresy has been in some way associated with trinitarian theology. That is, the denial or undermining of the trinity in some form, most commonly in the form of the person and divinity of Jesus. Arianism, Docetism, and Modalism all have to do with the trinity concerning Jesus' person and deity.
I do not use the word heresy lightly. I think we are obligated to look at men like Johnson with generosity of spirit and understand that Johnson could very well be in the process of recanting his kenotic-leaning beliefs. With this in mind, we should still be highly cautious to engage with teachings that even flirt with trinitarian theology. The Athanasian Creed sums up historic Christian orthodoxy quite well:
"Now this is the [true] faith:
that we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing their essence...but it is necessary for eternal salvation that one also believes in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.
Now this is the true faith:
that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, is both God and man, equally...Although he is God and man, yet Christ is not two, but one. He is one, however, not by his divinity being turned into flesh, but by God's taking humanity to himself."
This is orthodox Christian teaching, importantly noting that "anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally." We are not to confound nor divide the essence of the Trinity. He is one, not by his divinity being turned into flesh, but by God's taking humanity to himself.
Johnson's teachings, even if unintentional or misunderstood as he claims, are confounding and divided enough to warrant a warning.
In his review of Johnson's book When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles, David Schrock of 9Marks writes this:
It’s no light matter to call someone a heretic. Heresy isn’t merely theological error; it’s error that tampers with our understanding of God and Christ and threatens, if not completely undermines, our standing before him. Historically, heresy has been saved for matters that deny the Trinity or reject the early church councils. Therefore, we must use the greatest caution when invoking the term. And yet, when Trinity-eroding, Christ-denying, gospel-subverting error is published, we ought not shy away from declaring a teacher or teaching as heretical.
For that reason, I must use the word heresy to speak of Bill Johnson’s book When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles.
In the review, he concludes:
In the end, I must submit, Bill Johnson’s book is modern-day heresy. In his “gospel of power” he has made an encounter with the “power” of God more important than trust in the triune God of Scripture. As a consequence, he has proffered a God that is impersonal, a Jesus who minimizes his Lordship, and a Spirit whose electric power overwhelms his eternal personhood.
I empathize with Schrock. Associating anyone with heresy is not a light matter. And it is even more difficult given Johnson's attempt to clarify his writings. This is not written to sling mud or toil but as a warning. Paul writes in Titus 1 that we "must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it."
The words of clarification from Johnson remain highly troubling and are enough to flee from his teaching. Any erosion of the trinity or Christ's divinity, or in this case the capacity of Christ's divinity while on Earth, must be rejected.
The furthest conclusion of Johnson's doctrine is not simply an error, similar to the errors Paul corrected in the church at Corinth. It is a whole different Gospel, the kind that Paul wrote about in his letter to the Galatians, one that is accursed. As Schrock writes, to erode the Trinity is to deny who Christ was and is, and this is something that must not go unaddressed in our city.
I do not use the word heresy lightly. I think we are obligated to look at men like Johnson with generosity of spirit and understand that Johnson could very well be in the process of recanting his kenotic-leaning beliefs. With this in mind, we should still be highly cautious to engage with teachings that even flirt with trinitarian theology. The Athanasian Creed sums up historic Christian orthodoxy quite well:
"Now this is the [true] faith:
that we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing their essence...but it is necessary for eternal salvation that one also believes in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.
Now this is the true faith:
that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, is both God and man, equally...Although he is God and man, yet Christ is not two, but one. He is one, however, not by his divinity being turned into flesh, but by God's taking humanity to himself."
This is orthodox Christian teaching, importantly noting that "anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally." We are not to confound nor divide the essence of the Trinity. He is one, not by his divinity being turned into flesh, but by God's taking humanity to himself.
Johnson's teachings, even if unintentional or misunderstood as he claims, are confounding and divided enough to warrant a warning.
In his review of Johnson's book When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles, David Schrock of 9Marks writes this:
It’s no light matter to call someone a heretic. Heresy isn’t merely theological error; it’s error that tampers with our understanding of God and Christ and threatens, if not completely undermines, our standing before him. Historically, heresy has been saved for matters that deny the Trinity or reject the early church councils. Therefore, we must use the greatest caution when invoking the term. And yet, when Trinity-eroding, Christ-denying, gospel-subverting error is published, we ought not shy away from declaring a teacher or teaching as heretical.
For that reason, I must use the word heresy to speak of Bill Johnson’s book When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles.
In the review, he concludes:
In the end, I must submit, Bill Johnson’s book is modern-day heresy. In his “gospel of power” he has made an encounter with the “power” of God more important than trust in the triune God of Scripture. As a consequence, he has proffered a God that is impersonal, a Jesus who minimizes his Lordship, and a Spirit whose electric power overwhelms his eternal personhood.
I empathize with Schrock. Associating anyone with heresy is not a light matter. And it is even more difficult given Johnson's attempt to clarify his writings. This is not written to sling mud or toil but as a warning. Paul writes in Titus 1 that we "must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it."
The words of clarification from Johnson remain highly troubling and are enough to flee from his teaching. Any erosion of the trinity or Christ's divinity, or in this case the capacity of Christ's divinity while on Earth, must be rejected.
The furthest conclusion of Johnson's doctrine is not simply an error, similar to the errors Paul corrected in the church at Corinth. It is a whole different Gospel, the kind that Paul wrote about in his letter to the Galatians, one that is accursed. As Schrock writes, to erode the Trinity is to deny who Christ was and is, and this is something that must not go unaddressed in our city.
Where do we go from here?
I think it is crucial to note again that this is not an attack, but a warning. So my challenge to our church this week would be to hold firm to sound doctrine if allowed to speak on this topic with friends, family, or co-workers. Pray for Johnson, Clark, and the members of Bethel Church, as well as discernment for our brothers and sisters and Christ who will hear them speak this week.
But I would also challenge our church to do so with hearts to stir up love and good works and to love our neighbor, not to ridicule or win an argument. Whether it be in our conversations or our social media posts, use your voice to make much of Jesus and to love your neighbor.
But I would also challenge our church to do so with hearts to stir up love and good works and to love our neighbor, not to ridicule or win an argument. Whether it be in our conversations or our social media posts, use your voice to make much of Jesus and to love your neighbor.
Posted in Theology