Bethel Church (Redding, California)
| Bethel Church (Redding, California) | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Redding, California |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Non-denominational charismatic, Pentecostal |
| Previous denomination | Assemblies of God |
| Website |
www |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Bill Johnson |
| Pastor(s) | Eric Johnson, Beni Johnson, Danny Silk, Kris Vallotton |
Bethel Church is a non-denominational charismatic church that was established in Redding, California, as an Assemblies of God congregation in 1954 and broke with the AofG in 2006. The Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry was founded by the church in 1998.
Eric Johnson and Candace Johnson community senior Leaders (2015-Current)
Bethel Church began in 1952, with several families meeting in a private home. As the number of members grew, the church moved to the Eagle's Hall on Yuba Street. In 1954, the Seventh-day Adventist Church building became their home and it was then that the application was made with the Assemblies of God to become incorporated as Bethel Church. Under Pastor Doherty's ministry, the church was able to purchase property on Bechelli Lane and the facility there was dedicated in 1964. Pastor Doherty's vision was that Bethel Church, being on a hill overlooking Redding, would be a light to the city.
In 1966, Reverend Vic Trimer, an evangelist from Wichita, Kansas, became the pastor of Bethel Church. He left in 1968, when the district office assigned him to the mission field in Malaysia.
In 1968, Earl Johnson moved from Downey, California, to become the pastor of Bethel Church. During his 14 years of pastoring the church, Bethel grew to over 1,000 in attendance and expanded its ministries. In 1982, after Pastor Earl Johnson was called to serve as the Assistant Superintendent of the Northern California/Nevada District of the Assemblies of God, Val Munson became the pastor.
In 1984, the congregation invited Ray and Rebecca Larson from Sacramento, California, to lead the congregation. Under their leadership, the church grew to nearly 2,000 in attendance and relocated to the present 71-acre (0.29 km2) site.
In February 1996, the congregation invited Bill Johnson from Weaverville, California, to lead the congregation. Johnson, the son of former pastor Earl Johnson, only had one stipulation before he was voted in: that the message would always be about revival and that the subject of revival would never change. He received nearly unanimous approval by the congregation and the church board. What believers consider to be a supernatural revival began to break out shortly after Bill's arrival. People in the congregation began laughing uncontrollably and falling and rolling on the floor, believing themselves to be under the power of God during church services. A mass exodus took place shortly after manifestations began happening. An estimated 1,000 people left the church and the two Sunday services were reduced to one. From 1996-1997, Bethel Church saw very little church growth.
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