Bethel Church: From Latter Rain to NAR

During the height of the Latter Rain movement, Bethel Church was an Assembly of God Church with Latter Rain leanings. Bethel's head pastor, Rev. R. T. Doherty, participated in the Latter Rain revivals, holding "Full Gospel" meetings with Voice of Healing Evangelists such as Thomas H. Welch that advertised "Signs! Wonders! Miracles! During those years, Doherty was the presbyter of the California-Nevada district of the Assembly of God Churches. When the Assemblies denounced Latter Rain in September 1949. Doherty abruptly resigned from Bethel and his position as presbyter. His position had not yet been filled when he relocated to Oregon in November. In just a short time, however, Doherty returned and began holding Full Gospel services at Bethel. By 1953, Doherty and the Bethel Church had grown enough to purchase a Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 1167 Magnolia St. Though the Assemblies were sanctioning churches that participated in the revivals, Bethel remained firm in its association and began advertising itself as a "Full Gospel Fellowship," indicating that they were affiliated with the Voice of Healing/Latter Rain Revivals. While the Church continued using the Assemblies of God name well into the 1970s, this would suggest that Bethel chose the Latter Rain side of the schism that had formed in the Assemblies.

Bethel's position apparently attracted the attention of the General Council. In November 1966, Victor Trimmer assumed leadership of Bethel. The words "Full Gospel" were dropped from the advertisements, and the Church was listed in the newspapers as "Bethel Assembly of God." Trimmer was a national representative of the Assemblies of God, and appears to have supported the AoG's condemnation of Branham's Latter Rain extremism. Though Trimmer held conventions in "Full Gospel" churches, by the time he became pastor of Bethel, he was more aligned with the General Council. His short time as head pastor appears to have been an attempt to bring Bethel Church back in alignment with the Assemblies. This objective also appears not to have been well received; Trimmer's time at Bethel was short-lived. In May 1968, Trimmer took a missionary position with Assemblies of God and left Bethel.

In August 1968, M. Earl Johnson was installed as head pastor of Bethel Church, and Johnson took strides to disconnect from the control of the Assemblies. Two months after his installment service, it was announced that the Church would purchase radio station KVIP. It was noted that "although Bethel Church is affiliated with Assemblies of God, the radio station would be operated and owned solely by the Redding church." A new weekly publication called "Love" was introduced, edited by Bill Johnson, and focused on attracting youth to the church. The publication advertised that Bethel did not support the Assemblies' position against Rock-and-roll music.

Though Rev. M. Earl Johnson continued working closely with the General Assembly of the AOG, Johnson edged the Church back towards its affiliation with the Latter Rain theology. Guest speakers at Bethel included Clif Powell, the International Director of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship, International (FGBMI) — the group that helped to promote William Branham's ministry. Powell gave "Reports of REVIVAL world-wide". Guest speakers at Bethel affiliated with FGBMI were advertised as such, and those that frequently spoke at FGBMI Conventions were also advertised. The FGBMI's initiative to work closely with government leaders was also adopted. Herb Ellingwood, legal affairs secretary to then Governor Ronald Reagan, held meetings in Bethel discussing "The Charismatic Movement Among Leaders of Our Government." Rev. M. Earl Johnson's changes were apparently popular with Bethel. His leadership of the Church lasted from 1968 to 1996.

In February 1996, Rev. Bill Johnson was installed as senior pastor at Bethel church. Just weeks later, Bethel announced that "a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit" was coming, insinuating that Bethel would produce an event similar to the Azusa Street Revival and the Latter Rain Revival. Bethel began stage productions urging congregants to "accept Christ — or else". Bill Johnson declared that "We want people to hear the Message". By 1999, "faith healing" had become a prominent feature in Bill Johnson's services.

As a member at Bethel Church in Redding, he said he had heard a lot of prayers for the healing of others, but on this occasion, he was sought out. For some reason, Bill Johnson (senior pastor at Bethel) sought me out to pray for me. And all I know is after he prayed for me for several minutes, I was overcome with joy and excitement and felt so good that I took off running in church. I sprinted.

Bethel Church:
https://william-branham.org/site/rese...