Charismatic Preacher Calls Out Bill Johnson for Denying the Divinity of Christ

The entire charismatic movement is a false movement attributed to the Holy Spirit by those who adhere to the teachings of the movement. While the charismatic movement has a broad range of beliefs and practices -- ranging from serious error to rank heresy -- within the movement, the unifying factor of the movement is the belief in the continuation of the apostolic sign gifts, such as tongues, prophecy, and the gift of healing.

Don Pirozok

One charismatic preacher, however, recently called out Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, CA for "denying Christ in the flesh," and denying His divinity. Don Pirozok, according to his website, has been involved in charismatic ministry for years and is a supporter of Todd Bentley.

It's always interesting to see these movements collapse among themselves, but when you have Todd Bentley-supporting charismatics calling out Bill Johnson, you know something is amiss. Interestingly, though he accuses Johnson of denying Christ, he ends the letter with an affirmation of "brother in Christ." Go figure.

His open letter to Johnson is as follows (original here):

An Open Letter To Bill Johnson

It has come too the attention of thousands of Christians many of your doctrinal teachings have created schisms, divisions in the body of Christ. By the sheer numbers of Christians who are calling you out for false teachings, Bill Johnson can no longer stand with the inner circle who protect him from direct confrontation.

Bill Johnson, it is completely provable from your own writings and other sources you deny the divinity of Jesus Christ in the Incarnation. Bill you have chosen over and over to teach Jesus Christ laid aside His divinity, and performed miracles only as a man in right relationship with God, and not as God.

This heresy is clearly identified as the Kenosis Hersey, as the character and nature of Jesus Christ as God in the flesh has been debated in the Church from antiquity. The Chalcedon Council of 451 clearly identified Jesus Christ in the Incarnation as 100% God, and 100% man in hypostatic union. All who choose to reject the deity of Jesus Christ in the flesh are considered heretics. This is a primary false doctrine, which alters the foundation of the faith, which leads the Church into a doctrine of demons, and potential apostasy.

Bill Johnson it is time for the Church to hear a defining statement which is spoken in clear facts so you can be numbered and marked if you continue to teach the Kenosis Hersey. If you believe Jesus Christ was just a man in the incarnation, you join the false teachers of antiquity who are the numbered of the heretics. To be marked and avoided as demanded by Church history, as you have been judged by Church Fathers, and present days saints who have tried the spirit, and found you in a spirit of error.

No follower of Bethel is given the right too excuse you in some form of appeal to your goodness, or your sincerity, or to any apparent fruitfulness which is declared by your followers. The Schism you have created, the danger of deception which you have fostered is all to apparent to those who stand outside your ministry network. In no way can you claim it is just personal to you, and attack on your life, an accuser of the brethren, or jealousy against your ministry. The charge is heresy, the preaching of the Kenosis Hersey where you declared Jesus Christ “is not God in the flesh.”

In this case you are only afforded 2 choices. The first is you can clearly affirm your heretical position, and deny Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Which demands the Church to censure you and reject your teachings, and mark and avoid you. The second choice is to repent of the Kenosis Hersey, and make correction and public confession openly repenting of creating a heretical schism. All ministry material which you have produced with the Kenosis error must be updated and revised.

If you choose the proper course of confession and repentance, your whole systematic theology will be dramatically altered, as the Kenosis Hersey is the foundational basis of virtually everything you teach, the very reason you believe the Church will Christianize the world. Making for a superChurch being filled up with the divinity of God, and being made equal to its head Jesus Christ. This is a complete heretical system of New Age or occult like belief. As you can see your Kenosis Hersey has lead to other heretical false doctrines, and has defiled major doctrines of Jesus Christ. In essence your confession of heresy, would dismantle your whole systematic Theology, as a dangerous virus or plague which threatens the very life of the Church.

Bill Johnson and Bethel followers should not excuse the call to repentance lightly. You are not spiritual advanced or enlightened for following Bill Johnsons Kenosis Hersey. You are not elitist, privileged to embrace the Kenosis Hersey without confrontation or accountability. Neither can you claim advanced spirituality because you speak in tongues, and are Charismatics, and those who confront you are Evangelicals and cessationists. None of these excuses are valid, as the confrontation has already been judged in history, found condemned, and judged as heresy. In essence in the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact is established.

Your only course is give an account. Any form of avoidance, or noncompliance makes you responsible of neglect, abuse of the Church, a work of the flesh, a false teacher and apostle. As much as Bethel is touted to be loving, giving, and devoted to the saints, your lack of attention and accounting would produce more of the exact opposite results.

Its time for the whole Church to hear first hand from Bill Johnson. The question is, “did Jesus Christ lay aside His divinity in the incarnation, yes or no?” Is Jesus Christ fully God and fully man in the Incarnation in hypostatic union, yes or no? If you say Jesus Christ is God in the incarnation, there is simply no way to claim Jesus Christ did miracles only as a man and not God. This dismantles your theological systems, one way or the other. Its time for you to make the “truth known,” and end the internet debate, and the great schisms with Bethel and the body of Christ. The Church will be ready to shout your answer from the roof tops, “what say you?”

A brother In Christ, Don Pirozok