Bill Johnson - The Privilege We Have to Sow Into the Next Generation
Thank you, please sit down. Good morning, nice to see you. I’m glad you showed up. I just got back from Brazil last night; that was fun. I had a couple of our alumni take me aside in one meeting and tell me that several years ago, they came from two different countries, got married, and several years later, one of their relatives, who was very antagonistic toward the Gospel, developed stage four kidney cancer. They persuaded him to come and visit, which is something he would never do, but they were getting pretty desperate. So, he came to the healing rooms, and then someone got him into our fourth-grade class at school. The kids surrounded him, prayed, and one of them prophesied that when he went back to the doctor, they would find his tumor smaller, and subsequently, it would continue to shrink until it was entirely gone. Then someone else suggested we pray in a specific way; they prayed that way, and exactly what was prophesied occurred: he went back to the doctor, and the tumor started shrinking, resulting in complete healing from kidney cancer. So anyway, that was fun. It’s enjoyable to meet our alumni all over the planet, and our online family—bless you guys; we welcome you into the house as well.
I was in Australia the week before, so I’m basically confused. Lord, give me patience, because if you give me strength, I’m going to need bail money. None of my jokes today are very good, so just brace yourself; it goes downhill from here. If I had a dollar for every time I thought of you, I’d start thinking about you more. Well, I’m the reporter; I didn’t write these. I know this is kind of dumb, but I’ll read it anyway: Jesus drove a Honda but didn’t talk about it. John 12:49 says, «For I did not speak of my own accord.» That’s sad, yeah. If you ever feel alone, turn the lights off and watch a horror movie; afterward, you’ll always feel someone is standing behind you. When you find a good wife, you not only get a best friend and companion, but you also receive a driving instructor for the rest of your life.
Alright, intercessors, begin to pray; I’m going to need her. I don’t know why men go to bars to try to meet women; go to Target instead. The female-to-male ratio is like 10 to 1, and they’re already looking for things they don’t need. Oh, come on, Bill, you can do better! I’ll try to prepare myself better for the next time. Please take your Bibles and open to 1 Chronicles 29. This chapter is one I’ve had marked up for probably 30 years, and while I don’t know that I’ve ever taught from it, I enjoy reading it.
In case you’ve been living on another planet, our nation needs healing; it’s probably one of the greatest understatements one could make. We are in tremendous need of the Lord to bring healing that only He can provide. I want to strongly urge everyone who is legal to please vote. It’s a democratic republic, and the people are the government. To not vote is like having a governor who doesn’t show up for work. It’s a responsibility, and when the church is silent, that’s where evil gets a voice. Our silence actually empowers darkness to take the microphone. It isn’t a battle over control; it’s a battle over opportunity and influence. We cannot lay down our right and responsibility to do what we need to do.
Part of the issue is that we’re part of a culture that has, for quite some time, had very little regard for future generations. It didn’t happen overnight; it was a slow turning, a gradual coldness of the heart. Personally, I believe it started when a person could make a choice and say, «I want to keep my job, and I’ll abort the baby to do it.» There’s a slow turning of a value system, where people become numb to the future and instead exalt the present, seeking personal comfort and opportunity in place of responsibility. Proverbs says a righteous man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. Righteousness causes us to think and see differently, leading us to realize that our decisions today will affect a generation we may never see. Righteousness actually shifts our sense of responsibility; it’s not all for me or for now. We get to make decisions and sow into future generations through our actions and prayers.
How many of you are alive and serving the Lord because you had a grandma who prayed for you? It’s the multiple-generational effect, and that is a reality; we need to understand this. We’ve got a government printing money like it’s toilet paper, and I point this out because it’s a bill that future generations will have to pay. There will have to be dramatic change in turning around this country. Please understand that some of the things called political are not political—they’re moral. We must take responsibility in those areas. The political issues can be debated and discussed, but moral issues—like allowing an eight-year-old to undergo surgery to change their gender—are not political; they are matters we must approach with clarity.
I understand we can lose the anointing by operating in a political spirit. Yes, you can make it against people and lose the anointing God has given us to effect change. However, we do have responsibility. I mention all this in the context of the upcoming election, but I also bring it up because we are building a facility—not only to meet present needs but to set future generations up for success. We are going through some personal trials and difficulties, embracing them as challenges to create momentum for future generations.
As Chris mentioned earlier, we have 38 acres we’re developing, along with an additional 20 acres, because we’re trying to do everything we can to set the stage for future generations to carry on the work God has given us. My dad was here for years; we have this building because of the vision and brilliance of former Pastor Ray Larson and the entire team, including Dan, who had the courage to take on this huge property and build. We enjoy what they built because they had the foresight to do something for future generations. I’m grateful and indebted to Ray and the team that worked so hard on this.
Preaching about buildings isn’t fun for me; I’d rather talk about the glory and all the things God has given us to do. However, one of the words we received early on was that facilities facilitate. There are certain things you can do with the proper facilities that you couldn’t do without them, and that’s a fact. We’re trying to set the stage for what God has given us to do right now, but also for what we sense is to come with the building of Bethel College and all our efforts.
Our approach to all ministries is simple: we teach, we model, we empower. Those three things are critical. Teaching is essential—things have to be taught and proclaimed. The practical examples of how to do things are important; we also want to empower people to do the work of ministry. Nothing we do should be confined to the walls of the building, even the new one. It has to be released.
Chris and the team hired a company to do research on our graduates, discovering that at one time, there were about 12,000 graduates—now we have around 19,000. They found hundreds involved in the political system, hundreds in the medical field, and hundreds in various spheres of influence. We love that we have missionaries all over the world and people pastoring and doing professional ministry, but I’m excited to know that there are revivalists in the business community. When I see more students training as revivalists and then stepping into positions of influence, it thrills me because that has been the dream.
I remember when my dad first taught on the priesthood of the believer—this applies to everyone, not just those on the worship team or pastoral staff. We are all ministers to the Lord. I’ll never forget how that expanded my heart and vision for what’s possible if every believer realizes their priestly anointing.
David was a prototype for the New Testament believer. Before and after his worship, is different; the difference is as profound as the transition from the Old to the New Testament, demonstrated by one man who heard from the Lord and focused on the right things, becoming a model of New Testament Church life and worship.
David was a man after God’s heart, and there were certain priorities—core values—that drove him to be as successful and impactful throughout history as he was.
So, let’s look at the story; open your Bibles to 1 Chronicles 29 if you haven’t already. David is my favorite person in the Bible besides Jesus. Facing various challenges, David was not only a king but also a prophet and a priest, ministering unto the Lord.
The role of a New Testament believer mirrors that of a king, priest, and prophet; we represent the Lord to people, and the people before the Lord. David’s privilege gives us many insights to effectively step into our call and responsibility.
Today, we’ll focus briefly on the building of the Temple of Solomon. This isn’t the same as building a facility today, but here’s my dilemma: in the Old Testament, a temple was where God dwelled, yet God Himself said he does not dwell in buildings. However, it was a place where His presence rested upon certain sacrifices.
It’s not easy to equate that with the house of God in the New Testament, where believers are the dwelling place of God. However, I’ve started to see more similarities than I initially thought—take, for instance, an anointed cloth from Paul’s body sent to another location, resulting in healing and deliverance. What happened? It wasn’t just a symbolic act; there was a residue of His presence on that cloth. The same happens in buildings as well.
How could a customs official from San Francisco, suffering from stage four cancer, hear about healing taking place in Redding, drive up in the middle of the night, walk into the prayer house, and be healed without anyone praying for him? It’s because he entered a building where people pray and worship, where the Lord is honored, and there’s a unique atmosphere.
Does God live in buildings? No, but He’s present in a special way in unique locations. We need to recognize the impact of dedicated spaces. When you dedicate your business or home to the Lord, it creates an atmosphere of peace. People often feel that presence manifested when they enter a dedicated space. Multiply that by all the thousands that come here weekly into an atmosphere we cultivate through worship.
We’ve had people walk into the building, sit down, and receive healing without anyone praying for them. Why? Because God does leave His mark in buildings. In Weaverville, we would go into the theater showing *Poltergeist* on Saturday night, and we would show up on Sunday mornings, impacting the environment. That’s the difference; the atmosphere changes when God’s presence is honored in a building.
Now, let’s read about David’s story in 1 Chronicles 29. Solomon built the most extravagant building ever conceived. While Solomon gets the credit for it, because he organized it, it was actually David who supplied all the materials through his generosity and vision.
So, let’s briefly examine the heart of a king, prophet, and priest who loves God’s presence above all else. In verse 1, King David said to the assembly, «My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great because the temple is not for man, but for the Lord.»
What if we truly built this for the Lord? Each entrance into the facility should allow people to encounter His presence and power. Verse 2, «Now for the house of my God, I have prepared with all my might gold, silver, bronze, etc.» Verse 3, «Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God.»
It’s a profound statement! The first point I want to make is that David set his affection on the house of the Lord, and thus he gave. He was directing his giving, whether time, money, words of encouragement, or acts of service. Paul said, «You are restricted by your affections.» When I look across a crowd, I seek where my heart is pulling me to. Following that leads to breakthroughs.
David says, «I have set my affection on the house of the Lord, and because of that, I have given.» The people rejoiced because they offered willingly with loyal hearts, and King David rejoiced greatly as well.
Willing generosity and a loyal heart go hand in hand, and in verse 14, David reflects, «Who am I, and who are my people that we should be able to offer so willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own we have given to you. We are aliens and pilgrims before you, as were our fathers.»
The privilege of giving is an amazing gift. Have you ever considered how incredible it is that you can sacrifice and sow into something? When you give sacrificially, it’s fulfilling, and you realize it’s a privilege to be able to give.
In verse 18, David prayed, «Oh Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the hearts of your people and fix their hearts toward you.» David prayed for you and me, anticipating that generations to follow would know the value of giving.
He recognized that the ability to give is a gift from God we don’t earn. Imagine realizing you’re gifted to give overwhelmingly, all while recognizing that you don’t deserve that privilege. David prayed for something that would mark God’s people forever.
This aligns with the concept of a spear: our commitment to walk in forgiveness allows efficient prayer to make its way.
We don’t just live for today; we consciously make decisions that help future generations. If the facility were completed today, we would already need multiple services—it would help us do much more than we are now, which is wonderful and necessary.
As successful as I hope we become in the next ten years, God chooses the weak things; realize it means you’ll have two qualifications: foolish and weak.
Bethel is a small sliver of what God is doing in the earth, yet at least we have our part. I’m thankful for that. With around 110 nations involved in our school thus far, it’s about God’s work in response to your yes, and I genuinely honor your contributions.
We are moving into another phase. I want to thank you for your participation. I join David in prayer now, asking the Lord to help us realize the honor of being able to give generously—it’s a shocking gift.
Celebrate that opportunity! Don’t allow anyone to manipulate you into giving. Paul warned against giving under compulsion. If you protect generosity as a sacred act, your heart will be in the right place, ensuring it yields powerful returns.
Father, give us wisdom and grace in this season as we explore what you are doing. Let David’s prayer take full effect in this house, recognizing the privilege of sowing into future generations.
I know with this many people in the room that there might be some here who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus or know what it means to be born again, to have peace with God. This is an opportunity to invite God into your life through Jesus. I would like to ask: if anyone here wants to ensure they’ve found peace with God, just put a hand up quickly. I want to see you and acknowledge that. If I missed you, I want to ensure you take advantage of this opportunity—eternity is a long time, and these opportunities transform our lives from the inside out, bringing us into the family of Jesus Christ.