Bethel Church in Redding, California has called upon its followers to join them in a 24/7 prayer campaign for co-pastor Beni Johnson, who is currently fighting cancer. The megachurch asked the faithful to specifically pray for her to improve her breathing and sleep.
"As many of you already know, Beni Johnson has been on a health journey of overcoming cancer," Bethel Church wrote on their social media accounts on Monday. "We've been praying consistently, and she has experienced a measure of breakthrough."
The megachurch added, "Now we feel led by the Lord to invite you, the local and global church, to join us in contending for her full physical healing."
Bethel Church, where congregants enjoy spirited faith music and emboldened prayers, asked supporters to join them in praying for Johnson and their leaders 24/7. It said, "Stand with us as we intentionally press in for victory for Beni, and sign up for a 15-minute prayer slot."
"Let's see prayer happen around the world-24 hours a day-during these coming weeks," the megachurch urged.
At last Sunday's church service, Lead Pastor Dann Farrelly together with other Bethel Church leaders led believers in a 10 minute prayer for Johnson, the Christian Post reported. Farrelly specifically prayed for "breath that is without problem" and "sleep that is deep and beautiful."
Farrelly described Johnson's health as a "serious situation," sharing with the church that he received a text message from Johnson's husband, Bill Johnson the night earlier which said that she had a "tough night" because she "didn't sleep too well" and is "not breathing too well."
Farrelly told the congregation, "Listen, beloved, this is unjust that our matriarch, that Beni is being robbed of her sleep and having difficulty breathing. This is not as it should be."
The church leader then went on to ask for "two breakthroughs" to happen and asked for "no more...holding patterns" to happen. Bethel Church has set up a page on its website in which the faith ful can pick a timeslot to pray for Johnson over the next three weeks.
In 2018, Johnson announced through a series of Facebook posts that she had been diagnosed with and is being treated for cancer, Christian Today reported. The co-pastor of Bethel Church admitted that she was "shocked" to find out about her diagnosis and asked Jesus, "What do I do now?"
Johnson said she received an answer from Jesus, who told her, "Just love me," and that's when she felt she could power through her illness. She said at the time, "There has been so much peace and at times those decisions that have to be made the peace has helped me navigate through."
Johnson shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2018, after doctors found two lumps in her right breast. In a post, she recounted how it was a good thing that the doctors "caught it early" and had "[removed] the tumor diagnosed with breast cancer."
Johnson explained however that as she was getting treated for the tumors, she discovered that she had a mutation on her BR2 gene, which meant that she had an increased risk of developing breast, ovarian, and a range of other types of cancers. She also shared how she was advised by her doctor to have chemotherapy but she decided to "go a different direction" and have a double mastectomy instead.
"I'm loving Jesus all the way," Johnson concluded.
