Bethel Pastor Bill Johnson Remarries in Private Ceremony Four Years After Wife's Death

Bill Johnson, the 75-year-old senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, married Linda Francoeur on August 18, 2026, in a private backyard ceremony.

Johnson had been a widower since the death of his first wife, Beni Johnson, in July 2022. He proposed to Francoeur on July 18, 2026, his 75th birthday, during a family gathering. He later described the proposal as being met with enthusiastic support from his children and grandchildren.

Johnson announced his engagement to his congregation at Bethel Church on July 26, 2026, and also shared the news during the Southwest Believers' Convention. He described Francoeur as a woman of profound wisdom, discernment, and compassion, and said she had been a significant source of strength for him.

The wedding was a small, intimate ceremony held in a backyard, officiated by Bethel Church's chief prophet, Kris Vallotton. Johnson clarified that Francoeur is not replacing his late wife. "Beni took her shoes with her, and Linda has her own shoes to fill," he said.

Johnson has been on a four-month sabbatical but has continued to engage in ministry activities, including speaking at the Southwest Believers' Convention during the period surrounding his engagement.