Pastor Bill Johnson Condemns Homosexual Practice As 'Violation' Of God's Design

Both Bill and Beni Johnson, senior pastors at Bethel Church in California.Facebook

The charismatic Christian pastor Bill Johnson has condemned homosexuality as a "violating" of God's creation.

Johnson, author of Dreaming with God and senior pastor of California's Bethel church, says God did not design the human body for homosexual love.

He says doing things God's way was never meant to be a punishment or restriction. 

In a video on Facebook, he continues: "Homosexuality. It's a violation of design.

"God did not make those human bodies to come together, to fit, in that way. You look all through the issue. Sex outside of marriage. All these things are violation of design. God designed things to release blessing, pleasure, favour, delight, joy, peace – all those wonderful things into the life of an individual."

Johnson preaches that people who lose knowledge of the existence of a creator, lose the concept of design.

Speaking as the Catholic Church released a new document restating its ban on homosexual priests, he says: "When we lose the concept of design, we undermine the discovery of purpose. When we undermine the discovery of purpose, we remove the conviction of accountability.

"When we remove the conviction of accountability, we undermine the fear of God. The Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom."

One of the by-products of losing the concept of a creator has been to remove boundaries for sin, he says.

"Everything about sin disturbs and disrupts the purpose that God created for us. And he created such a pefect heavenly father, such a loving God who just delights in people, he purposed for us to live without sin so that we could enjoy life to the absolute maximum."

He also spoke out against greed.

"If I get greedy if I start wanting new stuff, I start violating the sense of design. The design is, God wants to reward my life for faithfulness, for following the principles of integrity and of wisdom, and to reward me with blessing, reward me with increase, reward me with prosperity.

"But when I want your stuff I'm violating his design, and I'm violating his process of giving reward. When I want your stuff I'm actually asking or wanting to take something that doesn't belong to me. And in a very strange sense I actually become a thief in my heart to obtain something that isn't God's design for me to have."

Earlier this week, more than 33,000 people signed a petition that defends the conservative view on same-sex marriage taken by the pastor of HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines of the Fixer Upper TV programme. More than 86,000 have signed another petition calling on HGTV to keep airing the show. The couple were the subject of wide comment because their pastor, Jimmy Seibert, supports ex-gay therapy and opposes gay marriage.