Bethel Music concert with Brian and Jenn Johnson at Vines Center Feb 23

Brian and Jenn Johnson of Bethel led the audience in favorite worship songs and shared their story at a concert Saturday night, Feb. 23 at the Vines Center.

The couple pioneered Bethel Music, which sprung from Bethel Church in Redding, California. Out of Bethel’s repertoire of artists came Cory Asbury’s “Reckless Love” and countless other popular worship songs, such as “You Make Me Brave” and “No Longer Slaves.”

Instead of opening with a hit, Jenn Johnson had a request from the audience. 

“I had a weird day today and I’m still having a weird day. … I’ve got some weird thing happening where I’ve got body aches (really) bad. … I am in a lot of pain right now,” Jenn Johnson said. “Aren’t you glad that we believe in a God who heals? Will you extend your hands to me and will you just do what the Bible beautifully says? Will you just command healing into my body right now?”

The audience reached their arms toward Jenn Johnson and prayed, some aloud. But the couple was not ready to play just yet.

“Don’t start me off yet guys; don’t stick that thing in my ear yet. I want to talk,” Brian Johnson  said to the sound crew.

Brian Johnson wanted to steer the audience toward a specific experience through the songs.

“Sometimes we get really intense, but there’s this element of just light and fun and normal that we really would love to go after,” Brian Johnson said. 

The first set contained favorites such as “Tremble,” “Forever” and “No Longer Slaves,” the audience cheering as they recognized the beginning chords of each song. 

The Johnsons took a break from their worship set to share some wisdom with the audience, who gladly took the opportunity to give their feet a rest.  

“Let’s tell them our story,” Brian Johnson said, turning to his wife with a smile. “Where do you want to start?” 

According to Jenn Johnson, she had a crush on the 16-year-old-Brian when she was 12 at a summer camp. Years later, she moved to Redding, California to go to college. She and Brian reconnected over the summer and began to spend time together at the church where Brian led worship.  

“I just couldn’t stop thinking about him, and it was making me so annoyed because I moved there (to Redding) for ministry school and to focus on Jesus and all I could think about was this cute worship leader, and I was like, ‘Listen God, either I’m marrying this guy, or take these feelings away because this is crazy,’” Jenn Johnson said. 

The couple, who were both members of their church worship team, knew they were getting married two days into the relationship, according to Brian Johnson. On the tenth day, he popped the question before a worship set on a Sunday morning. 

“I forgot to get down on my knee because I was too nervous, but I had the ring — the ring is more important than the knee. Guys, the ring is more important than the knee,” Brian Johnson said.

“The knee is still important, okay,” Jenn Johnson said, chuckling.

According to Brian Johnson, he knew God had a vision for his life. He challenged the audience to hold on to their dreams loosely and let God lead.

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“If you follow after him, and you do what he says, and it’s in your heart to be obedient, he will open up doors and do things that 10 (or) 20 years from now you will be in a position or a place that you could have never dreamed of or made happen on your own,” Brian Johnson said. 

For the college students in the room, Brian Johnson assured them that pursuing college is a difficult task and something to be proud of. While planning a future is a worthy goal, he challenged the students to consider God’s plan.

Try to be the biggest encourager in the room and try to have the most hope, and you won’t even have to lead.

Brian Johnson

“In that pursuit, make sure to let God have a part of that because he will take you way beyond and further than you can imagine,” Brian Johnson said.

The couple introduced Brian’s new book, “When God Became Real,” a project Brian never though he would accomplish. In fact, he gave up twice, but he eventually pushed through. The book focuses on the “bad days,” according to Brian Johnson, and records his battle with anxiety and
panic attacks.

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At one point, Brian Johnson was fighting panic attacks on a daily basis.

“It was like an every-five-minute thing I had to do, just to keep my sanity, just to keep my eyes on God,” Brian Johnson said. 

As a leader, Brian Johnson shared a few surprising tips for budding leaders. 

“Leadership 101, are you ready?” Brian Johnson said. “You all can read all the books on leadership, you can do all the stuff on leadership, but what about this — try to be the biggest encourager in the room and try to have the most hope, and you won’t even have to lead.”

Brian Johnson picked up his guitar and Jenn Johnson stepped behind the microphone in preparation for the last set of songs. Jenn admitted her voice was a little “froggy,” and spurred the audience to sing “Reckless Love” “loud and proud.”

The audience did just that, and the concert concluded with “God I Look to You” and “One Thing Remains.”

More information about Brian and Jenn Johnson’s music can be found at their website.