Today we’d like to introduce you to Samuel Johnson.
Hi Samuel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hello! My name is Samuel Johnson and I am 30 years old. When I was 6 months old my family from Arkansas to Michigan to join a para-church ministry. For the next 18 years, my family traveled around the country for 6-9 months out of the year and served alongside a team in local churches all across the country. During our stay at each church, my family (there were 6 kids, and one dog!) would stay in a trailer on the church parking lot. The Lord opened my eyes to the gospel at the ripe age of 5, and called me to ministry when I was a senior in high school. My family retired from traveling after my senior year of high school, and after a gap year, I headed to a Christian College in Louisville, KY to further prepare for ministry. After a season in Louisville, the Lord moved me to Charleston where I got plugged into Risen Hope Church. Eventually I became an intern, then a resident, and now a full-time pastor.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Overall it has been a smooth road, but at the same time it has been more of a zig-zag than a straight line. It was 10 years between feeling a call to become a pastor to getting ordained at Risen Hope Church. I planned on becoming a pastor after working on an associates degree. But that associates degree turned into a bachelor degree, and then that bachelor degree turned into a masters degree. Along with this, I was doing internships for almost the whole of the 10 years, so I felt like a perpetual intern. In my mind, the process was taking too long, but the Lord knew exactly what I needed. All those years helped prepare me for ministry, and I now know I have so much more to learn!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an Associate Pastor at Risen Hope Church. Under my job description are many responsibilities (such as leading a mission trip, leading our welcome team, overseeing the youth ministry, leading the young adults ministry, among other things), but the responsibilities that I enjoy the most are preaching and biblical counseling. In preaching I have the privilege of studying God’s Word, growing myself, and then caring for the whole church through preaching the sermon. The whole process is laborious, but very rewarding. In biblical counseling, I get to walk with people through the trials and messiness of life, and get an upfront seat to God changing people’s live through His Word. As well, there is a skill and art to caring for people that has been a joy to grow in and learn how to do well (and I have much more to learn).
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way to collaborate is to be a part of a local church (even if it is a different gospel preaching church). We work with other local churches in the areas to show and tell the gospel, and you can make a difference! By turning to Christ and becoming part of a local church, you get to grow while being on mission to serve the community and reach it with the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
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