Sojournal

Elijah Pryor is a freshman student at Johnson University studying in the school of Business and Public Leadership.  In this episode you will learn why Elijah is in a business degree program and what it is like to be a missionary kid and a fourth generation student at Johnson University.

Elijah Pryor is a fourth generation student at Johnson University on BOTH sides of his family.  If you listened to last week's episode, you will know all those family members who preceded Elijah as students at Johnson University.  During the episode, we learn the perspective of a third culture kid when it comes to adapting to life at a college in the United States. In this preview, Elija...

Jesse and Karie are missionaries to the Ap Ma people in the Angoram district of the East Sepik Province in Papua New Guinea. They came to PNG in Feb of 2004 to supplement a translation work begun by Jesse's parents, John and Bonita Pryor. Jesse and Karie's work focuses on literacy training and church growth. They are involved in a number of construction projects while also working within the churc...

The Sojournal podcast recently featured an interview with David Pryor ('67). David is a part of Jesse Pryor's extended family and, in this preview, we learn the extent to which attending Johnson University is a Pryor family tradition.

Chris and his wife, Nicole, are both graduates of Johnson University Tennessee. Chris' progress in ministry took him from Knoxville to youth ministries in upper-east Tennessee, Florida, and Missouri, before ultimately landing as the Lead Pastor at Cornerstone Christian Church in Belleville, Illinois (metro-east St. Louis). Listen in to Chris' journey and hear his deep appreciation for all those wh...

Chris ('00) and Nichole ('01, 03) VandeLinde serve the Lord at Cornerstone Christian Church in Metro-East St. Louis (the Illinois side of the river). Chris is passionate about co-leadership of the congregation he serves with a diverse ministry staff and the church elders.  His journey to Johnson was greatly influenced by the tremendous work and witness of Johnson University camp teams. In thi...

William and Robin Butler are 40-year missionaries to Papua New Guinea who served as bible translators for the Waran language group. They completed translation of the Waran New Testament in 2019.  William and Robin currently reside in Maryville, Tennessee, but remain committed to the work of bible translation. The Sojournal conversation with William explores his youth, his Johnson experience,...

William and Robyn (True) Butler are graduates of the Tennessee campus who got into bible translation when it was still a relatively emerging evangelistic vocation. They completed translation of the Waran New Testament in Papua New Guinea in 2019 and currently reside in William's home town of Maryville, Tennessee. As with most journeys, theirs has a number of highs and a number of lows. Through it...

David Pryor ('67) and his wife, Sharon, live in Kingston, Tennessee where he serves on the staff at Morrison Hill Christian Church. David and Sharon are former missionaries to Papua New Guinea and have experienced quite a sojourn from their times before Johnson to their times on the mission field and in ministry in the United States. 

Monday's Sojournal podcast will feature David Pryor ('67). David and his wife, Sharon, are former missionaries to Papua New Guinea as bible translators with Pioneer Bible Translators. On Monday's episode, David shares the highs and lows of his journey. In this preview, David speaks of the conclusion of his first year at Johnson and his temptation to give up.

Dr. Daniel Overdorf ('95) serves as the Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Director of the Preaching Program at Johnson University Tennessee. He and his wife, Carrie, have been members of the Johnson community since 2005. Daniel comes from a rich preaching heritage and, in this podcast, you will learn about his passion for the Gospel and his desire to multiply his efforts through the preparation o...

Dr. Daniel Overdorf is a 1995 graduate of Johnson University Tennessee who has a passion for extending the kingdom through the multiplication of preachers through his vocation as a professor here at Johnson. In this preview, Daniel shares his excitement regarding the current crop of students studying at Johnson University.

Daniel Overdorf will be our guest for next week's Sojournal interview.  This week, however, we are going to listen to a segment of a workshop Daniel offered to guests of the 2019 Senior Saints in the Smokies program at Johnson University Tennessee. In this segment, Daniel talks about the occasion of Revelation and what motivated John to write to the seven churches.

Monday's Sojournal podcast episode will feature a devotional segment of a workshop on the book of Revelation that Dr. Overdorf offered to attendees of Senior Saints in the Smokies in 2019. This preview offers a warning to Christians of culture's ability to lead a Christian astray. Catch the full segment on The Occasion of Revelation on Monday.

Brian Lakin is the Director of Church Relations at Johnson University.  He came to Johnson as a student in the mid 1970s with a mindset that he wanted to give God the opportunity to verify Brian's sense of calling. Many Johnson faculty and staff influenced Brian as a student and continued their influence and encouragement while Brian and Marie ministered for the Lord in a variety of youth and...

Brian serves Johnson University as the Director of Church Relations.  He met his wife, Marie, at Johnson when they were students and they have experienced ministry in a variety of contexts.  In this preview, Brian shares about the witness of his faculty members and the impression they left on him as Christians who viewed their work as a ministry and not simply a job.

Originally a member of the class of 1957, Dean completed his undergraduate degree in 1958 and spent the first several years after Johnson as a preacher. After hearing a call to international ministry, Dean and his family moved to Zambia to plant churches. After serving cross-culturally, Dean served as Johnson University's first-ever director of church relations; a position he held for twelve years...

Raised near the Mississippi River in western Illinois, Dean was a farm boy who had no interest in pursuing vocational ministry.  After coming to Christ at 17 years old through the persistent influence of Leroy Knight ('51), Dean went out of his way to avoid a possible calling to ministry. In this preview, Dean offers one example of his efforts to avoid this calling.

Along with his wife, Stephanie (Moore, '83), Dwight Young serves as an urban missionary in the Price Hill area of Cincinnati, Ohio. Dwight was not always focused on ministry. In fact, as a farm boy, Dwight had every intention to study veterinary medicine at the University of Western Kentucky until his mom asked him to spend a year at Johnson. That experience led Dwight to Stephanie and led them bo...

Dwight was raised in a farming community in western Kentucky. Originally intending to pursue veterinary medicine at the University of Western Kentucky, Dwight's mom asked him to attend Johnson for a year. The rest, as they say, is history. Dwight and his wife, Stephanie (Moore '83), are approaching 25 years of service in the Price Hill area of urban Cincinnati, Ohio. In this preview, we learn more...

Today's Sojournal podcast guests are Jim and Caranita Wolsieffer.  They both graduated from Johnson University Tennessee in 1975 and have spend the last 50 years serving the people of Francavilla Fontana, Italy. They have divergent journeys to faith and to Johnson, but a common goal of serving the people of Italy. Listen in and be encouraged by the journey of this wonderful alumni couple.

Jim and Caranita Wolsieffer recently crossed the 50-year milestone of ministry in Italy. Their wealth of experiences in ministry and on the mission field are sure to encourage the listeners of this week's Sojournal podcast. In this preview, Jim and Caranita teach us how to get out of trouble when you are caught doing something against the rules. Listen in and laugh with us.

Steven and Lisa live in Broomfield, Colorado, and serve at Discovery Christian Church where Steve is the Lead Pastor while Lisa serves as a counselor. They were instrumental in helping the church become a cornerstone in the community through service to the marginalized and partnership with civic leaders. Their journey to faith, to Johnson, to one another, and in ministry is filled with God's guida...

Steve and Lisa Cuss serve Discovery Christian Church in Broomfield, Colorado. As the Lead Pastor, Steve has led the church to become a beacon in the community and a partner with community leaders. Steve and Lisa come from opposite backgrounds as Steve was raised in a secular, though moral, home while Lisa was raised as the daughter of a preacher in the bible belt of the Midwest. Together, they hav...

On the cusp of a move to Europe, Caleb spent time discussing his faith journey and his consistent bent toward intercultural ministry. From making a decision during a CIY Move event to his intercultural courses at Johnson University Florida, Caleb found the perspective he needed to surrender himself to God's calling.  Learn more about the Elkins’ ministry! Giving Page: https://newinternational...