Sojournal

In part two of the three-part Homecoming review series on the Sojournal podcast, Mark Nelson answers the question of how he developed the Homecoming message he delivered on Wednesday evening, April 20, entitled "Telling a Better Story."  Following Mark's explanation, Mark's message is played in its entirety. 

Today's episode features three guests! Mike Luzadder, Mark Nelson, and Bill Wolf were key players in the formation and production of this year's Homecoming event at Johnson University Tennessee in April. I asked these three gentlemen to join me in a conversation about what went into the development of the Homecoming theme, "The Story of Our Belief," as well as what they took away from the event. B...

Buddy Reed is a 1975 graduate of Johnson University Tennessee. Currently a Regional Representative for Johnson University, Buddy enjoys making connections and being an encourager to alumni in his region.  His ministry experience has given Buddy a wealth of knowledge that is useful for encouraging others in ministry.

Born and raised in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Tom am a fifth generation Fodi to lay deep roots in this region. Tom and Erin (Hartman, '05) Fodi have spent most of their married lives in and around the northern suburbs. Tom graduated from Northgate High School (Bellevue) convinced he was headed for a life following in the footsteps of his military-serving father. All that changed when he s...

Nick and Christal Haner met and married while students at Johnson University. After ministries in churches from coast to coast and missions work internationally, they are now involved with Ends of the Earth Cycling. Ends of the Earth is a ministry of New International and is focused on fundraising bike rides to support youth ministries around the world. Every step in ministry has been taken togeth...

Sam Cunningham is a junior at Johnson University Tennessee studying Music Technology in the School of Communication and Creative Arts.  As a music technology student, Sam is the perfect person to have as our new editor on the Sojournal team.  In this week's episode, we have the chance to get to know Sam.  He is a third-culture-kid who calls Louisville, Kentucky, his home even though...

This week's episode marks the second time in podcast history that a student will play the role of guest on the podcast. Sam Cunningham is a married student from Louisville, Kentucky.  Sam studies in the School of Communication and Creative Arts on the Music Technology program.  Sam is this week's guest as a means of introducing him to the podcast audience as the new editor of the Sojourn...

Michal Ruth Penwell served as a missionary for more than eight years. Her call to missions came at they young age of 13 years old. In addition to a Christian life and a missionary focus, Michal is also passionate about art. Throughout her journey, Michal has found plenty of ways to combine her passions for Christ, missions, and art.  In today's episode, we learn of Michal Ruth's journey to fa...

Michal Ruth Penwell currently serves as a children's minister in Asheville, North Carolina. Before finding her way to this congregational ministry opportunity, Michal Ruth spent time in intercultural settings.  One of her countries of service was Thailand where she learned to appreciate the contrast between the rich and the poor.

Kaleb and Emily (Hughes) Smith met and married as students at Johnson University. Their Johnson experience included serving The school as members of summer travel teams. After graduation, Kaleb and Emily served in local congregational ministry while Emily also served as the Administrative Assistant for Alumni and Church Relations on the Tennessee campus. Eventually, they both felt the call to cont...

Kaleb and Emily Smith are both members of the classes of 2017 and 2021.  They live in Savannah, Georgia, and work for Compassion Christian Church. As students, Kaleb and Emily both represented the University, and Jesus Christ, as members of a Johnson University travel team. They both share their experiences of traveling for the school and, in this preview, Kaleb communicates the weight of rep...

Laura McKillip Wood, former missionary to Ukraine, now lives in Papillion, Nebraska. She graduated on the Teacher Education program at Johnson University on 1995 and has had a passion for international ministry since she was 9 years old. That passion took her to Puerto Rico and to Ukraine. Today, Laura serves as an on-call chaplain at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She...

Laura McKillip Wood comes as a timely guest on the Sojournal podcast as she and her husband are former missionaries and servants to Ukraine. Although they are currently working in the United States, their heart is in Ukraine as they see the devastation caused by the recent Russian invasion of the area in which she worked. In this preview, Laura shares the origins of her international ministry focu...

Today, Richard Clark sits in the host chair while the usual host becomes the guest. Tyson Chastain is a 2000 and 2007 graduate of Johnson University Tennessee and has served the University in some capacity since 2002. After completing his degree in Bible and Missions in 2000, Tyson and his family spent two years serving the Lord's kingdom in Central America. Various circumstances brought that mini...

Tyson Chastain has been a consistent face at Johnson University since first stepping on campus as a freshman in 1995. After his 5-year academic journey and 2-year stint on the mission field, Tyson landed a full-time employment role with Johnson University. It wasn't until adulthood that Tyson, along with his wife and son, found Christ. However, that late arrival to faith did not eliminate the oppo...

Born in London, England and raised near Detroit, Michigan, Robert Young grew up in the multi-cultural suburb of Dearborn. While his roots are in England and his mother is German, Robert grew up as an American living in a Polish and Muslim community. Now, Robert lives on a prominently Hispanic island in the Caribbean. As a student, Robert would tell his peers, “I’m never going to be a missionary be...

Born near London, England, Robert spent his youth in Dearborn, Michigan. After high school, Robert knew he wanted to be a teacher. His goal was to teach at a public school somewhere in the United States and not at a Christian school somewhere where pay would be less than sufficient. Then he discerned God's call that changed it all.

David grew up in parsonages in Tennessee, Illinois, and Ohio.  He graduated from Johnson Bible College (now Johnson University) in 1973, received his Master of Ministry degree in 1985, and received his Master of Arts in Leadership in 2005. David has served in several local churches as youth minister and senior minister.   In 1997, he moved to Knoxville (TN) to become the Campus Mini...

A member of the Tennessee campus community for almost 25 years, David is now retired from his role on the faculty at Johnson University.  He and his wife, Cathy, now serve in a leadership capacity with Legacy Coalition as they focus on equipping and motivating grandparents to be an influential voice for Christ in the lives of their grandchildren.   Before coming to Johnson, David spent m...

Joe graduated from Johnson University Tennessee with a B.A. in Preaching and Church Leadership in 2007, after which he moved to Lincoln, Illinois, to do a M.Div. at Lincoln Christian Seminary. During his first year there, he met his (future) wife, Charis, while dusting books in the library. Joe holds a Ph. D. in Religious Studies at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a published...

Joe Gordon came to Johnson from suburban St. Louis, Missouri, as a member of the youth group at First Christian Church in Florescent. As a freshman student, Joe came to Johnson University thinking he could stop what he perceived to be the misuse of the Bible by so many Christians. It wasn't long before he started to understand why so many people interpret scripture in so many different ways.

Today's interview is with Florida Christian College (now Johnson University Florida) graduate Bob Mehlenbacher.  Bob has served the Florida campus as an employee for more than twenty years.  Both he and his wife, Jennifer, are graduates of the school and two of their children are currently studying at the school. Bob's life is full of the twists and turns that God often uses to reveal Hi...

A native of the New England states, Bob and his family moved to Ft. Lauderdale when he was in elementary school.  Being in an area without a family support system proved to present many challenges.  However, Bob reflects with gratitude regarding how the local church stepped up to be the hands and feed of God to a family in need.

Mark Nelson began serving as the executive director of Three Rivers Collaborative in January of 2021.  Mark planted a faith community called Crossings in downtown Knoxville in 2007, and he served as lead pastor until he began his transition to TRC. In 2019 he co-authored Reframation: Seeing God, People, and Mission through Reenchanted Frames with Alan Hirsch. He serves on the boards of Forge...

Mark Nelson's ministry journey started as a 3-month old playing the baby Jesus in the church where his parents were members. Although he was raised in Christian home and accepted Christ in elementary school, Mark recognizes that his relationship with and understanding of Christ is always growing.