I served in the Army for four years as a paratrooper, and then attended Johnson after feeling called to ministry. Stewart Woodley, the pastor at my home church in North Carolina, was a Johnson alumnus, and the church offered a scholarship to help aspiring young ministers attend JU. I loved the preaching emphasis in Johnson’s program and transferred from East Carolina University in 2010.
Although I was a few years older than the traditional students, I enjoyed interacting with them and appreciated their hearts and their humility to learn. I was also surprised at how many nontraditional students were here to prepare for ministry and embark on new seasons in their lives. It was a great experience.
After graduation, I immediately began my M.A. in New Testament at Johnson and also worked for the University in admissions before transitioning to full-time ministry in 2014. I’m currently pastoring at Grays Wood Church in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, and graduated with my M.A. in 2018.
Daniel Overdorf played a role in God bringing me to central Pennsylvania, and he has also been a resource for me in the years since as I’ve navigated church leadership issues. I can’t say enough about the relational value of the Johnson community and the way professors and staff invest in students.