It was a moment for me like none other. It was if our café had been bit by a large truck, without the impact, only the repercussions. 

I was having brunch with a friend in Pasadena earlier this month when the café shook. Typically the experience of an earthquake is one of a slow, sustained rumble which, in most circumstances, lasts a minute or less. The origin of an earthquake is typically some distance away. That is why you experience the waves of the quake like ripples in a pond, some distance from where the stone entered the water. But this quake was literally right under us. We felt a strong surge and then it left, rippling away from us.

It was only after that sudden seismic jolt that we reacted: some ducked under their tables, some moved quickly outdoors, and many of those eating outside moved away from the building—all appropriate responses. But many of us simply sat stunned. Thoughts from “Was that was an earthquake?” to “That was an earthquake” ran through our heads. But things went back to normal quite quickly, at least more quickly than normal.

It was a moment for me like none other. It was if our café had been bit by a large truck, without the impact, only the repercussions. 

I was having brunch with a friend in Pasadena earlier this month when the café shook. Typically the experience of an earthquake is one of a slow, sustained rumble which, in most occasions, lasts a minute or less. The origin of an earthquake is typically some distance away. That is why you experience the waves of the quake like ripples in a pond, some distance from where the stone entered the water. But this quake was literally right under us. We felt a strong surge and then it left, rippling away from us.

It was only after that sudden seismic jolt that we reacted: some ducked under their tables, some moved quickly outdoors, and many of those eating outside moved away from the building—all appropriate responses. But many of us simply sat stunned. Thoughts from “Was that was an earthquake?” to “That was an earthquake” ran through our heads. But things went back to normal quite quickly, at least more quickly than normal.

It seems to me in the past 12 months we have, as a church, as Americans, and as global citizens experienced life and its range of rumblings, from undulating waves of discomfort and disorientation, to sudden direct hits. Both may have lasting impact, though they are experienced quite differently.

My daily office of scripture readings and prayers currently has me reading through Judges, Acts, and John’s gospel. From the precursors to the Israelite kings, the Judges had significant impact on Israel and their wider world, but they each did so in very different ways. The apostles did likewise in Acts, from the major impact of Peter’s first two sermons which led about 8 thousand people to the realization that Jesus was the Christ, to the faithful witness of so many who took the gospel to the Roman empire and beyond in less explosive ways. God’s people have always created a stir, not leaving the status quo alone. And John’s gospel is clear, the life and death of Jesus leaves two options: either you are with Jesus or against Jesus. The three years of Jesus’ ministry recorded in John’s gospel was ground zero for that greatest earth-shaking experience ever. And the rumblings of the death and resurrection of Jesus continue to reverberate in our day. Ironically those reverberations offer an unshakeable truth that provides at the same time the bedrock for a faith that can change lives, and earth-shifting rumblings of the gospel that can change our world.

Let us pray that they might reverberate through us.

With audacious hope, Todd E. Johnson

Pastor Todd Johnson was born and raised in northwestern Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains. Todd was also born, baptized, and confirmed into the Covenant Church. Throughout Todd’s years of ministry, he has participated in a variety of ministries, including campus ministry, urban youth work, pastoral ministry, chaplaincy, addictions and recovery ministries, and spiritual formation, to name some. Todd’s ministry career is a bit like an Oreo™ cookie, however, as he spent much of the last 30 years in the academic world, most recently holding the Brehm Chair in Worship, Theology, and the Arts at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Todd’s coming to First Covenant is the second cookie around the filling of his work in theological education. He is passionate about Christian formation, pastoral care and nurture, ministries of justice and mercy, integration of art into the life of faith, and reaching out to the world in Christ’s name with the promise of new life in Christ and the redemption of the world; then celebrating all of this in worship throughout the year.

A word of warning: don’t talk to Todd about the Buffalo Sabres, sports in general, music, running, biking, swimming, cross-country skiing, or theatre if you don’t have a lot of time!

I was born in 1998 and  grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma. My entire immediate family has always lived in the Oklahoma City metro area. I have one slightly younger brother, Bryce, and my parents are Mark and Lisa. As a kid there was never a time where Jesus wasn’t real to me, although sports took up most of my time. When I was 14 I intentionally gave my life to Christ and God revealed himself to me in a picture I took shortly after that.

I played many sports, but baseball is ingrained in my DNA and I was blessed to play all through college. Starting in my first year of college Jesus became very close to me.  This is when I began really living out my faith and was being built up in Christian community. After a couple years of college and a spiritual foundation was laid, I started helping Jesus be real to others.

My path to youth ministry all started by volunteering at VBS and the Lord showed me I had a gift speaking Jesus into the life of kids. A proud moment of mine was graduating from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 2021 with a business degree knowingly seeking a career in youth ministry. I’ve served on Young Life staff in Oregon, helped lead Fellowship of Christian Athletes in college, and have been involved serving kiddos through a couple churches in my life up to this point. Now I am serving as Pastor of Student Ministries with Life Covenant Church here in Helena, Montana living my dream in the mountains leading MS and HS kids to Christ.

Evangelism is my wheelhouse and reaching lost kids with the Gospel propels me forward every day. I know what it’s like to navigate the social chaos of grade school and I want to help empower kids in their faith, all while pointing to the ultimate guide, Jesus. I want to show kids that following Christ is the best decision they can make if they want to live life to the fullest and turn away from worldly living. I want every kid to have a place where they know they belong and can be themselves, knowing who they are in Christ. Kids amaze me and I love celebrating life with them as we all dance our way into eternity.

How can we pray for you? Pray that I faithfully follow  the Lord’s agenda for ministry here in Helena, and that I have many opportunities to help kids and those around me know Jesus.

1.      What three traits define you? Everything I do flows from my faith in Jesus. I would also summarize myself as a versatile person who is always seeking an adventure.

2.      Where is your favorite place to be? On top of any mountain with God!

3.      What is your favorite thing to do? Hiking expeditions and playing disc golf.

4.      What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever had? I was cast as an extra for the blockbuster movie Twisters and my scene was to run away from a tornado coming through a marketplace.

5.      If you could do another job for just one day what would it be?  I would be the starting pitcher for the STL. Cardinals at a Major League Baseball game. 

Spencer Wallace