This is my sweet boyfriend. He is indeed sweet, but he is also fervently passionate, wonderfully patient (especially with me), and absolutely sinful--but the best thing about him is that Jesus gave up His righteousness for Bradley. All Brad did was become aware of it and desire it.
The Lord has, in the past 9 months, taken Brad's life, plans, and mindset, and turned it on its head (and is doing the same thing in me currently). Watching God move in him has been one of the most humbling things I've experienced, and has made me worship Jesus vastly more than I did before this happened. How the Lord will use Brad's career is unknown. Thankfully, he is an example to me of how to relinquish control in this area of life--read: I love to control my life.
Brad, while he has much to grow in and learn and refine, has been given passions and skills that align with pastoral ministry. He is seeking counsel and discipleship from older and wiser pastors and laymen that speak truth and wisdom into his life. He did not experience an epiphany-like "calling" from the Lord to enter ministry, but instead his heart has been, and is, rejoicing at his own salvation and breaking for those who do not know the One for whom they were created. Jesus is constantly tearing at Brad's and my notions of what ministry is and how that will play out in our lives. Brad is zealous for the hearts and lives of college students and loves big cities--where a lot of young people congregate. He is taking steps to prepare to be a part of a church plant/plant a church and be a college pastor/pastor.
I first ask that you be praying for him--that Jesus would continually become bigger to him so that his humility would increase and his sin would become more and more distasteful. Pray that the extent of his trust in Jesus and his hatred of sin would increase in light of the grace lavished on him by the Gospel.
Secondly, he is going to be spending his summer participating in a discipleship program for college students, The City Project, through our church, The Summit. He will ministering to Muslims (mostly) in Queens, NY, living in downtown Durham, NC, being discipled by pastors, ministering to Durham locals, doing two internships (one in the church, one with a nonprofit organization--both currently unknown), taking a seminary class, and carrying the message and mission of Jesus to Taiwan.
Participating in any one of these opportunities would be wonderful, but to be able to get a taste of multiple types of ministry in one summer, especially for a man who is seeking full-time ministry, is a phenomenal blessing.
In order to participate in The City Project, Brad needs to raise $4,500 by the end of May. That is a lot of money. But 5 dollars, 25 dollars, 100 dollars goes a long way, even just emotionally. If you would like to financially support him, simply write a check, addressed to The Summit Church, and send it to the church office:
The Summit Church
2335-114 Presidential Dr.
Durham, NC 27703
Also make sure you write in the subject line: City Project: Brad Johnson
Also make sure you write in the subject line: City Project: Brad Johnson
He would also love to talk to you more about it. If you're interested, you can email him at: bdjohns6@ncsu.edu
Or you and I can chat! Email me at: kjwilliford@gmail.com
Prayer is most powerful tool we possess. I am believing God on behalf of Brad's support-raising process.
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