In February, 1976, “Ron” Johnson, then 24, walked the walk of repentance to an alter of consecration in a God-loving church in Alton, Illinois. Up to this point his young life had been filled with drugs, alcohol, and anything else that might temporarily fill the void reserved solely for the Creator. And, although nearly ushered into eternity three years prior (due to being on the receiving end of a shot-gun blast!), God, in His mercy, spared his life. Indeed it was this near-fatal incident that compelled his mother to the cross and, having found the Author of life, she, in turn, earnestly petitioned this Savior for the lives of her two sons and, on a winter’s night in 1976 her youngest child accepted one of the countless invitations to church, and there he surrendered his heart and his destiny to the God of the universe. It was at this alter of prayer that the future pastor of The City of the Lord heard the call to full-time ministry.

A short time after his rebirth, “Pastor Ron” was introduced to his future life-mate and co-minister, Marsha Copeland. They were married the following year, and although skeptical of his chances of completing a ministerial program at Central Bible College, he agreed to “try it for a year.” In 1982 Pastor Ron graduated with a Bachelor’s degree and a realization that, unlike his previous desire to evangelize, the Lord now clearly laid on his heart the knowledge that he was to pastor a church. But which one? As he lay weeping before the Lord, he learned through brother Dougherty (a fellow minister he had only met one time) that a small church in Granite city was also earnestly seeking God’s direction for a minister to stand behind the “sacred desk” and faithfully execute the office of under-shepherd. From that time to this, the Lord has built His church.To God be the glory!