Andrew Johnson has a passion for working with youth and helping them grow and mature in their walk with Christ. Andrew has been serving as Youth Pastor at Rushville Christian Church since May, 2010. He has been a full-time missionary to teens through Midland Ministries in St Joseph, MO, since 2000 and has spent most his life in the youth ministry field. Even as a child, Andrew was involved with youth ministry as his parents were home missionaries and assistant camp mangers through Youth For Christ of Kansas City (YFC). As a teen he was actively involved with events provided by his church and Midland Ministries.
Andrew was home-schooled K-12 and graduated at the top of his class (a class of one) in 1999. He then attended, and graduated from, ITE (Institute for Teen Evangelism) in Hudson, Wisconsin in 2000. This was an intensive nine-month training program equipping students to effectively go into the youth ministry mission field.
In 2007, Andrew married his beautiful bride, Rachel, at God’s Mountain Camp where he was serving when they met. Andrew continued to serve with her there for a total of 10 years. They have four beautiful children with one on the way.
Andrew's favorite ministry is summer camps. As a HUGE advocate of Bible-based Youth Camp programs, he is quick say that if you seclude teens in a Jesus-rich environment with as few outside distractions as possible for one week, you will see young people turn their lives around.
He refuses to let age tie him down and you will often see him running and competing with the teens in various crazy activities. Andrew's competitiveness is only overshadowed by his desire to see a group of young people totally sold-out for their God and he longs to see his youth pursue Christ in any venture they choose.
Andrew describes his job as “...hanging with students, eating pizza, staying up late, playing video games with teens, and doing crazy things with food (like veggie baseball). All in an effort to bring students into a lasting relationship with Jesus Christ.
Some interesting (or maybe not-so-interesting) facts: Andrew spent his teen years growing up on a farm, he's the oldest of six kids, a volunteer firefighter, can lick his nose with his tongue, and he refuses to be normal (there are too many of those people already). He loves hunting, fishing, the outdoors, history, old cars, firearms, and the military and it’s soldiers.
Life Verse: Philippians 1:20
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
If you have any questions or need more information about any of the youth programs or activities, feel free to call or send a text message. Andrew's phone number is 816-261-0181. Or, you may email him at awjandy@hotmail.com.
