Clay Johnson, Minister

I was raised in a family of preachers, and early on I told myself (and everyone who asked) that I was definitely not going to be a preacher. But God had different plans, and I couldn't have imagined a more blessed life. My formal training in church ministry began after high school graduation when I moved from West Monroe , LA to Colbert , OK to study ministry (and cows) under my great-uncle for the summer. Returning home, I attend Louisiana Tech University in Ruston , but every summer thereafter found me at a different church: studying, serving and learning. In the summer of '94, I studied under my Papa Ralph Gage in El Dorado , AR. Then, I moved to churches in Texas in '95, Sumy , Ukraine in '96, and Coastal Georgia in '97. When I graduated from Tech the following summer, I returned to Georgia to live and work for a full year as a youth minister.

At the end of 1999, my dream-girl said "I do" to me, and Kayla and I began our life and ministry together. Our first home was in Fort Smith , AR where I preached for the North 50th Street Church of Christ. Almost three years had passed when we decided to load up the U-Haul and head south. We moved down to Baton Rouge with the intention of working part-time with a church while I pursued a teaching position. I worked for two years as a high school English teacher and to describe my experience succinctly: it was burdensome to my mind and discouraging to my spirit. There were some wonderful and beautiful moments, but deep down I longed to preach... and sing. In May of 2005, I retired from teaching to commit myself to the cause of evangelism. For over a year we traveled across the country to work with different churches and ministries, but eventually the need for stability led me to the Greenwell Springs Road Church in Baton Rouge where I worked for two years. After that time, the Parkway Church called me to come work for them, and the Lord led us to this place to make Georgia our new home.

During all these church and evangelistic ministries, there has been an underlying but ever-growing current of musical performance. My involvement in music is no secret and I cannot hide my intense love for the art. I have been on stage singing and playing instruments since childhood. My interests and experience range from Southern Gospel to modern Praise and Worship, from Country and Western to Rock-n-Roll, and from Classical to Jazz. But now I am performing most often with Jeremy Davis and the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra from right here in Savannah , GA (www.EquinoxJazz.com)

Kayla and I have three children; however, only two are still with us � Ryah Lael and Silas Clayton. Ryah and Silas are our world, and we love being their parents. Our middle daughter, Zoe Evangeline, was born on July 1st, 2004, and due to a disorder known as Trisomy 13 or Patau�s Syndrome, she only lived for about 90 minutes. Zoe�s frail little body was laid to rest at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Baker, LA. Still, we consider her a gift from God and break out in thankful smiles as we think of her in eternity, living in perfection, laughing and singing and dancing around the tree of life, hand in hand with Jesus. Zoe�s story has inspired Kayla to begin a non-profit organization called The Zoe Foundation to help families who endure the loss of a baby. See more at (www.zoe-foundation.org)

As we look back over the years of our marriage and ministry, we stand in awe of what God has done for us. It has been an amazing adventure as we commit our way to the Lord, and the adventure continues here at Parkway.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
(Ps 37:5-6)

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
(Prov 16:3)