Louisiana Christian University's Board of Trustees has elected Dr. Mark Johnson as the institution's 10th president. Johnson, who currently serves as director of the
Dr. Mark Johnson and his wife, Heather Williams Johnson Doctor of Ministry program at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, will take over leadership following the retirement of Dr. Rick Brewer earlier this year.
"There have been countless hours of prayer, listening, seeking, reading resumes and other application materials, while asking God to guide this process and have His way," said Tommy Kiker, chair of the presidential search committee. "We believe God has graciously and wonderfully answered those prayers and blessed this labor."
Johnson earned a Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, with his project focusing on racial reconciliation in the Southern Baptist Convention. His forthcoming book, Black Church White Convention: A Pastor's Story of Hope, chronicles his experience leading an African American church into the Southern Baptist Convention.
A third-generation Baptist minister, Johnson graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1994, making history as the first African American senior class commencement speaker in the college's 243-year history. After playing professional basketball in Europe and South America, he earned his Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Johnson's professional background includes serving as executive director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where he was named one of the "100 Positive Men of New Jersey" for his work with at-risk youth. He later worked as National Best Men Program director for the Best Friends Youth Foundation in Washington, D.C.
From 2009, Johnson led Liberty Hill Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, establishing partnerships with churches, businesses, and organizations to revitalize the community. His influence extended to professional sports when he served as chaplain for the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) from 2016-2018.
