Covenant News

New Superintendent: It's a 'God Thing'

CHICAGO (February 6, 2000) - With some 27 years of ministry experience, Evelyn M.R. Johnson knows how to articulate her faith, so when she calls her new position a 'God thing', you know she's serious.

And when she begins serving the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) as the new superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference, Johnson is expecting that God will continue to guide her as she builds on the vision of outgoing superintendent, John Notehelfer. Johnson was elected during the conference annual meeting January 15 and will serve as superintendent-elect until she is ordained and officially installed by the Evangelical Covenant Church during the 115th Annual Meeting in St. Paul in June.

Evangelism has been a high priority to Notehelfer during his 12 years as conference superintendent, his assertion being that churches need to function as 'mission outposts' to their respective communities. Johnson appreciates Notehelfer's efforts and has seen how God has worked in a variety of settings in the PSW recently.

"I really believe John Notehelfer has been about the whole matter of reinventing the conference and for casting the vision of what we're called to be," said Johnson, the first female conference superintendent in the ECC. "I have the responsibility to build on that foundation and then strategize how we can effectively carry out this vision in a post-modern setting," she continued.

"The spiritual movement in the conference is there," Johnson continued. "It has had some things that can't be explained, like Bayside Covenant Church (in Granite Bay, California)," she added. "There are godly leaders there, but it (the quickly growing congregation of over 3,000) is a God thing. So are the multicultural churches that have experienced explosions of growth and existing churches that have expanded their ministries in a variety of settings," Johnson said. "There's excitement for church planting, excitement for church revitalization, excitement for multicultural ministry. And not only has God brought new people, but He has opened hearts and minds of long-term members."

In the fall of 1998, Johnson was gearing toward local church ministry at Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City, California, after having served 12 years as the executive director for the ECC's Department of Christian Education and Discipleship. She and husband Phil moved 10 miles south of San Francisco in the fall of 1998. Her responsibilities as an associate pastor at PCC were varied and interesting.

But, one year later, she was one of a handful of candidates being considered to replace Notehelfer - Johnson said she felt God's presence during the months prior to the conference annual meeting, even when she wondered how certain details needed to be worked out. She recalled how she arrived at her current position, and said she is thankful for a patient God, a loving husband, and a maturing understanding of self.

"I was at the same place in reflection prior to being accepted for nomination for executive director for Christian Education and Discipleship," Johnson said. "It was like, 'Why me? What is it you have given me that makes me able to accept this responsibility?' But, it was during these reflections on life that I had the realization that many things had occurred in the past 13 years and that God has provided me with experiences and persons I interacted with," she continued. "In that process of being focused on one church, I never lost that passion for serving multiple churches in my area of expertise," Johnson said in explaining why she considered the role of conference superintendent.

"When I was first approached (about the superintendent position), Phil's comment was, 'I thought this was a role that matched you well.' I trusted that (observation) because he's lived with me for 38 years and knows my great love for conference ministry," Johnson said. "Phil is that strong support system and my personal prayer warrior. I think that may be why God can call me to something like this."

Being the first woman superintendent in the ECC will have unique challenges and Johnson admits, "For a number of people, the concept of a woman in leadership in the church is one that stretches their thinking." But, Johnson has been on denominational strategic planning teams and the Covenant Ministerium. She has served as assistant superintendent and director of education for the ECC's Midwest Conference. And, she has led the way in introducing such ongoing ministries as Covenant Mission Connection, Vision-to-Action, and CELL programs.

In all of her experiences, she combines competence and creativity with a warmth and sincerity that she calls 'administration with heart.' In a very real sense, her versatility is a 'God thing' as well. "I have the great joy of being in a role that allows me to discover what God is doing and to give some guidance and shaping," Johnson said. "I'm excited about that."

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