Mark Johnson: An Annotated Testimony

Dr. Mark Johnson moved to Savannah in 2015 to serve as the CEO of the Gateway Community Service Board. Prior to moving to Savannah he spent 17 years in St. Louis serving as a Medical Director for Behavioral Health and providing outpatient care in downtown St Louis. A few years ago I had the opportunity to hear Mark share his testimony. I was struck by how little Mark’s testimony was about Mark. It was more annotated bibliography than autobiography—what Mark labeled at as a collection of bits and pieces of formative content that Mark wanted to share. His offering bristled authors, artists, movies and scripture —especially scripture. It’s not that Mark’s life story is not interesting. He has many stories worth telling. It’s just that Mark chose to use his testimony opportunity to share about the works and words that have formed and discipled him. He put out some breadcrumbs that — with God’s Providence and the work of the Holy Sprit—could direct other curious people to a life of growth and wisdom in Christ. Mark’s unique form of testimony reminds of what R.D. Crouse wrote about concerning the communal aspect wisdom within the Church of Christ: “Do not suppose that wisdom is your private possession, your individual achievement; do not think that you are wise just by yourself alone. We have wisdom only as a common possession.” In this episode, Mark Johnson shares some of those bits and pieces with us. Mark offers rich reflections on paintings by Henry Ossawa Tanner and Rembrandt and unpacks scripture passages that have had particular resonance in his approach to psychiatry and family therapy. God has given Mark has a deeply informed and humble perspective on what it means to be a person, biologically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. He is also a keen observer and a careful hearer the Word. It is a real gift to hear him share.