Physical Strength and Powerful Gospel Message Opening Doors to Reach Students

Mallory A. Gordon was expecting a boring guest speaker during an assembly at her Northern California high school, but the teen encountered the opposite from ordained Assemblies of God evangelist Dean A. Johnson.

“I thought it was just going to be another speech about not doing drugs and making good decisions,” Gordon, 15, explains. “I had no idea it would impact a lot of the students the way it did, including me. After hearing Dean talk, all the weight I had sitting on my chest had been lifted off.”

“He’s such an inspirational person,” she adds. “I know he touched many students’ hearts at that assembly and I’m glad we got the chance to listen to him to trust God and keep living.”

Gordon is just one of many who have been touched by Johnson’s ministry, which includes Victory 4 Youth, a strength team program at school assemblies and prisons.

Having been attended by over a million students, Victory 4 Youth “effectively combines attention-grabbing ‘feats of strength’ with an even more powerful message,” according to their website.

Johnson’s passion for unreached students stems from childhood events that caused him to develop a spirit of anger, bitterness, and hopelessness.

Based in Roseville, California, Johnson, 47, had an atypical path to becoming an evangelist as he didn't grow up in a Christian family or with a church background. He was 27 in 2004, when he walked into a church for the first time, heard the gospel and accepted Christ.

After his salvation, he was discipled by and traveled with evangelist Darwin Benjamin, who led Johnson to Christ along with the late AG evangelist Donnie Moore.

Johnson wants to bring hope to the youth of today who are experiencing the pain by which so many are held captive due to broken families, drugs and alcohol, gang violence, and mental health issues.

"Dean Johnson has impacted many through his ministry,” says Samuel Huddleston, assistant superintendent of the Northern California and Nevada District. “My grandchildren recently shared with me that he is their favorite speaker at their school chapel. I have witnessed his remarkable ability to connect with and lead people to Christ. Evangelist is not just his calling, but who he was created to be.”

God has given Johnson favor with school administrators, allowing him to share a message of hope with over 100,000 students annually.

“Dean is Spirit-led, and while he connects with all generations, he specifically is having a great impact with young audiences. Dean makes the Word of God come alive and applicable," Michael A. Ciociola, lead pastor of Calvary Christian Center in Yuba City, California says. “He facilitates an atmosphere that enables another generation to experience a relationship with the presence of Jesus and brings an enthusiastic message of hope for many who feel hopeless in our culture today,” he adds.

Former gang member Javier Torres, who was led to Christ and discipled by Johnson, is also part of Victory 4 Youth.

“Dean has been a big part of my life for the last eight years,” Torres, 37, says. “I never thought I would share my testimony with inmates in prison, the Sacramento River Cats baseball team, school assemblies and church services. Dean is a mentor, friend and my spiritual father as he's always looking out for me. I'm thankful God put Dean in my path to help me with the mission God had for me.”

Besides Victory 4 Youth, Johnson’s ministry includes Uncommon Experience, an encounter night service, a similar event designed for camps, conferences, prisons, chapels, and special services.

Johnson states that while he loves ministering to students, he is equally passionate about preaching during outreaches and personal evangelism.

“Both are exhilarating to me in different ways,” Johnson explains. “As someone who came to Christ among hundreds in an altar call, I was just a face in the crowd. I always wonder who is the next one God is calling out to abandon themselves and be all in for His purpose.

“Personal evangelism is such a unique opportunity to speak directly to the life of the person I am witnessing to,” he adds.

“As someone who was never told about Jesus, never witnessed to, and for 27 years of my life was completely without God, not only am I amazed I am a minister of the gospel, but I'm blown away that He loved me and came to me when I didn't even believe in His existence,” Johnson explains.