George Henry - Marcia Sharlotte Johnson

GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer
SPALDINGS, CLARENDON

Marcia Sharlotte Johnson is the district president for the Ladies' Ministry of the Jeffery Town District of New Testament Churches in St Mary. Although she has the responsibility of overseeing the plans and programmes for the women in all five churches in her district of churches, she also has concerns for men across Jamaica, who are not yet born again Christians.

Johnson, who is the wife of a pastor, wants all men who have not yet surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, to know that it takes a man to stand up and be counted for Christ.

"It is easy to make the decision to go with the crowd, but it takes a man with strength and character, who can say I dare to be different, I dare to stand up for something that can make a change in my life. And, as a result, make a change in other people's life," said Johnson.

family impact

She added that it has a profound impact on the family when men give their lives to Christ as their children and female companions usually end up surrendering their lives to Jesus also.

The women's ministry district president added that she was a role model for children who become Christians because of the challenges she had faced and overcome.

God helped me to surmount those challenges. It is not like putting your head in the sand and hiding from the issues that are there, but the real thing about Christ is that He helps you at your point of need," she said.

Johnson, who is married to Reverend Norman Johnson, wants other pastors' wives to note that being a minister's wife can be very challenging. She stated that unless they kept focused at all times, they could lose their way or become discouraged. But, as she always says, at the end of the road, there is something to look forward to. She also wants to tell pastors' wives that they should remember that there are persons who are not necessarily Bible readers, but who look at them (pastors' wives) as the only bible that they read.

heal the nation

As a Christian leader living in Jamaica, Johnson wants Jamaicans to know that their country is in a serious state and needs help. She said well-thinking Jamaicans, especially the Christians, need to be reminded that God has placed them in this beautiful country at a time such as this, to impact it.

Johnson was born in Kingston, but grew up in Clarendon. She has been a Christian for over 30 years. She grew up in a family in which she was exposed to Christian living from an early age, but it was while attending Clarendon College, she saw the need to surrender her life to Jesus.

"I went to a Youth for Christ meeting with some young people from my school, and after having a very good evening, a presenter shared with us some of the tragedies and pitfalls of teenage life without Christ as we are exposed to all kinds of other influences. A number of us took the decision then not to allow ourselves to be exposed to those influences, so, we chose Christ instead," said Johnson.

Since then, the church woman has not looked back. She said she has had no regrets about becoming a Christian, but she regretted not starting her walk with God earlier. She wants all women to see the Christian walk as a practical thing and not as a segment where part of it is going to church, while the other is just going to work.

"If we are going to live the Christian life the easiest way, it is to make sure that Christ influences all of our actions and decisions on a day-to-day basis in every single area. Not just when we go to church or do church-related things, but how we deal with others, how we treat others, how we live our life from day to day," said Sister Johnson.