Richard Johnson Jr., Pastor
As a child I lived in the Desire Projects in the 9th ward. When I was playing football for Carver High School under Coach Wayne Reese, I attended the first Bible study Mo Leverett held for the team. I’ve been involved in ministry ever since, from age 15 up to the present, coaching, teaching and helping to lead church and Bible studies at Desire Street Ministries and now with Desire Fellowship. Inviting kids to spend time with me and my family at home is also a major part of my ministry. I feel called to pursue the redemption of the vision God has for this community. My prayer is for rebuilding the church through the reconciliation of His people – first reconciling with God and then with one another. I long for Desire Fellowship to become a body that reaches out to entire families and draws them into the family of God.
April Johnson, Children’s and Worship assistant
I moved to New Orleans to work with Desire Street Ministries in the summer of 2004. Prior to Hurricane Katrina I did a little of everything, from subbing at Desire Street Academy to taking the minutes at Pastor’s meetings to helping Mo run the summer internship. After the storm I moved to Florida with DSA for a few months before Richard and I returned to New Orleans and got married in summer 2006. It has been amazing to look back over the past few years and see how God has woven so many different threads – some painful, some beautiful – together to bring Desire Fellowship to what it is today. I am excited to see how he will move within his Church in the days to come!
Richard and his wife April are raising their 12 year old nephew Ahmad, and also have a 2 year old son, Richard Johnson III.
