New pastor in Superior

After nearly a year without a full-time pastor, the Superior Assembly of God has finally found someone to lead.  Albert Johnson, who goes by Al, was hired just a few days before Christmas back in December, nearly a year after Pastor Ken Claflin left.

The church certainly didn’t expect to be without a pastor for so long, but rather than get discouraged, they put their trust in God to bring them whoever was to stand at the pulpit next.

Johnson said that he felt the Lord drawing him at a very young age. He said that he was five when he first felt the Lord call him to be a pastor.

“I didn’t feel as though I had what it takes to be a minister so I was going to go a different path,” Johnson said.

When he was ten years old, Johnson gave his heart to the Lord. As a senior in high school, he knew that he was being called to be a pastor, but decided that he was going to try and get out of it.

“I knew I was called to go to Bible College, but I tried to run and join the military,” Johnson explained. “I was pretty close to getting in. I had signed the contracts and everything.”

Johnson said that it was a horse that eventually showed him that the only way to go was God’s. He went out for a ride and ended up getting thrown off. Johnson broke a wrist, which meant that he couldn’t go his original way, and realized that the horse had sort of spoken to him.

“I said, ‘ok, Lord, I’ll go your way instead of doing it my way,” Johnson said.

Since then, Johnson has been pastoring for 20 years. He said that it has been an up and down journey, but been great. Superior Assembly of God is his fourth church in that time. He pastored two churches in Wyoming and also a church in North Dakota. He spent 12 years at the Underwood First Assembly in North Dakota before resigning in June of 2010. Johnson said before taking the position in Superior, he and his family were living in Nashville, TN, where his family lives.

When he started looking again for a pastorate job, Johnson said that they knew where they wanted to be. His wife Susan is from Billings.

“We just put out resumes and called different districts to try and get a list of what churches had openings,” Johnson said. “We looked at several churches in North Dakota and Nebraska, but didn’t feel that was the direction we were being led.”

It eventually came down to the position in Superior or finding a job in Nashville and settling down for awhile.

“But we thought that if this church would accept us and it was God’s leading, this is the direction we would choose,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that they really like the area and people in the community.

“It’s beautiful here,” he said. “The people I’ve met so far are really nice and everyone really comments on the fact that this community is made up of wonderful people and I’ve found that to be true.”

Johnson said that as they get settled into their home and get everything unpacked, they are trying not to compare this experience to past experiences, as it’s different.

“We’re trying to focus on what God wants us to do here,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that his desire for the church in Superior is to grow through evangelism, outreach and through other items.

“I like smaller churches, but I don’t believe in a church staying small. I believe in a growing church,” Johnson said.

Superior Assembly of God holds services on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. The church also started holding children’s church for kids downstairs opposed to them having to sit through the regular service.