Minister
Clarissa Johnson comes from a long line of pastors, ministers, musicians and singers, and it's no surprise that she too, would fall into one of those categories. As a little girl, she sang in the junior choir and later joined the adult choir at the age of 13. Once an adult, she fully accepted Christ as her Savior and joined New Harvest Outreach CCHL in 1997, under the leadership of Elder Kevin E. Clark & First Lady Trudy Clark, whom she also calls her spiritual parents. While under their leadership and guidance, she learned how to follow and also how to lead. She learned how to be dedicated to God and in whatever capacity she served.
As she grew in ministry, she received her minister license in 2005. From there she began to minister at various churches in the local community and abroad. Serving faithfully, in 2007, Clarissa was ordained as an Elder by Elder Broderick McConico of which is now called, New Harvest Outreach Ministries.
While serving at New Harvest Outreach, Clarissa gifts, talents and abilities continued to unfold. She was able to express them not only in the pulpit, but in other areas throughout the church. Among ministering, Clarissa was also head of the praise team, teacher for both, Young Teen Sunday School and Adult Bible Study and Assistant over the Women's Auxiliary, which is her passion.
In 2009, Clarissa moved to Lawrenceville, GA, where she joined New Mercies Christian Church, under the leadership of Pastor Jesse E. Curney III. In 2010, she felt God calling her higher and decided to further her ministry by studying and participating in the Ministers in Training program, offered through NMCC. She was licensed on July 7, 2013.
During the year of 2013, Clarissa began to feel the call of God even stronger and knew that He was calling her to start a new church ministry. With the beginning of the new year (2014), she told God yes and began laying the foundation for the birth of A Light of Hope Christian Ministries. ALOH had it's first service on August 10, 2014.
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mentor & motivator
One of Pastor Clarissa's deepest passion is helping women overcome and thrive. In 2011, she completed and received a certificate in Biblical Life Coaching. She uses both her leadership and life coaching skills to support, mentor and motivate women in their personal struggles, as well as challenges faced as a woman in ministry and leadership.
The beginning of Pastor Clarissa's pastoral journey proved to be very challenging, but those challenges however, shaped her to be the leader she is today. Through her experiences, she learned some very valuable lessons and gained priceless wisdom and knowledge. Those same challenges and experiences also gave her the passion and desire to help other and future women in ministry and leadership. She offers inspiration, encouragement, training and support via her women's leadership group, WALK (Women Appointed to Lead in the Kingdom) and she also offers group and one on one mentoring and coaching to assist other women in ministry and leadership to be successful, and to help them overcome the many struggles and challenges that women in ministry face.
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AUTHOR
Never in a million years, did Clarissa dream of being an author, but as with all things, she has learned, Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails- Prov. 19:21 NIV. Through her willingness and obedience, she accepted the challenge and her debut novel, Sleeping With The Enemy, was published in 2013. Clarissa also writes blogs entitled, A Light of Hope Inspirations, where she ministers hope, encouragement, and inspiration to the world, through everyday issues that she face in life. Somehow, someway, the Lord always reveals a message in the mess.
She is currently working on a new literary project designed to help train, encourage, inspire and support other and future women in ministry and leadership.