Meet Matt Johnson | Pastor & Church Planter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I tell folks all the time, “Life is an adventure”. Most times we have no idea what is around the corner. That is essentially the definition of risk. Adventures are risky. Being a pastor, I take that saying even further, “Life following Jesus is an adventure.” As C.S. Lewis put it, in “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe”, the beaver was asked about Aslan, “Is he quite safe? No, said the beaver, he isn’t safe, but he is good.” Trusting the character of the one who’s offering the risky opportunity assures us of a good reward. Risk is never totally safe. If it were safe, it would not be a risk.

We are presented with many opportunities and decisions to make in this life. Opportunities and decisions that always have some degree of risk. We could be tempted to be the type of person to “play it safe”, and do our best to play life conservatively, in regard to risks, which sometimes is the right thing to do, but when we shy away from risks because they are too scary, we miss out on potentially huge gains or learning a new thing in a new way.

Pastoring a church, if done biblically, involves something that requires great risk.. That one risky thing is showing genuine love. When you love people, it involves a ton of risk, because to love someone genuinely, it involves vulnerability. It requires humility. Loving people as they navigate this adventure we call life, and especially those who are adventuring with Jesus, opens yourself up to the risk of being hurt, because many times, there is pain and difficulty that is being worked through, because life can be, well, very hard at times.

If you have ever found yourself hiking up a mountain to the top, you will be confronted with many difficulties. There will be work. There will be slip-ups and things to slow you down, but when you press through and see the beautiful waterfall at the top, it all becomes well worth the effort.

If we are adventuring well in this life, we will receive bumps, scrapes, and damage to ourselves and our love, but if we are going to genuinely love people where they are in life, the “risk” is WELL WORTH the “reward”. The reward of seeing those people you love succeed in the adventure. The reward of seeing those people be in awe of the unsuspecting treasure they find along the way. Them finding, seeing, and savoring Jesus as the greatest, life-changing treasure to be encountered. Them growing in their own love for others in helping them on their adventure.

When the opportunity to plant Oikos Church (The OC) was placed in my heart, the risks involved are of course very high, especially doing church in a way that is not “typical” in today’s culture. The risk has been well worth the reward. There are many people who are looking for a church with authenticity, due to the fact that many church contexts have become almost totally “plastic”. A cookie cutter production, with a concert. Many folks have expressed that they simply want what Jesus handed us to do in Scripture, and to many today, that is radical. It is a risk, but it is a risk well worth taking. The reward we get is being real…we get authentic community.

The way I look at risk is like this: If there is an opportunity for good in front of you, but it is a bit intimidating, if you don’t take the opportunity, you can be 100% assured that you will not receive that reward/gain. But if you are willing to be courageous in spite of the risk, you will experience things on this adventure called life that no one else will.

Count the cost. Weigh it out with steadfast proven wisdom. Be courageous. Take the road less traveled and see what good treasure you uncover on this adventure.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am one of the pastors at Oikos Church. I have been shepherding in different capacities since 2010 and have been involved in teaching ministry since 2000. I have been involved in many different church contexts and have been trained as a church planter in 3 different and unique philosophies. What sets Oikos Church apart is the fact that we are not the typical church setup. We are fulfilling the vision of operating as a family of house churches with a biblically ordained pastor in each location. We believe it is the duty of the pastors to train up the next generation of pastors as the apostle Paul did with Timothy and Titus, exemplified in the New Testament.

What makes me most excited is that God is bringing those who need this exact context, generally speaking, this current generation of folks are tired of superficiality and are craving the “real”. God has been working and raising up the next leaders, faithfully. Another unique aspect to our church is that all of the pastors are bi-vocational. This frees up giving to be used directly to missions, locally and abroad, as the body sees fit. I’m also excited to see how the love that is shared and displayed gets multiplied across the upstate as multiplication begins to take root for the benefit of all surrounding these locations. Exciting times.

Of course, when people are involved, things are not always easy. There are tasks to accomplish. There are precedences to set. All of these things are vitally important in leading and setting up the first location. Culture is everything. “Succeeding”, for us, is to see lives changed.

As a leader, church planter, and pastor, you have to keep “pulling the load” until you reach the goal. People will only go as far as the leadership goes themselves. You really have to be a go-getter when you are birthing a new thing, especially a church. As a pastor and leader, I will not ask folks to do what I have not done or am willing to do myself.

We are a church community who are committed to being “real” with one another, through the good times and bad times.

We define “The OC” culture with these three simple, yet dynamic things:

Following Jesus. Finding Family. Fearlessly Loving Others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely invite someone to meet the folks at Oikos Church (they are some of the most genuinely loving people around)

Being a native of Greenville, SC, I would take them to Downtown Greenville to check out the shops. Go to Gather Greenville to grab a unique, delicious meal. Then we would go to Furman University to walk their beautiful public campus. Head up the Swamp Rabbit Trail into Travelers Rest and check out those shops restaurants. If there is a baseball game going on with The Greenville Drive we could go to a game. We could always go up to Caesar’s Head and go for a hike on the beautiful trails.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There is no way that I could accomplish half of the things I do in life and ministry without my wife, Jessica. We have been together for 24+ years and married for 21 years. The love, support, encouragement, and counsel she has given me and our friends over the years is absolutely priceless. I cannot imagine my life without this dynamic, multi-talented woman who is a wife, mother, and my best friend. She keeps our lives balanced between parenting 6 amazing children, doing ministry, and being the most hospitable woman I’ve ever met. She is truly a treasure and a gift to me, our family and all of those around us! There is no one I would rather be on this adventure of life with than her…

Website: TheOikosChurch.com

Instagram: @theoikoschurch @matt_johnson84

Facebook: Oikos Church (The OC)