By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News
PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Mark Johnson will be inaugurated as the 10th president of Louisiana Christian University, March 26, 6 p.m. inside Guinn Auditorium.
The keynote address will be delivered by Jamie Dew, president with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Representatives from the religious, political, business and academic communities in central Louisiana also will offer remarks. A mass choir will provide music made up of members from the Citywide Choir, Alexandria, LCU Chorale, First Baptist Church, Kingsville, First Baptist Church, Pineville, and Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville.
Johnson, who was unanimously voted on by the board of trustees in February 2025, has been in office since June 1.
“I am incredibly grateful to the Lord in how He directed our steps through the search process, and we, as a search committee, felt confident God directed us to Dr. Mark Johnson to serve as the 10th president of Louisiana Christian University,” said Tommy Kiker, chair of the presidential search committee. “Since he has stepped into the role, I have been continually encouraged as a trustee of LCU, a friend of LCU and a Louisiana Baptist Pastor. As we celebrate his inauguration, my hope and confidence remain steadfast. Mark Johnson is God’s man for God’s school.”
Johnson served as the director of the Doctor of Ministry program at NOBTS before accepting the presidency at LCU.
Johnson earned a Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, with his project titled “Racial Reconciliation in the Southern Baptist Convention,” focusing on the themes of repentance, reconciliation, and restoration. His debut book, “Black Church White Convention: A Pastor’s Story of Hope,” was published in spring 2025 and chronicles his experience leading an African American church into the Southern Baptist Convention.
Johnson is a third-generation Baptist minister. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Washington and Jefferson College in 1994, becoming the first African American senior class commencement speaker in the college’s 243-year history.
In 2019, Johnson and his family relocated to New Orleans to pursue a doctorate in Evangelism, Pastoral Ministries and Christian Leadership. After guiding Edgewater Baptist Church, New Orleans, through the COVID-19 pandemic as senior pastor, he joined the faculty at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as assistant professor of evangelism and pastoral ministries and director of the Doctor of Ministry division.
He and his wife, Heather Williams Johnson, have been married for 30 years. They have four children.
“As we prepare for this inauguration, one of the things that moves me most deeply is the breadth of leadership represented across Central Louisiana,” Johnson said. “This moment is not about one individual; it is about a region. It is about pastors and principals, business owners and public servants, nonprofit leaders and educators, alumni and students, all standing together. To see leaders from our churches, our schools, our municipalities, our civic organizations, and our business community gathered in one space sends a powerful message that we believe in this region, we believe in collaboration, and we believe the future of Central Louisiana is stronger when we lead together.”
This inauguration is not simply a ceremony, he added. It is a declaration that LCU stands shoulder to shoulder with Central Louisiana, committed to educating leaders, strengthening families, developing workforce excellence, and serving as a spiritual and intellectual anchor for this region.
“I am deeply grateful that so many leaders have chosen to be part of this moment,” Johnson said. “Their presence honors the past, strengthens the present, and inspires the future. Together, we move forward, built on faith, driven by excellence.”
The inauguration is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5 p.m.
