Welcome to Building Hope in the City

Rev. Jeff Johnson
Executive Director
Building Hope in the City

"Follow me as I follow Christ."
I Corinthians 11:1

Rev. Jeff Johnson is Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio and Executive Director of Building Hope In The City, an independent urban mission organization

In his role of Senior Pastor, Rev. Johnson has served Trinity since 1992. Since his arrival, the church has grown from 50 people on Sunday mornings to over 300 on an average weekend. From a small food pantry distributed by the church secretary Trinity now serves hundreds of families each month with groceries, hot meals, clothing, tutoring, health classes, community building and more. The renewal experienced at Trinity has flowed out to other neighborhoods, congregations and cities eventually birthing Building Hope in The City in 2003.

In his role as executive director Rev. Johnson is responsible for developing new mission opportunities, directing the organizations missionaries, mentors urban church workers and congregations, and develops new leaders for future work. It is Pastor Johnson's passion and enthusiasm for bringing the gospel to urban people around the world that continues to push the expansion and growth of Building Hope in the City.

Jeff married Terri in 1982. They have four sons: Luke, Nick, Noah and Aaron. One daughter-in-law, Krista, rounds out their immediate family.

Prior to his graduation from Seminary Jeff was responsible for planting 5 congregations in Colorado, Minnesota, Indiana and Michigan. He was also instrumental in the planting of multiple churches in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa, through the training and mentoring of leaders during the Liberian civil war.

Restoring life and working towards the healing of individuals, communities and congregations through the power of the gospel is at the heart of where Pastor Johnson has lived since he himself was restored to Christ in the early 80s. Lifted out of drug addiction, alcoholism and a steeply degrading path that was headed in the wrong direction, Christ did for Jeff what he has done for so many. That same power of God that he found in the cross and the open tomb called Jeff Johnson to Connect people to God and to one another. That mission causes him to invite others along the journey.... Follow me as I follow Christ.

Rev. Johnson can be heard preaching most Sundays at Trinity Lutheran Church, located in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood at the corner of West 30 Street and Lorain Avenue. Worship service times are: 9 am traditional, and contemporary services at 9:30 and 11:00 am.