Pastor Walter Johnston

Walter and Barbara Johnston have been with the fellowship since 1985.

Pastor Johnston worked in the printing industry for over twenty years as a photolithographic retoucher, a job now long obsolete with the advent of scanners. During this period, for some fourteen years he was also active as a Trade Union Representative.

Savingly united to the Lord Jesus Christ in 1966 as a teenager, he joined the membership of Hoylake Evangelical Church on the Wirral a year later. Seeking to serve the church in every way possible he became involved in many aspects of its life and witness: running the bookstall, writing tracts, helping with and then leading the youth group. He also served as a deacon from 1973-1985.

Several things were pivotal for his entry into the pastoral ministry. Firstly, leading the youth work naturally involved responsibility for the Bible studies. As this work developed, so youth group weekends and holidays were organised and this gave rise to opportunities for preaching within that context. Naturally the church gave help and encouragement in this area of activity.

Secondly, in 1976 a series “Seminars on Preaching” were led by Pastor Stuart Olyott of Belvidere Road Church, Liverpool. These revolutionised Mr. Johnston’s whole concept of preaching.

Thirdly, it was during this period that he came to love the doctrines of grace. The capstone to his understanding came through reading Iain Murray’s “The Forgotten Spurgeon”.

The final element in Mr. Johnston’s entry into the ministry was the decision by H.E.C. that he should give himself to the four year Theological Training Course run by The Evangelical Movement of Wales. He attended this course from 1979-1982.

Mention must be made of two men to whom Mr. Johnston is greatly indebted. David Sharp pastor at H.E.C. for many years, gave a constant example of quiet, patient godliness. Stuart Olyott acted as Mr. Johnston’s tutor during his training. Both men contributed hugely to his early, formative years as a Christian, and to his goals and aims as a preacher of God’s Word. Pastor Johnston states “It has been an immense privilege to know them and to count them as my friends”.

With the completion of the TTC, there followed 10 months of redundancy and a further period “back in the trade”. It was during this period that an invitation was given to preach at Chorlton Evangelical Church. That initial invitation was repeated and led to a call to the pastorate there which commenced in October 1985.