Ryan Johnson on Healing from Brokenness, Leading through Pain, and Building a Community of Worship and Hope
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In this conversation, Jason sits down with Ryan Johnson, pastor of Church Untitled in downtown Vancouver. Ryan shares openly about how the church began after the collapse of another, walking through seasons of anxiety and depression, and learning to cultivate a dependence on God while shepherding people who were hurting. What started with a small group meeting in the corner of a nightclub has grown into a worshipping community in the heart of the city marked by prayer, consecration, and God’s presence.
Jason and Ryan explore themes that matter deeply to pastors today, including:
The formative role of Joshua 3:5 and what it means to pursue consecration before vision, focusing on internal formation and God’s presence ahead of programs and plans.
The tension between dependence and strategy, and what it looks like to follow the Spirit’s leading while choosing dependence even after growth and momentum arrive.
How worship can shepherd a city by shaping us beyond emotion, trading what we feel for what we know of God, and the importance of extended spaces of prayer and song.
The need for ongoing healing for leaders and churches, naming the temptation toward self-protection, practicing vulnerability, and allowing love to perfect what fear distorts in community life.
Stories of citywide unity and hunger for God, from collaborative worship nights and overflowing prayer ministry to the way people across generations are seeking God afresh.
If you’ve walked through church hurt, or are leading people who have, this episode offers an honest, hope-filled account of how God turns ruins into foundations and pain into worship.
Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson serves as one of the Lead Pastors at Church Untitled, a vibrant gathering in downtown Vancouver that meets in a repurposed nightclub and focus’ its ministry around authentic worship and community in a bustling urban setting. Together with his wife, Sara, Ryan leads the congregation and supports a growing team of ministry leaders across worship, prayer, outreach, creativity, and hospitality. Ryan and Sara have three young children and live in Vancouver.
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The work of strengthening pastors across Canada is only possible because of generous partners like you. As we look to the future, would you consider joining us in prayer, sharing this episode, or making a gift to invest in a vibrant, Jesus-centered church in every community?
Special thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for making this episode possible. We invite you to explore their Bible Course to help your church grow in Scripture engagement.
