About Alan

Dr. Alan Johnston is both an ordained minister and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP©). His ministry spans more than 50 years, and he has more than 35 years of experience as a financial planner. He has served as Senior Pastor of churches in Alabama and Tennessee and was a founding partner of Oracle Wealth Management (a branch of Ameriprise Financial) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For the past 35 years, Alan has also served as a Teaching Pastor for Abba’s House (Central Baptist Church) in Chattanooga.

Alan is also the founder and leader of Path2Truth Ministry. He continues to preach and teach and some of that ministry is available here as well as YouTube. Path2Truth has as its mission “to teach and preach the good news of Jesus Christ — in so doing, to bring Christians into a fresh encounter with God, to equip and encourage the church to be authentic, and to empower believers to share God’s redemptive message.

Beliefs
Mission
Path2truth

Beliefs

The Bible

The Bible is God’s holy word, given to us as God inspired writers (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) captured the mind and heart of God.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the person of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17

We experience God as three persons in One, the Holy Trinity, that is God the Father, God the Son – Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit.  God is self-existent (no beginning and no end), infinite (unlimited), changeless (immutable), eternal, holy (incomparable purity and sinlessness), all knowing (omniscient), every where at once (omnipresent) and all powerful (omnipotent).  Additionally, we know and understand that God is sovereign (answers to no one), gracious, merciful and the creator of heaven and earth.

The Bible makes this statement regarding Jesus, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12 Who needs salvation?  Everyone!  And Christ alone can save us.  While on the cross, dying in our stead, He cried aloud, “Father forgive them …”  Jesus Christ took upon Himself the righteous charges brought against fallen humanity by becoming sin itself, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures … but in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (died).  For as by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”  1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 20-22   Salvation is God’s gift to all who “change their mind” (repent) and call on the name of Jesus for salvation.  “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:13

Jesus made a promise to his early followers, “…I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper (Holy Spirit) will not come to you.  But if I go, I will send Him to you.”  John 16:7 Jesus followed that with these words, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in all truth, for he will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will declare to you the things that are to come.”  John 16:13 The Spirit filled life comes with multi-faceted fruit (Galatians 5:22-24) that includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  The Spirit filled life also includes God given spiritual gifts that will operate in the life of believers.  Those gifts are listed in Scripture (1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Romans 12: 3-7 and Ephesians 4:1-7; 11-12).  No Christian is without a gift or gifts.  As we believers grow and mature in our faith, we will become more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spriit, thus displaying the fruit of the Spirit, while using our spiritual gifts to serve God and bless others.

An old-timey preacher once said, “hell is hot, heaven is sweet, and life is short.”  Another preacher said, “Eternity is too long to be wrong.”  In John 14 Jesus promised his followers that even though he was going away for a while, he would return for them.  Included in His promise was that while away He would be preparing a wonderful place for His followers.  He said, “…where I am you may be also.”  Jesus promised “I will not leave you as orphans.”  Future resurrections will lead to future judgments, and those judgments will lead to everlasting destinies for both the redeemed and the unsaved.  The Bible describes Hell as a horrible place of eternal torments (Revelation 20:11-15) for those who refused God’s offer of salvation.  Revelation 19:1-9; Revelation 21:1-22:5 provides a glimpse into the eternal state for all believers.

“The study of last things” is the simplest definition of eschatology.  In the “Books” section you will find a complete and somewhat detailed explanation of the last things (THE TICKING CLOCK).  Jesus is quoted three times in the final chapter of the Bible: “And behold, I am coming soon.”  Rev. 22:7. “Behold I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.”  Rev. 22:12. “Surely, I am coming soon.”    Rev. 22:20. 

Mission

Our mission is to teach and preach the good news of Jesus Christ – in so doing, to bring Christians into a fresh encounter with God, to equip and encourage the church to be authentic, and to empower believers to share God’s redemptive message.

 

We endeavor to engage Christians in becoming salt and light in our world.  To do that requires that we cultivate our relationship with God.  The cultural divide of today impacts more than church…it impacts morality, values, attitudes and politics.  Too much is at stake to ignore, or worse… to fear, the need for engagement with our culture.  The world awaits some fresh voice….that needs to come from the church.  

Dr. Alan Johnston, in addition to being a pastor, was for many years a Professional Licensed Counselor, and was the founder of Christian Counseling Ministries, Inc.  Using what Alan refers to as the “Eight R’s of Healthy Marriages”, hundreds have found renewal and rejuvenation in their relationships. 

Dr. Rod Fowler (Counselor Educator/the University of Tennessee) said this, “Dr. Alan Johnston distinguished himself as a scholar and as a helping person in our graduate program in counseling.  He has a fine mind and a superior personality, he knows what to do with both.  He exemplifies all those qualities requisite in a skilled and effective helper.” 

 

We endeavor to come alongside Pastors and churches in the process of, as Paul said in Ephesians, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ…”  Equipping is more than teaching… it is following the command of Jesus to “make disciples.”  

 

Through both the spoken word and written word we endeavor to bring a message of hope, freedom, healing and life.  Our ministry goal is to “encourage one another daily…” (Heb. 3:13)  It is our conviction that we believers are meant to “soar on wings like eagles,” and to “run and not become weary – to walk and not faint.” (Isa. 40:31)

 

Our desire is to walk with other believers as they hear the call (“go make disciples”), accept the challenge (“here am I, send me”) and by faith, walk confidently (“do not be afraid, do not be discouraged”) in sharing God’s redemptive message.  Jesus states that we are to the both salt and light, to and in, the world.   

Path2Truth Ministry

Path2Truth is a broad-based gospel ministry that focuses on three words to fulfill its mission:

Know – Grow – Go

These words are based on Scripture:

  • Know — Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him…”
  • Grow — Ephesians 4:15-16 “…we are to grow up in every way …”
  • Go — Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …”

Path2Truth Ministry is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and seeks to touch the nations.

Path2Truth is a registered non-profit corporation in the State of Tennessee, and has been deemed a public charity under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501-C-3.