Rev. Teri Johnson. Photo from SDSU.

"All extension ministers are doing ministry. It's just a different ministry. Students that I interface with have the same fears, the same joys, and the same concerns as other human beings. I have a student who wrote in her paper about her brother committing suicide two months ago, and here she is. Ministry does not just happen in a church building; it's in a classroom; it is everywhere," said Rev. Teri Johnson, an ordained elder of the Dakotas Conference who serves in extension ministry teaching at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota.

In The United Methodist Church, pastors may be appointed to serve in ministries that extend the ministry of the local United Methodist church. The Book of Discipline states explicitly, "Elders, associate members, provisional elders and persons licensed for pastoral ministry may be appointed to ministry settings that extend beyond the ministry of the local church." (2016 BOD, ¶ 344)

"I teach seven sections of classes. I teach two sections of Exploratory Studies for students who have not declared a major yet. I have a first-year seminar. All freshmen are required to take first-year seminars. I teach four sections of that, and then I teach World Religion," explains Rev. Johnson.

Johnson is a senior lecturer for the university assigned to the School of Education, Counseling,  and Human Development. Her job role is unique, and it is not the typical career path for pastors.

"I always said I was not going to be a teacher. My mom was a teacher. My dad was a teacher. Out of our five children, four of them are teachers. My mother-in-law and father-in-law were teachers. My stepmom is a teacher," said Pastor Teri.

Before serving in extension ministry at SDSU, she was associate pastor at First UMC in Pierre, S.D., First UMC in Mitchell, S.D., and First UMC in Brookings, S.D., and lead pastor at First UMC in Brookings and Hennepin Avenue UMC in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Pastor Teri enjoyed ministry in local churches, but God had a different plan. She is living out her call through extension ministry at South Dakota State University.

Rev. Teri Johnson, center, with students in class at South Dakota State University. Photo courtesy of Teri Johnson.

Ministry at SDSU

"Teaching within the church was always a passion of mine. I love leading adult studies, confirmation, and after-school programming for children. When I was at Hennepin UMC, I felt God calling me to a new direction in my life," she said.

While serving at Hennepin UMC, she saw an opening for teaching at SDSU in Brookings.

"I thought, 'Oh, I probably don't have the credentials.' The job was for one year, on a kind of trial basis. I applied, and I got it," explained Pastor Teri.

The position was a fit and became a new ministry journey for Johnson. "It is a different ministry but a daily ministry," she said.

This semester, she interacts with 250 students. Pastor Teri is intentional about getting to know each student and interacting and relating with everyone.

"I walk with them and help them navigate. For an 18-year-old freshman, this is a big adjustment. To help them navigate this new time in their life, that's ministry," shares Pastor Teri. "I think any time you are one-on-one with people, being authentic to their experience and meeting them in this space, to me, is ministry. My students know that I'm a pastor."

Her professor and pastor role led to officiating some students' weddings. Johnson conducted a funeral for one of her students who died of cancer. She also did a baptism for a student.

"In their papers, students will talk about faith issues with me. If they bring it up, I talk to them about it. I feel like it's a daily ministry with just a specific group of people," Pastor Teri said.

Johnson focuses on teaching and practicing time management in her ministry. The enrollment for Pastor Teri's courses is large, pushing her efforts to relate to each student.

"My freshman classes are full. A goal I set for myself is to get to know them all by name. I work hard on that even in my congregations. My World Religion class has 80 students this semester, and that's kind of pushing me a little to try to know each student's name," said Pastor Teri. "When students come in as freshmen, time management is one of the things they have the hardest time with because they don't have their time managers anymore. Mom and Dad are gone, and they have lots of free time. Time management is what I must model. I am done with class at 1 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday afternoons so that I can do a lot of grading."

The teaching position has become permanent. Johnson re-applied for it and got it. She holds a bachelor's degree from SDSU, a Master of Divinity from Iliff School of Theology, and a Doctorate in Ministry from Sioux Falls Seminary.

Ministry at three rural churches

Rev. Johnson also serves three small churches in the Brookings, South Dakota, area: Pioneer Lutheran, Sterling United Methodist Church, and White United Methodist Church. She has been serving at Pioneer Lutheran for the past two years and started serving at Sterling and White in July. Each Sunday, she travels to all three congregations.

"I do worship in Sterling at nine o'clock. Then I leave and go five miles east to Pioneer Lutheran for service at 10. I leave Pioneer Lutheran and head about five more miles east to White for service at 11 a.m.," explains Pastor Teri. "Amazingly, they all know each other because they are all part of the same school district. So, when we have a prayer concern, I share it at all three churches."

Pastor Teri just started an all-church Bible study on Saturday mornings. People from all three churches participate, because they all know each other. There is a joint confirmation class with six students.

 "We have six confirmands; each church has two. They all attend the same school together in seventh, eighth, and ninth grade. It really works to put the three churches together. Otherwise, one church would have two kids, a brother and a sister, and that's not a load of fun. One student is Lutheran; we will do some Martin Luther and some John Wesley," said Pastor Teri.

Each church has its unique features. White UMC is a modern building, while Sterling UMC is like a historical landmark with a commentary behind it. Pioneer Lutheran built a new building after the church burned down. Sterling and White have a completely different worship format from Pioneer but with the same lectionary readings. These rural congregations are ready to try different things to define their future.

"All three of these churches are open to newness. We did one service in August. All three churches met at the park in White, and we had a potluck. It was well attended by several of the members from Pioneer Lutheran, Sterling, and White," said Pastor Teri. "People were saying, 'Well, you know, why don't we meet at one church one month, the other the next month, and then the other church. So, Teri doesn't have to run back and forth.' They all know each other and know that to keep the ministry alive, we have to think outside the box to do some things."

Even though Pastor Teri is busy teaching seven college courses at SDSU and leading worship at three Brookings area congregations, she feels she is right where God wants her.

"I think between SDSU and the churches, I'm being fed. I feel it's all life-giving. In college classes, we really put a lot of stock in the Clifton strengths. Living out your strengths instead of always trying to fix your weaknesses gives you the energy to do things you are good at and feed others.  I've slowly realized that I can play into my strengths. When you are on that walk, I feel you grow and learn from the people. I really believe that the Holy Spirit is filling me and opening windows and doors," said Pastor Teri.