this year’s speaker

Joel Johnson
Speaker, Pastor, Author, and Coach

Joel Johnson is the President of Wholehearted & Joel Johnson Ministries. Joel Johnson has spoken before more than 2 million people in over 20 nations around the world. He was the keynote speaker at Acquire the Fire Conferences for over 15 years, a bestselling author, coach, co-host of Wholehearted Podcast, and studied Psychology at Harvard University.

As a teen, Joel surmounted the challenges brought about by poverty, a broken home, and abuse, his inspirational stories and teaching have helped thousands to find freedom from the wounds of a broken past.

Joel loves the local Church! He has served in his local church for almost 30 years. Some of his roles have included:  Campus Pastor, Global Executive Pastor of Student Ministries, College Pastor, Student Pastor and South Eastern University Site Director.

Joel loves adventure. A few of his adventures include: navigating down the Amazon River, living with a native tribe in the Darien Jungle of Panama, partaking in many traditional Maori Hangi feasts and ceremonies in New Zealand, playing music throughout the war torn city of Beirut, trekking to the top of Yosemite’s Half Dome and Pike’s Peak, walking the streets of Hanoi, riding an elephant through the jungle of Chiang Mia and overseeing the remodeling of an orphanage playground in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

He has authored four books: The Wholehearted Journey, The Divine Matchmaker, Walking Like Zombies and Emerge: Cracking the Cocoon of Media Socialization.

Joel is also married to a dynamic author and speaker, Casey Johnson. Joel, Casey, their son, Lincoln, and daughter, Reagan, live in Charlotte, NC.