Reverend Dan Johnson Receives Humanitarian Award

Dan Johnson has been in the ministry for 30 years. He saw a need for human rights action on behalf of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) community from the very start of his ministry in 1981. From the beginning, people confided in him about their sexual orientation and how they felt they couldn’t tell their families or congregations. 

While Johnson is a heterosexual male with a wife, three children and three grandchildren, he said his choice to pursue this cause was a kind of coming out in itself: coming out as an ally.

“For the first half of my ministry, I supported them silently,” Johnson said. “I had this growing unrest with myself. Just to support people silently was only going halfway; there needed to be some voices from within the community that had hurt them.” 

That community was the church. That voice, Johnson decided, would be his. 

Johnson’s nominators described him to the Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission as someone whose “message has been that all people are children of God entitled to the same respect and dignity.” They argued his work to welcome and embrace people of all walks of life in the church made him deserving of this year’s Tom Oye Award. The Commission agreed.

Bob Mayer said Johnson was selected as this year’s recipient because of his tireless advocacy for human rights. 

“The commissioners were impressed with his passion and his eloquence as he has worked in his faith-based community to ensure that the welcome to all would truly mean all,” Mayer said.

During his time as senior pastor at , Johnson organized events that would specifically engage the church—and any community members who also wanted to attend—with the GLBT community.

Not long after the highly publicized murder of Matthew Shepard, who was targeted for being gay, his mother Judy Shepard came to speak at the church. Matthew Shepard’s aunt and uncle were members of the congregation at that time. The Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus was also invited to perform that day.

Johnson remembers this as a turning point in the life of the congregation, saying that educational efforts are sometimes all it takes to break down fears and stereotypes. In addition to breaking down barriers from within his own church, Johnson has also participated in legislative lobbying efforts for the GLBT community and advised other churches that are considering becoming reconciling congregations. 

Good Samaritan United Methodist Church officially became a reconciling church (explicitly welcoming to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities) in 1995, a few years before Johnson’s time there. Johnson said this award is a testimony to the congregation at Good Samaritan, as the church has taken a step toward justice for all people. 

Johnson lives in Edina with his wife but now works in Minneapolis. The award came at the end of Johnson’s tenure with the Good Samaritan United Methodist Church, where he had been for nearly 12 years. On March 1, Johnson started his new full time position as director of congregational development with the Minnesota Annual Conference of United Methodist Church.

Receiving the Tom Oye Award is especially meaningful to Johnson, as the two knew each other well. Oye was a member of Johnson’s congregation and his daughter is still a member of the church. Johnson also performed Oye’s funeral. Calling Oye a man of great integrity, Johnson said it was an honor to have known him. 

Johnson is the tenth recipient of the Tom Oye Award. The Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission presented the award to Johnson Thursday, April 28 during the All-Volunteer Recognition Reception at .