About
Grace Changes Everything
For by grace you have been saved through faith. It is the gift of God
…Ephenians 2:8
What exactly is Grace?
All of Scripture is an unfolding story of God’s grace. God sees us as we are, loves us as we are, and accepts us as we are. But by His grace, He does not leave us as we are.
It is the heartbeat of our heavenly Father flowing through Jesus his Son.
No other religion places grace at its theological center. It is a revolutionary truth. Grace “seems to go against every instinct of humanity.” We are naturally drawn to vows and karma, to cause and effect, to earning what we receive or deserve.
Grace is different. It is the unmerited favor of God, unconditional love given to the undeserving. It’s a difficult concept to understand because it isn’t entirely rational. “Grace defies reason and logic.” Grace is the distinguishing mark of Christianity. And it reaches its full apex in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
There is nothing you can do to earn God’s favor. You can try to perfect yourself, strive to lead a more acceptable life but this will only leave your frustrated. For we all miss the mark. We all fall short in our love and devotion towards God and loving our neighbor. And so, when we receive Jesus Christ by faith, God offers his grace, his forgiveness rather than judgment. And the amazing thing about this grace, God gives us the faith to receive him!
Why Christianity?
What can it provide for me?
- a meaning in life that suffering can’t take away
- a satisfaction not based on circumstances
- a freedom that doesn’t turn community and love relationships into thin transactions
- an identity that is not fragile, not based on performance or exclusion
- a way to deal with guilt and to forgive without residual bitterness or shame
- a basis for seeking justice that doesn’t turn you into an oppressor yourself
- a way to face not only the future but death itself with confidence and peace.
If there’s a God who created you and sustains your life every minute, how wonderful it would be to meet him face-to-face in the presence of His community.
Our Statemen of Faith
What We Believe
The Triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.
- Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation.
- The proclamation of God’s Message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by the Holy Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God’s revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them the Holy Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.
- The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith and life, “according to which all doctrines should and must be judged.” (Formula of Concord, Epitome, Part I)
The Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of the Church.
The Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.
The other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.
The Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God’s mission in the world.
Staff and Leadership
Dona Johnson, Reverend
Rev. Dona Johnson is the pastor of GracePointe of Sedona, a new mission start.
She chairs the North American Lutheran Church’s (NALC) Living and Giving Stewardship Team. She lives in Sedona, AZ with her husband Mike, in addition to team-ministry, they love to hike and travel.
Rev. Dona Johnson Serves on the Coalition Against Human Trafficking in Northern Arizona. Through her work with the Lilly School of Philanthropy: Institute on Faith and Giving, she authored RESET and Stewards of God’s Influence.
- Also holds an Executive Certificate of Religious Fundraising (ECRF).
- She has chaired synodical stewardship ministries and has a certificate in church leadership from the Leadership Institute.
- In the non-profit sector, she chaired for six years the Board of Directors for a day-program for those who live with mental illness and has led several non-profit and congregational fundraising campaigns, in addition to coordinating community-wide events for mental illness
Rev. Dona Johnson holds both a:
- Masters of Divinity from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH and Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH.
- A Master of Science in Architecture, University of Cincinnati and a national Fellowship from the American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C.
- Dona founded her own practice DRS Design Group and was an adjunct professor at University of Cincinnati School of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning and Miami University, Oxford, OH.
Mike Johnson, Outreach & Finance
Mike is serving as head of outreach and treasurer for GracePointe of Sedona.
Over the years Mike has worked extensively in teaching biblical principles of money management and effective stewardship for churches and their members. Mike is married to Pastor Dona Johnson.
Mike conducts charitable giving and advanced planning workshops for the NALC and other non-profits. Because of his heart for ministry, Mike will lead GracePointe’s Evangelism and Outreach Ministries by equipping others to share and grow in their faith in Jesus Christ.
Mike is founder of Wealth Planning Corporation, a financial planning & investment management firm in Cincinnati that he started in 1984.