Johnny C. Bush

The Reverend Johnny Clay Bush is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, and recently moved back home to Columbia, South Carolina, after 27 years in Connecticut. He is the son of both the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry and Lenell Mitchell Bush. They both share interests in education, elementary, and pastoral/theological, respectively. Reverend and Mrs. Bush are parents of three, Joseph Henry, Chyna Camille, and Christopher Hayes. 

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Reverend Bush is an ’83 Graduate of Eau Claire High School, an’87 Graduate of Newberry College receiving a B.A. degree in Religion/Philosophy, and a ‘90 Graduate of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Columbia earning the Masters of Divinity degree.  His post graduate work was taken in the supervisory certification process of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE), and he was fully certified as an ACPE Certified Educator in 2003.  As a professional, he is a Pastoral Clinician and Educator and for many years served in this role alone as the only active African-American male holding this certification in Eastern and North Eastern regions of the United States.  His prophetic voice of advocacy has helped to increase African-American male presence and African-Americans in general in this region of the country.  ACPE is a multi-cultural, multi-faith organization devoted to providing education and improving the quality of ministry and pastoral care offered by pastors, chaplains, other clergy and lay persons utilizing clinical methodology.  

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For more than 15 years, Reverend Bush was a Consulting Clinician and Educator with the Healthcare Chaplaincy Network of New York City.  He served as the Program Coordinator and Educator for Clinical Pastoral Education at the Historic Riverside Church of New York City for 10 years under the pastoral leadership of the world-renowned Reverend Dr. James A. Forbes He is the current Director for Clinical Pastoral Education and Spiritual Health at the Westchester Medical Center in NY.  He is the national Convener for the Racial Ethnic Multicultural Network and Community of Practice of ACPE, the organization’s largest gathering community. He currently serves as one of the National Certification Commission Reviewers for ACPE. 

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Reverend Bush is a ministerial son of the Gunter’s Chapel Baptist Church of Columbia where he is now answering a call, being the Pastor-Elect.  He was first called to the Gospel Ministry at age 17 when a senior in high school. Two years later, he was called to serve as Senior Pastor to the Friendship Baptist Church of Hopkins, South Carolina, for more than 11 years.  For now 27 years, he has served as Senior Pastor of the Greater Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church of Stamford, CT.   Reverend Bush maintains that it has been a privilege to preach “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified” for all of 40 years.  

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Reverend Bush is a former Vice President of the Connecticut State Missionary Baptist Convention, the past Founding-Moderator of the Judah Baptist Association of Lower Fairfield County division of churches for the state, and the Secretary for the Interdenominational Ministers and Pastors Coalition, helped to form the Concerned Clergy Coalition in Stamford. He served on the Board of Directors for the Council of Churches and Synagogues of Western Connecticut. For 15 years, he served as Chairperson of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Planning Committee for the city of Stamford.  He was honored with the Eleanor-Parks Davis Civil Rights Award by the NAACP of Stamford.   

 

Reverend Bush’s “motto in life” may be found recorded in Proverbs 22:29 (paraphrased): “Can you find a man who is skilled in his work? He will be in the presence of kings; you will not find him in company with unstable persons…”