Merrie Allen Johnson serves as the student ministries strategist for the Ministry Strategies group. She has been on staff at the Baptist state convention since 2001.

Merrie’s duties include the eight weeks of Caswell Youth Camps, continuing education retreats for youth ministers and youth workers, and fall retreats at Caswell. She also leads youth worker training events across North Carolina.

Merrie has been in youth ministry for more than three decades. She has written numerous articles over the years for the Baptist Sunday School Board and LifeWay in the areas of youth discipleship, missions and youth ministry programming, including the Single Purpose articles for LifeWay’s Living with Teenagers magazine. Merrie has written dramas and entire worship services for Student Day at Christmas. Her first published piece was a youth musical titled, “Timothy: Discovering God’s Will,” which she co-authored with Stan Pethel while in college.

Merrie’s desire is for students to realize that God is working all around them and they need to be on the hunt to find Him and give Him the glory and praise. Merrie says you need to do the “God Hunt Dance” when you realize it is His working in your life. She has amazing personal stories of how God has been leading her for years on this wonderful adventure of discovering His power and strength. She is excited about her relationship with Christ and it shows!

Merrie earned her doctorate of education from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2013. She is the proud mother of two grown boys, and lives in Garner, North Carolina. “Go God!”