Pastor to Pastor with Dave Stone Kissing the Fire with Pastor Shawn Johnson
Dec 9, 2025
Shawn Johnson, lead pastor of Red Rocks Church and author of 'Kiss the Fire,' candidly shares his journey through addiction, anxiety, and a life-altering medical diagnosis. He discusses the powerful mantra 'kiss the fire' as a way to confront fears rather than avoid them. Shawn underscores the importance of perseverance, the value of vulnerability in leadership, and the support he received from his congregation. He also highlights the necessity of building friendships among pastors to share struggles and foster resilience.
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From Abandonment To Church Planting
- Shawn Johnson described a childhood of addiction, abandonment, and eventual conversion after a near-suicide moment at 24.
- That crisis led him to church, ministry training, meeting his wife, and eventually planting Red Rocks Church in Denver.
Diagnosis That Shook Everything
- Shawn recounts a doctor telling him he had an incurable degenerative brain disease and that his life would change drastically.
- He left the appointment devastated while his wife immediately prayed and committed to seek a miracle.
Reframing Suffering As Purposeful
- The phrase "kiss the fire" reframed suffering from something to flee into something to embrace with purpose.
- Shawn used it daily to resist despair and to hold to his calling and identity in Christ.
