Slade Johnson, associational mission strategist for the Golden Isles Baptist Network, has a rich and fascinating heritage. His great-grandfather was Reuben Archer Torrey (better known as R. A. Torrey), born in 1856 and died on Oct. 26, 1928.
Torrey was a mighty prayer warrior, an American pastor, evangelist, educator and writer. A graduate of Yale University and Divinity School, Torrey was the second president of the Moody Bible Institute and simultaneously served as the pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago.
Johnson explained, “Dr. Torrey was my maternal great-grandfather. My grandfather, R. A. Torrey Jr., was my mother’s father and my great-grandfather’s only son (he also had four daughters). R. A. Torrey, Jr., was a remarkable champion for Christ in his own right. He was a career missionary to China. He started his ministry in China just as Lottie Moon was ending hers.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by J. Gerald Harris and originally published by the Christian Index.
