Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Family dedicated to church mission in Africa

By John Cousins
Bay of Plenty Times·
21 Jan, 2013 08:48 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A family commitment to spreading the Christian message and helping African people has underscored the tragic death of Brian Johnston and his wife, Grace, in Kenya last week.

The Tauranga couple, who died when the minibus they were in rolled in Western Kenya, were continuing the spirit of the 20 years of service which Brian's brother, Derek, has given to one of the poorest countries in the world.

Derek Johnston played a pivotal role in spreading the gospel in Burkina Faso, formerly called Upper Volta, a poverty-stricken land-locked West African country above Ghana.

The African evangelical link between Brian and his brother Derek was highlighted by pastor John Elan of the Greerton Bible Church - the church attended by the Johnstons and their 10 children.

The church's congregation has been rocked by the death of the Johnstons, who were in Kenya along with 17 others to build a new classroom block at the Ark Quest School at Mahanga. Bethlehem College ex-pupil Caitlin Dickson also died in the accident.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Derek and Heather Johnston have spent years playing a key role with the Wycliffe Bible Translation Society to convert Burkina Faso tribespeople.

The Johnstons of ChristChurch, Belfast, have dedicated a large portion of their lives to the little-known African country, with Derek guiding the work of several Wycliffe teams to translate the scriptures into a variety of African dialects.

Their work included spending six years in the capital, Ouagadougou, translating the New Testament into Sissala language.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Derek's responsibilities broadened once he completed a Master's in Theology from Queen's University, Belfast, in 2003. Since 2010, he has moved into a wider role of liaising with national Christian organisations involved in Bible translation work in France's other former West African colonies.

One blog from a Christian who was hosted by the Johnstons described how in 10 years Christian denominations had grown from 12 churches to more than 300. John Cousins

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

live
Bay of Plenty Times

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; flood water enters homes

10 Jul 10:27 PM
Premium
Bay of Plenty Times

'A sad loss': Why this prostate cancer treatment is 'disappearing' in NZ

10 Jul 08:02 PM
Bay of Plenty Times

Kaitiaki fight pathogen endangering iconic Mauao pōhutukawa

10 Jul 07:24 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; flood water enters homes
live

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; flood water enters homes

10 Jul 10:27 PM

Electrical storms are set to hit at evening rush as Auckland braces for 16 hours of rain.

Premium
'A sad loss': Why this prostate cancer treatment is 'disappearing' in NZ

'A sad loss': Why this prostate cancer treatment is 'disappearing' in NZ

10 Jul 08:02 PM
Kaitiaki fight pathogen endangering iconic Mauao pōhutukawa

Kaitiaki fight pathogen endangering iconic Mauao pōhutukawa

10 Jul 07:24 AM
'Current hotspot': Back-to-back national titles for Tauranga basketballers

'Current hotspot': Back-to-back national titles for Tauranga basketballers

10 Jul 06:13 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP