Johnny Minick - Singer and Pastor
As I sat in the small, but humble office about to interview the third voice of The Happy Goodmans, I got the same feeling about the man I was about to talk with. Johnny Minick sings to thousands every weekend, yet is back in his church, River of Life Assembly of God, on Sunday morning, ministering to his congregation. I found it interesting to learn where Johnny began and where he has ended up in life.
Johnny felt the call to preach in 1968, at the age of twelve. He started at that young age preparing his life for the road that God had called him on. At the age of fifteen, he, along with his dad, affectionately called Papa John, organized an all male quartet in Arkansas called The Majestic Sounds. It was while he was with this group that The Happy Goodmans first heard him play the piano and started urging him to join them. Though Johnny is known for his singing today, he had already gained the reputation of an accomplished pianist, winning all the Assembly of God talent contests he could enter.
In 1974, Johnny married his lovely wife, Sherry, and the next year finally gave in to the urgings of The Happy Goodman Family and started playing the piano for them. As much as Johnny enjoyed playing on the road with The Happy Goodmans, in 1978, after being with this well known group for three years, he felt the call of God to start evangelizing, so he formed The Johnny Minick Family, and they traveled the country singing and preaching. Johnny stressed the point that from the time he started evangelizing with his family group, that preaching has been heavily involved in every work they have done.
In 1984, Johnny started a new church in Little Rock, Arkansas, which was also named River of Life Assembly of God. After getting the new church on its feet, Johnny felt the call again to go back into evangelizing with his family group. He did this quite successfully until 1993, when he accepted the challenge of starting another church from the ground up, and in nine short years has built a very spiritually charged church in Smyrna, Tennessee with approximately 30 people. The church today runs 500.
 When the Happy Goodmans began working on their Reunion Album, they asked Johnny to produce it for them. The Happy Goodmans were about to re-enter the Southern Gospel Music arena after this Reunion Album, but unfortunately Sam and Rusty both became very ill, and could no linger continue to travel. After the deaths of Sam and Rusty, the excitement of seeing The Happy Goodmans on the Gaither Videos, had generated enough interest for Howard and Vestal to approach Johnny about singing with them. They tried it a little, and the sound was so close to the "old" Happy Goodman sound, that there was an immediate call for them to continue singing using Johnny Minick.
I have often heard Vestal refer to Johnny as her Pastor, and after interviewing Johnny I can understand why. He feels that his roll in the Happy Goodmans is that of a servant, honoring the many years of service that Howard and Vestal have put into the ministry themselves.
While Howard is still recovering from complications with his knee surgery, Johnny�s son, Aaron Minick has been filling in for Howard, and the crowds have been accepting him all across the nation. Howard is still making progress, but still needs to be in our prayers. Howard is planning on rejoining the group before their December retirement. Of course the Happy Goodmans will never completely retire. They will still do occasional singing and recording, but will end the demands of touring. By the way, you can often hear the Happy Goodmans sing on Sunday mornings, as they just pop in to visit at Johnny's church. Even The Goodmans like to hear Johnny preach.
As to River of Life Church, Pastor Johnny Minick, feels that there has been a strong foundation built up to now, preparing for the doors that God is opening up for ministry.
 Just this year already, God has opened up the doors for local TV to air the morning services, and now no sooner than local TV has been developed, National TV and Radio are interested in working with Johnny and the River of Life Church. The church under Johnny's direction has also moved slowly into the movie market, producing their first family oriented film "Summer of Courage." You can find out more about this film by going to www.riverbendfilms.com , or you can order it here through SoGospelNews.com.
Johnny has tried to offer something a little different to attract the attention of young people, by allowing his son, Aaron to ramrod an evening service every Sunday night, featuring a more contemporary worship service.
At most any time that you attend River of Life Assembly of God, you will find well known singer and songwriter, Daryl Williams, serving as Minister of Music, leading the song service in some good old fashioned singing, always including some with a Southern Gospel feel to them.
Oh, did I mention that Johnny Minick is my Pastor, and River of Life is my home church, and you can find me singing in the choir on most any given Sunday.
Deon Unthank
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Written: 06/30/2002 
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