Student

"As a senior at Gustavus I can say with 100% confidence that Chris Johnson is the most influential and impactful professor I have had the privilege of meeting."

Professor

"In a world that spins too fast and leaves little time, space, or reason to question such purpose, it is especially important [do this work]. No matter how old, each of us has different life questions, quests, and yearnings that need to be examined in a manor that is safe, constructive, and reflective."

Student

“I have changed from a person concentrating on the manufacture of my mind and the scheduled sanity of my life in the pursuit of success to a person concentrated more on the reflective desires and internal spiritual wealth of my decisions and future.”

Professor

“Chris led a mindfulness and deep-listening session during my class and I am yet to have another class sessions that I feel I have learned as much as I did during that one hour sessions.”

Student

“I was allowed the space to speak openly and freely without judgment about what my dreams and goals were.”

Student

“Chris has instilled in me a sense of worth and capacity to influence the world, which empowers me to search for opportunities to be productive.”

Student

“These open ended questions help each live into their authentic selves, and help us to reflect on how we want to show up in the world, to make an impact and love doing so.”

Director of Wild Hope Center for Vocation (Pacific Lutheran University)

"I have known Chris through his work on Vocation for Life, a project of the ELCA schools to bring vocational discernment to our alumni and friends. Having been through a prototype Vocation for Life workshop that Chris created, and having seen his session last summer at the Vocation of a Lutheran College conference, I suggested him to lead a facilitator training workshop for faculty, staff and students preparing to lead a first-year retreat in January. Chris’s work on storytelling and deep listening would be, I thought, excellent preparation for those of us working with groups of newer students. As it turned out, this was only a small part of what Chris brought to our day together. Sure, we had the “how does deep listening work” handout, and the “why does storytelling matter” slide. But Chris took the time and care to bring us so much more, and to make sure that what he brought fit our needs. He found a way to help everyone in the room understand why this way of being matters so much, and what these gifts can mean in our own lives. Each triad received the gift of time to practice deep listening, and each person had the chance to give the gift of attention to both the work and their colleagues. Chris is a wonderful person, and a very skilled facilitator. It is a true joy to work with him."

Chaplain and Director of Vocational Exploration (Augustana College)

"Dr. Johnson's engaging interpersonal style, his commitment to mindful reflection, and his strong theoretical foundation make him an excellent facilitator across a spectrum of audiences. The retreat helped Augustana staff think in new ways about how to effectively educate, advise, and mentor students to navigate the various callings and commitments in their lives and make academic, co-curricular and career choices based on those understandings."