The Potomac Conference Corporation Pastoral Ministries Department provides resources to help our pastors and churches grow by emphasizing mission, vision, and values. Everything rises and falls with leadership. The Potomac Conference Corporation seeks to create an environment where our pastors have the opportunity to grow as servant leaders, both spiritually and professionally. Pastors, called by God, “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:1213 NIV). The pastor trains and equips their members to faithfully use their spiritual gifts to minister and make disciples within their communities.
The importance of spiritual and numerical growth cannot be underestimated. Both are vitally important for the health of the church. One of the most important ways to evaluate this growth is through church consultations. These consultations are like annual physical checkups. The benefits are similar to a good prescription: they lead to a healthy, disciple-making church with a clear mission and vision. We pray daily for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our pastors. Our pastors are not alone we are on this journey together.
John Nixon, II is a native of Brooklyn, NY. He has been married for nearly 25 years to his college sweetheart, April Mendinghall, the former. Together they have two school-aged children: John III, a sophomore Business Major at Oakwood University, and Julia, a senior in High School. John is a graduate of Oakwood University (BA Theology) and Andrews University (Master of Divinity). He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in Leadership at Andrews University Theological Seminary in 2013. John is a career pastor, having led congregations for over 22 years, most recently serving as Lead Pastor of the Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church. On December 1, 2022, he officially assumed his current role as the Associate Director for Pastoral Ministries — North for Potomac Conference.
Meet The Team
Renee Hallman
Associate for Pastoral Ministries, Virginia
Bio
Renee Hallman is passionate about God’s work in and through local churches. She has served in pastoral ministry across the Potomac Conference for more than a decade, bringing a heart for discipleship and community engagement. Prior to pastoral ministry, she worked in home-based social services and served as an administrator in community mental health, focusing on strategic and person-centered planning.
Renee earned both her bachelor’s degree and Master of Divinity from Andrews University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary.
She is happily married to her husband, Chris, and together they enjoy traveling, playing games, and exploring the scenic trails of Virginia.
Damein Johnson
Associate for Pastoral Ministries, D.C., Maryland
Bio
Pastor Johnson has served in pastoral ministry for more than twenty-five years and currently serves as an Associate Ministerial Director for the Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Throughout his ministry, he has preached and led workshops nationally and internationally, and has invested in developing future leaders through teaching roles at Washington Adventist University.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) in Takoma Park, Maryland, and a Master of Divinity from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
He is married to his wife, Charmaine, and together they are blessed with three sons. Pastor Johnson is deeply committed to clearly communicating the Good News of God’s love and the hope found in Christ.
Steve Leddy
Associate, Evangelism & Church Planting
Bio
Steve Leddy serves as an associate for pastoral ministries, with a focus on church planting, evangelism, and leadership development. He is passionate about building relevant, mission-driven churches that effectively reach young adults and those who are unchurched.
He is the founder of several ministry training initiatives, including the Church Planting and Adventist Leadership School (CPALS), which equips young adults with hands-on ministry experience; the Church Planting Institute (CPI), which trains pastors and lay leaders to establish new congregations; and Allies In Mission (AIM), a program designed to strengthen disciple-making and mission effectiveness in both new and existing churches.
Through these efforts, Steve c
