Spouses Ministry Events

Pastor Lola Moore Johnston is a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, who answered God’s call to ministry at an early age. Her passion for serving others was nurtured at Trinity Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where she developed a heart for preaching, leadership, and discipleship. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from La Sierra University, a Master of Divinity from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Payne Theological Seminary with a concentration in Transformational Preaching.

Throughout her ministry, Pastor Johnston has faithfully served in a variety of leadership roles across the United States. Her experience includes serving as a hospital chaplain in Orlando, associate pastorates in Alabama and Tennessee, and senior pastoral leadership in both Florida and Virginia. She also served as Young Adult Director for the South Central Conference, where she was dedicated to mentoring and equipping the next generation of leaders. In July 2021, she made history as the first female Senior Pastor in the Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, accepting the call to lead Restoration Praise Center in Bowie, Maryland.

Beyond the pulpit, Pastor Johnston is a recording artist, empowerment coach, and author whose ministry extends through music, teaching, and encouragement. Whether preaching, mentoring, or speaking at conferences and events, she is passionate about helping people discover their God-given purpose and experience the transforming power of Christ in their everyday lives.

Pastor Johnston has been joyfully married to her best friend, Keith Johnston, since November 2016. Together, they are committed to serving God and His people with faith, compassion, and authenticity. Above all, her greatest desire is to lead others into a deeper, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ and to inspire them to live lives fully surrendered to His calling.

Lauren Kane Guerra, M. Ed. is a mental health counselor who has been providing therapy in the DMV area for the past 4 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in education with a focus in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from George Mason University. Lauren works with adults, children, and couples, and specializes in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders. She is passionate about helping people develop the tools they need to lead healthy, meaningful, and successful lives.

Lauren’s faith journey began in the Presbyterian church where she was raised. Like many young adults, she spent time away from church, but always felt a pull back to God, often wondering how her life might look if she fully gave it to Christ. A pivotal influence in her faith journey was her husband, Juan. Inspired by his faith, Lauren began attending Seventh-day Adventist churches with him while they were dating. Through that experience, her relationship with God deepened, and she discovered that the life she had wondered about—one lived fully with Christ—was even better than she imagined.

God works in mysterious ways. Years before meeting her husband, Lauren was first introduced to the Seventh-day Adventist Church during her Peace Corps service in Namibia, where her host mother was Adventist. Little did she know that the global church she first encountered there would one day play a central role in bringing her back to God.

Not long after their marriage, Lauren and Juan recommitted their lives to Christ and were baptized in the Occoquan River by Pastor Gerson Bonilla. They now attend Next Gen SDA Church, where they feel blessed to have found their church family.

As Lauren has grown both professionally and spiritually, she has been struck by how closely many evidence-based mental health practices align with biblical teachings. She is passionate about bridging the gap between psychology and faith, and it is her joy to help others understand how principles from mental health science can support and enrich our walk with Christ.

Dionne Freeman is the Lead Exercise Physiologist at Shady Grove Adventist Medical Center’s Center for Fitness and Health. With more than 11 years of experience in exercise programming, nutrition, and lifestyle modification, she is passionate about helping individuals improve their health through practical, sustainable habits. Working alongside nurses and fellow exercise physiologists, Dionne guides patients recovering from cardiac events and interventions, as well as those living with pulmonary conditions, through safe, individualized exercise programs while helping them reduce health risks and build confidence in their recovery.

Dionne earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Salisbury University and is certified in Exercise Physiology through the American College of Sports Medicine. Throughout her career, she has been committed to empowering patients with the knowledge, encouragement, and support they need to make lasting lifestyle changes that improve both their physical health and overall quality of life.

Her approach to wellness recognizes that lasting health is about more than exercise alone. By emphasizing healthy nutrition, regular physical activity, and positive lifestyle choices, Dionne encourages patients to take an active role in their own well-being while celebrating progress at every stage of their journey.

Outside of her professional role, Dionne enjoys spending time with her family and maintaining an active lifestyle through regular exercise. She believes that leading by example is one of the most effective ways to inspire others to pursue healthier, more fulfilling lives.

David works as an Exercise Physiologist at The Center for Fitness and Health and is certified through the American College of Sports Medicine. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Master’s degree in Health and Human Performance from Salisbury University. David’s passion for health and wellness stems from his love for sports, mainly soccer. Growing up, he played various sports, including soccer, swimming, diving, cycling, and running. As a result of engaging in multiple activities, David sustained different types of injuries that ignited a passion for learning about rehabilitation. This led him to pursue a career in healthcare and help patients improve one day at a time as they work toward their fitness goals. His hobbies include going to the gym, watching soccer, listening to music, binge-watching movies, reading books about health and medicine, traveling, and learning languages on Duolingo.

For nearly two decades, Denielle Thompson has dedicated her nursing career to caring for others across Jamaica, Canada, and the United States. Her clinical experience spans emergency and intensive care nursing, and she currently serves in Stem Cell Transplant nursing at University of Virginia Health. Throughout her career, she has developed a passion for compassionate care, health education, and empowering individuals to make practical choices that support whole-person wellness.

Denielle earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica and her Master of Education from Athabasca University in Canada. She is currently completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice–Family Nurse Practitioner degree at Andrews University. Her doctoral scholarly project focused on improving sleep quality through sleep hygiene education within a faith-based community, bringing together her interests in nursing, education, preventive health, and faith.

At the heart of Denielle’s life is her faith in God and a desire to use her gifts to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. She and her husband, Pastor Dre Thompson, serve together in ministry at Meadowbridge and Gloucester Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Virginia and are blessed with two daughters. Whether through nursing, education, family, or ministry, Denielle seeks to encourage others to embrace healthy, intentional living while remaining grounded in faith.

At this year’s Ministerial Spouses Retreat, Denielle invites you to join her for “Sleep Is Strategy: The Habit That Helps You Think Better, Lead Better, and Live Better.” Come discover why a good night’s rest may be one of the most powerful, yet overlooked, tools for showing up at your best. You’ll leave with simple, practical, faith-centered strategies to help you rest well and feel renewed for the life and service God has called you to.

Renee had already been pastoring for 10 years before she met Chris. They met online and never should have matched, but God had plans that the algorithm couldn’t hinder. They spent many of their dates going to concerts and hiking trails throughout Virginia, talking about life and dreaming together. Renee feared what being a pastor’s husband might be like for a new Adventist, but Chris’s love and commitment won the day. He proposed and they were married in 2021. They have been growing and serving together with lots of trial and error, grace and laughter for the last 5 years.