Charles Foster Johnson is a pastor and public education advocate.

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He is founder and co-pastor of Bread, a faith community in Fort Worth, Texas. Throughout his forty-year pastoral ministry he has served churches in Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas. 

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Rev. Johnson served on the faculty of McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, as Visiting Professor of Preaching. He has served as a pastoral mentor for students at Perkins School of Theology (SMU) and Brite Divinity School (TCU), where he currently serves on the Board of Directors. He is involved in civic and denominational life. and was has been twice named “Baptist of the Year” by the Baptist Center for Ethics (in 2004 and 2018). Rev. Johnson was inducted into Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers in 2008. 

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Advocacy for children has long been a cornerstone of Rev. Johnson’s work. He served on the Board of Trustees of New Horizons Treatment Center for Children and the Child Friendly Faith Project. In 2013, he founded Pastors for Texas Children, a statewide ecumenical organization mobilizing the faith community for public education support and advocacy. PTC now has over 2,000 faith partners throughout Texas and sister networks in four states.

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Rev. Johnson is a frequent preacher and speaker in university, church, business, education, and non-profit circles.  He has written for numerous publications, and has made guest appearances on cable network news shows. He is married to Jana, has three children, and three grandchildren.  He enjoys reading, hunting, and spending time at his ranch in Desdemona, Texas.  

Dr. Charles Luke has over 30 years of education and non-profit experience, having served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in several Texas public school districts. He earned his Bachelors of Science and Masters of Education from Texas Tech University and his doctorate in education from the University of North Texas.  Dr. Luke has also served as a board member, vice president, and chief strategy officer for Volunteers of America, Texas, and is the founder and Executive Director for the Tarrant County Spiritual Care Network.

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In addition to his work with Pastors for Texas Children, he also serves as the Coordinator of the Coalition for Public Schools and as the founder and Director of the Coalition for Education Funding.  He currently serves on the Faith-Based Advisory Board of the Child Welfare League of America, the Fort Worth Mayor’s Faith Advisory Cabinet, and on the advisory board for Helping Restore Ability in Arlington, Texas.