FAIRMONT — Bethany Evangelical & Reform Church of Ledyard, Iowa will host its annual Mission Fest on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 8. The event is open to everyone eager to learn missionary stories, spread the gospel with their peers and get a taste of delectable food.

Josh Johanson, an evangelical speaker and the pastor for the Bethany E&R Church, is an East Chain native who has accumulated several years of spreading the gospel and passing it to those who listen to his preaching. The event, which typically receives a generous turn-out by devoted Christians, is described to be a ‘glorified Sunday service’, according to Johanson himself.

According to Johanson, Mission Fest has occurred for several decades. Still, the number of attendees began to decrease within the previous couple of years. With a drive to restore the event’s vibrancy to the community, Johanson made a plan that had many people rally behind his idea.

“There’s a lot of misconception that at the church, we’re not doing anything,” Johanson commented. “But missions are a part of everyday life. We aim to put the gospel back into the community [with this event].”

Johanson spent some time in the Twin Cities to advance his education but during a trip to Iowa, he met his wife. As he expanded his family, he and his wife decided to return to southern Minnesota to live closer to the rest of their family.

“We saw God’s hand help us through the entire journey,” Johanson commented on his experience as he moved from his hometown and later returned. “A lot of preachers tend to go to college and then preach. But, I did it backward. I started preaching and then went to college.”

After filming one of his preachings on a live broadcast on Facebook, Johanson became locally viral, with churches left and right asking him to speak, which he graciously accepted. Johanson continued to speak and preach for an abundant amount of churches until he found his concrete position as a pastor for the Bethany E&R Church in Ledyard.

“I was called a lot to do [the preachings],” he said. “It’s hard to find replacement speakers for churches, so I just did it.”

Johanson continues speaking at the Bethany E&R Church but receives schooling at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. As he advances his career in ministry, he hopes to continue spreading the gospel. He said that by saying ‘yes’ to God, he was able to follow this path of life.

Mission Fest kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with worship, games and free food and ice cream. There will be an opening prayer and a panel discussion where guest speakers will share their insights. Local Christian and family band, Heart Song will perform and a personal testimony will be given, along with Johanson’s message. Organizers of the event are planning for 400-500 people.