RUSSELL AND KRISTI JOHNSON It seems there is little time for Russell and Kristi Johnson to sit back and appreciate the fruits of their labor.

A dynamic praise and worship duo that just so happens to be married, the group from Conway has opened for several of Christian music’s best groups, including MercyMe, Toby Mac, Avalon and Jeremy Camp, in addition to performing at events for youth, students, singles, and marriage conferences throughout the U.S. as well as countries in the Caribbean.

Though the road may get weary at times, Russell and Kristi continue to perform “kingdom business,” uplifting the name of Christ and hopefully drawing the hearts of those in attendance into a relationship with Him.

“Our goal is to encourage people of faith to be the salt and light of the Earth as Christ talked about, and to connect with people by singing songs of hope and life, hopefully making them feel much better leaving than they did when they arrived,” said Russell Johnson. “Our hope is to connect with them showing them it’s not about us, rather it’s about coming to relationship with Christ at this critical time.”

Russell and Kristi will be the featured performers at the popular “Sundays on the Avenue” concert series held on a periodical basis by Cherokee Avenue Baptist Church. The concert begins at 6 p.m.

“(Russell and Kristi) do quite a bit of up tempo, contemporary Christian music, some original and a little bit of the standard music you’re used to hearing on Sundays,” said James Cudd of Cherokee Avenue Baptist Church. “We are very happy to have them come up and share their talents with us as we praise God and have a time of glorifying Him together.”

Previous performers for the concert series include artists Jeff Clary, Nick Bishop Joel Turner and Melissa Pierre-Louis.

Making music for more than a decade, Russell and Kristi originally were excelling in separate ventures prior to becoming a group, Russell as a praise and worship leader at their local church and his wife Kristi who was for five years the featured vocalist at the Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach.

“We had been married a few years when we began ministry in 1999,” Russell Johnson said. “She was doing her thing as a vocalist at the Carolina Opry and I was in ministry by myself; but God put us together so we could advance his kingdom as a couple, so we went ahead and joined forces.”

In the 11 years since coming together, the couple has ministered to hundreds of churches in South Carolina and other portions of the country, including the Beach Church in Myrtle Beach, where Russell once served as worship leader and creative arts pastor. They have also led worship for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Baptist Collegiate Ministries and Campus Crusade for Christ.

“God has opened up a lot of doors for us; we’ve been to every state in the Southeast, in addition to visiting places like New Hampshire, New York, Texas and Wyoming,” Russell Johnson said. “We’re just doing our part as people of God to accomplish the work he wanted us to do, which is as the bride of Christ to be the hope and light to a world in need of a Savior.”

Also performing at Sunday’s concert is Barbara Kohler, a renowned psalmist and worship leader out of Greenville, N.C.

“Barbara is a gifted psalmist who longs to create an atmosphere where God is welcomed and people are free to worship Him,” Cudd said. “As a licensed professional counselor and ordained minister, she has helped many people get free from the pain of their past and turn to God to find the answers to life’s questions. Her music reflects this attitude.”

For more information on this and other upcoming “Sundays on the Avenue” concert series dates, call Cherokee Avenue Baptist Church at (864) 489-2568.