Pastor Denny Johnson was raised in central Minnesota south of the little town of Motley. His family attended the Lincoln Evangelical Free Church during his formative years.He graduated from Motley High School in 1976, from Brainerd Community College in 1978, and from Bethel University in Arden Hills in 1980, where he majored in Political Science.After a bid for state representative in his home district in central Minnesota fell short, he entered seminary, graduating from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois in 1983.
 
Denny served as pastor of Living Hope Evangelical Free Church near Elk River Minnesota from 1983 to 1992. In August of 1992 he accepted a call from the Heartland Free Church where he has served since.
 
Pastor Denny and his wife Sue have four married daughters and a growing number of grandchildren.