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Rev. Dr. Elmo Johnson continued...

“The Lord has done some great things here,” Johnson said. Three decades ago, drug deals were common on most street corners, and addicts sought shelter in burned-out or dilapidated row houses in what was historically known as Freedmen’s Town, an African-American community. "First, it was Freedmen’s Town. Then it became the 4th Ward. Now, they call it Midtown,” he remarked.

In the last decade, a housing boom has attracted upwardly mobile young professionals, who have moved into newly built high-rise condos and townhouses. However, the market-driven housing boom in the 4th Ward likely would not have occurred without the efforts of Rose of Sharon and its nonprofit community development arm, Uplift 4th Ward. 

In 2006, the church, Uplift 4th Ward, and a diverse group of ministry partners and volunteers known as “Elmo’s Army” built the 20-unit Crawford W. Kimble Senior Living complex across the street from Rose of Sharon to serve low-income elderly residents. Subsequently, Uplift 4th Ward and its partners constructed additional housing for low- to moderate-income residents. The construction company that built the senior living center—Trammell Crow Residential—continues to partner with Rose of Sharon by providing hams for the church to distribute to its neighbors each Thanksgiving.

Racial reconciliation is another important aspect of the church’s mission. Weeks before the latest ham distribution, Johnson invited officers from the Houston Police Department to participate. Their involvement held particular significance, occurring the morning after a grand jury decided not to indict a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, for shooting an unarmed young Black man, leading to riots in that community.

“We had to drive the drug dealers out, fix up some old houses, and work diligently in this community,” recalled Pastor Elmo Johnson. In contrast, crime has decreased in the 4th Ward in recent years, and Johnson aims to encourage positive relations between residents and the police officers who serve the area. This neighborhood has changed significantly since Johnson began his service three decades ago. “We’ve seen dramatic improvement. It’s a cleaner neighborhood. Change is difficult, but it is necessary,” Johnson said. “Change has to come. God is a God of change.”

When Johnson speaks about God affecting change, he passionately preaches: God brought the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and led the Israelites across on dry land. He brought them to the Promised Land. “But when they got to the Promised Land, they had to conquer it. They had to put in the work to claim what God promised,” he explained. “That’s how it is in a community. We had to drive the drug dealers out, fix up some old houses, and conquer our challenges here.”

While Rose of Sharon initially faced resistance in its efforts to bring about change in the neighborhood, it gradually earned respect by consistently meeting the community's needs. “If you keep doing what is right for the sake of the people, they will see that you genuinely care for the entire community. This church has never been broken into. When you feed and clothe people, they appreciate that and know we are here for their best interests,” Johnson stated.

Thanks to the reputation that Rose of Sharon has built in the Houston area, several suburban churches support the inner-city congregation by sending volunteers and offering financial assistance for its community ministries. These ministries include serving meals to homeless individuals twice a week and operating a benevolence program that provides food and clothing to anyone in need.