Alabama evangelist continues ministry despite serious illness

“I’ve never asked, ‘Why me?’” says evangelist and missionary Johnny Tucker.
   
When you hear the passion in his voice as he speaks of his Savior and see the joy on his face as he tells of his love for the ministry, you would never guess that he has a serious illness. You would never know that doctors have given him a grim prognosis for the future. You wouldn’t see it in his physical appearance. Nor could you see it in his outlook. 
   
Born the son of a Southern Baptist minister, Tucker knew at an early age that the Lord was calling him into the ministry.
   
“I have always been involved in evangelism,” says Tucker. “As a 15-year-old, I was preaching a lot of revivals, and I knew that the Lord wanted me to be involved in this type of ministry.
   
“Perhaps it was the nostalgia of such a young boy preaching the gospel,” he admits. “But I remember preaching at a youth rally when I was only a teenager and seeing over 200 decisions made. For the Lord to use a young person like me in that way was an amazing thing.”
   
At 17, Tucker was called as pastor of his first church. Yet he knew that his calling was in evangelism. Throughout the next 14 years, as he served as pastor, he also spent much of his time preaching revivals.
   
Tucker’s last pastorate was at First Baptist Church, Citronelle, where he and his wife, Judy, call home. After serving as pastor there for two years, he became an evangelist and is now celebrating his 24th year in full-time evangelism.
   
Although Tucker spends much time in revivals in the United States, he has also been involved in missions overseas.
   
Working through the International Mission Board as well as raising support on his own, Tucker ministers to the Filipino people on a regular basis. He is founder and president of his own missions organization, the International Mission Association, which holds organized crusades as well as activities in local villages and on the streets.
   
Tucker places much emphasis on reaching people in tangible ways. His ministry includes teaching them how to raise crops and take care of their families.
   
“We will go into the village areas and start preaching the gospel,” Tucker said. “But one of the great things that Southern Baptists do in the Philippines is that we teach the people skills that they can use to take care of themselves.”
   
Tucker recalled the story of how ministering to the people in this way brought about the salvation of the mayor of a city of 50,000 people.
   
In addition to evangelizing and training the people of the Philippines, Tucker has been involved in leading conferences for pastors who are ministering in that country. These conferences are held to provide support and instruction to local ministers so that they can more effectively lead their congregations. Pastors of many denominations attend the conferences.
   
Tucker has also worked in Guatemala. Some of his outreaches include building homes for the Guatemalan people and providing medical supplies.
   
While Tucker’s ministry seems to be at its best, he and his family have been facing recent trials that have challenged their faith. Shane Tucker, the oldest of the Tuckers’ three children, who is now 33, had multiple intestinal surgeries. Shane’s wife Carmyn, only 22 weeks into her pregnancy, gave birth to twin girls. One of the twins died and the other was left with multiple problems associated with the early delivery. Weighing only 15 ounces, Bonnie Claire Tucker underwent heart surgery on the day of her twin sister’s funeral. Mrs. Tucker  experienced heart failure and is still struggling with her illness.
   
Then earlier this year Tucker discovered his heart was enlarged and that it was functioning at about 15 percent capacity.
   
Tucker is still preaching and still exercising. His doctors speculate that his liver, kidneys and other organs have been working overtime to make up the lack of heart function. However, they have made it clear that his body cannot keep compensating in this way.
   
Doctors have told Tucker that his condition usually produces a 50 percent mortality rate in the first year. But they also concede that his is an unusual case because of his amazing lack of clinical problems related to the heart failure.
   
Since his diagnosis, Tucker has shared his testimony with hundreds of people. Those who listen are struck by the fact that he shows no outward symptoms of a serious illness. The only thing that has changed in his preaching ability is that his voice can no longer hold out as long as it once did.
   
“If anything, it has caused me to get to the point,” Tucker said.  “I realize that I only have a short time to get across to them all that I need to say. I am more conscious of the time and that I need to say things that are right on target.”