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Pastor Survives Tornado on a Boat, Credits God for Miraculous Escape

  • Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
  • Updated Jan 03, 2025
Pastor Survives Tornado on a Boat, Credits God for Miraculous Escape

A fisherman seen in a now-viral video surviving a tornado while bracing himself on a boat is crediting God for his miraculous escape. That man is Pastor Brian Johnson of First Baptist Church in Winnie, Texas, who says he and a friend made the unwise decision to fish on Saturday, believing the bass would be biting with an oncoming storm. The storm, though, was much stronger and closer than he anticipated.

The two men took their boat to the Stanolind Reservoir in Chambers County, Texas.

"I shouldn't be here telling you this story. I made a terrible decision," Johnson told CNN. "All the warnings were there, and I didn't heed them. Yet somehow, God spared me. So, I got to believe He spared me for a purpose."

Video of the incident shows the duo trying desperately to escape the tornado before it expands, engulfing the boat with winds and rain. Eventually, the boat flips, and the video ends. 

The tornado was later confirmed to be an EF-3 twister with winds of 138 mph. 

"I'm holding on to the boat 'cause I'm holding onto it from the bottom now 'cause the wind is just ripping," Johnson told KTRK. "And I'm like, 'It's gonna pick me up out of this water any second.' So I'm trying to hold on, but I can't find Tony. So I'm hollering for Tony, and now I'm thinking, 'Oh my gosh, my friend is dead. He's drowned under this boat or something.' So I'm pulling on the boat, trying to lift it up. I'm hollering for him, beating on the boat, and nothing.'"

Thankfully, his friend was under the boat, hiding. Each member of the party, including the dog, survived.

Johnson said he believes God spared his life so he can continue to tell others about Jesus.

"This is what I would like everyone to know. It is my desire that my experience would give hope to people who not only face extreme weather conditions but also the many storms of life," he told ChurchLeaders. "I want them to know that Jesus guided me through my storm, and He can do the same for everyone who calls on His name."

In a video, Johnson drew a parallel to life in general.

"I made a poor decision that put me in the middle of a storm," he said in the video. "Let me tell you something, my friends. In life, we all make poor decisions. And in life, we all go through some storms. But I want you to know that even though this was my fault that I was out here, God was with me in the middle of the storm. Many of you are in a storm, or maybe you're just coming out of one, or maybe there's one on the horizon. I want you to know whether it's your fault or not, God can see you through the storm. You can trust Him. You can count on Him. He loves you so much that he sent His Son to die on a cross for you. If you trust in Him, He'll give you everlasting life."

Photo Credit: ©X/Vintage Outdoors

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.