Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey
Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey

REPLAY | Donor-Conceived, Lesbian-Raised & Born Again | Guest: Ross Johnston

September 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

A Fatherless Childhood, a Gospel Encounter, and a Mission to California

Ross Johnston was conceived by artificial insemination in 1994 and raised in a lesbian household with no religious background. He had never been to church, never heard a worship song, never opened a Bible. At 16, a friend invited him to church; he walked in, heard live worship for the first time, and felt what he later learned to call the presence of God. That same week, his mother's partner of 16 years left, and Johnston gave his life to Christ. Today he co-leads a ministry called California Will Be Saved, which sets up sound systems on beaches in the state's most influential cities, preaches the gospel, and baptizes people in the ocean.

Growing Up Without a Father — and Without Words for the Longing

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **Guest Introduction & Origin Story** - Ross Johnston introduces his background: donor-conceived, raised by a lesbian mother in a secular household, and his conversion at age 16.
  • 2 (01:28) **The First Realization of Being Different** - Ross describes the moment he realized his family structure was unusual and how that awareness grew after his conversion.
  • 3 (04:10) **The Internal Longing for a Father** - Ross reveals that despite the external normalcy, he internally ached for a father figure, a longing he couldn't articulate until he became a Christian.
  • 4 (05:05) **A Completely Secular Upbringing** - Ross describes his home life as having "zero grid for Jesus," never having been to church or heard a worship song before age 16.
  • 5 (06:33) **The Importance of Language: "Mom" vs. "Moms"** - Ross explains why he has always called only his biological mother "Mom," even before becoming a Christian, and what that reveals about God's design.
  • 6 (09:35) **The Conversion: A Week of Colliding Worlds** - Ross recounts the exact week his mother's partner left, he went to church for the first time, and he gave his life to Christ.
  • 7 (12:55) **The Gospel as Language for a Longing** - Ross describes how the gospel wasn't just a message of sin, but the first time he had language for the peace and fatherhood his heart had always craved.

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Show Notes

We’re joined by Ross Johnston (‪@RossJohnstonn‬) founder of California Will Be Saved, to share his story, from being donor-conceived and born to a lesbian mother to committing his life to Christ and full-time ministry. Ross shared what it was like growing up with his mother and her partner and why it was so strange to branch out and experience the presence of God during his first visit to church. We discuss the role of fathers and how God became the father that Ross never had. We also talk about grappling with God's design for marriage despite his upbringing and having open conversations with his mother in the hopes that she will hear biblical truth. #news #politics #culture #religion #christian #christianity #god #jesus #bible #lgbt #california #conservative #blazetv #relatablepodcast #alliebethstuckey --- Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 01:39 Ross' upbringing 12:28 Becoming a Christian 17:48 Working out God's design for marriage & purity 21:28 Not having a father growing up 22:58 Responding to gay marriage / lifestyles 32:04 Conversations with Ross' mother 35:17 Biological father / mentors 37:44 Future of fatherhood 40:47 California Will Be Saved --- Today's Sponsors: Good Ranchers — get $30 OFF your box today at Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey

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