Our Story:

Dr. Johnny graduated from PUCMM University Dental School in Santiago, DR. He later spent time in the USA, where he participated in a fellowship program in general medicine and oral surgery in Marietta, Georgia. During that time, he also studied theology at the First Baptist Church Bible Institute and trained with Proskuneo Worship Institute as a worship leader (a ministry that Dr. Jhonny has used as a tool within the local church). He completed a Masters of Public Health Administration (MPH) and Epidemiology (Ph.D.) in 2014. 

He served for one year as a volunteer with Score International’s medical ministries in Juan Dolio, both in the clinic and with medical teams. After that, he served for three years as a full-time missionary as Dr. Jhonny as the Medical Director for Score International, Dominican Republic, while his wife, Vanessa, was on the staff of the Score Medical Clinic as the Clinic’s administrator. In December 2017, Dr. Johnny and his family relocated to Santiago, a city in the north-central Dominican Republic, opening new ministry opportunities. In January 2018, they joined Koinonos. 

After starting a church planting project in La Canela, Santiago Dom. Rep., the Rodriguez family relocated to the United States, specifically to Tallahassee, Florida, where Dr. Jhonny pastors the New Life Church of Vienna, Ga., and lays the foundation for a Hispanic church planting project in Tallahassee, Florida. At the same time, Dr. Jhonny and Vanessa recruit medical and sports teams to serve in the Dominican Republic and locally in South Georgia and Tallahassee while partnering with local churches.

Church Planting Project:

The Hispanic community is the fastest-growing minority in Tallahassee, FL. With over 12,000 Hispanic people within 100 square miles and only two solid, Bible-based Hispanic ministries. 3 universities with students coming from all over the United States, as well as Central and South America. Tallahassee has a great need for Hispanic churches. 

In March 2021, the Rodriguez family opened their house to a group of 3 families that had now grown to over 25 people. They are now in the process of partnering with a local American church that will accommodate this ministry and help it grow into a solid, bible-preaching Hispanic church. 

Medical Ministry:

With the help of short-term teams, our goal is to provide good, quality health care to the people of the Dominican Republic.

We are committed to working alongside medical teams to coordinate outreaches in partnership with solid, bible-based, Christian churches in northern and central DR.

Our vision is to train volunteers from local churches to be evangelistic health promoters in their

communities. As they visit neighbors and share health topics as well as the Gospel, they demonstrate the love of Christ.

To assure long-term results and sustainability, we are committed to seeing volunteers from local churches trained in evangelism, discipleship, and missions. We’ve partnered with local churches in the DR that now have medical ministries with dental and medical facilities providing full-time health care to their communities. 

Koinonos is a ministry of Tipton Baptist Church, is governed by a board of Baptist pastors & church leaders, and its financial accountability and donor services are provided by Central Missionary Clearinghouse.