Johan Oscar Smith
| Johan Oscar Smith | |
|---|---|
Founder of Brunstad Christian Church
|
|
| Born |
October 11, 1871 Fredrikstad, Norway |
| Died | May 1, 1943 (aged 71) Horten, Norway |
| Residence | Horten, Norway |
| Nationality |
 Norwegian |
| Occupation | Master Chief Petty Officer |
| Title | Leader of Brunstad Christian Church |
| Term | 1905-1943 |
| Successor | Elias Aslaksen |
| Spouse(s) | Pauline Pedersen |
| Children | Kristian Smith Johanne Sandvik Lydia Smith Aksel Johan Smith Rakel Bratlie Helge Smith |
Johan Oscar Smith (October 11, 1871 in Fredrikstad, Norway – May 1, 1943 in Horten) was a Norwegian Christian leader who founded the evangelical non-denominational fellowship now known as Brunstad Christian Church.
Smith was born in Fredrikstad, Norway and grew up in a Christian family. In his early years he lived in three different towns: Fredrikstad, Kristiansand, and Oslo.
At the age of fifteen, after completing school and a watchmaker's apprenticeship, Smith went to sea. At seventeen, he joined the Norwegian Navy where he served for the next forty years. Smith completed six years military training, graduating at the top of his class and attaining the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer.
Smith married Pauline Pedersen in 1902. They had six children.
The surname "Smith" is not Norwegian. Smith's father, born Christian Johannessen, changed his name to Christian Johannessen Smith (before Johan Oscar was born) in preparation for emigration to Australia or New Zealand. As it turned out he did not emigrate, but the new name continued in the family.
After attending a Methodist church service, Smith experienced a conversion on May 17, 1898, while he was on watch duty on board the monitor Thor. Smith began attending Methodist services regularly, later holding his own meetings with small groups of young people. Smith soon left the Methodists, having decided that none of the believers he knew understood his seriousness in pursuing sanctification, as this was not generally the focus of mainstream Christian teaching. Over the next few years, he was joined by his younger brother, Aksel and in 1908 by Elias Aslaksen, then a naval cadet.
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