Special to The American
Bethesda Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith recently celebrated the 60th pastoral anniversary of Bishop James Archie Johnson with a large, spirit-filled gathering in St. Louis.
Bishop Johnson has devoted his life to serving God by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to tens of thousands of souls around the world and pastoring the Bethesda Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith for 60 years.
He was born in Flint, Michigan on November 28, 1924, to Archie and Flurcy L. Johnson. He is the second son of five children. The Johnsons were a stable and loving family despite the poverty they endured as a result of the Great Depression.
Bishop Johnson credits his parents with setting a fine Christian example before the Johnson children and in 1939, at the age of 14, he was filled with the Holy Ghost having been baptized in the Name of Jesus prior to this. The family attended Bethlehem Temple Church in Flint, Michigan where Elder Frank R. Bowdan was pastor.
Then Elder Johnson preached his first sermon in January 1943 at age 18 and two months later was drafted into the United States Army where he was a chaplain’s assistant during part of this tenure. “I had some opportunities to deliver sermons to some of the churches in England and several sermons to my military comrades,” he said.
On November 8, 1947, Elder Johnson was married to Josephine B. Solomon in Detroit, Michigan. Elder Johnson came to St. Louis in November 1949 to begin a ministry that would result in him becoming the pastor of Bethesda Temple Church in May 1950.
He assumed leadership of a congregation of about 100 members who worshipped in a converted ice cream factory at 2406 Bell Glade Ave. The congregation grew and moved to larger quarters at 1217 Union Blvd. in January 1959. While the congregation grew, so did the Johnson family. Elder and Mrs. Johnson became the parents of seven children: Jacqueline, Sharon, Reuben, Brenda, Carol, LaVerne and Donna.
The continued growth of the Bethesda Temple Church prompted yet another move, this time to 5574 Delmar Blvd. in 1964. God’s mighty saving hand once again prompted a move to a more spacious edifice. This time a new edifice dedicated in December 1985, known today as 5401 Bishop J. A. Johnson Lane with an approximate membership of 1,000. The new edifice was expanded to include a $2 million educational and administrative building.
He has continually been recognized for his leadership abilities. He was elected to the Aenon Bible School Board of Directors in 1954; General Secretary of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the Word in 1961; elevated to the Bishopric and elected to the Board of Directors of the PAW in 1968.
He also served as parliamentarian of the PAW in 1971, served as Assistant Presiding Bishop of the PAW from 1980-1986 and Presiding Bishop of the PAW from 1986 to 1992.
He is the recipient of several earned and honorary doctoral degrees and is the author of two books, Enduring the Night and Jesus Christ, With Us God.
He is the founder of the Bethesda Temple Bible Institute which has been in existence for over 20 years.
Bishop Johnson was married to Mrs. Josephine B. Johnson for 50 years prior to her demise in 1998. On May 16, 2004 Bishop Johnson was united in holy matrimony to Ms. Juana J. Cox.
