A Celebration of Life for Reverend Benjamin Joseph Johnson, Jr., "BJ", 12:00 Noon, Saturday, April 11, 2015, Kingdom Difference Church, Historic Site of Greater Mt. Cavalry Baptist Church, 388 Glenn Street, Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia, Bishop Albert J. Lindsey, Jr., Servant Pastor/Eulogist, Bishop Quincy L. Carswell, Officiating, Covenant Ministries International

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12:00 NOON SATURDAY, APRIL 1 1, 2015
KINGDOM DIFFERENCE CHURCH
Historic Site ofGreater Mt. Calvary Baptist Church 388 GLENN STREET, SOUTHWEST
ATLANTA, GEORGIA BISHOP ALBERT J. LINDSEY, JR.
SERVANT PASTOR/EULOGIST
BISHOP QUINCY L. CARSWELL, OFFICIATING
COVENANT MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have

finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the

Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that have loved his

appearing."

II Timothy 4:6~8

B.J Johnson, Jr. was born the third child of the late Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin]. Johnson, Sr. on August 6, 1931
in Atlanta, Georgia. He transitioned to eternal rest on April8, 2015.

He was a student of the Atlanta Public School System and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1950. He furthered his education at Morehouse College graduating with the class of1958,but his heart is with the class of 1954 as the draft required he report for Army duty in 1952, which disrupted his matriculation at "The House". He did his formal divinity study at Turner Theological Seminary.

"BJ" served in the United States Army during the Korean War 1952- 1954 and earned a Purple Heart after

being wounded during valiant efforts on the battlefield.



Once home in Atlanta he began to serve his community as an employee of the Southern Christian Leadership Council lead by Dr. Martin Lut~er King, Jr. In obedience to the call of God, BJ entered into public ministry_ and pastored the following churches: First Baptist Church of Clarkston, GA, New Jerusalem Baptist Church of Atlanta, GA and Zion Baptist Church of Roswell, GA. In 1968, he returned to his birth church, Greater Mt. Calvary Baptist Church as .co~Worker with hi$-father. Then upon the retirement of his father as Pastor of . Greater Mt. Calvary, BJ assumed his duties as Pastor in January 1978. He faithfully served Greater Mt. Calvary for 45 years until declining health lead to his retirement.

He served as Moderator of the Hopewell Baptist Association and the Mt. Calvary Missionary and Educational Baptist Association.

Christian, Pastor, Disciple, and Spokesman for Freedom and Human Rights, BJ exemplified the love of Christ to all he met. He loved to fish and was an avid checker player and member of the Georgia Pool Checker Club. He truly epitomized Greater Mt. Calvary's mantra "The Friendly Church with the Friendly Pastor."

BJ is survived by his three children, Cynthia Johnson Solomon of Albany, GA, Teresa W. Knox Games), and Benjamin ]. Johnson, III (Paula), both of Atlanta, GA; one sister Lena ]. McLin of Chicago, IL; seven grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews and other family members, extended family and friends.

(This quote is taken from the Celebration ofMinistry from Pastor Emeritus, Rev. B.]. Johnson,Jr)
I believe the most spiritually fulfilling experience for me throughout my forty~five years of ministry at Greater Mt. Calvary is to have ministered to each of you through baptisms, sickness, births, bereavement, weddings, counseling and to have been led by Jesus Christ to inspire you to realize and actualize your gifts and talents within our church and the world. Always remember, "As long as the vine grows around the stump, you are my darling sugar lump."

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REV. B. J. JOHNSON JR.

Greater Mt. Calvary Baptist Church was blessed to have had Reverend B.]. Johnson, Jr. as Pastor, Friend, and Brother. It felt good to say "we are the friendly church with the friendly pastor." But it felt even better knowing that Reverend Johnson was a true friend who supported each ofus in all kinds ofsituations. A lot ofchurches have preachers who speak the word on Sunday mornings, pick up the check and move on to other activities. To these preachers, the church represents a salary; it's a job. Then there was Reverend Johnson who lived Greater Mt. Calvary and because Greater Mt. Calvary was his life, he gave without thought of receiving. He gave so unselfishly because he had accepted God's eternal gift, jesus Christ.
Everyday for forty -Jive years was not peaceful and full of earthly joy for Reverend Johnson, but to paraphrase Rudyard Kipling, through his trust in God, Reverend Johnson was able to keep his head_when all about him was losing theirs and blaming it on him. The lines of the poem "If" remind us of the many things our Pastor Emeritus experienced... The words of"If" are here so we can further appreciate the man God gifted to us as our leader.

IF,
you cai1 keep you head when all about you are Are losing theirs, and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting, too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting; Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating ~d yet don't look too good nor talk too wise; If you can dream and not make dreams your master, If you can think and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with triumph and disaster, And treat those two imposters the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build em up with worn out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnhi.gs and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings, and never breathe a word about your loss; if you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone... and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will ~hich says to them: "Hold on!" if you cantalk with crowds and keep your virtue. or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, if all men count with you, but none too much if you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds' worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and everything that's in it!

Reverend]ohnson, thank you for giving when you did not have to. Thank you for that special sermon that touched our lives and changed our hearts. Thank you for wanting so much for our children and youth. Thank you for giving your life to God and to us at Greater Mt. Calvary Baptist Church.

AUGUST 6, 193 1 -APRIL 8, 20 15
"How then shaH they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him ofwhom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without apreacher? And how shaH they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Romans 10:14--15

DEACONATE OF KINGDOM DIFFERENCE CHURCH & NERIAH CHURCH
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BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1950 MOREHOUSE COLLEGE CLASS OF 1954
GEORGIA POOL CHECKER CLUB

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BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1950

The fany.ily of Pastor Em~rjtus B~njamjn joseph ]f?hnson, Jr. would _like to extend our ~incere gratitude and appreciation for your kindness, prayers and sympathy, comforting words and fellowship during our time ofbereavement. Every expression that you have offered will be forever remembered.
Special Thanks to A. G. Rhodes Nursing Home, Arbor Terrace at Cascade, Signature Healthcare of Marietta, Gentiva Hospice and Wesley Woods Rehabilitation Center. Special Thanks to Kingdom Difference Church (formerly Greater Mt. Calvary Baptist Church for your love, support and kindness during Pastor Emeritus Johnson's ministry, retirement and-illness. You have truly proven that ''you are the friendly church".

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HAUGABROOKS FUNERAL HOME
364 AUBURN AVE NE ATLANTA, GA 3031 2