For Geoffrey W Johnson the church has been his life. And for the Apostolic Ark Pentecostal Church of Jamaica International the last fifty years have been dominated by the leadership of Geoffrey Johnson. Those fifty years of leadership and growth by the St Ann-born Apostle Johnson were celebrated this month in the church’s main headquarters in Brown’s Town.
It was perhaps fitting that the service — attracting hundreds of members of his church — took place at the impressive main building that was supervised and brought into being with his leadership. The three-level church at 27 Huntley Avenue, Brown’s Town was dedicated and opened in June 30, 2001; after years in building and huge sacrifices by the members. The church building is one of the most impressive sanctuaries on the North Coast.
It stands across the road from the initial building of the Church founded in 1919 by Bishop Henry A Lee. That building now houses basic school, offices and a Bible College, all operated by the church.
“I have no regrets,” said Apostle Johnson when asked by the North CoastTimes about his life. But he said there have been bad times “hurricanes, storms and earthquakes” all kinds of persecution. However he said “I love all men” pointing out that this would include those who consider him their enemy but he spent no time on hating them.
Geoffrey Johnson said he grew up in the church, as a boy learning about it from his mother, Christine Johnson, in Spicy Grove, near Chester, St Ann. Later he was baptized in the church and showed amazing dedication as a young man. He was characterized by high energy, was almost never seen without his guitar, showed leadership skills and was always dapperly dressed.
His dedication to the Ministry and preaching the word, even as a member and later an elder, lead him to abandon what appeared a promising career in the Government service, where he had risen to be a junior engineer. Also he by passed an opportunity to study engineering at the University of the West Indies.
His dedication to the church began to pay off early and came with one step up after another in the hierarchy of the church and with greater responsibility along the way. Through it all, his members speak of his humility and steadfastness. He rose to become evangelist, elder, pastor, bishop and apostle.
We asked him what was the greatest day of his life through all those achievements and, without hesitation, he said: “The day I accepted Christ.” Even so, Geoffrey Johnson has had many great days or occasions to celebrate. Perhaps one of the greatest was when he was appointed to take over the reins of the church on the death of Bishop Lee in 1965. It meant fresh responsibilities for the young man who had married only a year earlier to Gloria Seivwright who, to this day, stands by his side and supports his ministry. The marriage has produced seven children.
Then when members of the church saw it fit for him to be made apostle in 2007 he said he thought he couldn’t manage it and told them so. “I did not feel I could manage it but the Lord sent me not one, not two but a number of witnesses. He allowed me to hold the spirit at this time. It compelled me to keep humble, it commanded me to love everybody including my enemies.” The apostleship comes with huge responsibilities, including supervising the church, appointing its leaders up to the office of Bishop and working with them to help their congregations.
GROWING THINGS
A man of energy, Apostle Johnson has not had a vacation in over 50 years of ministry. Asked about what he does for relaxation, he smiled, and then shook his head, “I don’t think I do that. I work”
The author of the biography, ‘The Ministry of Apostle GW Johnson’, Pastor Barbara E Miles writes in it that he likes swimming, rearing animals and growing things. But though not stated, it appears Bishop Johnson enjoys putting more than plants into the ground. He likes putting things in concrete, hence the huge new home of the church in Brown’s Town, the building of a large home for the elderly at Belle Air, near Runaway Bay and the building of a two-storey block of convenience at the Brown’s Town Police Station. In all of those projects, and others, he was not afraid to get his hands dirty, literally, often staying with workers late into the night.
One of his efforts in concrete, for the upliftment of people, is not directly associated with the church. It is a two-storey building at the Brown’s Town police station. It was built with the church’s efforts, funds and labour and contains comfortable quarters for the police personnel there. The church continues to maintain it and the ministry extends to providing annaul treats for inmates at the station.
A mark of his tremendous humility is that Apostle Johnson never speaks about these things himself. Many of the elders, leaders and bishops sang these praises and gave reminders at the Fiftieth Anniversary on December 6. Evang. Dorrel Campbell and Pastor Miles gave a beautiful sweep of the achivements in an easy to read biography.
Of his family, Apostle Johnson is most proud. “I tried my best with my children. I do everything to keep my head from dishonesty as a Christian living until now.”
RADIO MINISTRY
Apostle Johnson has a charismatic smile, often causes rooms full of people to break into peels of laughter and, as in the interview with The Times, is animated when he speaks, often gesticulating to hammer home a point. He is a sharp dresser, has a bounce in his steps even now that he is past three score and ten and is a crisp speaker and motivator. He’s said to be the first preacher in Jamaica to have had a continuously running radio ministry for nearly four decades. One of his signature gestures is the thumbs up sign. On the evening of celebration of 50 years of pastoral ministry he raised that sign many times either at gems from speakers who hailed him or as the church congregation broke out in song or in “Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.”
In the interview with The Times he spent more time on theology than on what he had done for the church. He spoke of interpretation of the scriptures on the importance of recognizing “Jesus”, as the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost which his church believes are titles. He has people fiercely loyal to him and committed to the ministry so that even when years ago he faced accusations, some of which were criminal and false, he said he worried not, leaving all things to God and asking members to do the same
He has preached in every parish in this island except St Thomas and has seen to the establishing of many churches. His ministry is established in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Those who travel with him speak of his committed work ethic and confidence and say the experiences will live with them.
Today he says “Thank God we are still praising the Lord.” This is in the fifty first year of his leadership.
