A dynamic man of God, believed to have introduced thousands of people to Christian teaching, lived right here in Fresno. Now his family and extended church family are preparing for several memorials this weekend to honor his life.More >>
FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) -
Bishop Henry Johnson was a leader, teacher and man of God. Sunday night his congregation gave a final farewell to the man who founded Fresno's Bethesda Apostolic Church.
Bishop Johnson founded Bethesda Apostolic in 1957 and led the congregation for more than half a century. Willie Tyler is a Deacon at Bethesda. "He was a very gentle man yet he carried himself with authority. He knew what he knew and he knew how to get it across to any and everybody."
John Erwin Senior first met Bishop Johnson in 1962. He considered him the consummate role model. "His legacy will still make an impact on many people's lives today because of what he stood for and how he lived his life."
A floral arrangement tells us he was a beloved husband, daddy and paw paw. Emanuel Grigsby considered him a father figure. "He told us how to stand up in adversity. He told us how to stand up like men. Bishop was a man's man. He believed in men. He believed if you were head of your family that you should stand as head."
In 1988 Johnson became Bishop with the 16th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Incorporated. Church elder Joe Grigsby says he was a very learned man who loved to read. "If you were to go into his office right now you would see a whole wall of books. He read every one of them. That's the type of man he was. Very studious. Very well educated and very wise."
Bishop Henry Johnson died of pneumonia at his Fresno home. He was 91 years old.
