1st Vice Moderator

Reverend Dr. Wilbert B. Johnson is married to the former Miss Joyce Newman Curry. They are the proud parents of five children; Angela, Michael, MarQus, Renee and Georgette. He is the oldest of five boys Jerry, Dwight(Deceased), Benjamin and Greg (Deceased). There are 11 grandchildren and one Great grandchild  that are enjoyed by the couple.

He was born in Frankfort, Kentucky to the parents of Dr. W.W. Johnson and Carolyn N. Johnson and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina where he attended Elementary School and Cardinal Gibbons High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from St. Augustine University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also earned a Masters of Divinity from Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina in 1996 and a Doctorate of Pastoral Studies from Patriot University, Del Norte, Colorado in 2011.

Rev. Johnson comes from a long line of ministers. His grandfather and great-grandfather on both sides of the family were Pastors. Rev. Johnson acknowledged and received his call into the ministry in 1984. He received his license into ministry in 1984 and was ordained in 1985 at Springfield Missionary Baptist Church, Auburn, North Carolina.

He has Pastored the following churches: Sanders Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Smithfield, North Carolina; St. Stephens Missionary Baptist Church, Spring Hope, North Carolina; Ledge Rock Missionary Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina; Just Blessed Missionary Baptist Church Incorporated, Clayton, North Carolina and  He is currently the Pastor of Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church, LaGrange NC and is an active member of the Bear Creek Missionary Baptist Association (BCMBA) and serves as 2nd Vice Moderator of BCMBA. 

Rev. Johnson has worked in the community as a Placement Counselor at St. Augustine University; an Assistant Basketball Coach at North Carolina State University; served as a Case Manager at Just Blessed Missionary Baptist Church and served as Executive Director of Building Together Ministries Incorporated in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also served as a Clinical Chaplain II at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina and at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, North Carolina from which he retired after 32 years of State Service. Rev. Johnson has also served in various positions in Lenoir County and is currently serving as the Chaplain of the Democratic Party; works as an Assistant Poll Judge and recently was appointed to the Jury Selection Committee.

He has received numerous awards starting with the Central Tarheel Jaycee Man of the Year Award and the Appreciation Award from Central Prison Staff for Faithful Service. He is an active member of the General Baptist State Convention where he has received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award and the Prison Ministry Certificate of Recognition in 1996, 1998 and 1999. He received the Ecumenical Leadership Award from the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated in 2013. Rev. Johnson was recently inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for Basketball of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2015.

 

Rev. Johnson loves the Lord and his vision for Shady Grove MBC is that it becomes a work-in-progress in God's Work Zone; knowing that we are in the “Right Place at the Right Time” believing we “Can do all things through Christ who strengthens Me” – Phil. 4:13.