REV. DR. BARRY C. JOHNSON, SR.

Rev. Dr. Barry C. Johnson, Sr. is the proud pastor of Southern Star Missionary Baptist Church of Louisville, Kentucky. He is a native of Louisville and a retired Professor of Music from Kentucky State University. He also currently serves as a Visiting Professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Johnson holds Bachelor and Master degrees in Music Composition from the University of Louisville, a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Music Composition from the University of Kentucky, and the degrees of Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Johnson formerly served as Director of Bands at Savannah State University (Georgia), Assistant Director of Bands and Instructor of Music Theory at Western Kentucky University, and Director of the University Marching Band at Kentucky State University. He is a faithful member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and is the CEO/Owner and Proprietor of Spyder Productions and TNT Productions, Inc.

In 2008, Dr. Johnson authored a book entitled A Change Is Gonna Come: A Transformation of a Traditional to a Contemporary Worship Celebration. He has composed multiple original musical components for Vacation Bible School curricula and written several Sunday School Commentary quarterlies, all published by the R.H. Boyd Publications Corporation of Nashville, Tennessee. Additionally, Dr. Johnson has completed several writing projects for the Sunday School Publishing Board of Nashville.

An avid worker for Christ, Rev. Dr. Barry C. Johnson’s passions are to lead the church in her rightful place, where she can serve as central in the lives of her members and the community and to emphasize the social gospel, given as a commission by Jesus. Dr. Johnson has a strong commitment to the fusion of spirituality and Christian influence in the areas of producer-driven economics, personal and professional empowerment, and higher education in the lives of the believers. As a pastor, worship leader, musician, and composer, he offers a spiritual experience for all in attendance through a coordinated, high-spirited, intensively emotional worship service that reflects the highest praise of Jesus. As an eternal student and educator, his preaching emphasis consists of an array of teaching motifs that introduce various facets of life-related perspectives. His interests for the future are the founding of a music academy that specializes in the retention of black music (such as gospel music and the spirituals as an art form) and the creation of a placement program to assist churches in the recruitment and retention of musicians and the procurement of musical equipment. Dr. Johnson believes that the power of the Holy Spirit greatly assists in the impact that the church of the 21st century has on the world.

Dr. Johnson is married to the former Denille Epps, a graduate of Kentucky State University, the University of Louisville, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Denille is the Associate Principal for The Brook-KMI School and the Boys and Girls Haven School of the Jefferson County Public Schools. Dr. Johnson has three children: Bernita (Reginald) Arnold, Barry (Hope) Johnson, Jr., and Darron (Ericka) Johnson. Dr. and Mrs. Johnson have a granddaughter, Madisyn N. Arnold, and four grandsons: Barry C. Johnson III, Ethan A. Johnson, Cole W. Johnson, and Darron C. Johnson, Jr.