Born in 1910, Leonard Johnson’s early life was marked by hardship and perseverance. Orphaned at the age of eight after the deaths of his parents, Johnson was taken in by his grandparents, sharecroppers in rural Fayetteville, Tennessee. By age nine, he was working the fields, a difficult start that would shape his strong work ethic and unshakable faith. Despite these challenges, Johnson thrived, dedicating much of his life to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ both locally and abroad, while advancing Christian education.
Dr. Leonard Johnson is remembered as one of the three co-founders of the university. His legacy was celebrated at the 2025 Founders Day event, where his family was honored. In 1942, Johnson, along with other local leaders, helped lay the foundation for Montgomery Bible College, a small Christian college on Ann Street that would later become Alabama Christian College and eventually Faulkner University.
After the death of his father from a failed surgery and the loss of his mother during the flu epidemic, Johnson found himself in the care of his grandparents. It was here that his faith was nurtured and his interest in education began to grow. He often missed school to help on the farm, but his determination led him to graduate valedictorian of his class in high school, a turning point that sparked his commitment to education. One of his teachers encouraged him to attend David Lipscomb College, a two-year college, and in 1928, Johnson boarded a train for Nashville.
It was at Lipscomb that Johnson first encountered higher Christian education and developed a deep respect for his Greek and Bible professors. There, at the age of 18, he preached his first sermon. It was also where he met his future wife, Bernice, who was a student a year behind him.
After graduating, Johnson preached in Florida, where he saved enough money to pay off his tuition and buy Bernice an engagement ring. On his visit back to Tennessee, they were engaged, and Johnson followed the advice of two professors to finish his degree at Harding University, a four-year university. While there, he worked in the library, taught Latin, and hitchhiked to preach at churches to support his studies.
After graduation, Johnson served as principal of Harding Academy, and he and Bernice later moved to Nashville. In 1938, he received a call from Chisholm Church of Christ in Montgomery, Alabama, to preach. At this time, Johnson saw an opportunity to establish a Christian school in the area—a vision that would eventually lead to the founding of Montgomery Bible College.
Working with other ministers and leaders, Johnson and his co-founders, Joe Greer and Dr. Rex Turner Sr., launched Montgomery Bible College in 1942.
“Those men were the other founders and the first board members of the school. They couldn’t have done it without each other, their financial support and encouragement and the blessing from the Lord,” Johnson’s daughter Marilyn Terry said. “They had very little money, but had the support of those who wanted to see it through. They stepped out on faith that it would succeed if it was God’s will.”
Terry was born in Montgomery, and she remembers as a young girl living with her parents and her siblings just down the street from the newly formed Montgomery Bible School on Ann Street. She attended the elementary school classes connected to the school. Her mother taught home economics and Johnson served as the school’s first principal from May 9, 1942 to January 5, 1943. That is when the school officially became Montgomery Bible College and Johnson and Turner served as the college’s first co-presidents from January 5, 1943 to March 31, 1948. In March, Johnson stepped down and Turner continued as the school’s president.
The teachers and administrators made very little money from the school and they had to work several other jobs to supplement their living wages. However, everyone believed in the importance of the mission and gladly gave of their time to work at the school.
Throughout his career, Johnson balanced his work in education with a commitment to missionary work. After starting the college in Montgomery, Johnson felt the Lord calling him back to Tennessee where he served as principal of the Chattanooga Bible School. He would alternate two years in Tennessee and two years of mission work in Africa, where he and his family lived in the bush of Nigeria. He preached to the local community, where his work was well received and many were baptized. In addition, he taught and trained native preachers at the Nigerian Bible College.
“All of us lived in the bush without any electricity or plumbing and our family lived next door to another missionary family. The next nearest neighbor was 50 miles away,” said Terry, who was in the fifth grade at the time. “My father served as a manager of some of the village schools and he was allowed to teach Bible there. Then on Sundays he preached. It was a very good experience to see how other people lived. To see how little they had and still be content and happy.”
Johnson’s educational contributions continued after his time in Africa. He served as principal of Madison Academy in Huntsville, taught at Oklahoma Christian University and Freed-Hardeman University, and returned to Montgomery in 1973 to serve as academic dean and chair of the Bible Department at Alabama Christian College. His love for teaching remained at the forefront of his career, and he regularly took students on mission trips to countries such as Mexico, Scotland, and Austria and local campaigns to neighboring states including Georgia and Tennessee.
Terry, recalls how Johnson’s former students often approached the family to share how much he had impacted their lives. “My father truly cared about his students. He didn’t like being a director or principal as much as he liked being in the classroom and teaching,” she said. “His students flooded us with letters after his death telling us what an impact my father had on their lives. I will treasure those forever.”
Johnson preached for 66 years and taught for 59 years. His first sermon was in November 1928, and his last in August 1994. He continued teaching and preaching up until his death in 1994, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of faith, education, and service.