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About Johnnie Dent Jr.

A small biography

In 1970, something miraculous began to grow up from below the foundations of the concrete streets of Cleveland, Ohio; a tender blade of grass, whose humble beginnings were hidden from view beneath the weight of a seemingly impenetrable ceiling. And, if to observe this blade of grass as it single-handedly penetrated the surface of that which was supposed to keep it buried forever were not inspiring enough, then consider that this is not merely the story of a plant in the ground. It is the depiction of a man firmly planted; rooted and grounded in faith. It is the story of Johnnie Dent, Jr. the child of an aspiring singer who battled with alcoholism and the son of an atheist, authoritarian father who cemented his career in law enforcement. Johnnie grew up believing that God wasn’t accessible to the individual, and that his only refuge was to be tougher than the world around him. But something was missing. As he began to develop, he realized that something within him was yearning to get beyond the surface. He longed to press upward where his development could reach limitless heights without detaching from his foundation. But something was missing. Johnnie Dent, Jr. knew that something deep within could not be contained in the faceless depths of obscurity, but what – or rather who was it? Yes, something was missing! As he searched far and wide he could not find the consolation of being validated and assured of that which he was to become. It was not discovered in his closest relationships or in his most critical introspection. But in 1990, God began to validate him. As he was reading through a passage of scripture, he received revelation through Psalms 27:10 which lead to his rebirth. This tender blade, this Joseph in the making; through all the odds against him, was making his way beyond the surface.

Johnnie Dent, Jr. is the elated father of six children consisting of three girls and three boys.

  • In 1993-1994, Johnnie applied himself to become a Certified Laubach Instructor teaching Adult Basic Education to disenfranchised men;
  • In 1997 he became a Cleveland College Club mentor reaching out to at-risk youth;
  • In 1998-1999 he labored as journalist for the Cleveland Monitor
  • In 2000 he left the corporate sector to work in the non-profit sector which eventually opened doors for ministry;
  • In 2001 he co-founded a grassroots men’s group called Men of the Master and participated in annual March Against Youth Violence initiatives
  • In 2003 he married his Faith, and became, in Biblical terms "the husband of one wife."
  • In 2004 he became an outspoken evaluator on divisiveness within the African American religious community;
  • In 2005 he expanded his précis covering issues relating to leadership vagrancy which failed to impact troubled inner city youth;
  • In 2006 he became a consultant & contributing writer for Shekinah Glory News which is currently active to date, he also created the Church With R.E.S.T. financial strategy program which aides faith institutions in distress with economic supports
  • In 2006 he completed his BA in Liberal studies, spoke at the Ohio House of Representatives, joined Toastmasters International with the current rank of CTM and Vice President of Public Relations for Village Toastmasters, and began facilitation discussions on major issues pertaining to the Black community;
  • In 2007 he was asked to become a mentor for the Man Up program designated to assist youth in at-risk communities with overcoming the challenges of the inner cities and peer pressures.
  • In 2007 he won the Fast Planners Author Award, was appointed to International Men of Excellence as their Spiritual Covering and is a senior board member of Young Men with a Purpose, and participated in the Visionary INCIDENTS show – a Christian based commentary program designed to educate, inform and inspire members of the faith community; He also authored a best selling auto-biography entitled "Su*gar Boy...a journey into manhood"
  • In 2008 he was elected to the board of Pneuma Life Foundation for Prevention of Abusive Family Environments and was appointed to two other boards: the I-Gave-Back Foundation and the Church of the Breathing Word, and is currently a Masters Candidate on a Doctoral track.

Johnnie Dent continues to lecture at universities, youth facilities and within various faith communities. The message is universally apostolic in nature yet applicable inter-generationally, inter-denominationally and inter-religiously. His accomplishments do not even begin to taper off here, but it would be careless if one failed to mention his relentless dedication to social reform in the African American community as an expression of his faith in the continued ministry of Jesus Christ. Prolific Author, Speaker, Youth Counselor and Talk Show Host, Johnnie, has begun exploring opportunities to bring his message to the big screen, and has talked with Hollywood producers about ways to use his platform to bring healing within the home, the church, the community, and the world. In this light it is our pleasure to present to some and introduce to others, Minister Johnnie Dent, Jr.