Pastor Ben Nathan Harper Jr.

Remembering The Life of a Servant Pastor Ben Nathan Harper Jr. Early afternoon on Monday, October 16, 2017, my heart ceased to beat. My beloved wife of 45 years held me close in her loving arms, praying until the paramedics arrived. By the time of their arrival, my address had changed. With a great smile on my face, I am sending this notice to let you know that I have moved to my new home. I have been caught up in a whirlwind like the prophet Ezekiel. Many years I have been sending up my timber. The architect of my new home said my mansion was ready and I am now safely home with Him! Oh, what a beautiful city! I had been working on my building and getting ready every day to be at home with my Lord. I now enjoy the sanctity of peace, joy, and love with my Heavenly Father. What a view from here! The streets all paved with gold, pearly gates and a crystal river flowing. It is just as He said in His word. I pray you will all get ready to join me. I was born BEN NATHAN HARPER, JR. on January 30, 1952 in Houston, Texas to my loving parents, Ben Nathan Harper, Sr. and Ida Pearl Wilmore Harper. I attended George Washington Carver Senior High School where I met and married Deborah Annette Jackson, my high school sweetheart and the love of my life. To this union, two children were born.   I was employed at Central Freight Company until I received the greatest promotion ever. The Lord called me into ministry. Oh, what a joy filled my soul! Ranked on the list of the things that brought me the greatest joy is loving people, preaching, singing, and listening to music. During my tenure here on earth, my spare time included watching sports and westerns, but my greatest hobby was cleaning and shining my car. You never saw it with a speck of dirt on it!   When God called me to preach the unfailing gospel, my first sermon from Romans 12:1 was delivered at the New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church of Houston, Texas under the leadership of Pastor Lewis Rogers. I later united with the Gabriel Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Wayne D. Jackson, Sr. I was called to my first dual pastoral assignment in 1992 in Oakwood, Texas at the Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church and the Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, laboring there for 7 years. Upon my departure, I became assistant to my Pastor, Dr. Stanley T. Hillard Sr., at the St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas where I remained until being called to the greatest church ever, the Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church of Angleton, Texas (McBeth Community) in May 2001. There we labored in the word for 16 years. My last sermon to the wonderful people of Mt. Pisgah was “Pray and Believe” from Mark 11:10-24. I served faithfully in various capacities in denominational work which included Assistant Secretary in the Baptist Missionary and Educational State Convention of Texas, instructor in the Baptist Missionary and Educational State Congress of Christian Education, Instructor, Vice-Moderator, Secretary-Treasurer, and Vice-Moderator at Large in Area II in the Lincoln Southern District Association, Secretary in the Houston Metropolitan Baptist Ministers Conference and President of the Gulf Coast Baptist Ministers Alliance. My choice and goals in life have been to make an impact on my family, friends, church, the world and my steps have been ordered by the Lord. The small space which I have occupied has been because of the grace of God and I give tribute to Him for the great things He hath done. One of my favorite scriptures is “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37. Preceding me in death is my mother, Ida Pearl Wilmore Harper and my sister, Bernadine Calhoun. Now that I am home, I leave to cherish and celebrate my homegoing a wonderful family, my loving wife, Deborah Harper; father, Ben Nathan Harper Sr., daughter, Stephanie Yvette Dorron (Clarence); son, Ben Nathan Harper III (Michelle); three grandchildren, Cameron, Nyah, and Layla Harper; a great-grandson, Elijah Harper; two sisters, Virginia Bryant and Sandra Harper Scott and  brother, John Harper, of Houston; brothers-in-laws, Pastor Wayne Jackson(Elizabeth), Rev. Bruce Jackson, Rev. Spencer Jackson, Jr.(Renee); Gerald Jackson, and Rev. Everett Jackson(Brenda); sister-in-laws, Gladys Butler(Gomer) and Ora Lee Jackson. I also leave a host of relatives and friends, and the Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church Family. To God Be The glory!