Jim Turner

From the Biographical History of Primitive or Old School Primitive Baptist Ministers, Vol. II, 2001. By Elder David Montgomery and Mark Green.

Elder James (Jim) B. Turner, Jr.

"I was born September 22, 1935, at Russellville, Arkansas, to James Benjamin and Meda Pearl McCain Turner, her only child. I was brought up under the sound of the gospel at Old Point Remove Church, Atkins, Arkansas. My father was a deacon in the church and served as a church clerk for many years.

At about the age of twelve, I first felt to be a condemned sinner in the sight of a just and holy God. I soon had a desire to unite with the church, but refused to give in to that desire. Finally, the fourth Sunday in June of 1951, I asked for a home in the church, and to my surprise, was joyfully received. I was baptized that same afternoon by our pastor, Elder J.H. O’Neal.

On November 27, 1955, I married Owreta Fay Patton of Havana, Arkansas, and less than one year later we moved to Little Rock.

I became involved in the life insurance business, and soon became one of the top salesmen in the district. I thought I had found my profession for the rest of my working life, but on May 2, 1968, something happened that changed my life forever. I was driving my car that day when I felt that the Lord was requiring something of me, and I did not know what to do. At the same time, I had this burning desire to get home and open my Bible. What I saw just about scared me to death. Everywhere I looked, I could see the doctrine of salvation by grace. I felt that I knew then what the Lord was requiring of me, but I did not see how in the world I could ever do what I felt that He was requiring of me. I went to our pastor, Elder Ernest Woodall, and told him my experience, and his first words to me were: “Brother Turner, the Lord will never require anything of you that He does not first give you the grace to perform it.” I have certainly found this to be true.

On the second Sunday in December 1972 (Dec. 12th), New Hope Church ordained me to the work of the ministry. The elders in my ordination service were B. Isaacs, Garvin Green, Ernest M. Woodall, Elmer Calton, R.H. Attaway, J.R. Haymon, Howard Cartwright, Andrew J. Isaacs, and Nathan Langley. The deacons present were Brethren: John Isaacs, V.J. Rutledge, Starling McCarty, Cephas Matthews, and James Smith.

The churches that I served are Bethlehem Church near Lincoln, Arkansas, from 1971 to 1977; Pilot Mountain Church near St. Joe, Arkansas, from 1972 to 1988; and my home church, New Hope in Little Rock, from March of 1981 to the present time." (2001). 

In addition to his family, ministry, and work, Elder Jim wrote articles that appeared in the Christian Baptist, a Primitive Baptist publication in Atwood, Tennessee, and the Banner of Love, out of Lubbock, Texas.

OBITUARY:

Elder James Benjamin Turner Jr., 77, of Little Rock, passed away February 7, 2013. Born in Russellville, Arkansas, to James B. Turner Sr. and Meda Pearl McCain Turner, he was an Arkansas Army National Guard veteran. He was a member of the Kiwanis, where he served as Past President of the Pulaski Heights Kiwanis Club and also served as past Lt. Gov. of the Missouri/Arkansas District of Kiwanis. He was a Minister at New Hope Primitive Baptist Church and a volunteer Chaplain at Hospice Home Care. Preceded in death by his parents, he is survived by his wife, Owreta Turner; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Lawrence and Ola Mae Patton of Russellville; nephew, Douglas Patton (Mary) of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and nieces, Janice Sue Peeler (Matt) of Russellville and Terri Shaw (Arnold) of Chester, Virginia.