Pastor A.J. Briley, Sr.

The Life and Legacy of Pastor A. J. Briley, Sr. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 On May 14, 1944, in Robersonville, North Carolina, Antonio Jerome Briley was born to the late Reverend Clarence P. Briley and Alberta P. Lane. From those beginnings came the man so many would know and love as Pastor A. J. Briley, Sr., a devoted husband, father, Granddad, brother, pastor, preacher, teacher, community servant, and friend. On August 21, 2026, Pastor Briley completed his earthly journey, leaving behind a legacy built over 82 years of faith, family, and service. His journey included many mountains and valleys but was sown with love, laughter, learning, and steadfastness. A Life of Learning and Preparation Pastor Briley believed in education and understood that preparation was an important part of fulfilling one’s purpose. On May 4, 1968, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hamilton State University. His professional gifts also led to a career in sales, including positions with Yellowbook, The Philadelphia Tribune, and Graphic Controls. But God was preparing him for a greater kind of work. On January 20, 1974, First African Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formally recognized the gifts God had placed within him and licensed Antonio Briley to preach the Gospel. He was called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He continued preparing himself for Christian service and, on May 28, 1976, completed the Advanced Certificate Program through the Emmaus Bible Institute and Evangelical Teacher Training Association, earning an Advanced Teacher's Certificate and approval for teaching in a church school. After further examination of his Christian experience, call to ministry, and understanding of Biblical doctrine, First African Baptist Church, located at 16th and Christian Streets in Philadelphia, officially ordained him to the work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on February 5, 1978. Pastor Briley’s pursuit of knowledge continued throughout his ministry. On May 11, 1991, Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, conferred upon him the Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Philosophy. His education was a means to an end to fulfill his calling. He remained steadfast in his pursuit, knowing that God was paving the way. Pastor Briley understood that he needed to be prepared for whatever God placed before him. A Love Story Before the Pulpit And the Lord prepared a suitable helpmate for his servant. A. J. and Betty’s story began in Philadelphia, where he met the woman who would become his wife, confidant, and friend, Betty Briley. On the very night they met, Betty invited him to attend church with her the following day. And, of course, he showed up. What began with a simple invitation to church became a beautiful union that would span 56 years, with God at its center. Long before A. J. became a pastor, faith was already being woven into their story. Together, Pastor Briley and Betty experienced the many seasons that accompany a lifetime of marriage: building a home, raising children, pursuing dreams, answering God’s call, serving in the local church, welcoming grandchildren, facing challenges, celebrating blessings, and growing together through it all. For 56 years, Betty stood beside him, and he beside her. Their marriage became part of the foundation upon which a family, a ministry, and a legacy were built. Called to Preach, Chosen to Shepherd Pastor Briley would spend decades doing what he had been called and ordained to do: preach the Word and be the under shepherd for God’s people. In the late 1970s, Pastor Briley was called to be the Pastor at his first church, Pilgrim Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA. He served there for many years, growing the congregation, adding new ministries, and incorporating community outreach. On May 5, 1985, he was elected Pastor of Second Antioch Baptist Church in Philadelphia, where he faithfully served for more than nine years. His pastorate there concluded in September 1994, as God expanded his influence over His sheep and called him to chase after the lost. He later became Pastor of Second Baptist Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where his years of leadership became an important chapter in both his ministry and the heartbeat of the community. For Pastor Briley, the pulpit was never merely a platform. It was a sacred responsibility where he would preach until he sweated through his shirts and delivered the holy word of God. He showed up. He preached. He taught. He prayed. He counseled. He encouraged. He comforted families. He challenged people to grow. And through it all, he sought to point people toward Christ. Anyone who heard Pastor Briley also knew that God had blessed him with a voice that was impossible to forget. Deep, rich, and commanding, his voice was often compared to that of James Earl Jones. But that unmistakable voice was not reserved only for preaching. Pastor Briley loved to sing from the pulpit. At times, the congregation would hear him lift his voice in “Amazing Grace.” Following Holy Communion, he might sing the familiar declaration “I Know It Was the Blood.” For those who heard him, those moments became memories. One passage of Scripture remained especially close to his heart: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 It was more than a favorite verse; it was his mantra that defied the lies told in his youth and the logic of man. It reflected the faith that sustained his journey and the message he sought to leave with others. A Ministry Beyond the Sanctuary Pastor Briley understood that ministry could never be confined to four church walls. His concern for people was demonstrated through community outreach, including his leadership with Christian Love Ministries, Inc., a Harrisburg-based nonprofit associated with services, a daycare, and educational programming for children and families. He also founded the AJB Drug & Alcohol Ministries, whose charitable work included efforts related to alcohol and substance-abuse prevention and treatment. His spiritual leadership also reached the halls of Pennsylvania state government. In 1999, the official record of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives identified Pastor Briley as Pastor of Second Baptist Church and Chaplain of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. On April 12 of that year, he stood before the House and offered its opening prayer. Nearly two decades later, on January 23, 2017, Pastor Briley was welcomed to the Pennsylvania State Senate as guest chaplain, once again opening a legislative session in prayer. Pastor Briley also held the unofficial but vital role as Spiritual Advisor to the mayor of Harrisburg, PA – Wanda Williams. Whether he stood before a congregation or before elected officials, Pastor Briley carried the same understanding of his calling. Prayer was both a privilege and a responsibility, and his public prayers reflected concerns that had long characterized his ministry: wisdom, righteousness, peace, spiritual renewal, responsible leadership, and compassion for those in need. Husband, Father, Granddad As meaningful as ministry was to Pastor Briley, some of his most treasured titles were the ones given to him by his family. He and Betty were blessed with five children: Kenya, LaShana, Antonio Jr., PaShawnda, and Jeremiah. His family grew to include his beloved grandchildren, Madison, Isabella, Olivia, Isaac, Isiah, Charles, Bella, Michael, and Thomas. To them, the accomplished, articulate pastor, preacher, teacher, and community leader had a much simpler name: Granddad. Behind every public accomplishment was the man his family knew at home. They knew his voice not only from the pulpit but across the dinner table and in everyday conversation. They knew his advice, wisdom, his stories, his humor, his laughter, his encouragement, and his presence. Because he loved people, the Lord expanded his territory. The Man Behind the Pulpit Pastor Briley had an amazing sense of humor and loved to laugh. Though his commanding voice and presence could fill a sanctuary, laughter was also very much a part of who he was. He knew how to enjoy life and how to bring joy into the lives of others. His love of music stretched beyond the hymns he sang in church. He also enjoyed Southern blues and jazz, appreciating the soul and storytelling found in the music. He could preach. He could teach. He could sing. And he could make you laugh. That combination allowed people to encounter not simply Pastor Briley the minister, but A. J. the man: warm, gifted, intelligent, humorous, and deeply human. His life reminds us that ministry is not found only in sermons. Sometimes ministry is a prayer. Sometimes it is wise counsel. Sometimes it is showing up when someone needs you. And sometimes, as his own love story demonstrated so beautifully, ministry begins with accepting an invitation to church. A Family and a Legacy Pastor Briley was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Reverend Clarence P. Briley and Alberta P. Lane. He leaves to cherish his memory his devoted wife of 56 years, Betty Briley; his five children, Kenya Briley Royal (Peter), LaShana Briley Stokes, Antonio J. Briley, Jr., PaShawnda Briley Carter (Wayne), and Jeremiah Briley; his grandchildren, Madison Stokes, Isabella Royal, Olivia Stokes, Bella Carter, Isaac Carter, Isiah Carter, Charles Royal, Michael Carter, and Thomas Carter; his siblings, Gabriel Briley (Lois), Oscar Perry Briley (Mary), and Jacqueline Briley Pinkney; and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, cousins, extended family members, church family, friends, fellow clergy, and countless individuals whose lives were touched. His Voice Still Speaks Pastor A. J. Briley, Sr.’s life cannot be measured solely by the positions he held, the degrees he earned, the churches he pastored, or the years he stood behind a pulpit. His true legacy is found in people. It is found in Betty, the young, beautiful woman in Philadelphia who invited him to church, and in the 56-year marriage that followed. It is found in the five children they dedicated their lives to raising, and the nine doting grandchildren who lovingly called him Granddad. It is found in the congregations he became an under shepherd to. It is found in the sermons that caused someone to keep believing and to seek out Jesus’ face. It is found in prayers that carried people through difficult seasons, as he encouraged us all to pray diligently for one another and ourselves and watch God work. It is found in those he taught, counseled, encouraged, challenged with “graceful correction,” comforted, and served. It is found in the sound of an old hymn that will forever remind someone of Pastor Briley standing behind the pulpit and singing from his heart. It is found in a deep baritone, unforgettable voice that could powerfully command a room one moment and energetically fill it with laughter the next. And it is found in the generations who will carry forward what he poured into them. From being licensed to preach in 1974 and ordained in 1978, through decades of pastoral and community service, Pastor Briley proclaimed with both his words and his life that his strength came from Christ. On August 21, 2026, his earthly assignment came to its close. And while those who loved him grieve because his physical presence will be deeply missed, we also pause to give thanks for 82 years of life and for the expansive reach of those few days. We celebrate the son born in Robersonville. We celebrate the inquisitive, determined, selfless brother, affectionately referred to as Jerry. We celebrate the student who never stopped learning as he encouraged us all to get an understanding for ourselves. We celebrate the businessman who COULD sell you the shirt off his back, but WOULD rather, and quite often DID, give it to you. We celebrate the young man who accepted Betty’s invitation to church under the strict stipulation, “Don’t be late!” As the story goes, he was ON TIME! … and the rest is history! We celebrate the husband who shared 56 years with his beloved wife. Taking their marital vows VERY seriously: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, and to love and cherish. They learned that keeping God first was the key to an amazing marriage. Perfect? No. But God directed! Yes! We celebrate the devoted, loving, fiercely protective father who had us read, memorize, and recite a NEW Bible scripture EVERY Sunday before church during our family devotion time, but also made us scrumptious pancakes on Saturday while we watched wrestling. We celebrate the wise, kind, and gentle Granddad, always with arms outstretched for a hug, kiss, prayer, and some pocket change. We celebrate the teacher who enjoyed learning alongside his students. We celebrate the community servant, always willing to lend a helping hand and get in the trenches. Lord, where you send me, I will go. We celebrate the natural-born preacher, with Southern Baptist roots and an unforgettable voice. We celebrate the pastor who under-shepherded God’s people. We celebrate the intentional man who FIRST loved the Lord, loved to laugh, loved music, and loved his family, as he tirelessly worked “for the good of the family,” celebrating with family reunions and get-togethers. Most of all, we celebrate a life of faith, family, service, love, and legacy. The pulpit may be quieter now, but the message of his life continues. The voice may no longer fill the sanctuary, but its echo remains. The man we knew and loved has finished his earthly assignment, but what he POURED into others will continue from generation to generation. Proverbs 3:6 states, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” He taught this scripture, he shared this scripture, he LIVED this scripture. Pastor A. J. Briley, Sr. lived his faith, loved his family, served his generation, and answered the call. For a life so faithfully lived, we give God thanks. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:21 FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CLICK ON THE SHARE A MEMORY TAB TO POST VIDEOS, SHARE MEMORIES, CONDOLENCES, REFLECTIONS, OR LEAVE YOUR NAME. Flower delivery: 8:30 a.m., Friday, September 4, at Christian Life Assembly.

Pastor A.J. Briley, Sr.

May 14, 1944 - August 21, 2026