G. Daniel Jones, 74, pastor emeritus of Grace Baptist Church of Germantown.

FOR MOST OF us, having a street named after us would be a pretty big deal.

When the 6400 block of Emlen Street, between West Upsal and West Johnson Streets in West Mount Airy was named the "Dr. G. Daniel Jones Way," the honoree's response was, "Oh, how nice."

Dr. Jones, pastor emeritus of Grace Baptist Church of Germantown, wasn't about to do cartwheels because, as he said, he didn't go into the ministry for self-promotion, but to serve God.

"I don't see myself as having done that much," he said at the ceremony designating the name change in March 2014, "for I serve for the glory of God, not for self-aggrandizement, prizes or rewards."

Of course, Baptist Church officials, the city and congregants and neighbors of Grace Baptist of Germantown didn't see it that way.

Eighth District City Councilwoman Cindy Bass, who pushed in City Council for the honor, commented, "As the leader of Grace Baptist Church, he represents an institution in Northwest Philadelphia.

"They have given and contributed so many hours that they're a staple of the neighborhood. He's part of the fabric of the community, and very deserving of this."

The Rev. Dr. G. Daniel Jones, who led Grace Baptist Church of Germantown for 31 years, interim pastor of Zion Baptist Church, moderator of the Philadelphia Baptist Association and a teacher of theology, died May 27 at the age of 74. He lived in Wyncote.

"Beloved is the word that comes to mind whenever Dr. Jones' name is mentioned," said A. Roy Medley, general secretary of American Baptist Churches. "His leadership skills allowed him to be equally at home with people of widely diverse backgrounds and interests."

"Dr. G. Daniel Jones was an extraordinary pastor and gifted preacher," said the Rev. Aidsand Wright-Riggins, executive director of American Baptist Home Mission Societies.

"In the pulpit, Dr. Jones pushed his listeners to think. In the parking lot and hallways, he was one of the most personable and amusing pastors I knew. You cannot think about him without smiling."

At Grace Baptist, Dan Jones increased the staff to meet the needs of a growing congregation, built the Christian Education Center, and took sexism out of the Board of Deacons.

"I believe God is an equal opportunity employer," he said.

An example of Jones' understanding and forgiving nature, was his defense of the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., President Obama's longtime pastor in Chicago. Wright started his career in his native Philadelphia.

Wright drew national criticism when snippets of past sermons showed up on Internet sites, including his view that America brought on the 9/11 attacks by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. He charged that the U.S. government caused AIDS and the crack-cocaine epidemic to keep the black community down, among other controversial opinions.

Obama denounced Wright's views, but Jones, who went to college with Wright and occasionally preached with him, said, "I look at Rev. Wright as controversial but prophetic. He is informed and informs. He is a religious analyst coming out of the Biblical tradition who denounces social ills and warns people on how to become more just and more humane."

Needless to say, not everyone in the local clergy agreed with him.

"Something has gone wrong in his head," the Rev. Anthony Floyd, former president of the Philadelphia Council of Clergy, said of Wright. "I'm going to pray for him."

Dan Jones was a graduate of Virginia Union University and the Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Mass. He earned a doctorate in theology from Howard University, and has received a number of honorary doctorates.

Before becoming pastor of Grace Baptist, he served as pastor of St. John Baptist Church in Brockton, Mass., and Zion Baptist in Portsmouth, Va.

Jones enjoyed teaching and served as adjunct professor of Christian education at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and as an adjunct professor at the Center for Urban Theological Studies, a division of Geneva College, in Beaver Falls, Pa.

Among numerous other associations, he was president of the 6,100-member Ministers Council of the American Baptist Churches, USA. He was past chairman of the education committee of the African-American Interdenominational Ministries, formerly the Black Clergy. He was a 33rd Degree Mason.

Jones was devastated by the death of his wife, Geraldine Saunders Jones, on Oct. 27, 2014, at the age of 73. She was a social worker who married Dan Jones on Nov. 27, 1965. She worked with ActionAIDS of Philadelphia, among other agencies.

Jones is survived by a son, Bryant Daniel Jones Sr., and a grandson.

Services: 11 a.m. Monday, June 8, at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2800 W. Cheltenham Ave. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Ivy Hill Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at Enon, including Masonic services. A viewing will begin a 5 p.m.