Jesse Jones Jr., the oldest of fourteen children, was born in Bracey,
Virginia. He grew up in a Christian home where his father and grandfather
were deacons and his mother and grandmother were mothers (deaconesses) in
the church. Pastor Jones received Christ as savior and joined the Free
Union RZUA Church where he was baptized at the age of 7. Growing up in the
church he served in various roles prior to leaving home for college; to
include singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School and serving as an
officer in the church union. His childhood was spent being raised on a
farm where he was taught an exceptional work ethic; hence he is no
stranger to putting in lots of hard work in order to achieve desired
goals.
He graduated from the
public schools in South Hill, Virginia and was the first in his family to
attend college. In 1968 he began his undergraduate studies at the Virginia
State University, in Petersburg, Virginia where he received a BS degree in
Physics. He continued his education and received his Masters in Business
Management from Central Michigan University; while serving as a captain in
the United States Army. He spent a total of three year of active duty in
the United States Army and another 4 years in the Army Reserves.
His biblical training
includes attending night classes at Washington Bible College for many
years and is presently an instructor for the college’s adult education
“Equip Program”. He has also done biblical studies at Trinity Theological
Seminary and Andersonville Baptist Seminary.
Following three years in
the Active Army he returned to Virginia where he was employed as a middle
manager of engineering by IBM / Lockheed Martin and retired after 32
years. He joined the Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1976 where he was
ordained as deacon in 1977. Soon after becoming a deacon the Lord called
him into the Gospel Ministry where he was licensed in 1979. At the Star of
Bethlehem Baptist Church Pastor Jones served as Chairman of the Bus
Ministry, a ministry that ran five routes each Sunday to pick up
individual for Sunday School and Church services.
In 1983 he was called to
Pastor the Oak Shade Baptist church in Catlett, Virginia, where he has
served as pastor since August 1983. There are many testimonies of what the
Lord has done during his tenure as pastor of the Oak Shade Baptist Church.
He is the Father of four Sons in the Ministry and has mentored nine others
preachers who also claim him as pastor. Five of those from this group of
ministers have gone on to pastor churches of their own. Although many
would point to the building of a new edifice and moving into it debt free
as a crowning achievement of his tenure as pastor he, would say that it is
the spiritual growth and the spiritual impact upon the people that he
values most.
Pastor Jones has held many
positions in the church during his Christian walk such as Deacon, Sunday
School Teacher, Bus Ministry Coordinator. He has also served in positions
in various associations to include: Statistician of the Northern Virginia
Baptist Association, Moderator and Secretary of the Fauquier County and
Vicinity Ministerial Coalition. He loves to preach and teach the word of
God as well as hearing good preaching.
He is married to the former
Beverly Grantham of Morristown New Jersey and they have three adult
children and two grandchildren, a family he loves and is extremely proud
of.
Pastor Jesse Jones Jr.