Pastor

Elder Charley Jones, Jr. – Personal and Ministry Autobiography

I, Elder Charley Jones, Jr., was born on March 25, 1953, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to my loving parents, Charley Jones, Sr., and Corene Jones. I am the oldest living sibling of ten children. The blessing of family has extended through my own lineage, as I am the proud father of seven children, grandfather to nine grandchildren, and great-grandfather to seven great-grandchildren.

My academic journey began at Allen High School in Robeline, Louisiana, where I graduated before pursuing higher education at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I majored in Music, with Art as a secondary focus. However, due to financial constraints, I was unable to complete my studies and subsequently enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Following basic training and two additional individual training sessions, I was deployed to Vietnam. After completing my first tour, I returned home on leave, got married, and then went back to serve a second tour. Upon completing my military service in Vietnam, I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.

During my early assignment at Fort Hood, I struggled to adapt to stateside duty and contemplated leaving the military. However, my life took a transformative turn on March 20, 1972—my mother’s birthday—when I gave my life to Christ. Two years later, I acknowledged my call to ministry and was licensed as a minister of the Gospel by Superintendent E.M. Green, pastor of God’s Holy Tabernacle COGIC in Killeen, Texas. Thus began my ministry journey as one of God’s called servants—to lead, teach, and serve His people.

In 1977, I was ordained as an Elder in the Church of God in Christ by Doctor Bishop Roy L.H. Winbush at Johnson Temple COGIC, under the leadership of Superintendent C.B. Norris in Leesville, Louisiana. I served there as a young pastor and later as Second Assistant Pastor for over two years until my discharge from the military, after which I relocated to Houston, Texas.

Over the next 25 years, I dedicated myself to ministry, serving in various capacities as an associate pastor, evangelist pastor, and assistant pastor. These roles prepared me for my current position as Pastor of the Garden of Gethsemane COGIC in Harker Heights, Texas.

For the past two years and nine months, I have faithfully served the Garden of Gethsemane congregation, which began with 15 members and has since grown by 10 new members. My vision is to continue expanding the Kingdom of God by increasing our membership and strengthening our outreach ministries to serve the surrounding communities.

In addition to my pastoral work, I am currently pursuing my Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry at Life Christian University, based in Tampa, Florida. This endeavor represents my ongoing commitment to personal growth and equipping myself for greater service in God’s Kingdom.

As I reflect on my journey—from my humble beginnings in Shreveport, Louisiana, to serving in the U.S. Army and answering God’s call to ministry—I am deeply grateful for His grace and guidance. My heart’s desire is to remain a faithful servant, leading others to Christ, nurturing believers, and advancing God’s Kingdom until His return.