God called my friend Jess Jackson home today very unexpectedly. This is a day of victory for Jess, but an awfully difficult one for those of us who love him.
For ten years, Jess was my pastor, my mentor, my confidant, and above all, my friend. He forever ruined me for any other pastor that I would serve with for the rest of my ministry career, because they would all be compared to him. I always wanted to again be that close to my pastor. I have served with some wonderful, godly men, but it was never the same.
When I met Jess Jackson twenty years ago, I was managing a video production facility in Chesapeake, Virgina. I had left vocational ministry two years earlier and never intended to return to it. I was filling in as interim worship pastor at the church we were members of when Jess came to serve as its new pastor. God knit our hearts together. A few months later, I left Telesystems to serve full time at Westwood Hill.
We were very much alike. Jess was an aerospace engineer with Grumman before God called him to preach, so we were both uber geeks. We loved computers and all things technical. We were both fans of The Three Stooges, The Pink Panther and Monty Python. We shared a passion for youth ministry. We both used humor as a defense mechanism, a communication device and a survival tool.
We were also very different. Jess was very analytical. I was very touchy-feely. Jess was systematic and organized. Clutter and filing stacks and were the order of the day for me. Jess planned, I procrastinated. We balanced each other out perfectly.
The church where we served was fraught with problems. Through all of those problems Jess remained upbeat, positive and faithful. I never heard him say an unfair or bitter thing about those who opposed or maligned him. His experiences did not sour him on the ministry or on people. I wish I could say the same about myself.
During our time together his boys, Luke and Josh, went from being middle and high school students to young adults. Jess never missed a game that his boys were playing in. I learned by example from him that you only get one shot at being a Dad and your family always comes first.
He adored and cherished his wife Carol, the love of his life. They were partners in parenthood, in ministry and in life. They completed each other. I can only imagine the emptiness she is feeling tonight. My heart breaks for her.
In the ten years since we left Virginia, Jess and Carol have remained close to us. Whenever one of us faced a tough decision or a crisis, we were on the phone to each other. If one of our kids had a problem with algebra, I would e-mail the problem to the "Algebra Hot Line, c/o Jess Jackson." Within 24 hours, he would e-mail the problem back to us with a detailed explanation. On one occasion, he got a different answer than the book gave. At the next class, the teacher announced that there was an error in the book on one of the problems. You can guess which one it was.
I've known a lot of doting grandparents over the years, but Jess surpassed them all. He and Carol were loving being grandparents. They kept us supplied with pictures of their beautiful granddaughters.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Carol, Luke and Josh, and the entire family, as well as the church family at New Song Fellowship.
Thank you, Jess for all of your help, advice, and counsel over the years.
Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done.
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