Robert M Jones M.Div.

I welcome you to look at my life and ministry. I am dedicated to living a life of ministry for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Browse this site and learn more.

Biography Information:

Seminary: 2017-2022
Union Presbyterian Seminary
CHARLOTTE CAMPUS
5141 Sharon Road Charlotte, NC 28210

Church service and experience: 
Media/Recording Committee 2004-2023 (LHPC)
Ordained Elder January 14, 2007, at Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church. 
PNC Committee, LHPC (2012-2013)
Worship Committee 2013-2023
Education Committee chair 2015-2023
Adult Sunday School Facilitator 2015-2020
Clerk of Session 2014-2021 (resigned to seek a call)
PNC Chair 2017-2019 (2^nd time on the committee after Pastor retirement)
Buildings and Grounds Keeper 2020-present
Presbytery Nominating Committee (Chair since 2023) 2020-present
Presbytery Worship Committee 2019-present
Presbytery Education and Equipping Ministry Team 2021-2023
Presbytery Communications and Technology Team 2024-

Manuscripts & Liturgy

• A Positive Self Position
• Acumen: Lost Ability in a Lost World
• An Unexpected Hour
• Balance
• By Faith We Live
• Dissolute Living
• Expectations
• His Work and The Cost of Doing Nothing
• Influence and Forgiveness
• Leave Your Watch at Home
• Living Bread
• Looking For Lost Sheep
• Tearing Down Old Barns
• The Holy Sabbath
• The One True Constant
• What God Has Done
• Who, What, Why, When
• You Want Me To Do What?!
• Robert M Jones M.Div.

The decision to attend seminary, including a sense of call to the ministry:
I was raised in the church but thought religion was for others. At the age of 15, I met my future wife, Mica. She is a preacher’s daughter and proclaims her love of God loudly. I decided to read the bible to understand her better. Unfortunately, I understood none of it. After much self-education (pre-internet), I found help from Mica’s father, Gene Ghent. He answered many of the questions I had. I discovered writers such as A.W. Tozer, M Scott Peck, and C.S. Lewis, who helped guide my discovery. But I will admit that Mica had the most significant impact on me. She set the example of what it meant to lead a Christian life for me. At the age of 17, I was baptized. This sacrament was not something I took lightly. I think of my baptism vows as seriously as my wedding vows, which I took seven years later with Mica by my side.  

My entire family is involved in the church. My in-laws were the Music Director/Associate Pastor and musician at the church for twenty-four years, and my wife participated in the choir and is an Elder. Upon my in-laws’ retirement, my wife was hired as the new Music Director, and with the retirement of our pastor, she took on the role of Worship Leader. I have overseen all electronics and media for the church. As per my professional career, I designed and installed the church’s sound and recording (audio and video) system. Since he was six, my son, Sebastian (19 yrs. old), has been training on the sound system. My daughter, Piper (6 yrs. old), loves to help me when I work around the church, although I am unsure how much I accomplish with her help. 😊

When the call came for me to step up and lead Sunday School, I did not hesitate. I was unaware that Sunday school books were available, so I wrote and designed a curriculum. The education level of the people at LHPC is substantial, so I knew I would need to keep my lessons exciting and biblically based. We usually take the summer months off and have Sunday school from September – May. So, I decided to break it into the fall and spring semesters. Each semester would have a theme and keep the lessons going from week to week with biblical points at the end of “class” each Sunday. While teaching a class on 1^st-century martyrs, the interim pastor asked me if I had ever considered seminary. I replied that I have always enjoyed teaching and talking about God and have often thought about it. That was the beginning of my call. At first, I was interested in Christian Education but realized my first semester at Union; God called me not to be a Sunday school teacher but a Minister. 

My Life in ministry.

Since then, I have filled the pulpit at LHPC when our pastor is out, and I also do pulpit supply as needed around the presbytery (1^st Pres Rock Hill, Wade Memorial, Old Waxhall, Douglas, Grace, Bethesda inside Providence Presbytery, and at Pageland 1^st in Charlotte Presbytery). I enjoy bringing the Good News of Jesus to people. I seek Worship in everyday life and relish the feeling of the Holy Spirit when a congregation hears God’s word and not mine. Church members have asked me why I haven’t gotten “burned out” with all I do. I explain that I do everything through God, who gives me strength, and it is OK to be tired when I go to bed. 

I believe in having good spiritual practices. I start each day with a prayer, giving thanks for the many wonderful blessings I have received. Depending on the day’s schedule, I spend time in scripture in the morning or night, and I enjoy writing liturgies and prayers. For enjoyment, I will listen to podcasts from scholars and theologians or the NRSV bible while doing chores or working at the church. I enjoy the dramatized versions. 

Family Life

My family is my world. My wife Mica and I have been married for 23 years. We met when I was 15, and she was 13. We have attended Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church since 1997. That is where we were married and baptized both of our children. Our oldest is our son Sebastian (19yrs). He is gifted in many ways; he loves video games and collects old technology to see how it works. He is in his 2^nd year at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, NC. Our youngest is our daughter Piper (6yrs). She was a blessing we had long prayed for. She is very extroverted, never meeting a stranger. She is the unofficial greeter at church because she will always say hello and hug you. She will also give an interpretive dance during hymns. In addition, she loves to sing and dance and watch SpongeBob. We currently live in the church manse at Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church. The church kindly let us move in during the pandemic when I lost work as a musician/sound technician/instrument repairman so I could keep up with seminary studies. The hardest part of seeking a call to ministry is knowing that, at some point, I will be leaving this church family that has loved us so dear. 

Career goals:

I have spent my life as a musician since the age of 14. I have always worked in and around the music business and even though I see life as ministry, I never thought I would be employed in ministry. However, God has opened doors for me and allowed me to walk through them. The guidance and encouragement of church members and many mentors in the ministry have taught me that God has a plan. My career goals are to discern what God wants for me in ministry. I would love to find a church like LHPC to Pastor. In seminary, they prepare you for a big church, but the reality is that more small churches need pastors. No matter what I end up doing in ministry, I want to remind our neighbors that Jesus is alive and that God’s grace is available for each of us. Praise be to God!

First Call
My first call was to Douglas Presbyterian Church in Lancaster SC. It is about three miles from the house I grew up in. The congregation is small but dedicated. They have a desire to reach their community with love. They each have a servants hearts just as Jesus proclaimed we should have. I believe God called me to t he right church at the right time. As all churches are in transition, Douglas is as well. Like all churches the pandemic hurt their attendance and membership rolls. Couple that with aging building and one could assume that the worst will happen. However the members of Douglas Presbyterian Church are quite capable turning their situation in to an opportunity for growth.

Thank you

            Thank you for visiting my website. I have been on the searching side of a PNC before, and I know that it is hard to get a sense of the person behind the PIF. I hope you get a glimpse of my life and dedication to Christ. If you have reached this far, I hope to hear from you so we can get to know one another. God Bless you in your search for a pastor. 

Peace,

——

Rob.