Rev. Max Jones, Pastor

Where a Legacy...

 

Bishop Robert W. Jones, Founder

 

​The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ, Syracuse was founded in 1956 by Bishop Robert W. Jones. Establishment of Apostolic was the culmination of a long journey first begun by the senior Bishop Jones in 1924 in Little London, Jamaica, WI, where he was born. After completing primary and secondary education in Spanish Town and afterward attending Dint Hill Agricultural College in Linstead, Jamaica, the bishop relocated to the United States. One year later in 1944 Bishop Robert W. Jones was called to the ministry, having previously committed himself to God and to a life of holiness. Over the next few years the senior Jones received formal training for the ministry at Aenon Bible College. The original First Lady of Apostolic, Marjorie Jones, met and married Bishop Jones in 1947–a union which would mark the beginning of the Apostolic family in Syracuse.

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The early activities of the church ministry were conducted under the tutelage of Dr. Lula Jackson in Waterbury, Connecticut. Following a brief period in Ithaca, the ministry was moved to Syracuse, New York in 1954. Two years later Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ came to call 347 Cortland Avenue in Syracuse, NY home, where it has remained for more than a half century.

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Community service and involvement have been central components of the Apostolic ministry since its early years. During the mid-1960s Bishop Robert W. Jones worked closely with the management of the General Motors Plant in Syracuse, NY to secure employment for multiple members of the congregation as well as other members of the Syracuse community. Starting in the 1970s and for decades to come, the senior bishop assisted many young people with summer employment at Nationwide & Aetna Insurance Company and coordinated full time jobs for others with various employers throughout the Syracuse area. True to its continued outreach ministry the founder of Apostolic played a pivotal role in helping many secure home ownership, owed partly to his having succeeded as one of Kanan Real Estate’s top salesmen. Sometimes forfeiting his commission for the cause, Bishop Robert W. Jones would continue home assistance services for well over 20 years. To learn more about Apostolic’s current community outreach, please use this link.

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The great diversity that characterizes the Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ, Syracuse is deeply embedded in its roots. The founder was a member of the Board of Directors for the Americanization League, and partly responsible for bringing countless individuals from Caribbean Islands to the U.S.

Out of its rich history of community service and diversity the Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ has given birth to many other ministries, including ministries in South Africa, Canada, throughout New York, Texas, as well as in California, most notably Noel Jones Ministries of Los Angeles, California. The Syracuse City Wide Crusade is an outgrowth of the Apostolic ministry. Founded in 2001, the Crusade is a nonprofit organization that comprises several ministries and churches that work collectively to provide spiritual and community support. Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ, Syracuse is also a longtime affiliate of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, where the founder Bishop Robert W. Jones was a one-time board member and also active on the New York State and the Ontario District Council.

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Created a Future...

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Rev. Max Jones, Senior Pastor,  Overseer

 

George Maxwell Jones (Max Jones) is the senior pastor of The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. in Syracuse, NY, originally founded by his father, the late Bishop Robert W. Jones in 1956. His pastoral journey began in Little Rock, AK at White Memorial United Methodist  Church. He later transferred to Clair Memorial United Methodist Church in Jersey City, NJ before establishing Imani Community Fellowship (later known as Kingdom of God Ministries).

In the memory of his father, he founded the Robert and Marjorie Jones Community Development Organization, Inc., a Civic Organization with a mission to develop the community around the church; educationally, socially, recreationally, and culturally. It is his philosophy that the church must have a positive impact on the community immediately surrounding the church.

The commitment to church and community is evident throughout Rev. Jones’ life as he has functioned as an unofficial advisor to pastors, evangelists, and other individual ministries. He has a mandate from the Lord Jesus Christ to assist in the development of laity, clergy, and churches. Based on his passion and commitment, he established Kingdom of God Ministries World Wide to provide independent congregations and ministries the advisory support and accountability to honor ministry objectives each congregation and organization is assigned. He recognizes the truth of scripture. Where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety (Pr. 11:14). Rev. Jones fosters that community bonding through coaching, counseling and facilitating peer support.

KOGMWW empowers the affiliates to fulfill that which the resurrected Christ has instructed ministers of the gospel to do (Matt. 28:19). Rev. Jones compels leaders to take the assignment of change agents throughout the world by preaching and teaching the good news. Currently, he coaches leaders in Syracuse, Long Island, North Carolina, Atlanta, and New Jersey, with a commitment to expand as the Holy Spirit guides him.

Rev. Jones is actively involved in the local chapter of the NAACP as a board member, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and the Boy’s and Girl’s Club on Shonnard St. Syracuse, NY. He has also joined the Syracuse Citywide Reunion Committee that provides support for the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) because he understands that education is a vital tool for community transformation. He currently has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Service Education and Adult Education. He also has a Masters of Divinity Degree from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.

Cultural pride is evident as Rev. Jones has a great appreciation for anything Jamaican, such as talking patois, (the Jamaican dialect) eating the native foods and playing dominos. He and his wife Daphne E. Jones strive to continue a connection with the South African Ministries consummated by Bishop and Mother Jones. Instead of building an orphanage, they adopted one in South Africa. They invest their time, prayers and resources to help the children and staff.

Finally, for enjoyment and relaxation, Rev. Jones enjoys spending time traveling with Daphne and his four adult children Dana, Chad, Jones, and Jared. He is a fan of every major sports team and appreciates the various playoff seasons. The epitome of his life is reflective in ministry.

His entire worldview exudes teamwork recognizing that everyone is given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gifts that He gave to the body of Christ. He believes the saints are equipped to do the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ and to be unified in the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God!