Pastor James Jackson is the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Wesley Seminary Alumni Award. He is the Lead pastor at Fervent Prayer Church in Indianapolis, where he has lived since he was eleven years old. He also has a T.V. and a radio show and is passionately interested in reaching more people for Jesus Christ.
With a focus on the power of prayer, Jackson started Fervent Prayer Church in 1994. In 2010, the church went through a difficult time and Pastor Jackson became frustrated as is his expectations for growth were not being met. About this time, Bishop Tom Benjamin encouraged him to begin his MDIV program at Wesley Seminary.
His time at the seminary reignited Jackson’s passion for spiritual formation. He really enjoyed the interaction with his professors and the structure of the weekly assignments. Additionally, the time that he spent at the Seminary in Marion, Indiana for the weeklong intensives was invaluable.
Pastor Jackson has advice for anyone who is considering enrolling at Wesley Seminary. “Listen to God’s leading on your life and enjoy the journey that he has for you. Every class, every professor and every interaction with your classmates is valuable and impactful. Also, do not wait until the end of your program to complete your electives!”
In his vibrant ministry at Fervent Prayer, Pastor Jackson says that the best part of his job is the time that he spends in front of his congregation sharing the Word of God. He loves to see the reaction on people’s faces as he emphasizes the importance of prayer in a believer’s life. Jackson is also the president of Fervent Care Christian Academy that currently has over 180 kindergarten through 12 year-olds enrolled.
Pastor Jackson is very involved in his community, currently serving as a commissioner for the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. He was the first pastor in the history of Indianapolis to serve on the Police Merit Board, which is the governing body for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Jackson also served as the Director of the Far-Eastside Action Coalition that promotes mentoring, crime prevention and community service.
Pastor Jackson is looking towards the future and is considering how he can share the Gospel and touch the most lives. He has plans to launch a Virtual Reality prayer meeting next year as a way to expand his ministry. Jackson explains, “There are already groups assembling in VR and the church has to think more broadly to reach more people for Christ.” It is this hope that guides Jackson each day as he is led by the passage from James 5:16 that says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
