TAHLEQUAH — Although Faith Fellowship Church is non-denominational church, Pastor Roger Jones has his own description.

“I like to tell people we are Bapti-costal,” said Jones. “We love the freedom we have to worship and let the Holy Spirit move, but keep the pre-eminence on the teaching of the word.”

Jones began his work as a pastor about 10 years ago.

“My first wife and I started the church and then my wife passed away and I stepped down from the ministry for a while,” he said. “I started Faith Fellowship back up about four years ago.”

Before FFC, he pastored Keys Faith Mission for a short time and before that, he served as children’s pastor for New Life and Calvary Assembly of God.

Jones grew up in west Tulsa, graduating from Daniel Webster High. His ministry mentoring began shortly after he was saved in Omaha, Neb. He studied under one of the most requested youth pastors in the nation, Jeanne Mayo, and was ordained through a non-denominational fellowship.

“A few weeks before my 20th birthday, I was saved while in the U.S. Air Force,” Jones said. “I immediately began to devour the scriptures. Although I felt the passion for ministry, at that time the Lord confirmed to me that I was to ‘bloom where I was planted.’”

Shortly after, he re-enlisted for a second term, and the Air Force transferred him to Abilene, Texas.

“I began a home Bible study. The Air Force was a great mission field as there were plenty of young airmen who hungered for fellowship and a home away from home,” he said. “We opened our house to them every Friday night with snacks and fellowship and a Bible study. We saw many come to the Lord through our work there.”

Then he felt God calling him into the ministry.

“While praying by my waterbed for our Friday night Bible study, the Lord spoke to me, saying, ‘Get out of the Air Force, go to Tahlequah, and continue your grandmother’s work.’”

His grandmother was Geneva Cobb, a Pentecostal Holiness preacher during the 1960s and 1970s at Revival Tabernacle Church, located on Shawnee near Water Street.

“I don’t remember too much about it,” Jones said. “Though I don’t remember any of her sermons, after I got saved I remember how the words to ‘just have a little talk with Jesus’ came flooding back to my mind from being at her church.”

Mentors who have encouraged and taught Jones include Jeanne Mayo and her husband, Pastor Sam Mayo.

Another vital person in his life and ministry is his new wife, Carolyn.

“My wonderful wife, Carolyn, and I have been married about six months. She is everything I asked God for and more. She is a very supportive wife,” he said.

Those visiting Faith Fellowship will be welcomed, he said.

“Our congregation is a wonderful bunch of people with amazing talent. They are kind and giving and loving and supportive,” he said. “I count myself extremely blessed to pastor the people God has brought to Faith Fellowship.

Music is an important aspect of the church worship. His longtime friend, Nola Jeanne Baird, is their contemporary worship leader.

“I first met Nola Jeanne while doing children’s ministry at Calvary. She is so talented and can pick up on any song I want to sing, even if she’s never heard it,” Jones said. “Additionally, we have numerous people within the congregation who sing specials, Doyle and Sandy Matthews, Ed and Shelia Moss to name a few.

The heart of church is the word, Jones said.

Series he have preached this past year include “Sacred Agent Man: Doing the Work of an Evangelist,” “Spiritual Warfare,” and “Running the Race.”

“Also, I do a prophecy update once a year and keep the congregation updated on current events as they occur and where they may fit in the scriptures,” Jones said. “ Prophecy is a subject some pastors stay away from, but I believe we are about to be plunged into a period of time that the Bible speaks more about than any other period in history. And God wants us to be the watchman, knowing the times we are living in.”

Having their home in Tahlequah is another blessing, he said.

 

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