Jacob Jones

I was born in North Alabama on March 3, 1986. My grandfather was Troy L. Horton. A fiery preacher of the Gospel in the UPC and some independent Apostolic churches. I spent many services playing with hot wheels under the pew as he preached up a storm. It never occurred to me that what was happening in those services had anything to do with me. \

When I was 12 years old a young lady from The First United Pentecostal Church of Gadsden, AL (later renamed Church on the Rock), came by and asked my mother if she could take me and my sister to church. She would show up every Sunday and Wednesday until I was old enough to drive to myself. I was invited to the front after the service and felt the presence of God. For the first time in my life, I became aware that God was paying attention to me.

I was baptized in Jesus' name that year at the age of 12 and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost 2 years later. Because it took me two years to receive it, I didn't want to "lose" it. So, naturally, I prayed every day until I spoke in tongues to make sure I still had it. This devotion to prayer led to something amazing. After 6 months of praying every day, God gave me a dream. In the dream I was told by a prophet that God had given me a great mission. I knew this dream was special for 2 reasons. Number 1, it was so real. Secondly, I never dreamed. Well, I sleep so deeply that I've only recalled about 3 dreams in my entire life. This was the first one.

I kept this all to myself for about 2 years. At the age of 16 my pastor was preaching about calling and purpose one Sunday. I kept thinking about the dream but kept trying to suppress it. He stopped mid-sentence and came right to me. He said, "God gave you a dream, and you keep trying to forget it, and you tell yourself that it was only a dream, that it wasn't from God, but it was from God. God has given you a great mission, and one day millions of people will be won to God through your ministry and when you get to Heaven, many will try to come and thank you... But you have to be man enough to say it wasn't me, it was Him, and point to the throne." This was intense to say the least. Everyone in the church heard it. I could no longer keep my dream a secret. I had a great mission, but I did not know what it was.

The pressure to do this "great mission" began to mount when I graduated high school a couple of years later. This, along with the loss of my grandfather, was too much to bear. For fear of failure, I failed. I ran from my calling for the next 8 years. I spent 5 of those year serving in the Marines to “get away” from God. I couldn't get away though. The calling never stopped pulling at my heart.

In 2012 I finally walked back into an Apostolic church pastored by Darin Sargent in Escondido California. I prayed through and tried to lay low. I didn't feel like God could use me now after all I had done. I was content just being in His presence once more. However, I wasn't really content. God kept pulling me. In the altar after one service a man spoke a word to me under the anointing of the Holy Ghost. "I have not forgotten the dream I gave you, and I've given you a powerful gift that you will use soon." Now, I was 1800 miles away from anyone that knew anything about my dream or my calling. This man was certainly being used by God.

To make a long story short, I'm fully involved in ministry now. I'm licensed with the UPCI, and I'm preparing for that "great mission" soon. I've written my own Bible Study that I hope will lead millions to the Truth and to God be the glory!