One Saturday morning as Pastor Kristi Jones pulled into the parking lot of Memorial Baptist Church, she found a man sleeping in the rain at the building’s entrance.
Jones’ simple question, “Is there anything I can do for you?” eventually led the man to returning for the next morning’s worship service, where he was linked to practical help for what he said was alcohol addiction.
It’s fitting that the 32-year-old Jones, a native of nearby Versailles in Ripley County, would be a welcomer of a weekend stranger. Because, ideally, she longs for God to use her and her church body as ones to open doors to God’s love for others, especially amid life’s rain storms.
That’s why she shops at the Love Chapel food pantry on behalf of needy clients every Tuesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why she serves as a volunteer chaplain there.
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That’s why church members reach out at a nearby laundromat through a project called Loads of Love. They leave $10 prepaid cards for the washers and dryers for customers to do their laundry for free, and sometimes members hang around and ask customers if they need help sorting or folding to speed the process.
In her first few months as Memorial’s senior pastor, Jones spent time visiting members’ homes to get to know them.
She has also built relationships with families in her dual role as youth minister by attending student functions that include everything from sports events to plays and more. She has found that some people are more relaxed at such meet-ups than if she visits them at home.
“That way, they’re not worried about hiding things (from the pastor) in the cabinet,” Jones said with a smile. “And maybe they’re not trying so hard not to cuss.”
In the past, in a situation such as on a plane, she almost never shared that she was a minister when people asked what she did for a living.
“I’ve wanted to keep a conversation going rather than seeing it be immediately shut down,” Jones said with a chuckle.
She stopped to consider how most people would describe her in her spiritual leadership role.
“I think they’d say I’m relational,” she said. “I’m an introvert — big time — but I love people. In fact, I don’t know how I could do ministry and not really love people.”
Jones would like everyone to feel God’s love at the church.
“I would hope that people would say this is a loving place to be, no matter what journey they might be on,” she said. “I would hope that they feel very accepted.”
She recently sat in the church sanctuary to answer a few questions.
You have faced and overcome many obstacles. Tell us about that.
“I was born with a craniofacial birth defect that left me with many doctors visits and surgeries throughout my childhood. I can remember riding in the car to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for one of my major surgeries and literally scared to death. I knew the risk related to surgery and was fearful if I’d even make it through, and past that, the pain and length of recovery following the surgery was enough to keep me in tears the whole ride up there.
“But I remember sitting back in the pre-op room getting ready for surgery and feeling the presence of the Spirit with me, coming in and settling me down. It was through moments like these where at a very young age, I started to understand more fully what it meant to trust God when nothing around me was making sense.”
How has your experience with the medical challenges impacted your ministry?
“Being born with a birth defect has greatly impacted my walk with Christ and allowed me to grow in my relationship with God. But it has also equipped me to sit with people as they prepare for surgery, or wait for a loved one to get out of surgery — although I continuously have to work through my own fear of hospitals and needles regularly.”
A lot of Christian churches focus heavily on married couples and families in their messages. You purposely have spoken frequently about the single life. Why?
“Part of the reason is because I have lived more of my life as a single person than as a married person.”
You feel a strong draw to be visible out in the community at events like the racial justice rally held recently at Columbus City Hall?
“Yes. My office hours are limited specifically so I can be out in the community. And for me that event was amazing just to see the solidarity.”
Are you growing fully accustomed to some people addressing you as Pastor Kristi?
“I still think of myself as just Kristi. And I would never use the pastor title as a way to gain an advantage or gain power.”
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Name: Kristi Jones
Age: 32
Hometown: Versailles
Post: Senior pastor at Memorial Baptist Church in Columbus for the past 18 months.
Education: Master of Divinity degree from Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
Also, bachelor’s degree in youth ministries and Christian education from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana.
Family: Husband Christopher, married 20 months.
Ministry milestone: Her ordination is scheduled Aug. 9 at the church.
Down time: a round of golf, walking her dog Jazz, or learning how to garden.
Favorite flicks: "I love anything Marvel, but also have a newfound respect for the ‘Star Wars’ movies. Don’t get me wrong though, I love a good romantic comedy and Disney movie anytime as well."
Columbus’ best attribute: "The creativity that is here. Whether that is the art found as one is walking downtown, or the spaces designed to enjoy nature or architecture. I’d even include the variety of places to eat and things to do as well."
Musings: She blogs with some regularity and considerable depth and heart on topics great and small at cravegodmore.blogspot.com
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People of Faith is an occasional question-and-answer series focusing on personalities and leaders in the local, multifaceted faith community.
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