The son of an equine veterinarian, Pastor Allen Jackson spent his formative years helping his father care for horses and other animals—and many of his sermons include stories and lessons learned in the barns, fields, and countryside of Tennessee. Though he often jokes that he was “raised in a barn,” his life journey has proven to be impactful. He began his studies in the sciences, determined to pursue a career in medicine, but his course was altered by Matthew 16:18: “I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
“That verse changed my life,” Pastor Allen said. “My spiritual formation didn’t take place inside a more traditional church setting. I accepted Jesus as Lord of my life on the kitchen floor of my childhood home. I was baptized in the Atlantic Ocean in Fort Lauderdale. I had to learn to understand the value of Church and corporate worship, and God’s people standing together. When I read Matthew 16:18, I began to say to God, ‘If there’s anything I can do to help with building Your Church, I’m in.’”