A Soldier, Faithful and True

James Shelvy Jones
Home with Jesus
November 13, 2008

Dear Kelly, Willow and Holly,

God brought me into contact with your beloved husband and wonderful father in the summer of 2006. He caught my eye as he was ministering to people with gospel literature in a crowded area at Riverside Park in Grants Pass. I watched him with great interest. He was that soldier, with satchel strapped to his side, carrying munitions, the truth, to those in the battlefield of the world. When he looked as though he was finished, I sauntered over to him.

"Hi," my name is Mark Sumpter. "I'm Jim, Jim Jones."

"Jim, may I have one of your booklets?"

"Notta problem, in fact, take 10 or 15 and give them away," Jim's face brightened as he gave me the tracts.

That started my relationship with Jim Jones, a blessed fool for Christ and a soldier-ambassador.

Jim and I met for the next 3-4 months, nearly every Saturday, going downtown in Grants Pass talking to people about the Lord Jesus Christ, just as we see him doing in the picture above. He was my mentor. He helped me to keep an eye on that most-needful work of gospel witness to the lost of Grants Pass.

God so wonderfully and generously gifted Jim with humor; he genuinely was able to put people at an emotional rest for 20 or 30 minutes in order for the gospel to be clearly explained. I was stunned with his disarming ways. He was witty in his witness, and he was a straight-shooter about man's law-breaking ways; and he was a straight-shooter with respect to gladly telling sinners where solid, lasting hope and joy may be found. He boldly and clearly presented Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Jim's way of opening the message of Christ, I saw it on several occasions, was to be in the Bible, literally, to open the Word and read and teach and explain. In his way of cracking open the Bible to teach the Scriptures, he drew in inquirers.

Kelly, I cannot reach through this screen to offer a hug. And Willow and Holly, I cannot share your physical tears at this moment. Jesus alone, the one of Whom Jim spoke so confidently, never will leave you, and never will forsake you. The Lord is your Shepherd, He will lead you beside quiet waters and into green pastures. He will watch over and keep you soul. Our love through Jesus Christ is yours. We pour out intercessory prayer for you, for your comfort in your loss.

Your husband and father, and our brother, has gone home to be with His Lord, the Captain of the fight. My blessed Christian friend, Jim Jones, will be long-remembered in my heart. God gave the church of the Lord Jesus Christ here in the Rogue Valley a tremendous gift in Jim for these years. God gave to me Jim's example of fervor and zeal for preaching Christ. I will never forget his life and ministry. God is so very good.

O may thy soldiers faithful, true and bold
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Blessed be the glorious name of our God--Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our great God gave Jim Jones and He has now taken him home to glory.

Through Christ, Who is our Living Hope and Blessed Redeemer,

G. Mark Sumpter, Pastor
Faith Presbyterian Church/Grants Pass