Pastor Edward Jackson, Jr.
Pastor Edward Jackson Jr. was born in Buffalo, New York to Mrs. Karen Jackson and the late Mr. Edward Jackson, Sr. Confessing his belief in Christ at an early age, he grew up in the church, working and serving the people of God. This foundation established by his parents, family, church, teachers, and mentors, provided the motivation for the direction his life has gone.
Pastor Jackson is a man who truly values education, and has worked diligently to achieve his educational goals. He received his elementary education at Public School #3, and his high school education at Hutchinson Central Technical High School, all located in the "City of Good Neighbors", Buffalo, New York. In August of 1998, Pastor Jackson journeyed outside of Buffalo to Atlanta, GA to the Historic Morehouse College to begin his collegiate studies. Pastor Jackson is a 2002 graduate of Morehouse College receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He continued is educational pursuits becoming, a 2008 graduate of Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (Lombard, IL), earning a Master of Divinity Degree. Most recently he became a 2013 graduate of the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, obtaining a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.
On June 13, 1999, Pastor Jackson accepted God’s calling to the gospel ministry, and in August of 1999, he preached his first sermon entitled “Don’t be ashamed to do God’s Will.” Since then, God has truly blessed and expanded his ministry. Pastor Jackson has had the privilege to preach in various cities across the United States, on the continent of Africa, in the country of Kenya, and to be an Instructor for the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education. However, Pastor Jackson does not only see his ministry being one limited to the pulpit. For, he has a passion for counseling, and helping people who are struggling through this medium. He has utilized these skills with the Community Health Center of Buffalo, NY. Currently, he still provides counseling to individuals in the church and in our community.
In November of 2013, God called Pastor Jackson to become the Interim Pastor of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Three months later God moved on the hearts of the people, and Pastor Jackson was asked to become the full time Pastor of the Church. On February 28, 2014, Pastor Jackson was installed as pastor of the church, and since then God has proven himself to be more than faithful to him and God’s people. Under Pastor Jackson's leadership, the congregation of the Friendship church has increased and become more generationally diverse. The church has intentionally worked to become more engaged in our surrounding community and engaged in social issues. Purchased a 35 passenger mini coach and a 14 passenger bus with handicap accessibility, and completed many modernization efforts within the church. However, what means more than any of his to Pastor Jackson are the lives that have been changed and the relationships that have been healed by the preaching and teachings of the word of God. All of this progress is credited to the faithfulness, goodness, and grace of God.
Pastor Jackson is affiliated with many organizations in our city and nation. However, the two closest to his heart are his fraternity, The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie County. He is the very proud husband to his wife Kim, and is an even more proud father to son Cole and daughters Leah and Noel. Pastor Jackson’s life motto still remains “To God be the Glory, for the things HE has done.”