Thank You, John Paul Jackson

John Paul Jackson

I love Jesus. His friendship, faithfulness and redeeming love has been my ever-present comfort and strength since I was just a little girl.

I've always had this connection with God that is revealed in nature and other “unique” ways- colors, seasons, smells, images, textures.  I thought of myself like a bit of an oddball since I felt I communicated/connected with God in these sensory venues and everyday stories.

Where most people thought I was crazy, I was introduced to a Godly man who founded my “craziness” and gave words and understanding to the spiritual world around me that I found myself.

His name was John Paul Jackson and today he passed away.

When I first learned the news of his passing, I was filled with grief. As the day trudged forward, the weightiness of the news became heavier on me. 

As I think back on my teenage and early adult years, John Paul Jackson is one of the people who had a tremendous influence on my life – though I never met him personally. While I was so very young, I remember watching (and hearing about) the interaction between John Paul Jackson and John Wimber (a Vineyard Pastor). I appreciated the way John Paul would work in conjunction with the local church and respect the Pastoral leadership of the Church community.

John Paul taught me that character supersedes gifting. 

I took weekend classes out-of-town called, “The Art of Hearing God.” In his classes I learned how to quietly listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.  He taught us, through various other teachers, how to play games and do some activities to isolate His “voice” and learn how to adjust our lives to listen to Him.  He taught about the three pitfalls of ministry to watch out for (Gold, Girls/Guys, Glory).  I discovered through multiple classes that my odd connection to God in nature and life activities was actually a gift and ability to see supernatural lessons and concepts in my physical world around me.

As I look through my old class material, I recognize so much of my formation as a leader arose out of John Paul Jackson’s classes.  His leadership training was unique in its approach of Spirit sensitivity, while being explained and supported by Biblical stories and verses.

John Paul’s classes were heavy in service-leadership language.  The goal of cooperating with the Spirit was never to be ‘weird,’ but to support and serve the Pastors and church leaders and to operate within the spiritual covering and authority God has given.

In my 20’s, I attended John Paul Jackson’s Dream Interpretation classes.  My ability to see ‘supernatural’ lessons in our physical world expanded as I learned how to listen to dreams and guide people to God through their dreams.  I learned that, indeed, God is speaking to everyone and drawing people to himself- even in the venues of dreams. 

John Paul Jackson’s legacy and influence on my life will continue forever- and I'm just one minor person. As today is Ash Wednesday, the scripture that came to my mind when I learned of the passing of John Paul Jackson is John 12:24 – “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” My prayer is that John Paul’s years of ministry and planting seeds will continue to produce much more fruit.

Thank you, John Paul, for your encouragement and teaching to seek God's face, learn to listen to His voice and follow my Savior's lead.  You will be missed greatly, my spirit aches at the hole you leave behind, but I have no doubt I will see you again.