About the Reverend Dr. R. Timothy Jones

R. Timothy Jones was born November 10, 1969 in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is the son of Ennis J. and Thelma L. Jones. Pastor Jones is married to the former Sherbrina M. Trammel and father of three fine children – Timothy, Jr., Titus and Mauri.

Reverend Jones is a 1987 graduate of Woodlawn High School and holds an Associate Degree in Drafting Technology (1989) from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion (1992) from Centenary College of Louisiana. In May, 1999, he received a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Reverend Jones was honored by Louisiana Baptist University with an honorary Doctor of Divinity (2001). He received a Doctor of Ministry degree at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia in May, 2009.

Reverend Jones preached his initial sermon on May 24, 1985 at the Bright Star Baptist Church in Shreveport. He is former pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church (1989-1994) of Mansfield, Louisiana. In the fall of 1994, Reverend Jones became the senior pastor of the Peaceful Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana where he currently serves. With Pastor Jones at the helm, Peaceful Rest has grown from 200 members to more than 2,000. Under his leadership, Peaceful Rest built a new worship facility at 8200 Saint Vincent Avenue in 2000, a gymnasium in 2006, and a multi-purpose center in 2013. Peaceful Rest built a church in Malawi, Africa in 2016.

Since coming to Peaceful Rest, Reverend Jones has led the congregation in the establishment of the John Douglas Thomas/Toyomi Z. Gober Scholarship Foundation, Women’s Enrichment Ministry, Men’s Discipleship, “Seasoned Saints” (ministry to senior adults), an overwhelming expansion of the Music Ministry, recreational ministries, family development series, radio, television, and Internet broadcasts and “The Church in the Park” (a community outreach initiative). 

The church also purchased and refurbished an apartment building in the heart of the Cedar Grove community, established the Cedar Grove Community Development Corporation, opened the Learning Center @ Peaceful Rest and an adult academy in conjunction with Southern University. Peaceful Rest is the largest minority employer on the south side of the city of Shreveport. 

Pastor Jones is a highly sought speaker having preached around the nation. Reverend Jones is a past member of a number of organizations including the DeSoto Parish Voters League and served on the Caddo Parish Citizens Committee for Quality School Facilities in 1997. He has served on the Superintendent’s Search Committee for the Caddo Parish School Board and on the Board of Governors for University Health (state hospital). He’s also served on the Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service Board for the City of Shreveport. 

In July, 2008, Pastor Jones was elected President of the Baptist Missionary & Educational State Convention of Louisiana (BMELA). Reverend Jones, Peaceful Rest and BMELA hosted the 129th annual session of the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated as well as the 2014 Mid-Winter Board Meeting.

Reverend Jones is past president of the Baptist Ministers Fellowship Conference of Shreveport & Vicinity (2000-2003). He is past moderator of the Mount Hermon Baptist Association (2003-2008). Pastor Jones is a former Dean of the National Baptist Convention of America. He is also a past president of the Louisiana Inter-Church Conference. 

The African American Pulpit magazine has cited Reverend Jones (in the summer 2008 issue) as one of “Twenty to Watch” which honors the leading young pastors in the nation. Dr. Jones was featured in the September, 2019 issue of Epitome magazine. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Religion at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, Texas. Dr. Jones is a past president of the Woodlawn High School Alumni Association. 

Dr. Jones is author of A Blessed and Highly Favored Life, Soul Care, Joy, Lessons Learned the Hard Way and Leave It on the Field. He is a 2015 Fellow of the Black Theology and Leadership at the Princeton Theological Seminary. In March, 2018, Dr. Jones is Past President of the Louisiana Inter-Church Conference. He now serves on the Board of Directors for LSU/Ochsner Health. 

Pastor Jones lives by three daily affirmations: “To thyself be true, to God be faithful and to others be kind.”