 Joe Jackson grew up in Cincinnati Ohio. As a youngster he accepted
Christ as his Savior at the age of 12 and grew up in a family with
good Christian values and influence.
However, as a youngster he also suffered with a serious lack of
self-confidence and low self-esteem. When he was in the sixth grade,
he had already grown to a height of almost 6 feet tall and weighed
over 170 pounds. He towered over his classmates and became an oddity
to his peers. In his biography Jackson said this made him feel odd,
weird, and he was clumsy.
As Jackson entered into his teen years, he began looking for
acceptance among his peers in the wrong way. Jackson admits he made
some very poor choices, and he soon found himself in a lot of
trouble. He spent time in juvenile detention and was headed for
something much more serious.
The one dream he had for his life was of being a professional
football player, but the route he was taking was leading him away
from that dream at an alarming pace. At the same time, he also came
to realize that his lifestyle was a huge disappointment to his
Christian parents. It was then that he realized he needed to make a
change in his life. His earlier commitment to God had not been what
it should have been. He needed to get back to the person he was as a
child; he needed to get back to God.
God began quietly and graciously working in Jackson's life, and
in his freshman year at New Mexico State University, he gave his
full heart to Christ. Thanks to the organization Campus Crusade for
Christ and others such as The Navigators and the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, Jackson's life changed radically.
In his athletic career, Jackson played football for New Mexico
State and was honored to become a member of that school's Hall of
Fame. In 1972 he was a fifth-round pick for the New York Jets. He
played for that team through 1975, then went to the Minnesota
Vikings. In 1977 he played in the Super Bowl with the Vikings
against the Oakland Raiders.
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In 1978 Jackson spent one year playing for the Canadian Edmonton
Eskimos, a consistent Gray Cup-winning team.
Today, Jackson is no longer playing football, but he is still
involved in athletics through evangelism. He is currently the pro
director of the Athletes International Ministries.
Jackson also travels as a gospel singer and youth evangelist. He
has spoken at over 3,000 high schools worldwide. His ministry
includes preaching and singing at youth rallies, high school and
junior high school assemblies, men's ministries, prison outreach,
and whatever other opportunity he feels God is opening the door for.
In addition he is a church evangelist at Phoenix First Assembly of
God Church in Arizona, where he lives.
Jackson says his passion in life is to reach out to people who
are hurting, who have made poor choices in life, and to encourage
them to fan the flame of the gifts God has given them. He wants
everyone to see that they are a treasure to God.
Jackson will be the special speaker on Easter Sunday at
LifePointe. For that day the services will begin at 10 a.m., one
hour earlier than normal. Everyone is invited to join the
congregation of LifePointe and receive a blessing from this special
man on this special day.
LifePointe Church of God is located at 601 Pulaski Street in the
former Courier Building.
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