SEABOARD MODERATOR

Reverend Dr. Alphonso Jackson has been the Senior Pastor/Teacher of Second Baptist Church since October 1, 2000. He leads a congregation of over 3,200 members whose motto is: “The Church in the Heart of the Community, With the Community at Heart.”

Rev. Jackson was born in Hollywood, Florida. He was called to the ministry in August 1980 and preached his initial sermon at New Shiloh Baptist Church under the leadership of his father, the late Reverend Dr. Arthur Jackson Jr.

As youth pastor for New Shiloh from 1981-1984, Jackson’s “uncompromising and bold teaching of God’s Word,” wrote those who knew him well, “changed the lives of many people.” The Lord continued to find favor in Jackson and in 1985 he became the senior pastor of St. James Baptist Church in Coconut Grove. He served faithfully at St. James for more than 16 years.

In 1984, Rev. Jackson married the love of his life, the former, Dewana Williams. They have two children, Rev. Alphonso J. Jackson Jr. (Jamila) and Brianna Jackson; two beautiful granddaughters, Angelina and Allison Jackson, and one handsome grandson, Alphonso J. Jackson, III.

An educator at heart, from 1980-2000, Rev. Jackson was an instructor in the Miami-Dade County Public School System where he was honored in 1993 as Teacher of the Year.

In 2004, Rev. Jackson was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Saint Thomas Christian College. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education in 1980 at Olivet Nazarene University, Kankakee, Illinois. Rev. Jackson completed his graduate studies at Florida Memorial College and Advanced Seminary studies at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Recently, he graduated from Knox Theological Seminary with his Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological studies.

Noted as a community leader, Rev. Jackson has served as a board member of Coconut Grove Cares and a board member of One Church One Child. In July 2014, then-Congressman Joe Garcia welcomed Jackson to Washington, D.C. to commence the daily congressional session with a prayer. Jackson was the Moderator for the Seaboard Baptist Missionary Association of Florida Inc., from 2008 to 2016 and held the position of second Vice-President of the Florida State General Baptist State Convention.

He was presented the Citizen of the Year Award by Omega Psi Phi Pi Nu Chapter in 2015 and also received the Church of the Decade Award by Collective Empowerment Group in November 2015.

Rev. Jackson received the Distinguished Achiever Award by ICABA International Inc. in September 2015