PASTOR THERON JACKSON

Dr. Theron Jackson is the pastor of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Morning Star has been under the leadership of Dr. Jackson since 2011 and he has helped the membership grow through online streaming and radio broadcast.  His vision was to create an atmosphere that would attract new believers to the kingdom of God.

 Jackson is a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana.  In 1993, he married Rhonda Williams and they have two children, Christian and Camryn.

 Jackson is a charismatic and powerful speaker and preacher whose sermons are broadcast over the radio and live streamed over the internet.  His preaching and teaching is centered on the word of God.  He is an acclaimed author and wrote his first book, Never Be Nothing in 2010.  Never Be Nothing aims to educate us about the problem's seriousness and thus empower us to help break the cycle of despair once and for all.  

In addition to Jackson’s local ministry, he has received numerous honors and degrees.  A graduate of Louisiana Tech University, he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and he received his Master’s of Divinity from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH.  He holds a Master’s Degree and an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Louisiana Baptist University.  Jackson also has had opportunities to do further studies at Texas A&M University and Harvard University.  In addition, Dr. Jackson completed the Certificate in Fund Raising Management from Indiana University. In August of 2022, Rev. Jackson successfully completed a Ph.D. program at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy at Southern University Baton Rouge, La.

A great believer in community involvement, Jackson is very active in numerous associations including Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a board member of the Metropolitan Planning Commission, Vice Moderator of the 13th District Baptist Association, President of the Baptist Minister’s Fellowship of Shreveport-Bossier City area, and he has initiated numerous ministries to minister health, education, and financial welfare of the community.

Some former positions held includes:  He served on the City Council from 2002 through 2006 and was the chairman in 2004, President of the 13th District Baptist Association Congress of Christian Education, President of the Baptist Minister’s Fellowship of Shreveport-Bossier City area, board member of Habitat for Humanity, Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, National Advancement for the Association of Colored People, YMCA, President of the Shreveport Minority Business Council, board member for Sci-Port Discovery Center, and lastly a board member for the Caddo Council on Aging. 

RECIPIENTS OF GRANTS IN THE

2021 NATIONAL CLERGY RENEWAL PROGRAM

Morning Star MBC has received a grant of $50,000 to enable its minister, Dr. Theron Jackson, to participate in the 2021 National Clergy Renewal Program. Morning Star MBC is one of 156 congregations across the United States selected to participate in this competitive grant program, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and administered by Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Established by the Endowment in 2000, the program’s grants allow Christian congregations to support their pastors with the gift of extended time away from their ministerial duties and responsibilities.

Ministers whose congregations are awarded the grants use their time away from the demands of daily ministry to engage in reflection and renewal. The approach respects the “Sabbath time” concept, offering ministers a carefully considered respite that may include travel, study, rest, prayer and immersive arts and cultural experiences.

Through the National Clergy Renewal Program, congregations apply for grants of up to $50,000 to support renewal programs for their pastors. Collaborative in nature and implementation, the program allows congregations to partner with their ministers in developing experiences that address their unique renewal needs and aspirations. Recognizing that ministers’ families are subject to the stress and demands placed on pastoral leaders, the program encourages pastors to involve their families in renewal activities. Congregational needs during the minister’s renewal experience also are considered. Up to $15,000 of the grant may be used to support interim pastoral leadership during the pastor’s retreat, as well as renewal activities within the congregation. Since the National Clergy Renewal Program’s inception, more than 3,200 congregations have participated in the program, including the 156 congregations receiving grants in 2021.

Pastor Jackson will travel, reflect, and renew during this time. He will also complete his doctoral dissertation at Southern University Baton Rouge’s Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences. “Pastors play an important role in nourishing the spiritual lives of individuals and in guiding the work of the Christian congregations they serve,” said Christopher L. Coble, the Endowment’s vice president for religion. “Through these grants, we seek to honor pastors for their extraordinary service and enable them to engage in a brief period of rest and renewal. We have learned that such experiences invigorate the leadership of pastors and bring new vitality to their congregations as well.”

Dr. Robert Saler, research fellow and director of the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs, noted that the National Clergy Renewal Program integrates key attributes of healthy congregations, including a mutual respect for the renewal needs of both ministers and the congregations they serve.

“The program provides an opportunity for congregations to express appreciation for their ministers’ service and leadership,” Saler said. “At a time when leaders are often praised for their pace of innovation and productivity, the National Clergy Renewal Program pays homage to the timeless wisdom embedded in the practice of reflection and renewal.”

Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis directs the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program for Indiana Congregations and a second program for congregations across the United States.