Pastor Dennis Carl Jones is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana. He accepted Christ at an early age and united with Canaan Baptist Church of Gloster, Louisiana under the leadership of Reverend W. L. Davis. Pastor Jones accepted the call to the Gospel Ministry and preached his initial message at the Baptist Temple Church of Shreveport, Louisiana in August 1978. Currently he is a member of the Mount Canaan Baptist Church of Shreveport, Louisiana, under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Harry Blake.

In Shreveport, Pastor Jones attended Woodlawn High School and also studied at Louisiana State University and Southern University. He served as pastor of Union Mission #2 Baptist Church (1979 – 1983) and Hopewell Baptist Church (1983 – 1991), both in Shreveport.  Additionally, he served as pastor of Stonewall Missionary Baptist Church from 1991 until April, 1998, in Bossier City, Louisiana.

On April 11, 1998, Rev. Dennis Carl Jones was elected the 5th Pastor of the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church. His first sermon at Gethsemane was on May 2, 1998, and his investiture service was on June 14, 1998. After the arrival of Pastor Jones, the cornerstone for the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church was laid on July 11, 1999 and the Multi-Purpose Center was completed.  The Multi-Purpose Center was dedicated on December 10, 1999 in honor of the late Dr. Hayward Wiggins. Under Pastor Jones’ leadership, the membership and budget have increased and a $3.4 million mortgage was liquidated nine years early.  With a vision of expansion, Pastor Jones led the church to purchase 3.3 acres of land adjacent to the present church property and the recent completion of upgrades to the present sanctuary.

Pastor Jones has a dual focus for the Church, to address the needs of the community both spiritually and physically. Ministering to these needs include: increasing attendance at Thursday Night Live Bible Study, increasing participation in evangelism through the S.W.A.T. (Soul Winning Action Team) Ministry; which is supported by the Door-to Door, Prayer, Homeless, Hospital, Nursing Home & Shut-In and Prison Ministries, ministering to those in need through the C.A.R.E. (Christian Assistance Relief Endeavor), H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Prosper Emotionally), Can-Cer-Vive (Cancer Support) and Prayer Ministries and encouraging the saints through the Couples In Christ (Marriage Ministry), Joshua Generation (Young Adult Ministry) and Singles Ministry.  Pastor Jones’ unique foresight of oneness combined the men and women auxiliaries into one unified purpose of service, focusing on work and witnessing.  The Master’s Men and the Women of Work, Worship and Witness (W.O.W.) ministries were organized.

In honor of Gethsemane’s 50th Anniversary, Pastor Jones provided inspirational leadership in a “Jubilee Celebration” emphasizing the twelve tribes of Israel. The fellowship surrounding the twelve tribes of Israel led Pastor Jones to organize a Cell Ministry on June 30, 2002. This ministry, through the tribes, has met the needs of the church family through sharing the Word of God, prayer, visitation, and finance during times of bereavement, illness, and other special needs.

Pastor Jones has a ministry that reaches beyond the church walls as he is a well sought after revivalist, preaching his first sermon overseas on July 12, 2009 in Atebubu, Ghana. His ongoing passion for the ministry and foreign mission also led him to preach a recent revival in Panama City, Panama.

He has served in many leadership positions on the local, state, and national levels. These leadership positions have included being the Executive Secretary/Treasurer and Tent Revival Coordinator for the Evangelical Board of the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated and a Board Member of the Baptist World Alliance. He currently serves as Executive Secretary/Treasurer of the Foreign Mission Board in the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.  He is also affiliated with the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas.  In addition to his church and denominational work, he also serves the community as a member of the Community Advisory Board for the Houston Independent and Galena Park Independent School Districts.  Pastor Jones is married to the former Zora Thompson and has one son, Darius DeCarl Jones.