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Meet the Pastor, George Jackman
Meet the Praise Band Leader
Meet our Pastor, George Jackman & his family
Jesus said, I shall build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I have been blessed that the Lord has allowed me, a sinner to participate in the planting of Higher Ground Baptist Church. Anything I do right is because of the Lords leading and his favor. Anything I do wrong is because I was not listening to him. One thing I did do right was to marry my beautiful bride of 18 years, Sherry. We have been blessed with five of the best Children in the World! I never knew just how great a father’s love could be until I became a father myself. I was born of the flesh in May of 1966 at the Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport, Ma. I was born again in Oct. of 1989 in Millington, TN.
My goal in life, as my high school year book stated was to be a US Marine, a warrior. Nothing else interested me. After almost completing my first tour as a Reconnaissance Marine, I contacted the French Foreign Legion to enlist. My goal was to be a Mercenary. I lived a life that was totally offensive to God and anyone else with a conscience.
Even though I did not know God, he always looked out for me and kept me safe. More than once I should have been dead. During these lost days of my life, my brother Dan, who I am very close to, had accepted Jesus. My father told me this news and I told my Dad he better keep that bible thumping junk away from me. My Dad said he is your brother and you should love him anyways. What I did not know is that at this time my brother had thrown out a fleece. He said, God, if you are real, have my brother George become a Christian! That would be nothing short of a miracle!
While I was in School in Millington, TN my wife was being drawn by the Holy Spirit to turn back to God. She asked me to go to Church with her so I did. I do not remember anything that was preached, I was just hoping my wife would feel better. During the next week the, “Bible Thumpers” as I called them were coming to my door. I told my wife I was leaving out the back to make an escape. I wanted nothing to do with them. She begged me to stay so I did.
They shared the Gospel with me and I do not even remember what was being said, my wife was worried I would never go to Church again because of how hard they were pushing me. Like a fast forward motion picture movie, God started to show me all my sin in my minds eye. It was awful to see what I had done and how offensive it was to God.. I then came back to what my visitors were saying and I asked Christ to forgive me of my sins and I asked him into my heart.
I went to Church for about five years not really understanding much. I continued to struggle with the challenges of alcohol and many other desires of the flesh. The way I describe it, I was a babe that had one toe in the Church and the rest of me was still in the World. I continued to make ungodly choices.
It was around 1994 as a Marine Corps Recruiter in Beverly MA that I broke down. I went from one of the top producing recruiters in New England to a recruiter who barely made his objectives, nothing was going right. No matter how hard I worked, how many hours I put in, nothing was going right. I missed my kids terribly and felt so guilty with the hours the Marines required. Fifteen to seventeen hours a day was the norm. I looked over Beverly Harbor and I cried out to God for help. I called and he answered! It wasn’t long after that that the Lord called me to the ministry. It happened during the Marine Corps Birthday at the Days Inn in Kittery ME. It was a special night and words could not do it justice so I will not even attempt to describe it.
After twelve years of service I left the Marine Corps to serve the Lord. God set me up with one of his field Generals (My Opinion!) Ph.D. Steven Tskoukalas the founder of Sound Doctrine Ministries (www.sdmin.com) Steve took me under his wings and trained me in God’s foundational truths. I spent many years going with him and visiting members of various cult groups. He taught me what a leader in the Christian Community is suppose to be like, I am forever grateful to this man of God and his wife Sandy. When I stumbled and fell with a DWI, Stephen, the members of Sound Doctrine Ministries, My Pastor Dr. William Boylan of Byfield Parish Church and the body of Christ lifted me back up. Dr Boylan stood with me in Court, as I pleaded guilty with tears in my eyes. He stood by my side, showing me how to be a Sheppard! How foolish of me, addictions are so tough. I share my weakness on this site so that anyone who reads this can know that no matter how bad you sin, if you ask Jesus, he will forgive you! Just before I went in the court room, Bill said to me, George, I do not think this will ruin your ministry. Thank you Bill!, I really needed your encouragement. I love you all for loving me in spite of my foolishness! I want to share with the World the love of Christ, I want to share his mercy and grace with everyone out there, like myself, that just can’t seem to get it right. (Romans 7:14-25)
Like Jonah, I have finally stopped running from my call that came almost ten years ago. Today, I am obedient to the Lords calling in my life and serving him as the founding Pastor of Higher Ground Baptist Church. I am blessed to be working full time and leading the sales team of Post Woodworking. I have also been taking Higher Education classes at Grand Canyon University with a focus in Pastoral Ministry.
I became an ordained minister of the Gospel while living in Port Charlotte Florida. I went through the process with our father church, Murdock Baptist.
Late one evening while watching the Passion of the Christ, God convicted me in my heart about my disobedience to what he had called me to do. I was up most of the night. He said to me, this is what my Son did for you, why aren’t you willing to be obedient and serve me? The next day I told my wife it was time for me to be obedient and to go. I know I was called to Raymond, New Hampshire however I had no specifics. I told my boss I was leaving my position as Vice President, placed my house on the market, and waited for God. Murdock supported us in prayer and commissioned us to go. We miss them all so much!
Another great blessing for us has been our mother church, Providence Baptist of Epping, NH. They have been so faithful to us in prayer and Pastor Adam Houston has given honest, truthful, valuable council. Most importantly they supported members of their Church who felt led to be with us, again I am so grateful.
The road has been long however I am excited to serve. He has placed many people in my life that have been teachers, friends and most importantly real, sold out brothers and sisters in Christ. I look forward to serving Christ at Higher Ground until I finish the race or when and if the body kicks me out of the pulpit! God has placed on my heart that Higher Ground will be impacting generations, one soul at a time. Praise him!
In closing, I love you Jesus, the members of Higher Ground who all serve so selflessly and those who Jesus died for, for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world. But to save the world through him. Friends, if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed!
In Him,
Pastor George
Click here pastorgeorge@hgbcnh.org to contact George
info coming soon!
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