ABOUT OUR SENIOR PASTOR
PASTOR MARCUS JACKSON
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Pastor Marcus was introduced to God’s grace and healing power while migrating through the New York City foster-care system. While at a prayer meeting in the home of his foster parents, James and Esther Harris of Jamaica Queens, NY, God healed him from a severe speech impediment of stuttering. At that time, the Lord's plan for Pastor Marcus was established!
In the journey towards God's ultimate plan for his life, Pastor Marcus served in the United
States Armed Forces and was stationed in Korea where he became fluent in the language.
This experience was completely God-ordained as Pastor Marcus is able to cross language
barriers to reach and create ecclesial partnerships with other cultures. He is also able to bring
life to his sermons by correlating military experiences with service in God's Kingdom.
As Pastor Marcus continued to matriculate through life after the military, He did as many who
are called to God's service, chose a path in what he thought was the opposite direction.
However, when God has placed a mandate on one's life, there are no paths away from God
as they all return back to His purpose for one's life. This became a reality for Pastor Marcus
who, in opting for a different path, found himself facing thirteen (13) felony charges that carried
with it a sentence of 25 years, hard labor. But the grace and mercy of God allowed him to be
released after serving only three months. This guided Pastor Marcus further along his path back to God's plan.
In April 1984, while in a New York homeless shelter program, he migrated to California with a goal to become a vagabond or drifter. A drug and alcohol abuser, he slept on the benches in the streets of Los Angeles and sometimes stayed in shelters. One year later, he heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and visited the Home Assembly Church where on Wednesday, June 19, 1985 his path returned him to God and he surrendered his life. On this day, Pastor Marcus was baptized in the name of Jesus and received the gift of the Holy Ghost with an overflowing of speaking in tongues as the Spirit of God gave utterance. Since giving his life fully to the Lord, Pastor Marcus was fully delivered from alcoholism, drug addiction and found shelter in the eternal house
of the Lord. Pastor Marcus is truly a testament to the awesome power and hand of God in changing one’s life, which lends to his passion for outreach.
Soon after receiving salvation, Pastor Marcus went to work for God first as the church's Janitor then later as one of the church bus drivers. These honorable positions in the Kingdom afforded him the opportunity to learn from the testimonies of others about God's faithfulness; encouraging him to continue on his journey for the Lord which led him through a series of duties that have all contributed towards building him to become an effective Senior Pastor. These positions included Sunday School Teacher, Executive Board Member, Ordained Minister, Assistant Pastor, and Executive Pastor. At New Life Academy, a Christian Education School founded at and formerly administered by Home Assembly Church, Pastor Marcus served as the Physical Education (PE) Instructor and Basketball Coach. Former students still affectionately refer to him as "Coach".
As Pastor Marcus' continued on his path in the Kingdom, he enrolled at Biola University where in May 2004 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership. Three years later on March 18, 2007, in a service officiated by Dr. Vanessa D. Ussery he became an Ordained Minister through Apostolic Faith Home Assembly, Inc. Then on June 29, 2007, he received his National Ordination through the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. in an Ordination Service officiated by Bishop Henry L. Johnson at the California District Council 2007 Summer Conference.
Since committing his life to the Lord, Pastor Marcus has not only remained active within the church, but also seeks and travels avenues that open doors for Kingdom and community partnerships. One avenue led to his participation in and graduation from the 2009 Passing the Mantle Program at the Center for Religion & Civic Culture of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Another avenue has
led him to become a Committee Member of the Korean and Latino Community Association, which is enhanced by his fluency in the Korean and familiarity with the Spanish languages. With a strong belief that God desires united worship, Pastor Marcus is confident that the Lord will allow these languages to come together under one roof in the form of three services: English language, Korean language, and Spanish language services at the Home Assembly Church. It is certain that we are all one in God!
Innovative and analytical are just a few of the characteristics to describe Pastor Marcus. He is also a gifted writer of song and poem, and has penned numerous acronym-based phrases that are underway to becoming copyrighted. He is known to watch and observe his environment; quietly assessing situations and individuals before commenting or sharing a response. His prayerful approach to matters of life coupled with his experiences have positioned him to become a living example of a good leader. This is further enhanced by his years of loyal, humble service to Dr. Vanessa Dantzler Ussery, his pastor and mentor.
In the year 2000, Dr. Ussery obeyed the voice of the Lord and began grooming him to become Senior Pastor and
in the years following, Pastor Marcus diligently listened and humbly obeyed guidance shared and directives given.
This unwavering support became critical during the church's sale of the Adams property and relocation to the
Figueroa property in Summer 2008. In the face of this major change, the church faced numerous obstacles and
challenges which served to prove Pastor Marcus dedication to the ministry. In Summer 2010, while the
congregation was holding Sunday Worship Services at 135th Street School, Dr. Ussery became very ill and was
unable to minister and assigned Pastor Marcus to preach the Sunday services and teach the evening Bible Study
sessions. This was, yet again, another component in God's plan towards Pastor Marcus becoming Senior Pastor
and it became known when He revealed to Dr. Ussery in Fall 2010 that it was time for Pastor Marcus' transition.
Following God's direction, effective January 2, 2011 Pastor Marcus became God's Vessel for dispensing the Word
at Home Assembly Church and the voice of a strong spiritual leader in the new community surrounding 13515 S.
Figueroa Street. One year later on January 15, 2012, he was installed as Senior Pastor at a service officiated by
Bishop Henry L. Johnson and Dr. Vanessa D. Ussery.
Under the diocese of Bishop Robert T. Douglas, Sr., on January 16, 2015, Pastor Marcus Jackson was elevated to District Elder over District #10 of the Central California District Council (CCDC), which is the 36th Episcopal District within the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.(PAW) Thereafter, Pastor Marcus was appointed as the CCDC Health Professional Auxiliary Director. After prayerfully considering how he may best serve the congregation and the community, Pastor Marcus made the executive decision to discontinue his membership with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., effective December 31, 2022. Although the PAW is a ministerial alliance wherein the leader is a member (not the house of worship), by extension of his withdrawal from the organization, Apostolic Faith Home Assembly, Inc. ceased its affiliation with said organization...in business, but not in the Kingdom for Pastor Marcus acknowledges that the children of God are forever family through Christ; bound together by His Spirit.
With a heart for outreach, Pastor Marcus' future for the Home Assembly is to act on the commission of God to go into the highways and byways to tell the gospel of Jesus Christ to everybody. While exercising his gifts and continuing to serve God with all his might, he fully intends to actualize one of the church's core values that ‘people matter to God.’
Pastor Marcus shares his life with the wife of his youth and his best friend, Marilyn Jackson.
