Jake Jackson

From Soldier to Sailor of the Gospel: The Awakening of Jake Jackson

Jake Jackson never imagined he’d become a missionary.

A husband. A father of three girls. An elder at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Oceanside, California. A man shaped by Alabama grit and Midwestern warmth. A former soldier who once chased stability through enlistment and survival. But now? He’s a man who can’t stop talking about Jesus.

The transformation didn’t happen overnight, but it began to take clear shape in 2024 when Jake attended the Best Practices for Ministry Conference in Arizona. There, two unexpected encounters would mark a turning point in his story: conversations with leaders from Luke 2 Ministries and Crawl Walk Run, ministries focused on simple, life-on-life discipleship. Their question wasn’t theological—at least not in the abstract. It was personal and immediate: What if your entire life became mission?

That question wouldn’t leave him alone.

The Long Preparation

Jake’s journey of faith is a tapestry of unexpected turns and quiet awakenings.

His mom—strong, faithful, a cancer survivor—was his first glimpse of Jesus. His dad, tough and stoic, embodied the strength of their Alabama roots. Jake’s religious background was as layered as his life: raised Catholic, drawn later to charismatic expressions of faith, and eventually attending a non-denominational church. But even in seasons when he wasn’t walking closely with Christ, he admits now, “I always had some evidence of Him in my life… I just wasn’t listening.”

At a younger age, financial need drove him to enlist in the U.S. Army. He wasn’t searching for a mission—just a paycheck and a place to figure himself out. “Let me live,” he used to think. “Let me be.” He even applied to become a chaplain’s assistant, though he now laughs about it. “Maybe I had the wrong reasons. Maybe God had the right timing.”

It was in West Germany, while stationed there, that Jake’s heart would begin to shift. Not through a sermon. Not in a church. But at a dance. He invited a young tourist to spin across the floor. She was from Nebraska. What started as a shared song turned into a visit… and a love story.

But her grandmother—strong, clear, a Lutheran matriarch—set the tone: “Unless he becomes Lutheran, I won’t bless this relationship.” It wasn’t an ultimatum Jake took lightly. His faith background was dynamic, even emotional. But this Lutheran thing? It was more reserved, rooted. Deep. It challenged him in ways he didn’t expect.

And somehow, it stuck.

The Awakening

Years passed. Jake grew in his roles as husband, father, churchman. But deep inside, something remained dormant—until the Best Practices Conference. That’s where Scott, from Luke 2 Ministries, invited him to join a simple Zoom Bible study. Nothing fancy. Just guys opening the Word together.

“I remember thinking, I wish I could do this all the time.” It was like something inside him had been waiting for a knock.

And that knock became a calling.

He started talking about Jesus—at work, in the car, at the gym. He began wearing his Luke 2 t-shirt everywhere, not just as a fashion choice but as a way of saying, I carry good news on my back. So I walk differently now.

“It was like I had a gift, or a call, that had just been waiting to be awakened,” he says. “Like I was born for this.”

New Waters

Jake always had a love for sailing. He left it behind when he joined the Army. Life got busy. Faith was a private thing. But in this new season, he's back on the water—and this time, he’s fishing for something more.

Through Lutheran Mission Society San Diego, Jake found brothers and mentors who could help him navigate the waters of local mission. With their help, he stepped into a bold initiative: supporting a military ministry at Camp Pendleton in partnership with CRU leader Michael Morabe. The vision is ambitious: establish a gospel presence in each of San Diego County’s eight main military bases.

Jake’s first day at Camp Pendleton was unforgettable. Young Marine recruits—some only 18—opened up to him with raw honesty. Many were hungry for hope, desperate for encouragement. Jake listened, prayed, and shared God's Word with them.

“It’s like everything came together,” he said. “My past, my pain, my passion. And suddenly, it all had purpose.”

Not a Cage, But a Sending Place

Back at Immanuel Lutheran, Jake is not walking this journey alone. With the support of his church family, he's helping his congregation shift from “holding” him in service to sending him in mission. His energy is contagious, his joy unmistakable.

Some people go overseas to become missionaries. Jake Jackson discovered his calling across the street—and on a sailboat, and at a military base, and in a Zoom Bible study.

He’s not done yet.

Because once a soldier awakens to the Gospel, he doesn’t retire.

He re-enlists.