On September 22, 2026, the Lord welcomed His faithful servant, Rev. Charles H. Jones home, adding his beautiful voice to the heavenly choir. International Ministries (IM) gives thanks to God for the years of service Charles shared with this mission society. From 1997 until 2025, he served IM, the wider American Baptist family, and the global church in many different roles. He is perhaps best known for his long tenure as an area director, providing steady support and encouragement to mission partners and global servants across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Born in Liberia, he was the son of a church planter, evangelist, pastor, and musician. A deep love for the Lord, the Church, and music came naturally to him. Ordained in 1980 by First Baptist Church of Monrovia, Charles was already an established pastor and accomplished vocalist when he and his wife, Maima, journeyed from Liberia to Richmond, Virginia, in 1988 for further training. There, Charles attended what is now the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University, a school the American Baptist Home Mission Society had founded 123 years earlier.

Shortly after the family’s departure, civil war erupted in Liberia, radically changing their plans for how long they would stay in the United States. Charles responded by broadening the skills he hoped to one day take back to Liberia by enrolling in Eastern University’s economic development program. To help support his family during this time, he sought work at the American Baptist Mission Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

In 1997, Charles joined IM in an administrative support role before serving as area director for Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, with a heavy focus on Africa from 2000 to 2004. Stan Slade, then associate director of IM’s overseas division, still vividly remembers Charles’ calmness under fire on his first international trip as area director in 1998—quite literally, as their flight had to be aborted when the plane caught fire during takeoff!

From the beginning of his time with IM, colleagues and ministry partners quickly came to appreciate both his administrative skill and the deep spirituality Charles brought to his work, along with the songs he was always ready to share.

Those who worked alongside Charles remember him well.

“Dr. Charles Jones has been more than a faithful servant of Christ. He has been a brother, mentor, and friend whose life has left an enduring imprint upon mine and countless others,” said Rev. Dr. Massaquoi, President of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary. “Charles built an enduring bridge between his beloved alma mater and International Ministries. His legacy lives on in the leaders he shaped, the institutions he strengthened, and the lives he touched.”

IM partner in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ruben Ngalubenge, recalls: “I have very good memories of Charles, especially because of his deep concern for reaching unreached peoples. His passion for bringing the gospel to people who had not yet heard it made a lasting impression on me.”

Nabil Costa, CEO of Thimar-LSESD in Lebanon, shares fondly about Charles: “We were blessed not only by his visits, but by the depth of his engagement, his genuine love for our people and our nation. His love for his Master was reflected so beautifully in the way he loved and served others—with humility, generosity, and a genuine heart for people.”

When IM’s board faced a leadership crisis in 2004, they turned to Charles, who led IM with a calm hand from July of 2004 until December of 2006. That time gave him the chance to share his gifts with the wider American Baptist family.

“Charles was a faithful servant of God, a compassionate leader, and a respected voice in ministry whose wisdom, vision, and Christ-centered commitment have left a lasting mark,” said Rev. Dr. Perry J. Hopper, CEO of MMBB. “He built bridges across cultures, inspired countless individuals in faith and service, and strengthened communities around the world. I will miss his presence and his counsel.”

At the end of 2006, Charles happily returned to his role of area director for Europe and the Middle East, adding responsibility for partnerships and personnel in Liberia—the homeland he loved and felt called to bless. “Charles rooted his ministry in partnership. His relationship with others exuded friendship, respect, mutuality, good humor, and joy,” said Rev. Dr. Reid Trulson, IM’s Executive Director and CEO Emeritus.

Music was central to who Charles was. He loved to enjoy it, perform it, and compose it.  He wrote poetry with his beloved wife Maima, some of which became songs of loving encouragement he used each morning to awaken their children: Charma, Mamuyan, Maima, and Eli.  Charles published a collection of his poems, songs, prose essays, sermon outlines, and excerpts in his 2021 book, I Have a Song.

His family will treasure the memory of a dedicated and loving husband and father, in whom they encountered the love of the Lord he served so faithfully. And they will be joined by a great cloud of witnesses around the world who experienced the grace of God through their time with Charles.

“I met Charles in the Democratic Republic of Congo twenty years ago, and he has consistently been a godly man of integrity and deep conviction,” shared Rev. Dr. Sharon Koh, IM Executive Director and CEO. “We have been blessed by his poetry, song, and strong leadership voice over the years and will miss his kind soul dearly.”

International Ministries gives thanks for Charles’ life and invites you to remember it with us in gratitude for his faithful service, through song, and with the hope and joy he freely gave to others.

Details on memorial services to honor Charles will be shared when available.