After completing his seminary education, he was ordained at Independence Boulevard Christian Church in Kansas City, MO, which was served as pastor by Dr. George Hamilton Combs.
In 1906, four months short of his thirtieth birthday, he was called to serve as pastor of First Christian Church of Bloomington, IL, where stayed for fourteen years, during which time the congregation grew to nearly two thousand members.
By 1922, after a significant illness and then death of the congregation's leading benefactor, Philip Gray, it became clear that the plans would have to be abandoned.
Feeling that Central could not fulfill the dreams he had for an influential urban congregation, Jones requested that the church develop a workable building plan or he would resign.
It was at this time, that a group from within Central began conversations with leadership at Woodward Avenue Christian Church, which sat on one of Detroit's major thoroughfares, about merging.
This meeting was held without the presence of either of the ministers, and when the able young pastor at the Woodward Avenue Church heard of it he was much disturbed, since he had his own plans for a new building and some funds set aside for that purpose.
This action, made with the best of intentions, fell through for the time in its purpose, and it was not until years later that that minister understood all the facts and we became friends again.
Central Christian Church, which lay on Second Avenue, had among its members a number of civic and industrial leaders, along with the financial support of the Philip Gray family, while the Woodward Avenue congregation, besides having a prime location, had a large contingent of younger members, including youth.
He served as a correspondent for a time with the Detroit News, and wrote a regular column for the paper entitled "Successful Living."