Born in Philadelphia, Samuel L. Jones (1927-1994) served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in journalism and from the Philadelphia Bible Institute with a degree in theology. He went on to obtain a degree in psychology from Delaware Tech and earned continuing education credits in social work from the University of Delaware. Called to the pulpit, he was ordained and pastored congregations in Wilmington, Delaware and Savannah, Georgia.