Her Story
About Amber
Amber Jackson is a distinguished pastor and ministry leader with 26 years of experience serving communities through faith-based leadership, pastoral care, and outreach. Throughout her career with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, she has made history as the first woman pastor appointed to each congregation she has led, demonstrating a commitment to advancing inclusive leadership and creating meaningful change within the church. Her ministry is centered on building bridges between the church and communities impacted by gang culture, drawing from her personal experiences growing up in a gang-infested, war-torn neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago and her professional background in healthcare chaplaincy and clinical pastoral education.
Amber’s work focuses on addressing social challenges through compassion, advocacy, and community engagement. She has developed initiatives such as One Church One School, a community partnership program designed to encourage education, promote the value of life, and strengthen connections between churches, schools, and families. Through her combined experiences in ministry and chaplaincy, she provides spiritual guidance, psychological first aid, and support to individuals navigating trauma, grief, and life transitions.
Amber earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. She furthered her theological education at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, Georgia, where she earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div.), a Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.), and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). She attributes her success to recognizing that her ministry is deeply connected to her own life experiences, allowing her to serve others with empathy, resilience, and a genuine commitment to healing, transformation, and hope.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Amber
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to recognizing that our ministry is where my misery was. Growing up in a gang-infested, war-torn community on the south side of Chicago has given me transferable skills and the opportunity to see and hear things differently. I've also worked as a hospital chaplain with clinical pastoral education which gives me a different type of sensitivity and thought process, compassion, and the ability to provide psychological first aid.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received came from my bishop, Bishop Marvin Frank Thomas Sr, who said if you build a better mousetrap, the world will be a pathway to your door. Meaning if you do your work, people will come looking for you, you won't have to look for a better position. And be your true, authentic self.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them to be their true, authentic self, really lean in and trust their instincts, trust themselves, and trust that they are who God has called them to be for such a time as this, and to do it even if you're doing it afraid.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is that a lot of women in ministry feel as though they're not receiving the support of their male counterparts. But there's strength in collaboration with other women in ministry, having a woe mentor. In my denomination, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, women in ministry have all rights and privileges, with women serving at every level including as bishops, so there's definitely hope.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are loyalty, respect, and being able to be creative and imaginative. Loyalty even in times of disagreement helps co-create environments where you can thrive. Respect is huge, as taught in the respect litany that we do not have to agree but I must respect you and you must respect me. Being in a space where I'm able to be creative and imaginative is important because no people think alike.
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