Bishop Albert Vernon Jordan, 86, of McComb, a high-ranking official in the Church of God in Christ and pillar of the local and state religious communities, died Dec. 27, 2020, at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center.
A public viewing will be held 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at McDowell-Nance Convention Center, 120 Airport Road, Hattiesburg. Private family services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Jordan Temple Church of God in Christ, McComb. Craft-Ginn Funeral Chapel of Tylertown is in charge of arrangements.
“Wonderful man. A preacher that didn’t take any foolishness. A strong leader,” summarized Summit Police Chief and former Pike County Sheriff Kenny Cotton.
Cotton grew up on Jordan’s street and considered him a father figure.
“If you weren’t ready for the real tough love, don’t go to him,” Cotton said.
“He was one that if you’re going to have some peace in life, get to know the Lord, be true to yourself and the people around you.
“When I was in his presence I would bee-line right to him. He was a big guy, 6-5, 6-6. He was a big teddy bear. People loved him. He’s going to be missed.”
“He was an outstanding gentleman, did a lot for many people,” said Gary Honea, an attorney and former Pike County supervisor. “When his wife (Lillian) died, they had to have the South Pike Coliseum opened up, there was so many people. He was a mentor for many pastors coming on. He was a dear friend, him and his family.”
Former McComb Mayor Zach Patterson said Jordan was not only a religious leader. “People would be surprised to find out how active he was in civic and political activities in providing guidance and wise counsel to people like myself running for political office.”
He said Jordan was quick to praise — and quick to criticize when he considered it necessary.
Patterson met Jordan when the bishop summoned him to his house.
“He brokered my first meeting, trying to make peace with different factions in the city. He was quietly trying to keep peace,” Patterson said.
Jordan began and ended the meeting with prayer, and after that, he and Patterson were friends.
Marie McDowell of Osyka has attended one of Jordan’s churches, Levi Temple C.O.G.I.C. of Magnolia, for 37 years.
“He was a tall man in stature and he was well-known and people loved him because he was giving. He was a giving and a loving person,” McDowell said.
“He made me want to be better as far as church-wise, religious-wise. He always pushed us to be everything we could be, especially in the church. He always taught us that you put God first and then everything else will fall into place.
“We’re going to miss him,” McDowell said. “I always had great respect for him. and whoever takes his spot will have some big shoes to follow.”
Bishop Jordan placed Pastor Speady Ross at Bibleway C.O.G.I.C. some 25 years ago. “My church has been thriving ever since,” Ross said. “Bishop Jordan was a great leader, a spiritual man, a builder concerning the jurisdiction of the churches he was over. He was profound in the Word of God. He established all the preachers in all the churches, roughly 90-something churches.”
Ross credited Jordan with building the C.O.G.I.C. state temple in Hattiesburg.
“His legacy will live on as a bishop that worked with the people and worked for the people,” Ross said.
Jordan’s son, Elder Floyd Jordan, said his father met many famous people in his travels for the church, including President Bill Clinton. Former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove came to Jordan’s house when he was running for office, and Jordan visited Gov. Haley Barbour as well. Bishop Jordan was friends with Dallas pastor T.D. Jakes.
“He didn’t meet a stranger. If he walked in a place, if you were down, he felt like that his was job to lift your spirits,” Elder Jordan said. “Dad preached 500 revivals. He preached every Sunday and every Sunday night probably 60 years. He loved it. He said, ‘I’m put here on earth just to preach.’ ”
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Bishop Jordan was born in Tylertown on June 14, 1934, to the late Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Jordan.
He was designated Jurisdictional Bishop of the Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Southern Mississippi on Sept. 18, 1992. He served as the pastor of Jordan Temple C.O.G.I.C. in McComb and Levi Temple C.O.G.I.C. in Magnolia. Bishop Jordan joined the church in 1954 and was called to preach in 1956. During the past 54 years, he rendered service to God, humanity, the Church of God in Christ in Southern Mississippi, and the body of Christ throughout the United States. Since the beginning of his ministry, Bishop Jordan has served in different capacities in the Church of God in Christ:
• Finance Committee Chairman of the Southern Mississippi Jurisdiction, 1971-72.
• State Evangelist of the Southern Mississippi Jurisdiction, 1972-79.
• Assistant Superintendent, District No. 4, Southern Mississippi Jurisdiction under Supt. W.M. Levi, 1972-76.
• Second Administrative Assistant to Bishop Elson McDowell in Mississippi Southern Second Jurisdiction, 1985-87.
• Chairman of the Jurisdictional Council of Pastors and Elders with Bishop Elson McDowell in the Mississippi Southern Second Jurisdiction, 1985-87.
• Second Administrative Assistant to Bishop Robert Nance in the Mississippi Southern Second Jurisdiction, 1987-1990.
• First Administrative Assistant to Bishop Robert Nance in the Mississippi Southern Second Jurisdiction, 1991-92.
• Jurisdictional Bishop of the Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Southern Mississippi in the Church of God in Christ, 1992-2020.
Bishop Jordan pastored Jordan Temple for 42 years and Levi Temple for 25 years, having built new churches at both locations. He also pastored Saint Hill C.O.G.I.C. in Brandon, New Jerusalem C.O.G.I.C. in Foxworth and Mars Hill C.O.G.I.C. in Pricedale. He was a member of the Ministerial Alliance of McComb, where he was involved in many community activities and was looked upon as one of the most prominent leaders of his city.
Bishop Jordan attended Rocky Hill School in Tylertown. He later studied at the Charles Harrison Mason System of Bible Colleges of Memphis, yielding a certificate in Pastoral Theology in 1978.
For nearly 50 years, he was married to the former Lillian Hart. They had 10 children, sons Albert Jordan, Clarence Jordan, Nelson Jordan, Elder Floyd Jordan, Randy Jordan and Koreen Jordan of McComb, and John Jordan of Summit, and daughters, Diane Williams and Annie Carter of McComb, and Lillie Shields of Summit. He is also survived by one stepdaughter, Tranée Morehead. The Jordans have 34 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
After the death of his wife Lillian Jordan in 2003, Bishop Jordan married Delores Jordan.
Bishop Jordan was in the ministry for 68 years. He ran more than 500 revivals and built three churches from the ground up and a State Temple that is headquarters for the jurisdiction where he served as bishop of more than 90 churches for many years.
“Truly he was a father to us all. He was loved by many, honored and touched by those he came in contact with, a dynamic preacher, speaker and an awesome example of a man who was led by God to lead his family and trusted to be the shepherd of his beloved flock, his church,” his family said.
