Jonas was born and raised in the Midwest in Kirksville, Missouri – just blocks away from Truman State University. Initially, he experienced a call into the ministry in elementary school while accompanying his father (who is also a Presbyterian Minister) on pastoral visits.

His call into the ministry deepened when he was a student at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee as he served in campus ministry, as well as preaching and leading worship in small churches in the surrounding area of his college town.

Jonas studied English Literature at Tusculum (1999) and then completed a Master of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary (2003) Read More

While at Princeton Seminary, Jonas’ passion for ministry ignited as he served as a pastoral intern at a vibrant, multicultural congregation – Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York; as a Chaplain for the New Orleans Police Department; and a Chaplain at the California Pacific Medical Center (a 1,000 bed multi-site hospital in San Francisco, California).

Most recently, Jonas received his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago (2023). Jonas has served as an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for almost 20 years.

He served as the Senior Pastor and Head of Staff for the last 8 years at Grace First Presbyterian Church in Long Beach, California – an intercultural congregation in south Los Angeles County.

Jonas is excited to be in Florida, which is much closer to his parents who live in Gainesville. Jonas views the church to be a place where all people can practice their faith with joy.