First Church San Jose

Service Schedule

 

About First Church

Bishop Jimmy & Bobbie Shoemake

Bishop Jimmy Shoemake began ministry at 17 years old. Today, an internationally renowned minister, Bishop Shoemake’s vision and contributions have shaped the Apostolic movement of this generation.

Bishop Shoemake’s illustrious ministry has included holding pastorate positions in Morris, Oklahoma, Exeter, California, Claremont, California, National City, California, and Houston, Texas. Bishop Shoemake was most recently Senior Pastor of First Church for nearly 25 years.

A true disciple of the Great Commission, Bishop Shoemake has a heart for home and foreign missions. He has served on the United Pentecostal Church's Foreign Missions Board for nearly 20 years. He has also ministered in several foreign countries, including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Philippines, Peru, Brazil, Belgium, Italy and Germany.

Throughout his ministerial tenure, Bishop Shoemake has served on various boards, such as the United Pentecostal Church's Western District & Oklahoma District Youth Boards, Sheaves For Christ Committees, the Home Missions (Christmas For Christ) Committee for several years, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Apostolic Broadcasting Network Global.

Bishop and his wife, Bobbie, a gospel music legend, reside in the San Jose area. 

Pastor Jonathan & Tasha Shoemake

Reverend Jonathan Shoemake has served as Senior Pastor of First Church since April 2000. With a passion for revival and revolutionary prayer, Pastor Shoemake’s ministry is focused on reaching people who are seeking answers, helping those in need and motivating those who want to be involved in the Kingdom of God.

Prior to becoming Pastor of First Church, Pastor Shoemake’s ministry included serving as an Evangelist and Pastor of The Family Church in Folsom, California. Most recently, he was founder and Pastor of The Pentecostal Church (Hollister, California).

In addition to his pastoral duties, Pastor Shoemake is a highly sought-after speaker. Also, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of Pentecostal Communications (Pentecom), Apostolic Broadcast Network Global, and on the Steering Committe for Apostolic Studies Group. He is also co-founder of Freedom Week youth camp.

At First Church, Pastor Shoemake instituted a successful leadership program targeted at key congregational leaders. Pastor Shoemake's program curriculum teaches effective leadership principles and tools to assist leaders with making their ministry productive for the Kingdom of God.

Pastor Shoemake is an ordained minister of the United Pentecostal Church International. He and his wife, Tasha, reside in Campbell with their three children. With her warm personality and giving spirit,Tasha plays an integral part of the success of First Church. She is also the Director of the Ladies Ministry and a Sunday School teacher for pre-teen young ladies at First Church.

 

 

Reverend Jason & Leah West, Youth Pastor

Jason West has been a member of the First Church since 1980.  Bro. West and his wife, Leah, presently serve as Youth Pastor of the Revivalution Youth Ministries at First Church. They have filled this position since 2001.

Jason grew up being actively involved in First Church’s children’s choir, holiday dramas, Bible quizzing, youth ministry, choir, and community outreach events. As a teenager, he felt and answered the call of the Lord in his life.

Jason attended Christian Life College (Stockton, CA) and graduated in Spring 1999 with his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology.  Upon graduation, he returned to the San Jose area and served as the Youth Pastor of The Pentecostal Church (Hollister, California) for nearly five years. During his time there, he established the SURGE Youth Department, comprised of young people ages 12 – 21 from various cultures and ethnicities.

Along with local youth ministry functions, Jason also serves as the Sectional Youth Director for Section 9 and the Director of Promotions for the Western District Youth Division of the United Pentecostal Church International.

Jason became a licensed minister of the United Pentecostal Church International in 2000, and then married the love of his life, Leah, in September 2001.  One of his short term goals is to pursue a M.A. in Exegetical Theology beginning in Fall 2007.

Jason’s personal philosophy toward youth ministry can be summed up in this phrase: “How you invest in the youth of today, will determine our churches tomorrow.”

Nanci Holston, Minister of Music

Nanci Holston has served as the Minister of Music for First Church under both Bishop and Pastor Shoemake for the past 16 years. Coupling her technical excellence with an authentic heart of worship, the worship services at First Church are truly an uplifting and God-focused experience. She has a sincere burden for the music ministry and is a dynamic spiritual motivator to those who come in contact with her.

In addition to her duties as Minister of Music and its wide-reaching impact on many other ministries at First Church, Nanci was a teacher in the Music Department at Christian Life College for two years. Nanci has also established a western region annual piano camp and the Power2Power Musicians Workshop. She is also on the Steering Committee for the national Heart of Worship music and arts conference held annually. Nanci was also the founder and director of the award-winning Bay Area Pentecostals gospel choir.

Nanci's husband, Bryan, is active in leadership at First Church and served as project manager on the completion of the new sanctuary.

Nanci and Bryan reside in the San Jose area with their son.

 

 

Sharon Thomas, Administration

Sharon Thomas serves First Church as Administrative Assistant.  In addition to her fourteen years of service as Administrative Assistant, she also served for ten years as a Classroom Supervisor for South Bay Christian Academy and assisted as a Daycare Teacher for Kiddie Kingdom Preschool and Daycare.  She has worked with our "More Than Conquerors" Seniors Ministry for over six years and is presently the Director of that ministry.  Sharon is an alumna of Pensacola Christian College, San Jose West Valley College and St. Petersburg Junior College. She has served the community as a Drug Counselor for San Jose Eastside Drug Abuse Center.

Sharon's husband, Ed, has served in many capacities (construction project manager and director of the sound ministry). He has spent countless hours in the design and construction of all phases of the campus.

Sharon and Ed Thomas have four children and seven grandchildren.

 

 

  

Church History

The Early Years

First United Pentecostal Church of San Jose, California, was founded in 1951 by Reverend and Mrs. F.V. Shoemake. Early in that year, they began holding services in a rented hall with eighteen people in attendance, including several children.
Three years later, the first church building was constructed at Saratoga and Piper avenues, a result of the joint efforts of the families attending the church.  A record number of 54 people were in attendance at the first service in their new building.  The congregation continued to grow, and the First United Pentecostal Church of San Jose moved into its second building (the present location at 878 Boynton Ave.) on August 19th, 1962, with approximately 300 people attending the inaugural service.  A few years later, a rapidly growing congregation necessitated adding a second story to the educational wings.  At the same time, the church leaders felt that they should purchase the 2.4 acres adjoining the property, for a campus total of 4.3 acres.  This acreage is now the site of the new Sanctuary, Gymnasium, and educational buildings.

 

 

Kingdom-Minded Focus

After a highly successful 24 years as Pastor, F.V. Shoemake retired on April 26, 1975. On May 17, 1975, Reverend Jimmy Shoemake accepted the Pastorate office.  Reverend Jimmy Shoemake served as Senior Pastor of the First United Pentecostal Church of San Jose (which became First Church San Jose) for 25 years. During Pastor Jimmy Shoemake's first several years, even though an estimated 850 members moved or transferred to other parts of United States, capacity crowds necessitated implementing double church services and, ultimately, the construction of new worship facilities.
Under proficient leadership and precise vision, the church began the process of starting a three-phased construction project that would provide new educational rooms, gymnasium and New Sanctuary on the campus. This would ultimately culminate in having nearly 70,000 square feet under roof on the 4.3 acre campus, providing the First Church campus with a variety of functional facilities aimed at reaching people of all ages and from all walks of life.
With a local and global vision, the church also built a beautiful United Pentecostal Church headquarters facility in San Jose, Costa Rica, started a  homeless outreach and food bank for the underprivileged in the San Jose area and established several daughter works. During this period of First Church's history, new California home missions churches were established in Folsom, Glendale, Redwood City, Hollister, and a Spanish-speaking church in downtown San Jose. The church also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to establishing churches around the globe.
During this period, the church started its largest construction project to date. Project included construction of new educational rooms, a gymnasium and new sanctuary.
New parking facilities were also developed.

 

Expansion and Growth

In April of 2000, Reverend Jimmy Shoemake became the Bishop of First Church, and Reverend Jonathan Shoemake became Senior Pastor. In these succeeding years, Reverend Jonathan Shoemake has seen the largest phase of the construction project, the New Sanctuary, through to completion. Today, the First Church San Jose campus has nearly 70,000 square feet under roof. This facility provides a beautiful edifice for people of the region to gather and worship.
Throughout its existence, First Church has underwritten and contributed to various domestic and foreign charitable projects, and established other congregations in California and in several nations. Several churches in the San Jose area have started out of this church, such as East Valley and Morgan Hill. Several pastors and ministers have also come out of this church and become highly effective ministers in the Apostolic movement.
The First United Pentecostal Church of San Jose has experienced constant growth, and expects continual expansion as a result of the vision and leadership of the senior ministerial staff coupled with the sincere commitment of its current members.

 

 

Pastoral Heritage

Elder F.V. Shoemake, Bishop Jimmy Shoemake and Pastor Jonathan Shoemake.
(Photograph circa 1992)