Having risen to prominence in the Disciples, Jones looked to move to a congregation in a large urban setting. Thus, in 1920 he became the pastor of Central Christian Church in Detroit, MI. Central Christian Church, at this time, was significantly smaller than First Christian Church, Bloomington, IL, but Detroit was in the midst of a period of significant growth and lacked a high-profile Disciples of Christ presence. He came to the church having been promised that the congregation was intent upon building a new, larger, facility. By 1922, after a significant illness and then death of the congregation's leading benefactor, Philip Gray, it became clear that the plans would have to be abandoned. Feeling that Central could not fulfill the dreams he had for an influential urban congregation, Jones requested that the church develop a workable building plan or he would resign. In may of 1922 he tendered his resignation, but in the end the congregation prevailed upon him to stay, which he did. It was at this time, that a group from within Central began conversations with leadership at Woodward Avenue Christian Church, which sat on one of Detroit's major thoroughfares, about merging. At first these discussions were scuttled, when the pastor of the Woodward Avenue Church voiced opposition.