Kent Jacobs

Kent Jacobs- Lead pastor of Epic Church

Destiny Church- Tulsa, Oklahoma- Interned, met wife (carried her bags), Started as a children’s pastor at 20

Staff at 422 church/Victory as youth and worship pastor for 7.5 years

            -Learned, intellectual

            -Developed a heart to reach people

            -Life balance (what’s too much to handle)

           

He just felt like that season was over- it was hard because that church was his family, his world. Committed to one more year.

Friend suggested he started a church- he thought it a terrible idea

Started going off on ideas of things he’d like to see in a church, “It’s gotta be in a movie theatre”

God put a movie theatre right in front of him. Perfect.

Prayed and prepared for that year, read everything he could read,

Epic Church

            - Up and running for four years

            - “Our website is the front door to our church”

            - New churches don’t have the means to duplicate what you’ve seen.

            - Church planting is messy.

            - Mission: “To lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus.”

            - Philosophy of bringing people to Epic- to Jesus:

                        -Being genuine- just a normal, real guy sharing what he knows about Jesus

                        -Teaching one point: application is key- “what is the next step for you?” Connect Card

                        -I loved his style of sharing about David and Saul- David’s decision to listen to the Holy Spirit instead of act on his own desires- very down to earth and easy to relate to.

            - Started with $400, needed $60,000. Got a random phone call from a businessman saying he was donating $60,000.

            - 14 staff (3 full-time)- a different person for every department

            - Uses the S.O.A.P. format as a tool for teaching personal devotional development- using this in small groups

            - Don’t ask people if they want to serve, go to people and tell them that you want them to serve. If you want to be a part of a great church, you’ve got to do your part. 

            - Uses  “Well Done Good Faithful Servant” as a model for ministry.

            - “I want to do ministry with my friends.”

            -Outreach:

                        -Market well (outreach marketing)

                        -What works best for the location and what’s our part in that?

                        -Mother’s Day Makeover

                        -Homeless ministry, Summer Olympics

                        -Easter egg hunt

           

            - Most challenging thing is wondering how they’re going to pay for something and how they’re going to staff it.  “We’re not going to whine about stuff, we’re just going to get it done.”

            -Biggest regret is not taking advantage of an opportunity.