John Jacobs (Power Team Minister)
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John Jacobs is noted for his role in Christian ministries that employ feats of strength. He demonstrates skills such as weight lifting, breaking bricks and escaping from handcuffs as a means of evangelism. Jacobs led one such ministry, The Power Team, for many years. He left in 2003 to form a new strength ministry, the Next Generation Power Force.
Jacobs resides in Fort Myers, Florida, where his current ministry is based. His home town is Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
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[edit] Notable appearances
The Power Team were guests on an episode of the Chuck Norris television series, Walker, Texas Ranger. Norris reportedly became a Christian during a Power Team performance, and became friends with Jacobs.
[edit] Controversy
John Jacobs divorced his wife in Ruthanne in May 2000. His second marriage to Sara by mid 2001 ended in an annulment within the following year (Charisma, June 2002).
Around this time, many Power Team members left to form a similar organisation, Team Impact. Jacobs was involved in an exchange of accusations and rebuttals between the two ministries and their supporters. With Jacobs forming a new ministry in 2003, the Power Team was split into three competing ministries: Next Generation Power Force, Team Impact and the remaining Power Team. Other former members started similar ministries, most notably Mike Hagen's The Strength Team.
Jacobs was charged with assault against Jeff Audas, a former Power Team member. This incident was alleged to have occurred on 19 May 2000. Jacobs' lawyer denied the incident and the charges were subsequently withdrawn. (Charisma, July 2001; Charisma, July 2006
[edit] Trivia
"Tough as John Jacobs" is a song recorded by hard rock band Maylene and the Sons of Disaster.
Jacobs is referenced on the Nirvana bootleg CD Into The Black (Disc 3). The disc is a live recording of a Halloween concert, and between tracks 3 and 4 bassist Krist Novoselic states that he "came as John Jacobs", commenting "I John Jacobs will bust a hundred bass guitars over my knee".
