The Power Team is a group of Christian Evangelists, based in Dallas, Texas, who incorporate their preaching with displays of strength and martial arts skills. They were founded in the late 1970s by John Jacobs.[1] Their performances, usually taped at large megachurches, were broadcast on TBN and other Christian television stations in the United States in the late 1980s.
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The Power Team often conducts performances in venues such as schools, to encourage audiences from outside church communities. As performances in public schools could not discuss religion, these performances instead promote social responsibility and abstention from drugs and alcohol.[2] The group's promotional material indicated that it presented a "message that strengthens and restores the family."[3]
Power Team leader John Jacobs divorced his wife, Ruthanne in May 2000, which was followed by numerous members leaving the Power Team to form a new ministry, Team Impact.[3] In 2002 the Power Team filed for bankruptcy protection.[4] Jacobs resigned from the Power Team organization on May 7, 2003.[5] The Power Team's President since 2003 is Todd Keene, a long-time member of the ministry.[6]
In 1999, The Power Team portrayed themselves in "The Principal" episode of Walker, Texas Ranger to motivate a high school of wayward students.[7][8]
The Power Team briefly appeared in a July 22, 2008 episode of America's Got Talent performing stunts including running through 2x4s bursting into flames and running head and shoulders first into an 8-foot wall of ice. Host Piers Morgan remarked, "You must be bonkers." The team was not selected to go on to the semi-finals. Another appeared in June 2010 as a registered nurse, bending a frying pan as one of his stunts, which Piers thought he was able to unfold but could not. He advanced to Vegas but was not among the finals as of the second week in July, 2010.