Power Team
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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[edit] History
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]
[edit] TV appearances
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.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]
[edit] Media
- John Jacobs & The Power Team - 1990 Frontline Records, 1 hour VHS video (V09085)
- John Jacobs & The Power Team - 1990 Frontline Records, CD (CD09085) & Cassette (C09085)
[edit] Further reading
- Mazer, Sharon (Winter 1994). "The Power Team: Muscular Christianity and the Spectacle of Conversion". TDR (MIT Press) 38 (4): 162–188. doi:10.2307/1146430.
- Critical review by Phil Scovell of a Power Team performance
- Five Jefferson County (Wisconsin) public school districts cancel Power Team assemblies
[edit] References
- ^ Higgs, Robert J. (1995). God in the Stadium: Sports and Religion in America. University Press of Kentucky. p. 10. ISBN 0813108535. http://books.google.ca/books?id=QDYw6YBqU1QC.
- ^ Farthing, Gina (August 26, 2008). "The Power Team has a mighty message for today’s students". The News Virginian. http://www.newsvirginian.com/wnv/entertainment/people/article/the_power_team_has_a_mighty_message_for_todays_students/26772/. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
- ^ a b Butcher, Andy (2000-10-31). "'Power Team' Founder Jacobs Divorces". Charisma. http://charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/248-people-events/658-power-team-founder-jacobs-divorces. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
- ^ "Power Outage, Dallas Business Journal, 30 August 2002". 2002-09-01. http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2002/09/02/tidbits.html.
- ^ "SRJ Launches New Company for Power Team Founder John Jacobs". http://www.srjmarketing.com/newsroom/1030801174035.html.
- ^ "Power Is" at The Power Team
- ^ "Walker, Texas Ranger: The Principal". TV.com. http://www.tv.com/walker-texas-ranger/the-principal/episode/4439/summary.html. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
- ^ "Power Team Invading PHS For Two Shows". Nevada County Picayune. April 12, 2000. http://www.picayune-times.com/editionlist.heitml?pubname=picayune&pubdate=2000-04-12&txt=t. Retrieved 2008-09-24.[dead link]
