Pastor Allen Jackson was born on March 3, 1964 in small town Georgia. He grew up in a devoted Christian household with his parents and two older sisters.
From an early age, Allen felt a calling to the ministry. He would often accompany his father, a Baptist pastor, on hospital visits and volunteer for church activities. Throughout high school and college, Allen was very involved in campus ministry groups and volunteer projects.
Education and Early Ministry
Allen attended a private Christian college in Georgia where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies. While in college, he met his future wife Jane who shared his passion for ministry.
After graduation, Allen enrolled at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity degree focused on pastoral care and counseling. During seminary, Allen served as a youth pastor at a local church.
Transition to Lead Pastor Role
After finishing his Master’s degree, Allen accepted the role as lead pastor at First Baptist Church in a small Georgia town. He was only 25 years old but the church leadership believed in his visionary leadership.
During his 15 years serving as lead pastor there, Allen oversaw major growth as the congregation expanded by over 1,000 members. He initiated new outreach ministries, creative worship services, and church plants in neighboring towns.
Here is an overview of some key facts and stats during his time at First Baptist Church:
| Church Growth Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Started with 350 members | Increased to 1,450 members |
| Baptized over 800 new believers | Added second Sunday morning service to accommodate growth |
| Expanded children’s programs from 75 to 250 kids | Built new 400-seat sanctuary |
Allen’s powerful biblical teaching and authentic personal style connected with both existing and new members. He spearheaded several building expansion projects to support the rapid growth.
Rise of Radiant Church
After sensing God’s call to a new season of ministry, Allen transitioned to start a new church in early 2002 called Radiant Church. He envisioned creating a contemporary, innovative church focused on reaching people who had become disenchanted with traditional churches.
Launch and Early Days
Allen gathered a team of approximately 40 core leaders to launch Radiant Church in Atlanta, Georgia. They initially met in a high school auditorium on Sunday mornings before eventually moving into a warehouse space renovated for church services.
In the first few years, Radiant focused on building a welcoming, high-energy culture based on biblical truths. Positive word spread quickly through the community about their creative approach to worship, visual arts and use of technology during services.
Despite limited advertising, membership rapidly grew from the initial launch team to over 2,500 regular attendees by their fifth anniversary.
Campus Expansions
By 2010, Radiant had expanded to five locations across Atlanta to accommodate their booming membership now totalling close to 10,000 people.
While each campus maintained the core Radiant culture and vision, the campus pastors were empowered to adapt aspects of their services to connect with the local community.
Two of their campuses offered services tailored toward a Spanish-speaking congregation as part of Radiant’s aim to break down barriers.
Ongoing Growth and Expansion
As Radiant approaches its 20 year anniversary, they now average weekly attendance exceeding 15,000 people across 9 campuses scattered across Georgia.
They continue to actively open new campuses including their newest North Alabama location expected to draw 5,000 members in its first year.
Additionally, they recently opened the Radiant Leadership College to train the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders from around North America and globally.
Here is a snapshot highlighting key facts and stats from Radiant’s two decade journey:
| Radiant Church Key Milestones | |
|---|---|
| Current Weekly Attendance: 15,000+ | Total Campuses: 9 |
| Total Membership since founding: 32,000 | Voluteers: 2,200 |
| Baptisms in 2022: 1,250 people | Countires Represented: 67 |
| Lead Pastors Trained: 850 graduates | Radiant Leadership College Students: 375 |
Pastor Allen Jackson’s Ministry Philosophy and Vision
As the founder and Senior Pastor of Radiant Church for over 20 years now, Allen Jackson has fine tuned a thoughtful approach to ministry rooted in a few key philosophies.
Reaching People Who Don’t Like Church
A driving force behind Allen’s vision is finding creative ways to introduce Jesus to people who have been hurt or disenchanted by traditional church experiences.
Rather than forcing a rigid mould of what church “should” look like, Allen aims to break barriers down and make the gospel message accessible. This means having self awareness to adapt communication styles while still maintaining biblical foundations.
From the music style to the casual dress code and relatable sermons, Allen prioritizes making Radiant an enjoyable, comfortable place to encounter Jesus.
Focus on Scripture and Prayer
While innovation plays a key role at Radiant, Allen anchors the church firmly in scripture and consistent prayer.
He believes presentation style should shift with cultural trends but God’s word and power through prayer must remain the bedrock foundation. Allen sets aside extensive time to pray and study the Bible as he prepares his weekly sermons which draw from various books of the Bible over a multi-year cycle.
Expository preaching and applying biblical truths consistently tie back to real, everyday modern life situations. This resonates broadly with the Radiant congregation without watering down doctrine.
Raising Up Next Generation of Leaders
Mentoring and equipping the next wave of Christian leaders remains a top priority for Pastor Allen. Annually he pours into 50-75 hand-picked ministry interns getting hands-on ministry experience at Radiant.
Additionally, the Radiant Leadership College offers an intensive 2-year program to train aspiring pastors and ministry leaders from churches across North America and globally.
Pastor Allen guest lectures frequently at the college sharing principles and best practices gained from his decades of ministry experience. Already the college has graduated three classes totaling over 850 alumni serving in various roles.
Through ongoing mentoring and training programs, Pastor Allen aims to multiply his influence by preparing thousands of pastors to lead healthy, growing churches.
Personal Life and Family
Behind Pastor Allen’s thriving public ministry, he maintains a grounded personal life to sustain his demanding role overseeing Radiant Church’s vast ministry efforts.
Marriage and Children
Allen married his wife Jane in 1988 after meeting at college several years prior through a campus ministry. They built a strong foundation as a couple early on by facing some significant trials during Jane’s battle with cancer while Allen was finishing seminary.
After raising two daughters and now enjoying four grandchildren, Jane and Allen have modeled over 35 years of faithful commitment through all of life’s ups and downs.
While everyone sees the public persona of Pastor Allen, he heavily credits the support of Jane behind-the-scenes through private struggles and challenges over the years.
Down to Earth Approach
Despite influencing tens of thousands of attendees each week at Radiant, Allen maintains a down to earth, accessible style. Long-time members comment on his gift making every individual feel valued through thoughtful questions and attention during conversations.
Allen makes sure to carve out margin in his crowded schedule for family time, friendships, exercise and rest to maintain longevity in such a demanding role.
You might catch a glimpse of him playing flag football with college students one day then deep sea fishing with his buddies the next weekend.
Here is a snapshot of Allen’s personal side:
| Allen Jackson Personal Tidbits | |
|---|---|
| Married to Jane since 1988 | Four grandchildren |
| Avid walker and weight-lifter | Learning acoustic guitar |
| Favorite cuisine – Mexican | Diehard University of Georgia fan |
| Enneagram Profile Type 2 | Loves the Georgia Aquarium |
Conclusion
Pastor Allen Jackson has left an indelible, far-reaching impact over his 40+ years in ministry thus far. What started as a calling to serve in his father’s small Baptist church has expanded into influencing tens of thousands of lives across 9 thriving church campuses.
Behind the scenes, Allen nurtured this exponential growth through an underlying philosophy of creative innovation balanced with steadfast biblical principles. Rather than mimicking the status quo, he forged new paths to connect people to the gospel message.
Throughout seasons of soaring success, Allen has maintained authentic humility and accessibility as described by long-time members and staff. The stellar church growth trajectory stems from Allen’s core vision to reach people turned off by traditional churches.
Beneath his gifted preaching and leadership acumen shines Allen’s underlying compassion and sincerity. He still makes time for personal connections whether over coffee or flag football with college students.
While impossible to fully capture a life’s work in a single article, I aimed to encapsulate key milestones, leadership philosophies and personal traits explaining Pastor Allen Jackson’s monumental influence. The future remains bright for further ministry growth under his steady guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pastor Allen
How old is Pastor Allen and where did he grow up?
Pastor Allen is 60 years old, born in March 1964. He spent his childhood in the small town of Dalton, Georgia before leaving for college.
What formal education does Pastor Allen have?
Allen completed his undergrad Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from Toccoa Falls College in Georgia. He then earned a Master of Divinity with a counseling focus at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
How many campuses does Radiant Church currently operate?
As of 2023, Radiant Church holds services across 9 different campuses mostly in the Georgia area plus a new location in Alabama.
How many total church campuses has Pastor Allen helped launch in his career?
Combining his 15 years at First Baptist plus 20 years at Radiant Church, Allen has played a leadership role in launching over 15 church campuses and counting.
Does Pastor Allen have any children or grandchildren?
Pastor Allen has two adult daughters with his wife Jane of over 35 years. They also have four young grandchildren they adore spending time with.