Leadership Evaluation: Jason Epps

For my Introduction to Evangelism class I had to interview a church pastor/leader and write an evaluation on their leadership. Below is my evaluation of Dr. Jason Epps my pastor, mentor, and friend. I hope while reading this you take the image of a biblical leader I have presented and use it to view the leaders in your life. Be sure you are submitted to a leader who leads consistently and biblically a leader who sees others before themselves and acts upon that. If you are not involved in a ministry with a leader who can positevely answer these questions I encourage you to find a ministery that is, and check out www.gospelfellowship.com.
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1. Are you leading “Consistently and Biblically?” To answer this and the following questions I interviewed my teacher, mentor, and pastor Jason Epps. He planted Gospel Fellowship the church I now attend. A few years ago I began going while the church was meeting in his living room. However, I met him when he was a teacher and campus pastor at the private Christian school I attended.
“Jason do you feel you are leading “Consistently and Biblically?” As always Jason mulled over the question I had presented to him looking for the most accurate and honest answer. After a short span of time Jason answered, “Yes.” Following a short period of silence I asked Jason to elaborate on how he could be so sure his leadership was consistent and biblical. He explained to me that he has strived to glean every aspect of his leadership from scripture and that even deeper than his efforts, God’s word has worked to mold him as a leader. Jason continued to show me this through specific examples; from the way he ministered, the lifestyle he lived, and the way the church operated. The Bible is the grounds for all activity at Gospel Fellowship like it is in his life, the church operates as a Christian should seeking the lost, teaching/training, and sending. Also he went on to say that no one is above the law of God’s word, everyone is held accountable. He believes it would be a disservice to be anything else. Consistency is shown in the doctrine the church and Jason are established on, a belief system coming solely from the Bible. It was no easy thing establishing ministry belief systems. It is something he studied for years before he ever started the church. But he knew when he had prayed and studied them through that they came from God’s word and he could bet everything upon them.
Reid says on pp. 333 that leadership is defining reality, and that is what Jason does. By basing his life on the study of the Bible he has been able to stand strong on his convictions, and hold himself and others to God’s law.

2. Are you leading with “Confidence in God’s Call?” When Reid is talking about Timothy’s enormous task I can’t help but think of Jason. Living in Utah presents obstacles to church growth that few churches in other states will face. We live in an active mission field dominated by the Mormon religion. Evangelism is tough and growth is slow. Jason knew these things when he started Gospel Fellowship, but growth isn’t the point, fulfilling Gods call is. Like Timothy, that is what keeps Jason strong.
Problems don’t just come from the outside though and like John Morgan’s story that Reid talks about on pp. 328, Jason has felt his share of criticism from inside the church. He told me that, it is the hardest thing to endure animosity from the same people you are trying to serve and love. It becomes much easier though when you are able to rest in God’s call on your life. If you are leading biblically, you can be assured your doing what God asks of you and that’s all you can do. We must remember that Jesus did the ultimate action of service and still is not accepted by many. His action is not voided by the response of the people, Jesus death and resurrection is still a sweet victory if only two percent of the world accept Him.

3. Do you lead in “Humility?” “Tough question.” He says after pondering for a moment. I like the response John Morgan gave on pp. 330. It defines nicely the way Jason leads. Jason’s definition of humility has changed my life, and seeing him live it out has enforced its power. Jason ministers and leads worship at our church without complaint, which with an injured vocal cord can make any other vocal action of the day difficult. “Humility is just seeing other people as more important than yourself and having a willing spirit to serve,” Jason says. It’s hard not to be humble though if you are constantly on your face before God. Seeing and being reminded of God is an easy way to be humble and stay humble.
Humility is about focusing on others and allowing yourself to not be the hero every time. If you are serving the next thing is to focus on others, spend time with your congregation and put the spot light on them from the pulpit. It is easy to use examples from your own life when ministering. It is better to use a story from someone in the church that has overcome a similar situation. You can never train other leader unless you are humble and it would be impossible to grow a church without the leaders you have, to be humble.

4. Are you leading others to “Greatness for God?” To this question Jason just looked at me and replied “yes”, and said his example was our relationship. The quote Reid used of Goethe on pp. 331 is more than appropriate for the way Jason sees people. Just like Jason said my life is the perfect example, Jason saw me for what I could be and thankfully not what I was. As with me, he has worked tirelessly with many others to mentor them and bring them closer to God. He reminisced a little about the different stages of my growth with him, and we talked about the process of fostering patience. Everyone is called to great things in God, but few are willing to fight to get there, Jason hopes to foster patience so they can reach that greatness.

5. Are you leading by the “The Strength of your Character?” That’s tough to judge for Jason. He tries to lead by example but whether or not his character is leading is up for others to decide. It is important that your character is molded in the image of Christ, then people can and will follow. Striving to have a strong character is just part of pursuing God though, and Jason feels it is important that people remembers he struggles like they do. Ministers are often put on pedestals and if they fall people leave the church or worse Christianity, but that is not what should happen. Pastors are men and yes they are held accountable, but temptation is not always easier to overcome just because they are pastors.
Jason told me its important to live out beliefs for this reason, if a pastor teaches evangelism but is never seen evangelizing, the church wont become an evangelizing church. Reid discusses it on pp. 333 when he says if pastors are sincere then their burdens will become the burdens of the church. Jason’s life reflects his belief in that principal, if you preach a message you have to act on it.

6. Are you leading by “Equipping other Leaders?” Reid describes two forms of mentoring on pp. 329. Formal mentoring works like Jesus mentoring the disciples, a leader teaching a group in the church. Informal mentoring is more of a one-on-one setting that happens more at random. Jason mixes both actively. He has an established leadership team he mentors, but also spends a large amount of his time meeting with people to mentor them one-on-one. It is absolutely important to equip leaders; it is part of the great commission and often goes neglected. Jason’s strategy is for everyone to have a mentor at Gospel Fellowship. He understands it might be impractical, but it would be effective.

7. Summary of the interview. Interviewing Jason was a good opportunity to pick his brain on tough questions and see the thought behind the way he lives, and understand many of the decisions I have seen him make. I feel encouraged knowing how much so the centerpiece of Jason’s life is Jesus. I also was able to glean understanding that I can apply to my life and strategy as I pursue the ministry.
Jason’s understanding of humility and the role it plays in Christianity and ministry is one of the major things I want to make sure I apply to my life. Humility is a subject that is easy to preach but difficult to apply, but Jason has found a way to explain it to people. Along with teaching humility, he lives it in every part of his life. It is a burden of his, and it has become one of the churches as well. It speaks volumes of Jason when you spend time with the people he has actively mentored over the years. They all exhibit humility.
The strategy Jason has for mentoring inside of the church is another thing I want to make sure I study and keep within me so I can apply it in my own ministry. Everyone at all times is being mentored and mentoring. There will always be someone I can impact positively for the Lord. A church mentoring and training like this would inevitably grow spiritually and numerically.
Interviewing Jason was an awesome opportunity to ask questions I wouldn’t have thought to ask, but always should have. I gained insight and was encouraged by the honesty and sincerity of my pastor.