By Sam Hodges | UMNS

When large, multisite Grace Church in Florida needed a pastor for its new downtown Fort Myers campus, the Rev. Arlene Jackson got the call.

Photo: The Rev. Arlene Jackson (speaking into microphone), a full-time local pastor, led the downtown Fort Myers campus of Grace Church to strong growth. Jackson recently got appointed to start a campus of Grace, a United Methodist church, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Photo courtesy of Grace UMC

She began with about 30 in worship. Over five years, her flock at Grace — a United Methodist church — has grown to more than 400. Many were previously “unchurched” and recovering from addictions, as she did.

“It’s the most diverse bunch of mixed nuts you’ve ever met,” Jackson said. “They’re growing in Christ and bringing people and having a lot of joy in their walk with the Lord.”

Jackson has impressed many, including Grace’s senior pastor, the Rev. Jorge Acevedo. “This girl would take on hell with a squirt gun,” he said.

Proof of his and others’ faith in Jackson is that she’s just been given an unusual cross-conference appointment, to start a Grace Church campus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

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