World Outreach Church, the Murfreesboro, Tennessee megachurch led by Senior Pastor G. Allen Jackson, has been involved in two significant federal cases: a 2014 trademark infringement lawsuit brought against the church over its “Mighty Men” men’s conferences, and a federal criminal prosecution in which the church was one of 15 congregations victimized by a check-theft scheme. The church has also handled local zoning requests tied to its expanding campus, though those were administrative matters rather than contested lawsuits.
The Mighty Men Trademark Infringement Lawsuit
In 2014, an Orlando-based nonprofit called Mighty Men of God, Inc. sued World Outreach Church in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleging the church had infringed its trademarks by hosting large men’s ministry events under the “Mighty Men” name.1Orlando Sentinel. Christian Groups Duke It Out in Mighty Men Lawsuit The case, docketed as No. 6:14-cv-947, named as defendants World Outreach Church, its affiliated Tennessee nonprofit Intend Ministries, South African evangelist Angus Buchan, Senior Pastor G. Allen Jackson, and associate pastor Phillip Jackson.2vLex. Mighty Men of God, Inc. v. World Outreach Church of Murfreesboro Tenn., Inc., No. 6:14-cv-947-Orl-41TBS
The plaintiff, founded in 2002 by Paul Freed, held federal trademark registrations for “Mighty Men” (registered in 2004) and “Mighty Men of God” (registered in 2008). Angus Buchan had run his own “Mighty Men Conference” gatherings in South Africa since 2004, and in 2011 he partnered with G. Allen Jackson to bring those conferences to the United States through the website mightymenusa.org. By 2013 the U.S. events were drawing between 10,000 and 15,000 attendees at up to $25 per ticket, which the lawsuit characterized as generating millions of dollars in revenue.1Orlando Sentinel. Christian Groups Duke It Out in Mighty Men Lawsuit
The complaint brought six claims: federal trademark infringement, false designation of origin, federal and state unfair competition, violations of the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, and violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The plaintiff sought an injunction and unspecified damages, arguing it had suffered a “substantial loss of financial support” because of the defendants’ use of its marks.2vLex. Mighty Men of God, Inc. v. World Outreach Church of Murfreesboro Tenn., Inc., No. 6:14-cv-947-Orl-41TBS
Jurisdiction Ruling and Status
The defendants moved to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction, arguing that as Tennessee-based entities and individuals they should not have to defend the suit in Florida. On April 6, 2015, District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza denied the motion, holding that Florida’s long-arm statute reached the defendants because the alleged trademark infringement caused injury within Florida. The court noted that the defendants had not rebutted the plaintiff’s allegations or addressed the long-arm statute in their briefing, and all six claims remained pending.2vLex. Mighty Men of God, Inc. v. World Outreach Church of Murfreesboro Tenn., Inc., No. 6:14-cv-947-Orl-41TBS
The available record does not document how the case ultimately ended, whether through settlement, trial verdict, or later dismissal. The plaintiff organization continues to operate at mightymen.org.3Mighty Men. Mighty Men
How the Defendants Were Connected
Court filings described the organizational ties among the defendants. G. Allen Jackson served as both senior pastor of World Outreach Church and president of Intend Ministries. Phillip Jackson served as vice president of Intend Ministries, was the registered agent for both organizations with the Tennessee Secretary of State, and personally registered the mightymenusa.org domain used to promote the conferences.2vLex. Mighty Men of God, Inc. v. World Outreach Church of Murfreesboro Tenn., Inc., No. 6:14-cv-947-Orl-41TBS
Federal Church Check-Theft Case
World Outreach Church was a victim, not a defendant, in a federal criminal case involving stolen donation checks. In late 2012, Phillip Jackson reported to Murfreesboro police that a $1,000 donation check mailed to the church had never arrived. Investigators traced it to a SunTrust account held by Kenneth James Stopkotte, a Williamson County resident who was depositing stolen checks through ATMs under the business name “Music City Pool Company.”4Williamson Scene. Local Churches Victims of $100,000 Theft Case
Stopkotte was ultimately found to have stolen more than 170 checks from 15 churches, including World Outreach Church and Brentwood Baptist Church, between August 2012 and February 2013, taking roughly $181,608. He also charged over $13,600 on a stolen credit card and laundered about $48,000 through wire transfers to a bank in Cyprus.5The Tennessean. Nashville Man Stole Money From Churches to Buy Cocaine6IndyStar. Ex-Fishers Swim Coach Sentenced for Stealing From Churches
After missing a state court date in April 2013, Stopkotte fled to Mexico. He was later apprehended, indicted federally in March 2014, and pleaded guilty in September 2014 to one count each of bank larceny, access device fraud, and money laundering. On April 6, 2015, Senior U.S. District Judge William J. Haynes sentenced him to 45 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and $169,978.86 in restitution to the victim churches. The federal sentence ran concurrently with a four-year state sentence from a related Williamson County case.7U.S. Department of Justice. Nashville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Donations From Area Churches
Zoning Requests, Not Lawsuits
The church’s other publicly documented legal matters are administrative land-use proceedings, not contested litigation. In 2011, World Outreach Church sought to rezone roughly 25 acres from residential to commercial highway use and another 52 acres from residential to multi-family, which would have allowed construction of over 500 apartment units. The proposals raised questions about how the tax-exempt status of the multi-family parcel would be treated depending on how the housing was used.8WGNS Radio. World Outreach Church Zoning Issue9WGNS Radio. World Outreach Church Requesting Zoning Changes
In 2016, the Jackson Family General Partnership and the church asked to annex 27.6 acres and rezone 7 acres across from the main campus from medium residential to commercial fringe. The Murfreesboro Planning Commission recommended approval, though at least one local resident objected on the ground that the change conflicted with the area’s future land-use plan.10Daily News Journal. World Outreach Zoning Request Advances to City Council