Jarrett Stephens

Senior Pastor

Pastor Jarrett has served as Champion Forest's Senior Pastor since January of 2021. He has led the church to establish a residency program that trains and equips seminary students who are called to ministry. He also founded CF Connect, a ministry designed to help connect pastors to the church, to one another and to church planters from across the country for resourcing and encouragement.

Jarrett also serves on the boards of BridgeBuilders, Dallas Baptist University and the Houston Church Planting Network – which clearly point to his passions of sharing the life-transforming message of the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the world, to serving the least of these in the inner cities, to raising up the next generation of Christian leaders, to equipping churches to be on mission..

A native of Louisiana, Jarrett graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Psychology. He received his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2006 and his Doctor of Ministry from Liberty Theological Seminary in January 2012.

Jarrett is the author of two books, including his newest book, The Always God: He Hasn’t Changed and You Are Not Forgotten. Addressing this chaotic season we find ourselves in, and for any difficult days, Jarrett brings a message of hope about a God who never changes. His debut book, The Mountains Are Calling: Making the Climb for a Clearer View of God and Ourselves, was released in August 2018. In his book, Jarrett takes readers to 10 mountaintop moments in the Bible where people had encounters with God. Through these experiences, God revealed His truth and brought His people closer to Him.

He also hosts the Forward with Jarrett Stephens podcast. Each episode contains engaging interviews and shares inspiring stories dealing with a wide range of topics including leadership challenges, cultural issues, and day to day church life.

Jarrett and his wife, Debbie, have four daughters, Riley, Kelsey, Cameron and Landry.