Latest news with #Potter'sHouse
TimesLIVE
01-05-2025
- General
- TimesLIVE
TD Jakes steps down as church leader, hands over leadership to daughter and son-in-law
Renowned American Bishop TD Jakes has stepped down as leader of the Potter's House church, handing the leadership to his daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts, and son-in-law, Touré Roberts. Jakes, 67, made the announcement during his Sunday sermon after serving for decades. 'This is legacy, not because they're kin, but because they're the kind,' he said. 'They've immersed themselves into the DNA of this church for years. 'They're not meant to replace me because nobody can, but if they step into this position, they may extend me. We need fresh vision, fresh blood, as the world changes with technology. 'I know the crown is heavy, but I also know if God is for you, who can be against you?' In November, Jakes survived a health scare while delivering a sermon in church. He said there are some things he wants to focus on outside the church. 'There's some things I want to do in the community before I get too old to do them because the clock is ticking. There are some ways I want to prepare for the days ahead that I can't do completely from the pulpit. There's some work in the vineyard that needs to be done. 'I talked to the board because I was concerned. I had seen too many men build something and stay so long that they kill what they built. What you have to understand is that it's not so important that you just know when to grab hold, it's knowing when to let go. There are some other things I'm assigned to do, but I cannot afford, especially after November, to risk something happening to me and you being sheep without a shepherd. 'I cannot afford to let all the work of all the saints, living and dead, hold this so tightly and for so long that I wither away.'
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
T.D. Jakes steps down: Meet his daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts, her husband as he passes the torch
T.D. Jakes steps down: Meet his daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts, her husband as he passes the torch Sarah Jakes Roberts, the daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes, made a heartfelt tribute to her father after he announced that he is stepping down from leadership at the Potter's House Church. Jakes shared the change during a sermon at the nondenominational church on April 27. He informed the congregation that Roberts and her husband, Touré Roberts, will take over. The couple are co-pastors at ONE: A Potter's House Church in Los Angeles and Potter's House of Denver. In an April 29 Instagram post, Roberts acknowledged her father's contributions to the church, which he founded in 1996. "The carpet is stained with your sweat. The walls rehearse your sermons," she wrote. "The pews have been baptized with testimonies of wanderers turned believers. There is no Potter's House Dallas without Bishop T. D. Jakes." It is unknown what role TD Jakes will play since the announcement was made. Who is Sarah Jakes Roberts? Sarah Jakes Roberts, 36, is the daughter of T.D. and Serita Jakes. According to a 2022 Los Angeles Times article, she was born in West Virginia but raised in Dallas, watching her father in the church. She has four siblings: Thomas Dexter James Jr,. Jermaine Jakes, Jamar Jakes and Cora Jakes. Roberts has been open about her journey with teenage pregnancy. During an interview on "The Breakfast Club" in 2021, she said that giving birth at just 14 years old was challenging but ultimately has "contributed to my work ethic, made me wise for my years." Per the Times, Roberts attended Texas Christian University. Roberts is a New York Times best-selling author and CEO of Women Evolve. The movement, which focuses on women's empowerment through faith, has spawned books, a podcast, and most notably, a conference that draws thousands each year. The event this year will be held in Atlanta in July and is already sold out. Her father hosted a similar conference called "Women Thou Art Loosed!" which started in 1996 and ended in 2022, where he eventually passed the torch to his daughter to continue the legacy of the conference. Who is Touré Roberts? Roberts is also an entrepreneur, investor, producer, humanitarian, and podcast host. Touré is the founder of ONE, which opened in 2014. According to his website, he is also a best-selling author, spiritual thought leader, speaker, and podcast host. Sarah and Touré got married in 2014 The couple has been married since November 2014, reported Essence. This is both Roberts' and Jakes Roberts' second marriage. Together, the two have five children from their previous marriages and a sixth child together, reported the lifestyle magazine. Jakes Robert pulled off her first sermon in 2014 after being invited to ONE in Los Angeles by her now-husband, whom she met through a friend. 'She did great,' Touré recalled to the outlet. 'She was very calm and very serene. And she delivered a message.' Previously: Bishop T.D. Jakes steps down from megachurch, hands leadership to daughter and son-in-law 'I'm scared but I'm ready' Roberts' recent Instagram post includes a photo of her embracing her father. She praised him for leading with an "unrelenting force." Jake's decision comes on the heels of health issues. In November, he suffered a heart attack on stage during a sermon. Months later, Roberts said she's ready to take on her new role. "I hear the rasp in your voice. I see the pace of your steps. I know just a little about what it costs you. I selfishly wish you'd keep going forever so I could be daddy's little girl and stay hidden behind your shoulders, but God's called me to stand on them instead," she continued. "The same God that was with you will be with me, too. I'm scared, but I'm ready. I bet you get that, too." Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'Worldwide ministry': T.D. Jakes retirement marks end of era for presidential counselor
'Worldwide ministry': T.D. Jakes retirement marks end of era for presidential counselor Show Caption Hide Caption Dallas megachurch leader announces he will step down Bishop T.D. Jakes had a heart attack last November in front of his congregation. He announced Sunday that he will be stepping down as leader of the Dallas megachurch. Fox - 4 News After roughly three decades as one of most prominent faces of American faith, Bishop T.D. Jakes is leaving his leadership position months after a health scare and amid larger legal battles. The 67-year-old megachurch pastor announced Sunday he was retiring as senior pastor of Potter's House, a non-denominational Pentecostal megachurch in Dallas, Texas, which has grown into a political and cultural powerhouse. "I've seen too many men build something and stay so long, that they kill what they build," Jakes said during an April 27 service. Over the years Jakes' influence has ballooned beyond the walls of his 30,000-member congregation. While creating an institution with various campuses across the globe that prides itself on community outreach and investing millions into affordable housing and anti-poverty programs, Jakes has become a multimillionaire businessman in part as an author and playwright. "This is a significant announcement, this is a worldwide ministry," political commentator Roland S. Martin said on his digital program Monday. 'Both sides of the bird': Jake a counselor to presidents in tough times Over the years Jakes has advised many high-profile individuals in the business, entertainment and civil rights world, but especially noteworthy has been close relationships with presidents across party lines. When Bill Clinton admitted to having "sinned" in his relationship with the former White House intern Monica Lewinsky almost 30 years ago, for example, the Texas megachurch leader was among the clergy the then-president called upon when seeking the nation's forgiveness. "I try not to tell presidents how to be presidents," Jakes told Oprah in a 2012 interview. During the George W. Bush era, Jakes sought to maintain his bipartisan reputation even as more liberal supporters questioned his proximity to the conservative evangelical, saying he was a "minister to both sides of the bird." He petitioned the White House to boost funding in aid to African nations, and drew attention to the lack of sufficient federal disaster response for the victims devastated by Hurricane Katrina. "It is not so important what we say, it is important what we do," Jakes said while staring at Bush during a 2005 prayer service at the National Cathedral. Barack Obama embraced Jakes early in his ascension to the Oval Office after cutting ties with his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, during the 2008 campaign. He later invited the Texas pastor to his inauguration in 2009 and the two had several prayer counsels via phone and in-person. Obama said Jakes makes Americans, "more compassionate, and more loving as a country," in a December 2015 Variety interview. A Hollywood force with faith-based content to boot Outside of the megachurch, part of the reason Jakes became a household name was a slate of original TV movies and a short-lived talk show that was a hit among Black audiences in particular. He produced a series of Lifetime films in his 'Seven Deadly Sins' anthology based on books by Christian fiction author Victoria Christopher Murray. The films starred Michelle Williams, Tina Knowles, Keri Hilson, Kandi Burrus, Romeo Millo, LisaRaye McCoy and Eric Benét. A 2009 film based on his 2006 novel "Not Easily Broken" starred Academy Award-nominee Taraji P. Henson and Morris Chestnut. He also has pursued business ventures together with family friend and billionaire Tyler Perry, including Jakes' 2021 land purchase near the Hollywood megaproducer's Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. According to 11Alive and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the pair purchased over 130 acres of land at shuttered Army base Fort McPherson in the city. Jakes, a four-time Grammy nominee garnered one win for best gospel choir or chorus album for 'A Wing And A Prayer' at the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004. Jakes was host of 'The T.D. Jakes Show,' which aired on select Tegna stations across the country and re-aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The show aired for one season in 2016. Jakes has stoked controversy, conspiracies for Diddy association But as many heap praise upon the bishop as he enters retirement, he also has attracted a fair share criticism and been dogged by online conspiracy theories after serving as spiritual mentor to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, the embattled music mogul set to stand trial May 5 on federal sex-crimes charges. Jakes is mentioned in a March 2024 amended lawsuit filed by ex-producer Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones Jr. accusing Combs of sexual assault. The suit claims the hip-hop heavyweight used the spiritual leader to sanitize allegations levied his way. The lawsuit claims Jones has 'irrefutable' evidence that Combs 'planned to leverage his relationship with Bishop T.D. Jakes, to soften the impact on his public image of Cassie Ventura's lawsuit' after Combs' ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura Fine's landmark lawsuit in November 2023. Jakes once hosted a weekly Sunday sermon series 'Kingdom Culture with T.D. Jakes' for Combs' former TV network Revolt TV in 2021. But his association with Combs has dissipated in recent years. Six months after stepping down at Revolt, a media company he co-founded, Combs sold his remaining shares amid piling legal issues in June 2024. 'You're looking at a miracle': Retirement comes after heart attack in pulpit For Jakes and his supporters, the decision to retire is just as startling as the bishop suffering a heart attack last November while delivering a sermon. The footage posted on social media showed Jakes pausing and suddenly shaking as parishioner gathered around him. Potter's House initially downplayed what had occurred as a "slight health incident," but he later revealed how close he had come to death. "You're looking at a miracle," Jakes said in a video address a month after the medical emergency. Jakes was met with a rousing standing ovation when he returned to the pulpit for a New Year's Even sermon where he spoke for nearly an hour and revealed additional details about his health scare. Sarah Jakes Roberts, family's youngest daughter, named successor Long seen as heir apparent to her family's legacy, Sarah Jakes Roberts will take the helm of Potter's House alongside her second husband and author Touré Roberts, whom she married in November 2014. Observers noted the significance of Jakes passing the torch to his daughter, which many believe will add to his legacy among Black churchgoers. "In the church, it is rare, incredibly rare, for a woman to take over a church of this magnitude," Kellye Beathea, a communications strategist, said on Roland Martin Unfiltered. Jakes Roberts, a quasi-social media influencer, showcases fitness workouts, sermons and styled looks to her 4 million Instagram and TikTok followers. Touré, too, boasts hundreds of thousands of social media fans. They share five children from previous marriages and one together. Named a Time100 Next honoree in 2023, Jakes Roberts is CEO of Women Evolve which hosts a popular women's empowerment conference each year attended by thousands of women. The 2025 edition is slated for this summer in Atlanta. At just 14, the second-generation pastor was pregnant with her first child, revealing the news to her powerful parents. 'I thought that (the pregnancy) was just the worst thing in the world that could possibly happen to me. And now that same daughter is ministering all over the world,' her dad told ABC's Paula Faris in 2019. Contributing: Julia Gomez and Jonathan Limehouse
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bishop T.D. Jakes steps down from megachurch, hands leadership to daughter and son-in-law
Bishop T.D. Jakes announced he will be stepping down and handing leadership of the Potter's House Church, a nondenominational Christian church, to his daughter and her husband. On Sunday, Jakes, 67, announced that his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and son-in-law, Touré Roberts, will take over the church, which he founded in 1996. He made the announcement during an emotional sermon, where he asked the congregation to welcome their new pastors with open arms. "This is legacy," Jakes said. "Not because they're kin, but because they're the kind. They've immersed themselves into the DNA of this church for years." The pastor said that while he is stepping down from his current role, he wants to continue doing work with the community. As you [co-pastor elect,] I'm grateful, I'm honored," Jakes daughter said as she was called on to the stage. "As your daughter, I'm so happy you're going to get some rest." The change comes after Jakes suffered from a heart attack on stage in November. In a video posted online, Jakes is seen pausing during his hour-long sermon, before shaking suddenly as other church members gathered around him, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. He was then rushed to an intensive care unit. A week after the "slight health incident," he spoke to his congregation remotely and told them that they were "looking at a miracle." More news: What to expect from the conclave that will choose Pope Francis' successor Jakes has been in ministry for 47 years, and has advised many high-profile individuals, including the "last three presidents," according to the bio on his website. The bio does not specifically name which presidents, but says Jakes was a featured speaker at Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. Jakes is also a best-selling author and award-winning filmmaker. With "minimal resources," he founded the Potter's House in 1996, according to the bio. His wife is Serita Jakes, and the couple has been married for over 40 years. They have five children together. The bishop has made headlines after being a longtime spiritual mentor to Sean "Diddy" Combs, the record executive who was indicted for sex trafficking and other federal charges. Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@ Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bishop T.D. Jakes steps down from megachurch Potter's House
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bishop T.D. Jakes steps down from megachurch, hands leadership to daughter and son-in-law
Bishop T.D. Jakes steps down from megachurch, hands leadership to daughter and son-in-law Bishop T.D. Jakes announced he will be stepping down and handing leadership of the Potter's House Church, a nondenominational Christian church, to his daughter and her husband. On Sunday, Jakes, 67, announced that his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and son-in-law, Touré Roberts, will take over the church, which he founded in 1996. He made the announcement during an emotional sermon, where he asked the congregation to welcome their new pastors with open arms. "This is legacy," Jakes said. "Not because they're kin, but because they're the kind. They've immersed themselves into the DNA of this church for years." The pastor said that while he is stepping down from his current role, he wants to continue doing work with the community. As you [co-pastor elect,] I'm grateful, I'm honored," Jakes daughter said as she was called on to the stage. "As your daughter, I'm so happy you're going to get some rest." Jakes suffered heart attack on stage The change comes after Jakes suffered from a heart attack on stage in November. In a video posted online, Jakes is seen pausing during his hour-long sermon, before shaking suddenly as other church members gathered around him, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. He was then rushed to an intensive care unit. A week after the "slight health incident," he spoke to his congregation remotely and told them that they were "looking at a miracle." More news: What to expect from the conclave that will choose Pope Francis' successor Who is Bishop T.D. Jakes? Jakes has been in ministry for 47 years, and has advised many high-profile individuals, including the "last three presidents," according to the bio on his website. The bio does not specifically name which presidents, but says Jakes was a featured speaker at Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. Jakes is also a best-selling author and award-winning filmmaker. With "minimal resources," he founded the Potter's House in 1996, according to the bio. His wife is Serita Jakes, and the couple has been married for over 40 years. They have five children together. The bishop has made headlines after being a longtime spiritual mentor to Sean "Diddy" Combs, the record executive who was indicted for sex trafficking and other federal charges. Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@ Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@
