Thomas Dexter Jakes (born June 9, 1957), known as T. D. Jakes, is an American bishop, author and filmmaker. He is the bishop of
The Potter's House
The Potter's House Christian Fellowship is a Pentecostal church based in the United States of America. It was established in Prescott, Arizona in 1970 by Wayman Mitchell. Originally a part of the Foursquare church, Mitchell split the church awa ...
, a
non-denominational
A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination.
Overview
The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...
American
megachurch
A megachurch is a church with an unusually large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities, usually Protestant or Evangelical. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as any Protestant C ...
. Jakes's church services and Evangelistic sermons are broadcast on ''The Potter's Touch''.
Biography
Thomas Dexter Jakes was born on June 9, 1957, in
South Charleston, West Virginia
South Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is located to the west of Charleston. The population was 13,639 at the 2020 census. South Charleston was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1917. The Cr ...
, and grew up in
Vandalia, West Virginia
Vandalia is an unincorporated community in Lewis County, West Virginia, Lewis County, in the U.S. state of West Virginia.
History
A post office called Vandalia was established in 1890, and remained in operation until 1907. The community derives it ...
.
Beliefs
Although Jakes was converted and ordained within
Oneness Pentecostalism
Oneness Pentecostalism (also known as Apostolic, Jesus' Name Pentecostalism, or the Jesus Only movement) is a nontrinitarian religious movement within the Protestant Christian family of churches known as Pentecostalism. It derives its distinct ...
, he revealed in an interview with
Mark Driscoll
Mark A. Driscoll (born 1970) is an American evangelical pastor and author who founded the now defunct Mars Hill Church. He is the senior and founding pastor of the Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, which was founded in 2016.
In 1996, Dr ...
in 2012 that he affirms the
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
, although Jakes did not affirm the eternality of the individual persons of the Trinity, which is denied by Oneness churches.
Jakes is an advocate of
sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence or sexual restraint is the practice of refraining from some or all aspects of Human sexual activity, sexual activity for medical, psychological, legal, social, financial, philosophical, moral, or religious reasons. Sexual abstin ...
and has made appearances advocating it on ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'' and ''
Dr. Phil''.
In 2015, Jakes stated that his views on homosexuality and LGBT rights are evolving. However, Jakes stated that his words were misinterpreted and that while he does not support same-sex marriage, he "respect
the rights that this country affords those that disagree".
Ministry
In 1982, at age 25, Jakes became the pastor of Greater Emanuel Temple of Faith, a storefront church in Smithers, West Virginia, with ten members. In 1988, he joined the denomination ''Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies'' founded by Bishop Sherman Watkins. In 1990, Jakes moved to South Charleston, West Virginia, and his congregation grew again, to 300 members. In 1993 he moved to Cross Lanes, West Virginia.
[Hughes Oliphant Old, ''The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church: The biblical period'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, USA, 1998, p. 386]
In 1995, he founded "TDJ Enterprises" which publishes his books and produces his films. From 1995 to 1996, Jakes hosted "Get Ready," a weekly radio and television show with national distribution through syndication.
In 1996, Jakes, founded
The Potter's House
The Potter's House Christian Fellowship is a Pentecostal church based in the United States of America. It was established in Prescott, Arizona in 1970 by Wayman Mitchell. Originally a part of the Foursquare church, Mitchell split the church awa ...
in
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
, Texas, a non-denominational church. Located on a 34-acre hilltop campus, the Potter's House features a 5,000-seat auditorium, as well as offices for employees and staff.
In 2005, Jakes accompanied President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
on his visit to the areas devastated by
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
. On January 20, 2009, Jakes led the early morning prayer service for President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
at
St. John's Church St. John's Church, Church of St. John, or variants, thereof, (Saint John or St. John usually refers to John the Baptist, but also, sometimes, to John the Apostle or John the Evangelist) may refer to the following churches, former churches or other ...
in Washington, D.C., according to
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a division of NBCUniversal, which is, in turn, a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's var ...
.
In 2009, Jakes partnered with
Dr. Phil McGraw
Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950), better known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality and author best known for hosting the talk show '' Dr. Phil''. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, though he ceased ren ...
,
Jay McGraw
Jay Phillip McGraw (born September 12, 1979) is an American writer and television producer. He has written several books aimed at young people and is president and CEO of Stage 29 Productions. He is the son of celebrity therapist Phil McGraw and ...
, and
CBS Television Distribution
CBS Media Ventures, Inc. (formerly CBS Television Distribution, Inc. and CBS Paramount Domestic Television, Inc.) is an American television distribution company owned by CBS Studios, part of CBS Entertainment Group, a division of Paramount Glob ...
to launch a syndicated, secular talk show; however, due to economic issues within the syndicated television market, the program never premiered.
In July 2015,
Tegna, Inc.
Tegna Inc. (stylized in all caps as TEGNA) is an American publicly traded broadcast, digital media and marketing services company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia. It was created on June 29, 2015, when the Gannett Company split into t ...
and
Debmar-Mercury
Debmar-Mercury is a television syndication company. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Lionsgate, it was formed from a merger of Debmar Studios and Mercury Entertainment in 2006.
History Debmar Studios
Debmar-Mercury's history begins on October 31, ...
announced that a new secular talk show hosted by Jakes called ''T. D. Jakes'' would air a test run on Tegna stations in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
,
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
,
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
, and
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
from August 17 to September 11, 2015.
On May 10, 2016, Tegna announced that it would begin airing Jakes's show September 12 in over 50 markets across the country. On March 15, 2017, Tegna announced that ''T. D. Jakes'' was cancelled due to poor ratings and low clearances.
Media
Discography
* Woman Thou Art Loosed (1997)
* Live From the Potter’s House (1998)
* The Storm Is Over (2001)
T. D. Jakes is also featured on
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
DJ
Steve Angello
Steven Patrik Josefsson Fragogiannis ( el, Στέφεν Πάτρικ Γιόζεφσον Φραγκόγιαννης; born 22 November 1982), better known by his stage name Steve Angello, is a Greek-Swedish DJ, record producer, remixer and record ...
's dance/electronic track ''Rejoice''.
Writings
* ''Intimacy With God''
* ''Loved by''
* ''Before you throw in the towel''
* ''Naked And Not Ashamed?''
* ''Loose That Man And Let Him Go''
* ''Loose That Man And Let Him Go Workbook''
* ''Positioning Yourself To Prosper''
* ''Reposition Yourself: Living a Life Without Limits''
* ''He-Motions: Even Strong Men Struggle''
* ''Help! I'm Raising My Children Alone: A Guide for Single Ladies and Those Who Sometimes Feel They Are''
* ''Ten Commandments of Working in a Hostile Environment''
* ''Promises From God For Single Women''
* ''Woman, Thou Art Loosed: Healing the Wounds of the Past''
* ''Woman, Thou Art Loosed Devotional''
* ''The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord''
* ''Maximize the Moment : God's Action Plan for Your Life''
* ''So You Call Yourself a Man?: Finally... a Devotional for Ordinary Men with Extraordinary Potential''
* ''God's Leading Lady''
* ''His Lady''
* ''Jesus Walks (with me)''
* ''Lay Aside the Weight''
* ''Daddy Loves His Girls''
* ''The Greatest Investment''
* ''Mama Made the Difference''
* ''Don't Drop the Mic''
* ''TD Jakes Speaks to Men''
* ''Overcoming the Enemy''
* ''From the Cross to Pentecost''
* ''Life Overflowing: Six Pillars for Abundant Living
* ''Not Easily Broken'', 2006
* ''Before You Do: Making Great Decisions That You Won't Regret'', 2008, Atria Books.
* ''The Memory Quilt: A Christmas Story for Our Times'', 2009
* ''Let it Go: Forgive So You Can Be Forgiven'', 2012
* ''Instinct: The Power To Unleash Your Inborn Drive'', 2014, Hachette Book Group.
* ''Destiny: Step Into Your Purpose'', August 2015, Hachette Book Group.
* ''Soar!: Build Your Vision from the Ground Up'', 2017, FaithWords.
* ''Crushing: God Turns Pressure Into Power'', April 2019, Hachette Book Group.
Filmography
* 2004: ''
Woman Thou Art Loosed
''Woman Thou Art Loosed'' is a 2004 American drama film directed by Michael Schultz and written by Stan Foster. It was produced by Stan Foster and Reuben Cannon. It is the 44th film or series directed by Schultz and is adapted from the self-help ...
'' — As himself (based on Jakes's novel of the same name)
* 2009: ''
Not Easily Broken
''Not Easily Broken'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Bill Duke. The film is written by Brian Bird based on T. D. Jakes' 2006 novel of the same name. Stars Taraji P. Henson and Morris Chestnut.
Plot
Dave and Clarice Jo ...
'' — Allen (based on another Jakes novel)
* 2011: ''
Jumping the Broom
''Jumping the Broom'' is a 2011 American Romance film, romantic comedy-drama film directed by Salim Akil and produced by Tracey Edmonds, Tracey E. Edmonds, Elizabeth Hunter, T.D. Jakes, Glendon Palmer, and Curtis Wallace.
The title of the film ...
'' — Reverend James
* 2010: ''Munya'' — Reverend Brian
* 2012: ''
Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day'' – As himself
* 2012: ''
Sparkle
Sparkle may refer to:
* Sparkle (catamaran), a catamaran designed by Angus Primrose
* Sparkle (drink), a lemon-flavored soft drink
* Sparkle, a brand of paper towels owned by Georgia-Pacific
* Dick Tracy#Plenty family, Sparkle Plenty, a character ...
–'' Producer
* 2014: ''
Heaven Is for Real'' – Producer
* 2014: ''
Winnie Mandela
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela; 26 September 1936 – 2 April 2018), also known as Winnie Mandela, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She serv ...
'' – Producer
* 2016: ''
Miracles from Heaven
''Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing Story of Healing'' is a memoir written by an American author Christy Beam, released on April 14, 2015. The author wrote the book about her daughter Annabel Beam.
Plot ...
'' – Producer
* 2018: ''Faith Under Fire'' – Executive Producer
* 2019: ''
A Dog's Way Home
''A Dog's Way Home'' is a 2019 American family adventure film directed by Charles Martin Smith from a screenplay by W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Cameron. The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard, As ...
–'' Executive Producer
Legacy and honors
PBS Religion and ''Ethics Newsweekly'' have named Jakes among America's "Top 10 Religious Leaders."
''Time'' magazine featured Jakes on the cover of its September 17, 2001, issue with the
provocative question, "Is This Man the Next Billy Graham?"
In 2003, Jakes' album ''A Wing and a Prayer'' won the "Best Gospel or Chorus Album" at the
46th Grammy Awards
The 46th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 8, 2004 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003. They recognized acc ...
. He has also received Grammy and Dove Award nominations for the gospel album ''Live at The Potter's House''. In 2004, he received the
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
's
President's Award. Jakes was selected in
Oprah's ''SuperSoul100'' list of visionaries and influential leaders in 2016.
Personal life
On the
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
program ''
African American Lives
''African American Lives'' is a PBS television miniseries hosted by historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., focusing on African American genealogical research. The family histories of prominent people of African American descent are explored using tradit ...
'', Jakes had his
DNA analyzed; his
Y chromosome
The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes (allosomes) in therian mammals, including humans, and many other animals. The other is the X chromosome. Y is normally the sex-determining chromosome in many species, since it is the presence or abse ...
showed that he is descended from the
Igbo people
The Igbo people ( , ; also spelled Ibo" and formerly also ''Iboe'', ''Ebo'', ''Eboe'',
*
*
* ''Eboans'', ''Heebo'';
natively ) are an ethnic group in Nigeria. They are primarily found in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. A ...
of
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
.
According to his family history, it was suggested that he is also descended from them through his grandmother.
References
Further reading
*
Biography Bishop T.D. Jakes. — T.D. Jakes Website. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
* Early Life -Guide to Resources for the Study of West Virginia Authors and Appalachian Literary Traditions
* Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library: TD Jakes. http://www.wvwc.edu/library/wv_authors/td_jakes.html
External links
T. D. Jakes Ministries official website*
Watch T.D. Jakes Online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jakes, T.D.
1957 births
Living people
American television evangelists
People from South Charleston, West Virginia
American bishops
American people of Igbo descent
American Pentecostal pastors
African-American Christian clergy
American Christian clergy
Grammy Award winners
American Charismatics
Protestant bishops
Pentecostal writers
Television evangelists
Pentecostals from Texas
20th-century Protestants
21st-century Protestants
Film producers from Texas
Writers from Dallas
People from Cross Lanes, West Virginia