Internationally known pastor T.D. Jakes will step away from leadership of his Dallas megachurch and hand the reins to his daughter and son-in-law, he announced April 27.
Jakes founded The Potters House in West Virginia and then moved it to Dallas in 1976, during the height of his rise to prominence in American televangelism. He took over a property previously home to Eagles Nest Family Church, led by Pastor W.V. Grant, who was convicted of tax evasion.
That property is located on a hilltop in South Dallas, adjacent to Dallas Baptist University.
T.D. Jakes
Jakes came to Dallas with 50 church members and grew the church to a weekly average attendance of 12,000 today and is listed by Outreach magazine as the 50th largest church in the United States. It is the 10th largest church in Texas.
The announcement about his upcoming transition — no specific date announced — coincides with this 50th anniversary in pastoral ministry, according to a news release from the church.
“As I enter my 50th year in the public spotlight, I recognize the urgent need to address more challenges of our time, particularly the looming threat of a disappearing middle class, social unrest and closing opportunity gaps,” Jakes said.
During the service, Jakes said, ” It’s not important just to know when to grab hold but also when to let go.” The transition is slated to happen sometime this year.
Jakes isn’t the only megachurch pastor who has passed down power to family members.
One of the most notorious examples was when Robert Schuller stepped down from the Crystal Cathedral in Orange County, Calif., in 2006 and named his son pastor. The Crystal Cathedral today is a Roman Catholic cathedral.
Last year, Ed Young passed the baton at Second Baptist Church in Houston to his son Ben Young, sparking a controversy that resulted in a lawsuit by disgruntled members.
At Potters House on Sunday, Jakes preached a sermon titled, “Whatever God Commands.”
He said this is the best time for him to hand over leadership to his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and son-in-law, Touré Roberts. The younger couple currently lead Potters House ONE, a congregation in Los Angeles.
Sarah Jakes Roberts
Sarah Jakes Roberts, 36, is a pastor, author, motivational speaker and founder of Woman Evolve, a movement committed to erasing limits and challenging the norms of what it means to be a modern woman of faith.
Touré Roberts, 51, is an author, entrepreneur, investor, producer and humanitarian. He produces weekly podcasts on leadership and spiritual growth; mentors leaders in entertainment, technology, business and social enterprise; and founder of Eight Eighteen Investments, focusing on biotech, health and wellness, and education technology.
Touré Roberts
T.D. Jakes is known for his electrifying message delivery, which he employed Sunday in announcing the transition. He asked the congregation to put aside their own ego and pride and strive toward unity.
“Bishop Jakes has always been a standard barrier for multi-dimensional ministry,” said Christopher Harris, founder of Diverse Church Jobs. “His voice and influence, and how he moves, has always created a ripple effect for small and megachurches.”
Last November, Jakes came near death, according to an account he gave on the Today show last month.
“I didn’t really realize what was happening to me onstage until I got to the hospital in an ambulance and fussing that it happened onstage, by the way, because I didn’t want it to happen, and the doctor leaned over my ear and said, ‘You had a massive heart attack.’”
Jakes went on to say the doctor said if he had come in 5 minutes later, “I’d have been dead on arrival. The right side of my heart had completely stopped getting blood at all.”
After his recovery, Jakes came back to the pulpit at the church’s annual New Year’s Eve watch night service. He thanked the congregation for their prayers: “Had the enemy had his way, we wouldn’t have had a Christmas. We’d have had a homegoing service. But God.”
Also within the past year, Jakes has been sued by two men who claimed Jakes sexually assaulted them. Jakes has brought a countersuit against the men and has categorically denied the charges.
When he’s no longer leading The Potter’s House, Jake said, “there’s some things I want to do in the community before I get too old to do it.”