Bishop T. D. Jakes is a charismatic leader, visionary, provocative thinker, and entrepreneur who serves as senior pastor of The Potter’s House, a global humanitarian organization and 30,000-member church located in Dallas, Texas.
T.D. Jakes’ mission is carried out through four distinct channels: global humanitarian outreach, inspirational conference series, media and entertainment ventures, and thought leadership forums.
Global Humanitarian & Outreach Initiatives include: Metroplex Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Texas Offenders Re-Entry Initiative (T.O.R.I.) and MegaCARE.
Inspirational Conference Series include: MegaFEST, Woman Thou Art Loosed, ManPower, MegaKidz, Fire Code Youth and International Pastors and Leadership Conferences.
Media & Entertainment: Under the for-profit umbrella of TDJ Enterprises(TDJE) are film, music, books and other branded products and digital services that extend the T.D. Jakes name beyond the pulpit. A master communicator, his relevant message of hope is aimed at a mass media audience.
Leadership Platforms: Bishop Jakes’ desire to mentor leaders is evidenced in his annual intimate training forums. Project Gideon – equips those under 40, while Mount Pisgah Experience assists those over 40 looking to gain mastery in ministry.
Thought Leadership: T.D. Jakes has lent his unique voice and intellectual insights to forums such as:
- The Aspen Institute
- The Willow Creek Leadership Forum
- The Drucker Institute, CEO Forum
- The Elephant Room
- The SMU Tate Lecture Series
- The Reconciled Church
- Conversations with America
T.D. Jakes has advised the last three presidents, was a featured speaker at the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009, gave remarks at a White House Easter Prayer Breakfast in 2011, attended the state dinner for African leaders in 2014 and Pope Francis’ 2015 White House visit.
Over the years, he has met with leaders on the world stage, including President Rawlings of Ghana and President Obasanjo of Nigeria. He was a guest of the King of Jordan, King Abdullah, the President of Trinidad, George Maxwell Richards, and the president of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri K. Museveni, among others.
In 2015, Bishop Jakes launched “Conversations with America” a series of statically based studies on the issues that impact broad cross-sections of Americans. In 2016, Bishop Jakes held a live forum to discuss study results on criminal justice, economic reform, national security and racial polarization with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. The by-invitation only event drew a crowd of 200 including members of Congress, the White House, journalists, lobbyists, and others and aired via Facebook Live with an audience reach of exceeding 1 million. The award-winning campaign is now a featured segment on the T.D. Jakes Show and continues as an ongoing study.
Select Honors: 2015 Ebony Power 100, and Newsmax’s Top 100 Leaders (#14), The 2014 Dallas Business Journal Minority Business Award, 2013 BET Honors recipient for contributions to education, 2013 Stellar Award/Thomas A. Dorsey Award for most notable achievement, 2013 Keepers of the Dream Award, 2012 McDonald’s 365Black community service award, , and the 2011 NAACP Image Award
Bishop Jakes accolades include the following:
- Listed among PBS’ Religion and Ethics Newsweekly “Top 10 Religious Leaders;”
- One of the Nation’s Most Influential & Mesmerizing Preachers” by The New York Times;
- Named Newsweek’s 12 People to Watch;
- Placed on Savoy Magazine’s “Top 100 Powers That Be;”
- Ranked on EBONY Magazine’s “Power 100 List;”
- Called “America’ Best Preacher by CNN and Time;
- A True 21st Century Renaissance Man; A Prolific Revivalist; Conference Leader & Christian Entrepreneur;
- “Black Billy Graham Nation’s “25 Most Influential Evangelicals;”
- Among the Leading Candidates in Line to Inherit Billy Graham’s Mantle;
- Called “Perhaps the most influential black leader in America today” by The Atlantic;
- Named by CNN the “Smart Church of the 21st Century”
Digital Impact:
T.D. Jakes taps into a growing global audience who enter his digital-sphere through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Vimeo, Google+, SnapChat, Periscope and the T.D. Jakes app to the tune of 10 Million total followers.
Celebrating 35 years of marriage, Thomas Dexter and Serita Jakes are parents to five children and five grandchildren. He credits his own parents as the source of his perseverance and sense of self-reliance.
After 40 years in ministry, Bishop Jakes continues to be a leading voice of innovation, inspiration, and influence in Christendom today.
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