His church services and evangelistic sermons are broadcast on The Potter's Touch, which airs on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Black Entertainment Television[2] and The Word Network. Other aspects of Jakes' ministry include an annual revival called "MegaFest" (which draws more than 100,000 people during that period of time), an annual women's conference called "Woman Thou Art Loosed", and gospel music recordings. He is also connected to Mt. Gilead Full Gospel International Ministries in Richmond, Virginia.
In the fall of 2009, Jakes plan on launching a secular daily talk show, syndicated through the CBS Television Distribution group; however, economic troubles in the industry may put his new program into jeopardy. [3]
On January 20, 2009, Jakes led the early morning prayer service for President-elect Barack Obama at St. John's Church in Washington, DC, according to NBC News.
Early Life and History
Thomas Dexter June 9, 1957 in South Charleston, West Virginia to Ernest Jakes, Sr., a janitor and entrepreneur[2] , and Odith, an educator. Even as a child he was known in his West Virginian neighborhood as "the Bad Bible boy." He was also told he would never be able to preach because of his "bad" lisp. [4] Shortly after his father's death from kidney failure, Jakes decided to go into ministry. [2] In 1979, with very little funds of his own and with only ten initial members, he founded Greater Emmanuel Temple of Faith as a storefront church in Montgomery, West Virginia. Jakes maintained his day job digging ditches in order to support his ministry until the church was able to support him. During its first 10 years, the church grew to over 1,000 members. [5] In 1982, Jakes turned to full-time ministry.[2]
By 1990, his church had moved twice, first from Montgomery to the nearby community of Smithers, and from there to his hometown of South Charleston. In 1993, the church moved yet again within the Charleston area, to Cross Lanes.[6]
In 1995, when he was 38 years old, Jakes started his television ministry. [4] In 1996 Jakes founded The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, with about 50 families that had relocated with him from his former congregation in Cross Lanes. Jakes purchased the property, which was previously Eagle's Nest Family Church, from WV Grant after Grant was sentenced to 16 months in prison for tax-related crimes.[7] In its 12-year existence it has grown to over 30,000 members.[citation needed] Both Jakes and his Potter's House church are unrelated to the Potter's House Christian Fellowship, a Pentecostal denomination founded in Arizona in 1970.
[edit]Family and Heritage
In 1981 he married Serita Ann Jamison.[2] They have five children together (Jamar, Jermaine, Cora, Sarah, and Thomas Jakes Jr.) Jakes is a strong advocate of abstinence and has made appearances on the subject ranging from Good Morning America to Dr. Phil. Jermaine Jakes is a step-son of Jakes, and was arrested in January 2009 for indecent exposure in a public park to undercover police officers.
PBS program African American Lives, Jakes had his DNA analyzed; his Y chromosome showed that he is descended from the Igbo people of what is now Nigeria.[8][9] According to his family history, it was also suggested that he is descended from them through his paternal grandmother. [10][11]
Criticism
Critics have accused him of promoting views on God that derive from Oneness Pentecostalism, but he has denied this.[12]
Jakes subscribes to "prosperity theology," which in essence teaches that God rewards his faithful followers by overt material means.[citation needed] As such, Jakes is unapologetic in amassing expensive clothes, luxury cars, and property. His detractors, however, argue that the Jesus of the Bible did not practice such an indulgence in material wealth, and as such, Jakes is teaching a contra-Biblical message.
Jakes has also been criticized for not speaking on racism by Cain Hope Felder, dean of the Howard University Divinity School, and others.[2]
Awards and Accomplishments
Jakes has received numerous honors, including 13 honorary degrees and doctorates. He has also received Grammy and Dove Award nominations for Gospel album "Live at The Potter's House." PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly named Jakes among America's "Top 10 Religious Leaders." Time magazine featured Jake on the cover of its September 17, 2001 issue with the provocative question: "Is This Man the Next Billy Graham?". [5]
Shayne Lee, a sociologist at Tulane University, wrote the first biography of Jakes entitled T.D. Jakes: America's New Preacher, in which he portrays the bishop as a complicated preacher brimming with paradoxes and contradictions and motivated by the dual task of healing hearts and generating market share. Lee compares Jakes to Jay Gatsby and calls him a model of the new postmodern evangelical preacher. Jakes is one of five evangelicals featured in Dr. Lee's new book Holy Mavericks: Evangelical Innovators and the Spiritual Marketplace, co-authored by historian Phillip Sinitiere and published by NYU Press.
[edit]Christian Ministry
Jakes is a charismatic speaker and preacher whose sermons are broadcast nationally and internationally over television and satellite television. Jakes is also a prolific author and has written over 30 books, many of which have been featured on the New York Times best-selling list. Jakes is also a songwriter, a playwright, and performer. He founded a Christian record label (Dexterity Sounds [13]) as well as a theater and movie production company.[14]
Jakes' church, The Potter's House, is very active in ministry and outreach both locally and internationally. The Potter's House sends drugs and alcohol counselling to the inner city, volunteers to the elderly, to prostitutes and victims of domestic abuse. [4] Jakes also has a special interest in the continent of Africa, and The Potter's House launched an initiative that brought water wells, medicine, and ministry to thousands of people in and around Nairobi in Kenya.[14]
Jakes hosted several popular national conferences, including "Woman, Thou Art Loosed," "G Unit: ManPower," and "God's Leading Ladies." Recently, Jakes combined those into a single event called "Megafest." Jakes regularly draws capacity crowds at his conferences and ministry events.[14]
[edit]Books
Intimacy With God
Can You Stand To Be Blessed?
Naked And Not Ashamed?
Loose That Man And Lets Him Go
Loose That Man And Let Him Go Work Book
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
The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord
Maximize the Moment : God's Action Plan For Your Life
So You Call Yourself a Man?: Finally Devotional for Ordinary Men With Extraordinary Potential
God's Leading Lady
His Lady
Jesus Walks (with me)
Whats up church,!!
Daddy Loves His Girls
The Greatest Investment
Mama Made the Difference
TD Jakes Speaks To Men
Before You Do : Making Great Decisions That That You Won't Regret, Atria Books, 2008. ISBN 978-1416547280
[edit]Movies
Woman Thou Art Loosed (based on Jakes' novel of the same name)[15]
Not Easily Broken (based on another Jakes' novel).[16]
He is Gangstalisous How to be hood without people knowing Reach for the stars
[edit]References
^ "Biography" (HTML). Bishop T.D. Jakes. T.D. Jakes Website. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
^ a b c d e f Washington Post Article
Joy to the World
T.D. Jakes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart
Prepare Him room
Let Heaven and Nature sing
Let Heaven and Nature sing
Let Heaven and Nature sing
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns
Let Saints their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, Repeat, the sounding joy
The first stanza of TD Jakesβ version of βJoy to the Worldβ celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ with the message that the Lord has come. The lyrics suggest that all of Earth, who would receive her King, must prepare to make room for Him. The third line highlights the importance of every heart to prepare a place for the Lord. The stanza then ends with a call to action that everyone present should sing the wonders and joys of Christβs arrival in unison with Heaven and Nature. The repetition of the last line emphasizes the unity between Heaven, Nature, and Earth, and how they should all join in the celebration of the Lord's coming.
The second stanza of the song is also dedicated to Jesus Christ, this time, painting a future where the Saviour rules the world with truth and grace. The lyrics suggest that these righteous ways will help the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love. The second half of the stanza highlights the importance of Saints and all the natural elements singing out and repeating the sounding joy until the whole world recognizes the greatness of God. The repetition highlights the joy and energy that should come from the celebration of the Saviorβs reign.
Line by Line Meaning
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
Celebrate with happiness and enthusiasm as the Lord has arrived.
Let earth receive her King
Every part of the earth should welcome and accept their King.
Let every heart Prepare Him room
Everyone should make space in their heart for Him.
Let Heaven and Nature sing
The heavens and nature should rejoice and sing together.
Now He rules the world with truth and grace
He governs the entire world with honesty and virtue.
And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness
He enables the nations to demonstrate the greatness of His morality.
And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders of His love
The world is amazed by the depth and boundlessness of His love.
Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns
Rejoice as our Saviour rules over us.
Let Saints their songs employ
The saints should utilize their songs to praise Him.
While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains
All parts of the natural world, such as fields, floods, rocks, hills, and plains, should demonstrate their rejoicing.
Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, Repeat, the sounding joy
The joyous sound should be repeated again and again to celebrate the Lord's arrival.
Lyrics Β© HAL LEONARD LLC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Integrity Music
Written by: Isaac Watts, G Handel, Roger Wagner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Edna nyangoro
I needed this message today!!! He was talking to me!!! Am in tears right now!!!!! Thank you Jesus!!!!
Ben Cooper
THANK You Bishop..
B. Red Is Favored
This is right on time, my season I'm in. ππ½
Wyzdom
Real Talk π―
Danny Clark
Amen same here....Thank you heavenly Father!
Lara Macmurray
I need this right now.. God you have put bishop right here at the right time. My mother has early Alzheimerβs, now diagnosed with tongue cancer and they giving her no treatment. Iβm losing my mother but Iβm gaining strength from my father and my saviour Jesus. Not my will but yours father and Iβm here for all the learning this will bring no matter the grief and sadness. Amen π
Thank you bishop and please pray for my mother if you read this π
Lillian McCray
Hope your mom endure in Jesus Chirst name
sharon mwape
an on time word for me Lord help me to endure my season of crushing πββπββππ
M H
Yes this came out just when I needed it I have been going through so many trials and tribulations that one can endure. This is straight on point thank you so much. . I needed this more than ever. ... Thank you in Jesus name πππππ β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ that k you bishop. You made my day. Stay blessed β€οΈβ€οΈ
Margaret Aguazim
God bless you sir for this light. Pastor TD Jakes sir, I've always loved you since I was a child. God bless you sir