T. D. Jakes Biography
T. D. Jakes (Thomas Dexter Jakes Sr.) is a pastor, televangelist, author, and filmmaker known as the minister of The Potter’s House, a non-denominational American megachurch. His church services and evangelistic sermons are aired on The Potter’s Touch across various platforms.
T. D. Jakes Age
Thomas was born on June 9, 1957, in South Charleston, West Virginia, the United States of America.
T. D. Jakes Career
Jakes hosted the T.D. Jakes Show, a nationally syndicated talk show produced by Tegna Media and distributed by Sony Pictures Television, until the show’s cancellation in March 2017.
In 1980, hile he was 23, he got to his mission of priesthood in Greater Emanuel Temple of Faith, a storefront church in Smithers, West Virginia, with ten members. The congregation grew to 100 members and became notable because it was racially integrated.
In 1990, he moved to South Charleston, West Virginia where his congregation grew again, to 300 members. Come 1993, Dexter moved to Cross Lanes, West Virginia, where the congregation grew to more than 1,100 people. However, 60 percents were African American and 40 percent Caucasian.
In 1994, hisMinistries was established as a non-profit organization that produced televised sermons and conferences. in the years 1995 and 1996, Dexter aired “Get Ready,” a weekly syndicated radio and television which had coverage across the country.
In 1996 he moved to Texas where he founded the Potter’s House, a non-denominational megachurch. 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.
As of 1996 to 1998, church membership grew from 7,000 congregants to 14,000. In 2005, Jakes accompanied President George W. Bush on his visit to the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. President Bush’s book; Decision Points, describes Jakes as “a kind of man who puts faith into action.”
On January 20, 2009, he led the early morning prayer service for President Barack Obama at St. John’s Church in Washington, D.C., according to NBC News. In 2009, he worked with Dr. Phil McGraw, Jay McGraw, and CBS Television Distribution to begin a syndicate, secular talk show. However, due to economic issues within the syndicated television market, the program never picked.
In July 2015, Tegna, Inc., and Debmar-Mercury indicated that a new secular talk show hosted by T. D. Jakes would air a test run from August 17 to September 11, 2015, on Tegna stations across Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, and Minneapolis.
On May 10, 2016, he announced that he would start airing Jakes’s show on September 12 in over 50 markets across the country. On March 15, 2017, Tegna announced that T. D. Jakes was canceled due to poor ratings and low clearances. He appeared on Swedish DJ Steve Angello’s dance/electronic track Rejoice.
T. D. Jakes Family
Jakes was born to Ernest Jakes, Sr. and Odith Jakes. He was raised up along with his siblings, Jacqueline Jakes, and Ernest Jakes. From his kids, he’s blessed with grandkids, Jason Coleman Cora Jakes Coleman and Amauri Noelle Coleman. Thomas Dexter Jakes is his grandfather.
T. D. Jakes Education
Jakes enrolled and later graduated from the West Virginia State University.
T. D. Jakes Marriage
Jakes married Serita Jakes back in 1982. Together, they have been blessed with five beautiful kids; Sarah Jakes Roberts, Cora Jakes Coleman, Jermaine Jakes, Jamar Jakes, Thomas Jakes, Jr.
Thomas Dexter Jakes Awards & Accomplishments
Jakes’ album A Wing and a Prayer won the “Best Gospel or Chorus Album” at the 46th Grammy Awards in 2003 and earned Grammy and Dove Award nominations for the gospel album “Live at The Potter’s House.”
PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly ranked Dexter among America’s “Top 10 Religious Leaders.” On another occasion, Time magazine featured Jakes on the cover of its September 17, 2001. In accompaniment, there lies a provocative question, “Is This Man the Next Billy Graham?”
On the PBS program African American Lives, Dexter traced his DNA to the decency of the Igbo people of Nigeria. From his family’s history, it can be identified that he descended from Nigeria through his grandmother.
He got nominated in Oprah’s SuperSoul100 list of visionaries and influential leaders in 2016.
T. D. Jakes Net Worth
Jakes has an estimated Net Worth of $18 million. He shared about his wealth with Oprah in a 2012 interview stating that he draws income from his megachurch and his best-selling books and producing movies.