T.D. Jakes Steps Down As Pastor Of Potter’s House
Megachurch founder Bishop T.D. Jakes announced on Sunday that he will step down as pastor of his 30,000-member Dallas-based church, The Potter’s House. His daughter and son-in-law will assume the helm.
For almost 50 years, Jakes, who will turn 68 in June, has served the local and global community as a pastor, global faith leader and author.
According to a statement on the church’s website, senior pastoral duties will fall on pastors Touré Roberts, 51, and Sarah Jakes Roberts, 36.
Jakes’ announcement and presentation of couple to the congregation met with applause and a long, standing ovation.
While choking back tears, Jakes spent about 30 minutes outlining the progression of the transition and the spiritual weight of him letting go of the church and Robertses accepting the assignment.
Jakes embraced the couple with a quote from Romans 8, “If God is for you, who can be against you?”
Pastors Touré and Sarah Roberts released a statement saying,” Preparing for this announcement over the past several years has allowed us as a family and a global church family to carefully balance the needs of our community worldwide and the pace at which we performed each step of our plan.”
In 2022, the couple relocated from Los Angeles to Dallas, and in 2023, they were installed as assistant pastors of The Potter’s House.
The couple’s backgrounds are described as “visionary leader, entrepreneur and founder of ONE | A Potter’s House Church” and “New York Times bestselling author, media influencer and founder of Woman Evolve.”
“We are committed to building a ministry that carries the heart of Bishop Jakes into a future that is both faithful and forward-thinking,” the statement quotes Touré as saying.
Pastor Sarah added, “This is not just a call to serve. It’s a mandate to lead with compassion, clarity, and courage.”
The promotion of Pastor Touré and Pastor Sarah is “not a departure but a rebirth,” the statement reads. “We are not only passing a mantle but multiplying impact. Leadership is not static; it is dynamic. It demands the courage to evolve,” according to the statement.
Founded in 1996, The Potter’s House is one of the world’s most influential and innovative ministries. Its founder, Jakes, will remain board chairman and spiritual overseer of The Potter’s House.
Sunday’s announcement follows a season of profound transition for Jakes, including a widely publicized health scare, a defamation lawsuit and a Sean “Diddy” Combs lawsuit, as reported by The Roys Report.
The statement indicates Jakes recognizes “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 he plans to leave a legacy of economic empowerment as a bridge between community, culture and corporate alliances to help position the United States for a stronger future.
Ministry Obligations
While transitioning daily pastoral duties, Jakes will expand his global footprint and continue his work chairing the T.D. Jakes Group, which consists of T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures, T.D. Jakes Enterprises and the T.D. Jakes Foundation.
Jakes will lead the Good Soil Forum for entrepreneurs in Dallas this June, which will be co-hosted by philanthropist and media mogul Oprah Winfrey.
He plans to launch his own slate of shows with iHeartPodcasts, starting with his new podcast, “My Next Chapter.”
This piece is republished from The Roys Report.
Sheila Stogsdill is a freelance print journalist and digital reporter, primarily covering crime issues for KSN/KODE.