Our Founders
Bishop T. D. Jakes
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.
Named “America’s Best Preacher” by Time Magazine, Jakes’ voice reverberates from the world’s most prominent stages. Through his nexus of charitable works, T.D. Jakes is known for extending a hand of help to the needy, a heart of compassion to the hurting, and a message of inspiration to the disenfranchised.
Beyond the pulpit, Jakes ranks among EBONY’s Power100 and is the winner of several prestigious awards including BET Honors, Stellar Award, NAACP Image Award, Keeper of the Dream Award, and McDonald’s 365Black Award for his humanitarian efforts. His worldwide impact is also felt through high-profile conference series such as MegaFest which recently drew more than 75,000 participants and an empire that spans film, television, radio, best-selling books, and the T.D. Jakes School of Leadership.
Bishop Jakes made his presence felt in Hollywood with eight films to date including the recent hit, “Winnie Mandela” starring Jennifer Hudson; 2012’s top five release, “SPARKLE,” featuring Jordin Sparks and the late Whitney Houston; “On the Seventh Day,” the first sequel in the “Woman Thou Art Loosed” franchise which outperformed the competition on a per-screen average; and “Jumping the Broom,” an award-winning romantic comedy that debuted as the #1 comedy and grossed nearly seven times its budget in 2011. The prodigious producer followed those successful movies up with “Black Nativity” and the much anticipated “Heaven is for Real” which was based on the bestselling book.
Celebrating 38 years of marriage, Thomas Dexter and Serita Jakes are parents to five children and three grandchildren. He credits his parents as the source of his perseverance and sense of self-reliance.
After more than 40 years in ministry, Jakes continues to be a leading voice of innovation, inspiration, and influence in Christendom today.
Mrs. Serita jakes
Serita A. Jakes is an author, speaker, and visionary. She serves alongside her husband, Bishop T. D. Jakes of the legendary 30,000-member Dallas-based church, The Potter’s House.
Mrs. Jakes serves as executive director of women’s and children’s affairs at The Potter’s House, where she oversees the internationally acclaimed God’s Leading Ladies Life Enrichment Program, the nationally acclaimed Distinctively Debutante Program, a mentoring program for academically astute girls, ages 10-17 and Starting Over, a ministry committed to the betterment of women who encounter life-altering challenges such as abuse, divorce, joblessness, and grief.
A gifted writer, Mrs. Jakes released her first book, The Princess Within, in 1999. In 2003, Warner Faith published Jakes’ second book, Beside Every Good Man: Loving Myself While Standing By Him, and in 2011, she released her third book, a novel, The Crossing, which tackles such issues as domestic violence, trauma, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. The Princess Within has now been adapted to a teen edition for girls ages, 12-15 entitled, The Princess Within for Teens. In 2014, she released The Princess Within for Teens to rave reviews and awards. The revised edition addresses contemporary issues that many “tween” and teen girls experience including bullying, peer pressure, and social media.
A drama major in college, Mrs. Jakes has also lent her expertise to stage and film. She was the co-executive producer of the stage plays Woman, Thou Art Loosed and Behind Closed Doors. In addition, she assisted in the production of the film, Jumping the Broom, which topped box office numbers on opening weekend.
Her latest venture was releasing the SJ Home Collection, a collection of candles and accessories. She has always believed it is important for a woman to set the atmosphere in their home – it is what you do with the house that makes it a home. With this collection, she hopes to spread the calming and peaceful atmosphere in homes all over the world.
Jakes’ biblically-grounded knowledge allows her to share with believers and non-believers alike through appearances on The Dr. Phil Show, CNN, Oprah’s Next Chapter, and Fox News. She also has been profiled in such notable publications as Ebony, The Washington Post, Essence, and Rolling Out.
A loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Mrs. Jakes and her husband have five children and she is lovingly called “Granny” by her five grandchildren.