TD Jakes is an American religious leader, pastor, and entrepreneur. He is a pastor of a megachurch, The Potter House. As of 2024, TD Jakes net worth is around $20 million.
| Full Name | Thomas Dexter Jakes |
| Birthday/Age | June 9, 1957/66 years old |
| Birthplace | South Charleston, WV |
| Profession | Religious leader, pastor |
| Wife | Serita Jakes |
| Net Worth (as of 2024) | $20 million |
Early Life
T. D. Jakes was born in June 1957 in South Charleston. Not enough detail is available regarding his early life and his parents. Jakes spent his childhood days in the Vandalia neighborhood. While appearing on the PBS show, African American Lives, his DNA was analyzed which showed that his ancestry was the Igbo people of Nigeria.
Regarding his education, he studied at Friends International Christian University and received his Bachelor’s degree in biblical studies in 1985. Then, he completed a Master’s degree in biblical studies in 1990.
TD Jakes Net Worth & Career
View this post on Instagram
Jakes was 25 when he became the pastor of a storefront church, Greater Emanuel Temple of Faith in West Virginia. He was ordained into the Bishopric in 1987. After a year, he became associated with Bisho Sherman Watkins’ Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies.
T.D. shifted his place to South Charleston in 1990, and after that, his congregation reached 300 members. After three years, he shifted his place to Cross Lanes. Jakes preached his first sermon, Woman, Thou Art Loosed in 1992. The following year, he launched a weekly TV broadcast on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
Jakes started working on weekly broadcasts on Black Entertainment Television in 1994. That same year, he started the first ManPower conference which was initiated to motivate men in their community and regional roles. At the same time, he was moving his congregation to West Virginia’s different places. In 1996, he moved his family and 50 church employees to Dallas.
Jakes founded a non-denominational church, The Potter’s House in Dallas in 1996. The church was built on a 34-acre hilltop campus, featuring a 5,000-seat auditorium. In the first place, the church attracted over 2,000 people. As of now, the church has drawn more than 30,000.
In 1998, he founded the Metroplex Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). After two years in 2000, he was included in the PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly’s list of Top 10 Religious leaders. That same year, he served as the keynote speaker at the National Black Association, the National Council of Black Mayors, and the 2000 Congressional Black Caucus.
Jakes was named as America’s Best Preacher by the Time Magazine and CNN in 2001. The next year, he was named as one of the Top 100 Powers That Be by Savoy magazine. In 2005, he accompanied then-President George W. Bush while he was visiting the areas destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Subsequently, in 2009, he led the early morning prayer service for former President Obama at Washington-based St. John’s Church.
In 2009, Jakes launched a syndicated secular talk show along with its partners, Jay McGraw, Phil McGraw, and CBS Television Distribution. In July 2015, he announced a new secular talk show called T. D. Jakes. The show went for a test run for different stations in Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Minneapolis. Soon after a year, Tegna station announced that it would start airing its show in more than 50 markets nationwide. However, his show was canceled in March 2017 due to poor ratings.
Personal Life
TD Jakes married his wife, Serita Jakes in 1981. Together, they are parenting five kids, Sarah, Cora, Jermaine, Thomas, and Jamar. Their first kid, Jermaine is a filmmaker who has directed various movies such as The Scroll, Miracles from Heaven, and Not Easily Broken. While, his fourth kid, Cora has chosen her father’s profession as she is a pastor and speaker. She has also written a book titled Faithing It: Bringing Purpose Back to Your Life!
In December 2023, Jakes got into controversy for his close bond with Muso P Diddy. He soon became a trending topic on X after a content creator, MYEi$HiA accused Diddy of physical and sexual abuse when they were in a relationship. Diddy’s ex further accused that he runs wild sex parties. According to her, Jakes is a regular guest and powerful bottom in Diddy’s wild sex parties. However, Jakes has not made any comment on Diddy’s ex allegations.
TD Jakes Net Worth
As of 2024, T. D. Jakes’ net worth is estimated at around $20 million. He has gathered a colossal amount from being involved in the realms of spirituality, media, and leadership. Jakes has also authored many books, and produced several movies such as Sparkle, and Heaven Is for Real, Winnie Mandela.
