Pastor T.D. Jakes steps down, installs daughter and son-in-law as co-pastors

Pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes formally stepped away from his role as senior pastor of The Potter’s House church in Dallas on Sunday after installing his daughter and her husband to replace him. Sarah Jakes Roberts and her husband, Touré Roberts, will take up the mantle and lead the Texas megachurch, according to a Sunday statement. The nondenominational church described the nearly four-hour installation service as a historic moment of leadership transition.

Sarah, founder of Women Evolve ministry, is known for being vulnerable and repurposing the challenges she faced as a teen mother, a divorcee, and the daughter of a nationally recognized pastor for ministry, according to the ministry’s website. Touré is also known for his book Purpose Awakening: Discover the Epic Idea that Motivated Your Birth, and for founding ONE, a Potter’s House church in Los Angeles.

What caused the need for leadership change? Jakes first shared the planned power shift in late April, saying the pair had run the church since his heart attack last November. Sarah and Touré were chosen for their previous experience serving as leaders in the church, not because they are family, Jakes assured the church’s roughly 30,000 congregants. Jakes suffered a major heart attack while preaching last fall. Livestream footage showed the then-67-year-old pastor sitting on a stool while praying when he began to slur his words, shake, and drop the microphone in his hand.

What’s Jakes planning to do now? Jakes will continue to serve as chairman of The Potter’s House leadership board and start serving as the church’s spiritual overseer. Jakes also planned to continue other ministry work, including his role as chairman of the T.D. Jakes Group, which oversees T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures, T.D. Jakes Enterprises, and T.D. Jakes Foundation, according to the church. Jakes previously faced backlash from some evangelical circles for what they characterized as his shifting teachings on the Trinity. Critics have also previously accused him of preaching a prosperity gospel.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s previous report for more background on Jakes’ passing leadership to his daughter and son-in-law.