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On Sunday, Bishop T. D. Jakes announced that he would be stepping down as lead pastor at Potter's House in Dallas, TX.
To take over, Jakes announced that his daughter, alongside his son-in-law, will be taking over leadership of the church.
On Nov. 24, 2024, Jakes experienced a heart attack while preaching on stage. He did make a full recovery and started preaching again on New Year's Eve, but stated he wants to make sure the church continues if something else were to happen to him.
"I cannot afford, especially after November, to risk something happening to me and you be sheep without a shepherd," said Bishop Jakes during the service. "I cannot afford to let all the work of all the saints, living and dead, to hold this so tight so long that I wither away. So I'm suggesting to you, I'm recommending to you, that you receive Pastor Touré and Pastor Sarah."
The term 'megachurch' is appropriate for Potter's House as there are 80,000 members of the congregation. Jakes also shared that his children have been running the church since November, stepping in to help anyway.
The Bishop initially didn't know what happened to him while preaching, but once he arrived at the hospital, the doctors informed him of what had happened and how serious it was.
"The doctor leaned over in my ear and said, 'You had a massive heart attack.' And the reason I didn't realize it is I had no symptoms [of a heart attack]: no numbness, no sharp pain, no anything. I just kind of drifted off to sleep. I didn't know what it was, but I almost died."
After serving in ministry for almost 50 years, Jakes is looking forward to continue working for the ministry, but more behind the scenes as he stays on as chairman of the T.D. Jakes Group.
"There's some ways that I want to prepare us for the days ahead that I can't do it completely from the pulpit. Every now and then I think they'll let me preach, but there's some work in the vineyard that needs to be done."
Jakes shared his enthusiasm behind his daughter and son-in-law continuing the legacy at Potter's House.
"Elevating Pastor Touré and Pastor Sarah as the new senior pastors of The Potter’s House, we will honor our rich history while embracing a future that demands innovative ministry for the coming age. This elevation is not a departure but a rebirth. I will never stop preaching and will continue to minister. This moment isn’t an ending, it’s an expansion. We are not only passing a mantle we are multiplying impact. Leadership is not static, it is dynamic. It demands the courage to evolve."
Bishop Jakes has also been accused of sexually assaulting a man 40 years ago. A few short days after his heart attack last Nov., Jakes filed a defamation lawsuit against former-pastor-turned-registered sex offender Duane Youngblood.