After 30 years of leading The Potter’s House, Bishop T.D. Jakes has officially stepped down, passing the mantle of leadership to his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and her husband, Pastor Touré Roberts
During Sunday’s service, with his wife Serita Jakes by his side, Bishop Jakes named Sarah and Touré Roberts as the new senior pastors of the Dallas-based megachurch. The couple will officially begin their roles in July, while Bishop Jakes will continue serving on The Potter’s House Board of Directors.
Fighting back tears, Sarah Jakes Roberts embraced her father and said, “As your pastor-elect, co-senior pastor elect, I’m grateful, I’m honored as your daughter.”
The leadership transition follows a health scare for Bishop Jakes, who suffered a heart attack during a morning service last November—a moment that was captured live on video and raised questions about his future in the pulpit.
“I cannot afford, especially after November, to risk something happening to me, and you be sheep without a shepherd,” Jakes told the congregation during Sunday’s announcement.
After the service, the Jakes family released a letter to the church community, explaining the long-planned transition:
“Today we shared with the world our long-held plans of purposeful evolution for The Potter’s House and our global church family. 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.”
The letter outlined key milestones that led to this moment, including the family’s move from Los Angeles to Dallas, the transition from the iconic “Woman, Thou Art Loosed” conference to “Woman Evolve” in 2022, and the installation of two new assistant pastors in 2023.
“Today marks the continuation of our willingness to evolve as a church and step into broader roles to make certain we continue to meet the needs of this sensitive moment in our collective history,” the letter continued.
Addressing the broader societal challenges, the letter emphasized the importance of nurturing the next generation while honoring the sacrifices of those who came before:
“As we look across our great nation and survey the unyielding economic, societal, and spiritual needs visiting our communities, it’s clear that we can’t afford to squander the potential of our youth or the elders who have paved the way… These issues we face are not a tale of despair; they are a clarion call for change.”
The letter concluded with a call for unity and action:
“As Pastors Touré and Sarah step further into leadership at The Potter’s House of Dallas, a new movement will emerge. Meanwhile, the work of the T.D. Jakes Group—focused on job creation, workforce development, and community revitalization—will be able to accelerate more rapidly. Together, we shall unite for the betterment of this generation and those to come.”
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All the best to him