T.D. Jakes steps down — that’s the rumor that has been circulating for months online about the popular senior pastor of The Potter’s House since allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs emerged in late 2023. Is this rumor about T.D. Jakes stepping down from his position at the Dallas megachurch true, or are people merely speculating about the pastor’s connections to Diddy’s ongoing legal battles? In this article, we take a look at those claims to separate fact from fiction.
In the realm of U.S. Christian leadership, few names are as well known as Bishop T.D. Jakes. His influence extends far beyond the walls of The Potter’s House, touching lives across the globe through his sermons, books, and conferences. But recently, rumors have circulated online suggesting that Bishop Jakes is planning to step down from his position due to a celebrity’s ongoing criminal and civil cases.
Related: T.D. Jakes Slams Accusers Linking Him to Diddy
Who Is T.D. Jakes?
Bishop Thomas Dexter Jakes, most commonly referred to as T.D. Jakes, founded The Potter’s House in 1996. The church, described as non-denominational and multicultural, has since grown into a megachurch with a congregation of more than 30,000 members. Currently, The Potter’s House church has campuses in Dallas, Frisco, Fort Worth, Denver, and Los Angeles. Jakes, is known for his dynamic preaching style, as well as his movies and books, making him a prominent figure in contemporary Christian culture. Over the years, he has addressed various topics, including faith, empowerment, and social issues.
Has T.D. Jakes Stepped Down?
As of September 28, 2024, Bishop TD Jakes continues to serve as the senior pastor of The Potter’s House. He has been actively involved in church services, events, and initiatives, with no indication of stepping down.
Furthermore, The Potter’s House has not released any official statements or announcements regarding Bishop Jakes’s resignation or retirement. In addition, Jakes’s official social media accounts currently list him as senior pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas and chairman and CEO of the T.D. Jakes Group.
Any claims suggesting that Jakes has stepped down from his church or as CEO lack credible sources and evidence.
Related: T.D. Jakes Passes the Mantle to Daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts
What About the Rumors?
Multiple fact-checking websites, including Snopes, have debunked the rumors of Bishop Jakes stepping down. These claims have been identified as misinformation, with some content being generated by A.I. tools. These rumors abound on YouTube and TikTok, according to Snopes.
Jakes’s Links to Diddy
The attempts to connect Bishop Jakes’s supposed resignation to Diddy’s legal troubles are baseless and speculative. There is no evidence to support such a connection to Diddy’s alleged acts. Jakes himself has called his accusers “liars” for linking him to Diddy’s abuse allegations.
The rumors emerged after Jakes was briefly mentioned in a lawsuit brought by Rodney Jones Jr, who accused Diddy of sexual harassment, illegal drug use, and sex trafficking. In his lawsuit, Jones claims that Diddy “planned to leverage his relationship” with Bishop T.D. Jakes to “soften the impact of his public image” amid a lawsuit brought by Cassie Ventura. Ventura, who eventually received a settlement, said Diddy had physically and sexually abused her for years, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Jakes, who was previously a spiritual advisor to Diddy, spoke out against a 2016 video published by CNN that showed the recording artist and producer brutally attacking Ventura. “When I saw the images that have been floating all over the news all week, it became difficult to watch … The atrocious, degrading, demeaning debauchery,” Jakes told his congregation during a church service back in May, the New York Post reported.
When Will Bishop Jakes Retire?
Bishop Jakes has not publicly indicated any intention to stop serving as the senior pastor of The Potter’s House. Although he has retired his popular and long-running “Woman, Thou Art Loosed!” conference series, Jakes has not indicated any plans for ministry retirement in the near future. Currently, there is no credible evidence to support these claims that Jakes has stepped down from The Potter’s House, and they have been identified as misinformation, some of which has been generated by A.I. tools. When Jakes steps down, the news will likely come from his own publicists and other official sources.
Editor’s note: This article is based on the information available as of September 28, 2024. Any future developments or announcements related to Bishop T.D. Jakes’s stepping down at The Potter’s House would require further research and verification. This article was written with the assistance of A.I.