Bishop T.D. Jakes and his wife, Serita Jakes, share a large family that has grown alongside their decades-long public ministry. As the senior pastor of The Potter's House, Bishop Jakes has spent over forty years in global leadership, but his five children and numerous grandchildren form the core of his private life. Understanding the Jakes family means looking past the public titles to see how each family member has carved out independent careers in media, ministry, and business.
The primary keyword for this topic is Bishop T.D. Jakes family, which captures the public curiosity surrounding his marriage, his biological children, and the broader generational dynamics of the Jakes household. While internet rumors and brief viral clips often distort public perception, the reality of the family is rooted in multigenerational entrepreneurship, pastoral work, and public advocacy.
The Foundation: Bishop T.D. Jakes and Serita Jakes
Thomas Dexter Jakes Sr. married Serita Ann Engle in June 1981. Over four decades later, their partnership remains the cornerstone of The Potter's House, a Dallas-based megachurch founded in 1996. Serita Jakes serves as the executive director of the women's ministry, The Potter's House Woman's Hand Ministries, playing an active role in shaping church programming and counseling women facing domestic struggles or trauma.
Unlike many contemporary public figures whose marriages face intense public fracturing, the couple has maintained a long-standing union while building an international media empire that spans publishing, film production, and television broadcasting. Their partnership established a generational template that all five of their biological children later navigated in distinct ways.
The Five Children of Bishop T.D. Jakes
The Jakes family consists of five children: Sarah, Jermaine, Travis, Cora, and Jason. Each child pursued unique paths, ranging from pastoral leadership to corporate work and creative arts.
Sarah Jakes Roberts
Sarah Jakes Roberts is the most prominent of the Jakes children in the public eye. As a co-pastor of The Potter's House at One LA and The Potter's House Denver alongside her husband, Touré Roberts, she leads a massive digital and physical congregation. She is also a prolific author, having published Woman, Evolve and several memoirs detailing her journey through teenage pregnancy, divorce, and personal reinvention. Her media platform reaches millions of women globally through conferences and digital broadcasts.
Cora Jakes Coleman
Cora Jakes Coleman has carved out a unique space as an author, speaker, and former executive pastor. She has been remarkably transparent regarding her personal life, sharing public struggles with infertility, adoption, and her journey through divorce. Her advocacy focuses heavily on mental health awareness within religious spaces, bridging the historical gap between clinical therapy and spiritual guidance.
Jermaine, Travis, and Jason Jakes
While Sarah and Cora occupy high-profile roles in ministry and media, the brothers maintain more private profiles.
- Travis Jakes works primarily behind the scenes in business development and media production, helping manage commercial aspects of the family's media ventures.
- Jermaine Jakes has largely chosen a quiet life away from the pulpit, focusing on personal enterprise and community engagement outside the direct spotlight of megachurch operations.
- Jason Jakes has worked in various creative and digital design roles, contributing to modernizing media platforms for emerging faith-based organizations.
Multigenerational Legacy and Grandchildren
The Jakes family has expanded significantly through grandchildren, adding a new layer to the family dynamic. Sarah Jakes Roberts and Cora Jakes Coleman have both been open about the realities of modern blended families, co-parenting, and raising teenagers in an era of intense digital scrutiny.
The family's structural evolution reflects broader shifts in how modern religious dynasties operate. Rather than relying solely on traditional church pulpits, the younger generation leverages digital streaming, podcasting, and secular publishing houses to build independent brands while maintaining alignment with their parents' foundational values.
Common Misconceptions About the Jakes Family
Public interest in high-profile religious families often breeds misinformation. Several persistent rumors surround the Jakes household that require factual context:
- The "Mega-Inheritance" Myth: Internet gossip frequently portrays megachurch leaders as beneficiaries of shared communal funds. In reality, each adult child operates independent revenue streams through their own books, speaking fees, and corporate ventures.
- The Health and Succession Rumors: Periodic internet speculation targets the leadership stability of The Potter's House. Leadership transitions are managed through structured board governance and designated executive teams rather than sudden family decrees.
- Uniformity of Belief: Public commentators often assume all family members share identical theological stances. In practice, the children's public advocacy ranges from traditional theological teaching to progressive mental health normalization and secular empowerment coaching.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long have Bishop T.D. Jakes and Serita Jakes been married?
They have been married since June 1981, marking over forty years of partnership in both marriage and ministry leadership.
How many children do T.D. and Serita Jakes have?
They have five biological children: Sarah, Jermaine, Travis, Cora, and Jason.
Are all of Bishop Jakes' children involved in the church?
No. While Sarah and Cora hold prominent pastoral and public speaking roles, Jermaine, Travis, and Jason maintain varying degrees of privacy, working in business, media production, and private enterprise.
Where is The Potter's House located?
The main campus of The Potter's House is located in Dallas, Texas, with additional satellite campuses and digital extensions operating nationally and internationally.
