Pure Vision Magazine
Pure Vision Magazine
Photo By: Bob Quillard
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By: Cynthia Gill Mitchell Thomas Dexter “T. D.” Jakes, Sr. (born June 9, 1957) is the bishop/chief pastor of The Potter’s House, a non-denominational American megachurch, with 30,000 members, located in Dallas, Texas.[1] T. D. Jakes’ church services and evangelistic sermons are broadcast on The Potter’s Touch, which airs on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Black Entertainment Television,[2] the Daystar Television Network, The Word Network and The Miracle Channel in Canada. Other aspects of Jakes’ ministry include an annual revival called “MegaFest” that draws more than 100,000 people, an annual women’s conference called “Woman Thou Art Loosed”, and gospel music recordings. In the fall of 2009, Jakes planned on launching a secular daily talk show, syndicated through the CBS Television Distribution group; however, economic troubles in the industry may put his new program into jeopardy.[3] In 2005 Jakes accompanied President George W. Bush on his visit to the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In his book Decision Points, President Bush describes Jakes as “a kind of man who puts faith into action.”
PURE VISION Mag Shares with it’s readers who TD JAKES is
On January 20, 2009, Jakes led the early morning prayer service for President Barack Obama at St. John’s Church in Washington, D.C., according to NBC News. Family and heritage[edit source]
When he was 24 in 1981, he married Serita Ann Jamison. [2] They have five children together (Jermaine, Jamar, Cora, Sarah, and Thomas Jakes, Jr.) Jakes is a strong advocate of abstinence[citation needed] and has made appearances on the sub-
ject ranging from Good Morning America to Dr. Phil. On the PBS program African American Lives, Jakes had his DNA analyzed; his Y chromosome showed that he is descended from the Igbo people of Nigeria.[4][5] According to his family history, it was also suggested that he is descended from them through his grandmother.[6][7] He is a second cousin once removed of vocalist Will Wheaton and first cousin twice removed of actor James Wheaton.Awards and accomplishments[edit source] Jakes has received numerous honors, including 13 honorary degrees and doctorates. He has also received Grammy and Dove Award nominations for Gospel album “Live at The Potter’s House.” PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly named Jakes among America’s “Top 10 Religious Leaders.” Time magazine featured Jakes on the cover of its September 17, 2001 issue with the provocative question: “Is This Man the Next Billy Graham?”.[8 Filmography Films 2004: Woman Thou Art Loosed — As himself (based on Jakes’ novel of the same name)[9] 2009: Not Easily Broken — Allen (based on another Jakes’ novel).[10] 2011: Jumping the Broom — Reverend James 2010: Munya — Reverend Brian 2012: “Woman Thou Art Loosed on the 7th Day” - As himself 2012: Sparkle
Continued on page 8 504 MAGAZINE 5
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Article with photo
Exclusive: TD and Serita Jakes Talk Love By: Tamah Yisrael
Bishop T.D. Jakes and wife
sight about the best way to keep a
Serita Jakes have made many
marriage thriving with hard work
public appearances together,
and privacy.
but never on the cover of Pure Vision magazine. Now, the pair is sharing what makes their love work in a feature story for the September issue, along with couples DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good and Clifford “T.I”
“Marriage requires work and expecting the unexpected. Don’t let other people design a marriage you can’t live with,” Jakes told Pure vision Magazine. “Keep other people out your business. Every marriage is different.”
Harris and Tameka “Tiny”
Although the Jakes will grace the
Harris. Jakes, pastor of The
cover of the
Potter’s House megachurch
actress Good and her Seventh-
in Dallas, Texas, and his wife
day
will be one of three couples
Hollywood producer husband
showcasing
Franklin also shared their tips
black love on
about love while appearing on the
Pure
cover of another version of the
Vision’s
multiple covers
issue of EBONY,
Adventist
preacher
and
publication.
scheduled to hit newsstands on Oct 4. For the Pyre Vision magazine covers, Mr. and Mrs. Jakes share how God united them in love. The bishop gave some in14 stylus magazine
“whenever he comes to town,” Good told EBONY of her prea-
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Pastor Warren Stewart District 8 Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., is a native of Coffeyville, Kansas where he was reared in a Christian family and African-American Church environment. He was converted at the age of 16 and preached his Trial Sermon when he was 17 years old. He is married to the Rev. Karen E. (Curry) Stewart and they are the parents of a blended family of five sons, Warren, Jr., Matthew, Jared, Justin, Aaron and two daughters, Jamila Imani and Jessica Elizabeth Curry. He is the grandfather of Warren Josiah, III, Micaiah Lovel, Matthew Christian II, Jonny Angel, Jared Chamberlain II, Kaira Nechee, John Paul Silas, Jase Alexander and Joshua Elijah. He is presently the Senior Pastor of the First Institutional Baptist Church of Phoenix, Arizona and has served there since July 1, 1977. Dr. Stewart was appointed Executive Secretary of the Home Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., in November 1994 and served through January 2005, and also continued serving as Chair of that Board through January 2010. Dr. Stewart’s academic achievements and awards include anAssociate of Arts Degree, 1971, Honor Graduate, Coffeyville Community Junior College, Coffeyville, Kansas;Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion and Philosophy, 1973 graduatingSumma Cum Laude, Bishop College, Dallas, Texas;Master of Divinity Degree, 1976, Union Theological Seminary, New York City;Master of Sacred Theology Degree, 1977, selected to deliver Commencement Address, Union Theological Seminary;Doctor of Ministry Degree, 1982, American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, California; was recipient of anHonorary Doctor of Divinity Degreefrom Ottawa University, Ottawa, Kansas, 1994; and the recipient of theAward of Excellence in Black Church Studies, 1982, Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies, Los Angeles, California. Dr. Stewart has also been the recipient of numerous awards and commendations from churches, colleges, civic and community organizations, locally, statewide and nationally. He was recognized byThe Arizona Republicnewspaper as one of the ten most influential religious leaders in the Valley (Phoenix), October 6, 1985,The Phoenix Gazette1993 Hall of Fame as being “one of ten people whose achievements had the most notable effect on . . . Arizona,” theArizona Daily Star(Tucson) as a “Living Legend” on January 20, 2002, 2003 Calvin C. Goode Lifetime Achievement Award by City of Phoenix/MLK, Jr. Celebration, andThe Business Journalas one of 25 “Leaders and Legends” in the business community in 2005.
Dr. Stewart is the author of INTERPRETING GOD’S WORD IN BLACK PREACHING, published by Judson Press, 1984 and in its fifth printing,HOW TO HANDLE GIANTS: Sermons to African-American Youth and Their Mentors, published by Townsend Press, 1995,Do Prophets Exist in Contemporary Culture?,2009, (self-published), and has published articles and sermons in several major publications. He has also served as Adjunct Professor of Ottawa University-Phoenix Campus, Phoenix Seminary and the Doctor of Ministry Program at Fuller Theological Seminary, as well as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, California. Dr. Stewart served as Associate Minister of the Cornerstone Baptist Church, Brooklyn, New York, under the pastorate of the late Dr. Sandy F. Ray, in whose honor the Annual Sandy F. Ray Institute for pastors, ministers and lay persons was founded and held annually at First Institutional. At FIBC, Pastor Stewart has licensed 132 sons and daughters into the Gospel Ministry. Dr. Stewart has traveled and preached extensively throughout the United States and internationally to include 38 States and Territories, and 41 Countries, including a challenging three-week Preaching Mission, sponsored by the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., Foreign Mission Board, to several African countries including South Africa, and attended the First African/African-American Summit held in West Africa in 1991 convened by the late Dr. Leon H. Sullivan. Also, FIBC, under Pastor Stewart, built a new church edifice and parsonage for the First Institutional Baptist Church of Soweto, Republic of South Africa. In April of 2004, he was extended an invitation by Executive Secretary Emile D. E. Sam-Peal to serve as the Guest Preacher during the 90thAnnual Session of the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Inc. Since February 2005, first participating on Baptist World Alliance Mission Team Trip to North-East India, he has been involved in ministry in India. Dr. Stewart’s ministry is characterized by an unwavering commitment and Spirit-filled zeal to engage inEvangelism and Emancipation, meeting the needs of the whole person. As a result, since 1982, the First Institutional Baptist Church has intentionally BECOME A DISCIPLING FELLOWSHIP THROUGH EVANGELISM AND EMANCIPATION under the leadership of the Holy Spirit through Dr. Stewart’s pastoral ministry.
In the 1990s, he led FIBC in completing three phases of the VISION 2000 Master Plan which built an educational, administrative and outreach building, acquired additional property, and renovated the worship center at a total cost of nearly four million dollars in cash debtfree. In 2004, a five million dollar family life center was builtcompleting the VISION 2000 Master Plan,totaling almost $9,000,000.00. In addition, FIBC has established FIBCO Family Services, Inc., Samaritan House for Homeless Families and Ujima House for Unwed Teenage Mothers and their Infants which provide social service ministries to thousands monthly. Dr. Stewart served as the first General Chairperson for ARIZONANS FOR A MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. STATE HOLIDAY which contributed significantly to the legislative passage of Arizona’s Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on September 21, 1989. Dr. Stewart also organized and led VICTORY TOGETHER, INC., a broad-based coalition that campaigned for a Martin Luther King, Jr./ Civil Rights Day in Arizona which was won by a historic vote of the people in the general election on November 3, 1992. He has also served as the President of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest and Paradise Missionary Baptist State Convention of Arizona, Inc. and Congress, respectively. In 2011, he organized an Exploratory Committee for the open U.S. Senate from Arizona in 2012 to consider running on a platform of justice. In 2012, Dr. Stewart was elected Chair of the Board of the National Immigration Forum as well as co-formed the Black/Brown Coalition of Arizona. Dr. Stewart is an enthusiastic advocate of the sanctity of life ethic which believes that all human life has intrinsic value from conception to natural death. He is also recognized by others as “a man of conscience, commitment and dedication to the cause of moral leadership, human rights and a soldier of justice and equality.”
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NextStudent Academy Students Go to Washington Students of NextStudent Academy for the Arts, a grass-roots 501(c)(3) organization supported by Phoenix-based NextStudent Inc., traveled to Washington, D.C., with company executives to meet with Members of Congress who promote the importance of education in the United States. Students of NextStudent Academy for the Arts, a grass-roots 501(c)(3) organization supported by Phoenix-based NextStudent Inc., traveled to Washington, D.C., with company executives to meet with Members of Congress who promote the importance of education in the United States. NextStudent Academy for the Arts encourages Phoenix youth to stay in school through high school graduation and to continue on to college. Under the leadership of Doc Jones, Executive Director, the Academy provides musical instruction both onsite as well as through its outreach programs at various schools. With its motto, “With Music on Their Minds, There’s No Time for Crime©,” the Academy currently works with 100 students at 10 school and community sites in Phoenix. Five Academy students went to Washington along with NextStudent’s Chairman and CEO Don Fenstermaker, Executive Vice President Jack Wallace, and Jones. The students included Corinth Christopher Lane, 17, Quashad Quantyre Lane, 15, and Lacour Lavante Lane, 14, who traveled with their mother Nikita Barrow, and Erin Froncek, 17, and Tydriss Blaylark, 19. The students along with Fenstermaker, Wallace and Jones, met Sept. 20 with Rep. Buck
McKeon, R-CA, Chairman of the House of Representatives Education & the Workforce Committee, and the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., the Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl. That evening the group attended The Annual Boehner-Kennedy Dinner to benefit the Center City Consortium, a 501(c)(3) organization that aims to stabilize and revitalize 14 inner city Catholic schools in Washington, D.C.’s neediest neighborhoods. The dinner was hosted by House Majority Leader and Mrs. John A. Boehner, R-OH, and Sen. and Mrs. Edward M. Kennedy, D-MA, and featured Master of Ceremonies Chris Wallace of Fox News. The event was held at the Capital Hilton and gave the students a chance to meet with local dignitaries and be a part of an event whose mission is in line with that of the Academy. On the morning of Sept. 21 the group was then hosted on a grand tour of the Capitol by Boehner’s staff.
consolidation programs, and college savings plans. The NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine, one of the nation’s oldest and largest scholarship search engines, is updated daily, available free of charge, completely private – and represents 2.4 million scholarships worth $3.4 billion. For more information about NextStudent and its student loan programs, please visit the company’s Web site at
The Academy stands strong in its mission, which reinforces the U.S. Department of Education’s initiative of “No Child Left Behind.” It hopes to increase the number of scholarships to “at risk” students. About NextStudent Inc. (http://www.nextstudent.com) NextStudent, federal lender code 834051, is dedicated to helping students and their families find affordable ways to pay for college. NextStudent offers one-on-one education finance counseling and has a portfolio of highly competitive education finance products and services including a free online scholarship search engine, federally guaranteed parent and student loans, private student loans, both federal and private student loan
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