Pastor Touré Roberts is opening up like never before about his relationship with his wife, Sarah Jakes Roberts and the influence of T.D. Jakes and the enormous responsibility of helping lead The Potter’s House into its next chapter.
In a deeply personal interview on “The Deep End” with Lecrae, Roberts shared how his relationship with Sarah began—and how Bishop Jakes carefully examined the man who would eventually marry his daughter.
“We both had decided that if God wasn’t doing it, we weren’t going to do it,” Roberts said, recalling how both he and Sarah had stepped away from dating after painful divorces.
“What stood out to me was her articulation of God,” he said.
At the time, Sarah was not yet the globally recognized voice she would later become. Roberts explained she was primarily known as a blogger and author before her ministry platform exploded internationally.
As the relationship grew serious, Roberts knew he needed to sit down with T.D. Jakes.
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The first meeting came during one of Jakes’ book signings in Los Angeles.
“He said, ‘You know you got my daughter’s heart in your hands, right?’” Roberts recalled.
But it was a later private conversation at Jakes’ home that left the deepest impact.
After listening carefully as Roberts explained his background, intentions and relationship with Sarah, Bishop Jakes asked a question that Roberts says changed everything:
“I know what’s right with you, but tell me what’s wrong with you.”
Roberts described the moment as evidence of Jakes’ incredible discernment and wisdom.
“He was listening to my words, but what he was really listening to more so was my heart,” Roberts said.
Now, years later, Roberts and Sarah are carrying the mantle at The Potter’s House following Bishop Jakes’ succession announcement. He revealed the transition process had quietly been developing long before the public knew.
“The biggest weight that I felt was the weight of responsibility,” Roberts said. “This cannot go down.”
Still, Roberts made clear that succession is not about becoming another T.D. Jakes.
“It was very important from the Spirit of the Lord to not try to become Bishop Jakes,” he explained.
Before accepting the assignment, Roberts said he and Sarah made several non-negotiable commitments to one another.
“We’re not going to lose ourselves. We’re not going to lose our marriage. And we’re not going to lose our family.”
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
