Dallas megachurch pastor T.D. Jakes gives first virtual sermon since viral health scare

Dallas megachurch pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes addressed his congregation remotely on Sunday, a week after experiencing a health scare during a sermon, declaring, "You're looking at a miracle."

In a video message to the Potter's House Church, the 67-year-old pastor shared that he is recovering from emergency surgery after being rushed to an intensive care unit the previous week. Jakes also shared this update on Instagram.

Jakes clarified that he did not suffer a stroke, though he acknowledged that the situation could have been life-threatening without swift medical attention.

"I told you last Sunday that I'd see you this Sunday and so here I am," Jakes said as members of the congregation could be heard erupting in cheers and applause. "I'm grateful to God for his goodness and his mercy."

T.D. Jakes shares health update with his church

The nature of Jakes' medical incident has not been specified, and the pastor did not elaborate Sunday when addressing his congregation beyond saying he "faced a life-threatening calamity."

The Potter's House Church's initial description of T.D. Jakes' medical issue as a "slight health incident" seems at odds with Jakes' own account of the emergency. The church later reported that Jakes was "stable and under the care of medical professionals" within hours of the sermon.

Last week, Jakes posted a video on X of him leaving the hospital in a wheelchair, saying, "I give thanks unto the Lord that I did not have a stroke."

Who is T.D. Jakes?

In 1996, Jakes established The Potter's House, a non-denominational Pentecostal megachurch. Today, it boasts over 30,000 members and has grown to include multiple campuses throughout North Texas.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas pastor T.D. Jakes shares health update after viral sermon