Bishop T.D. Jakes appeared on Oprah Winfrey's "Next Chapter" on the OWN network this past Sunday and opened up with the talk show host about his preaching responsibilities, critics, and feelings on having an African-American president.

The iconic television host traveled to Dallas, Texas, for the interview with the influential Christian leader and visited his 30,000-member church, The Potter's House.

During the intimate interview, Winfrey posed candid questions about what it means for Jakes, whose sermons are broadcast both nationally and internationally, to preach to a large following and asked if the size of the crowd made a difference to him as a preacher. more >>

The shocking news of Whitney Houston's passing gripped the hearts of her fans all over the world. But the famed singer left behind one more stellar performance in her final film "Sparkle." The full trailer for the movie was released this week.

In "Sparkle," a remake of the 1976 cult classic produced by megachurch Pastor T.D. Jakes, Houston plays the role of Emma, once a singer a now single mother, raising three daughters who have dreams of making it big in the music industry.

In the film, Houston sings a beautiful solo, revealing that her voice was in great shape before her death on Feb. 11. The upbeat and vibrant character of Emma reveals Houston's beauty and talent that she will remembered for. more >>

Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, has taken to national television to promote his new book, Let It Go, and to express his views regarding the Trayvon Martin case, which has attracted worldwide attention since details of the Florida teen's shooting death were made public. The minister, whose book deals with forgiveness, says, in light of such cases, "Forgiveness does not exonerate the perpetrator."

In Let It Go: Forgive So You Can Be Forgiven, The Potter's House senior pastor speaks on the importance of forgiveness in living a full, happy life. Naturally, correspondents questioned Jakes about the topic of forgiveness in direct reference to the Trayvon Martin shooting, which has upset many Americans, including his parents, who are demanding justice.

Martin, 17, was walking home the night of Feb. 26 in a Sanford, Fla., gated residential community when he got into a violent confrontation with neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman, 28. Zimmerman, who is Hispanic and white, shot and killed the African-American teen in what he says was self-defense, because Martin allegedly attacked him. However, the incident has given rise to a heated national discussion on racial profiling and has put Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which allows for use of deadly force as self-defense, under the microscope. more >>

T.D. Jakes recently released a new book on forgiveness that has at least one critic accusing the renowned preacher of denying the doctrine of original sin.

Chris Rosebrough, an apologist, rejected Jakes' statement to CP that forgiveness is innate and unforgiveness is learned from one's environment. There isn't a "single passage (in Scripture) that says human beings are by nature forgiving," he argued.

Rosebrough explored the premise of Jakes' new book Let It Go: Forgive So You Can Be Forgiven on his radio program, "Fighting for the Faith." more >>

Contrary to popular opinion, forgiveness is innate and unforgiveness is learned from our environment, says T.D. Jakes, pastor of the 30,000-member The Potter's House in Dallas and New York Times bestselling author.

"We develop our propensity to forgive or not to forgive by what we see illustrated at the early ages of our development. We don't come here unforgiving. Children are not unforgiving. You can punish them and they will hug you in a few minutes," said Jakes to The Christian Post in an interview. "They can have an altercation with another child and want to go outside and play by lunch time.

"We don't come here pre-wired to bear this kind of acrimonious type of lifestyle. We don't come here like that. We come here with a certain propensity to be open, loving, accepting, and trusting. We learn to be unforgiving, doubtful, suspicious, guilt-ridden, and anxious." more >>

Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, is trying to raise awareness about the alarming number of missing black Americans with his new movie, "Woman Thou Art Loosed!: On the 7th Day."

According to 2011 statistics provided by the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. (BAM FI), which Jakes is working with, 85 percent out of all minorities missing in the U.S. are African-American. That is a glaring number, taking into account that black people make up approximately only 13 percent of the total U.S. population.

BAM FI describes itself as a nonprofit with a mission to bring awareness to missing persons of color, provide vital resources and tools to missing person's families and friends and to educate the minority community on personal safety. more >>