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Jun 24, 2009 8:10 pm US/Central
T.D. Jakes Prepares For 'Manpower Conference'
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Bishop T.D. Jakes
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
He's a local pastor who has twice been featured on the cover of Time Magazine as 'America's Best Preacher' and has been distinguished as one of the nation's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals". Now, Bishop T.D. Jakes is set to welcome thousands of men to his church, for a timely message about surviving in tough economic times.
At
The Potter's House, the welcome mat has been unfurled for men of all races, ages, and backgrounds. The wish is that the men will pour in with aspirations of building a stronger, unbreakable, tomorrow.
Bishop Jakes wrote and was a producer of the movie 'Not Easily Broken' and has authored countless best selling inspirational books and CD's. But Jakes is most known for rocking the mic and 'shaking up' souls.
After a close call at his own home, with an accidental gas explosion last month, Bishop Jakes says his soul stirring message is even stronger. "I was getting ready to go to church and suddenly there was this unexpected gas explosion out of nowhere."
Jakes says 10,000 men will converge at the 15th annual
Manpower Conference, for a free uplifting and inspirational three-day event. The conference, aimed at strengthening man for tomorrow, begins Thursday.
"We've got a lot of men who have had to downsize. Some have had to relocate and gone from ownership to renting and moving in with brothers and sisters," explained Jakes. "So they're stressed and we are going to give them hope for rekindling their dreams."
Throughout the years Pastor Gary Oliver, of
Fort Worth's Tabernacle of Praise Church, has attended several Manpower events and is scheduled to sing at this year's event. "All of the speakers that come address needs that are vital to men today," he said.
Many conference attendees, like Kenneth Lewis, are hoping to be inspired. "If I wasn't grounded in the spirit, then I'd jump over the stand in the trial." Six months ago Lewis' nephew and 18-year-old son were both murdered within a 24 hour period. "I've been coming to a number of the Manpower events and each time I come to one, I walk away a much better person and I expect that to happen as well on this trip," said the California resident.
Fred Hammond,
Marvin Sapp, and other national speakers and gospel artists will join Jakes for the revival like gathering. All will have a message directly geared toward helping men better themselves. "This is an opportunity to bring men aside and say hey, you can move forward and reposition yourself, with the help of God," Jakes said.
The event is free and runs Thursday through Saturday.
Church organizers say the
Manpower Conference is an event exclusively for men, but there are many other events at
The Potter's House, including some just for women.
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