By Laura BennettFriday 23 Mar 2018Hope AfternoonsGuests and ArtistsReading Time: 2 minutes
Listen: Laura Bennett chats to preacher TD Jakes.
He’s best known as a preacher and pastor, and he also writes and makes films—but did you know Bishop T.D. Jakes is, at the heart, a skilled entrepreneur?
Although most well-known for his preaching and appearances on shows like Dr. Phil and Oprah, business acumen has been a longstanding trait in his approach to both Christian and secular spheres, which he expands on in his new book, ‘SOAR’.
- The Humble New York City-Changer: A Chat with Dr Tim Keller
- Don’t Create a Hashtag or a Hoodie, Just Love People: Bob Goff
“I grew up in a house with entrepreneurs”, said Jakes. “I’ve been around it all my life and have owned my own for-profit company for a number of years, and I felt like the book would be a ministry for people who are trying to reinvent themselves and recreate themselves, facing the [current] economic environment around us.”
“The goal isn’t to make people rich… it’s to make people self-sustainable.”
Addressing the attitudes of an entrepreneur, and how they apply to all of us wanting to ‘take flight’ with a dream, Jakes considers how we can practically build our ideas and visions and further our contribution to the world.
Achieving great goals, Jakes said, requires not just commitment to the dream, but commitment to the process.
“We all have dreams that we want to attain, but we have to understand that the process is just as important as the promise. A lot of people become weary in the process, because they don’t see what the process has to do with the dream. But the process is the pathway through which the dream evolves.”
Viewing business as a social change agent, and not just a money-making venture, one theme running throughout SOAR is about business’ ability to enable our dreams, while also solving some of the world’s biggest issues.
“I think the crime rate, with the right job and opportunities redirecting people into positive ways of living their lives, we could make a significant difference in that”, Jakes said. “The leading cause of divorce [in America] is over economics, so I think that marital divorces would diminish to a great degree just by having sustainability and people not struggling for capital to be able to stay afloat… the goal isn’t to make people rich… it’s to make people self-sustainable.”
In a rich conversation about the purpose of business, and the opportunities it provides, listen in as Bishop Jakes covers everything from choosing your business idea, to overcoming insecurity, how to get in the room with the right people, and why Jesus would be a filmmaker.
SOAR is available now in stores, online, and via audiobook.
