Despite recent cancellation, 'America's preacher' T.D. Jakes is still having a conversation with the country

At one point, T.D. Jakes' eponymous talk show was syndicated to more than 250 markets across the United States.

That was then. TEGNA announced in March that the talk show would not be renewed for a second season.

Nevertheless, the revelation will be televised.

That's because T.D. Jakes was just one entry point for people to find the man that Time magazine dubbed "America's Best Preacher." Jakes can be found on OWN, which acquired the rights to air the show in 2016, as well as broadcasts from the main campus of The Potter's House at 6777 W. Kiest Blvd., Dallas. One can also watch The Potter's Touch With T.D. Jakes on Trinity Broadcasting Network, Daystar, The Word Network and The Impact Network. He's also a constant contributor across all media.

Jakes was already busy before the show debuted in its syndicated form in September. But things officially got hectic with the rollout: The talk show was shot five days a week in Los Angeles. He would then be in New York for a media appearance or three and then back home in Dallas on Sundays in the pulpit at his church, The Potter's House.

"I'm kinda living on wheels right now," he said then, but that was far from a complaint.

That's probably because it paid off. In one week of his syndicated talk show, Bishop Jakes hosted Tyler Perry and Maria Shriver, both of whom who need no introduction.

And then longtime friend Oprah Winfrey came on. And she eclipsed even that by choosing his platform to disclose her endorsement for U.S. president and effectively handed off the baton to Jakes, who "was in awe."

Even after what he called "a star-studded week" and others like it, Jakes insists his show is "a tremendous opportunity" to give a platform to the people.

The only thing that's changed, he said, is his method of delivery. He was just doing "what I've been doing for the last 40 years off-camera, working with homes and hearts of average American people to try to guide and inspire them through moments of conflict."

The world outside may be focused on that equalizer medium of television, but Jakes' attention remains on the overall mission.

That includes the 2017 International Pastors & Leaders Conference here April 27-29. One of the highlights of the event is a panel discussion led by White House correspondent April Ryan. Panelists will include President Donald Trump's spiritual adviser Paula White; Joshua DuBois, former director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships; Father Michael Pfleger, a senior pastor at Faith Community of St. Sabina; and Bishop Harry Jackson, a senior pastor of Hope Christian Church and a member of Trump's evangelical advisory board.

Jakes laughed in September when it was suggested he's spread thin, even as he gave an interview while being whisked to yet another appointment.

"We're in negotiations for some films that we're trying to close in through our company. We're getting ready for MegaFest that's coming to Dallas in 2017," he lists. "We've just about finished a $25 million building that we built that focuses on training children and training young people. All of that's going on at the same time. And we love it. It's busy, it's hectic, it's crazy. All of those areas are purposeful, and all of those areas are connected by the fact that I want to do something with my life that touches other people in every way possible."

Whatever happened with the show, it was a groundbreaking business model. The experiment has changed thinking, leading TEGNA to announce its own show: BOLD (Broadcast Online Live Daily). "Unprecedented" comes to mind.

"Station groups don't traditionally produce their own talk shows or own their own talk shows," he noted. "Generally, networks do the ownership and sell to the stations. My presence there as a person of faith is unprecedented. To recognize that a person of faith can talk about other issues than faith is unprecedented."

Jakes aims to keep breaking ground, such as with his church's new "four-story youth empowerment center that's focused on developing children spiritually and academically."

"I am engrossed in trying to find a way to empower the next generation and their children. I think one of the reasons I'm passionate about it is because of my Texas Offenders Re-entry Initiative," he said. "I think I want to get on the front end of this problem and catch kids as young as we can and direct them and support them before they end up in the criminal justice system. I'm really trying to subvert the pipeline for prison."

The conversation is far from over. His gargantuan MegaFest returns to Dallas for a third consecutive year from June 28 to July 1.

"Wherever God takes me, I'm just going along for the ride," he said. "I just feel blessed. Extremely blessed."

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