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Oprah Winfrey, T.D. Jakes Kick Off MegaFest In Dallas

Bill Zeeble
/
KERA News

For the first time, Bishop T.D. Jakes of Potter’s House, is staging his huge faith and family event in his hometown of Dallas. For those unfamiliar, here’s a little of what the 3-day MegaFest is about.

 

The crowd of almost 15,000 was big and enthusiastic as the ticket-holders greeted T.D. Jakes and Oprah Winfrey at the American Airlines Center Thursday. The two were kicking off MegaFest by taping Winfrey’s LifeClass cable show. The subject was tough: growing up without a father at home. Here’s an exchange between Jakes and Winfrey.

“ “Can you be a great father if you didn’t have a role model for fathering? Can you give what you don’t have?” asked Winfrey.

“What you do is give the love,” replied Jakes, to both Winfrey and the audience. “You may have to learn the technique as you go. Parenting is something that doesn’t come with a textbook.”

Diamonde Williamson came here with her aunt just for this discussion. She grew up without a dad.

“I’ve been in some relationships that were very negative and my most recent one was physically abusive and I’m too young for that. It’s never good at any age. But I think it just came from the need of having a man and wanting someone to comfort me and wanting someone to just be there for me,” Williamson said.

About a mile away, at the convention center, Zunoraine Holmes, with T.D. Jakes Enterprises, was helping run what are called empowerment sessions. He likened them to college seminars. Some offer tips on business, others on writing.

“This is how you write a book, this is how you get published. Maybe you want to self-publish, maybe you want to go through a publisher. So we help guide people with the dreams inside of them so they’re not just hearing it, but we’re empowering them with practical information so they can walk it out.”

But Holmes says fun and family events help set this event apart.

“MegaFest is about bringing the family back together. It’s about uniting our families. Anywhere from husbands and wives - we have things for wives to be empowered and encouraged, husbands to be empowered and encouraged, and our children as well.” Holmes said.  

MegaFest runs through Saturday night. 

Bill Zeeble has been a full-time reporter at KERA since 1992, covering everything from medicine to the Mavericks and education to environmental issues.