TD Jakes strikes Again

Well-known preacher, pastor, author and playwright Bishop T.D. Jakes will be presenting Woman Thou Art Loosed: The Movie to theatres this fall. Jakes, pastor of the 28,000-member Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, and the force behind the recent conference in Atlanta, Mega-Fest, adapted his popular book, Woman, Thou Art Loosed to a stage play, conference and most recently to the big screen.

The movie’s storyline centers around Michelle Jordan, played by Kimberly Elise (The Manchurian Candidate, John Q), who encounters abuse as a young girl. Due to a series of bad decisions, addiction, poverty and an apathetic mother, Jordan finds herself on death row. While incarcerated, Jordan sends word to Jakes (played by himself) that he visit her. Through their conversation behind bars, the real story of Jordan unfolds. The story is one of sexual abuse, pain, healing and forgiveness. The riveting film was written by Stan Foster (Hangman’s Curse), directed by Michael Schultz, and produced by Reuben Cannon (Get On The Bus, Down In The Delta). Loretta Devine (Boston Public, Kingdom Come), Michael Boatman (Spin City, Arliss), Debbi Morgan (Love And Basketball, Eve’s Bayou), Clifton Powell (The Brothers, Friday After Next), and Idalis Deleon (Six Feet Under, Body And Soul) also star in the film. Much of the movie was filmed at famed mega-church, West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, Calif.

The movie is rated R and contains rough language, strong adult content and scenes of violence. Asked why the language and difficult images are necessary, Jakes says, “The Bible is violent when Amnon rapes his sister Tamar. The woman caught in very act of adultery and dragged before Jesus is R-rated. Those are tough scenes. Christian films too often fail in the court of the world’s opinion because they fall short of what the world knows to be true and audiences reject them as idealistic and preachy.” Jakes also says that the church is the perfect place to promote such a film because “abuse statistics don’t stop or even drop at the church door. This movie has a mission to and through the church. When we turn the light on things that happen in the dark, we must also be ready to face the heinous realities among us and minister to both victims and perpetrators.”

The conclusion of the film contains contact information for abuse victims seeking counseling, healing and restoration, Jakes’ ultimate goal. “Movies and messages like this help us become a more relevant, more effective agent of spiritual resuscitation and regeneration. We can more broadly proclaim freedom in Christ and help people begin to experience that freedom,” states Jakes.

Using a similar grassroots effort that helped propel the movie, The Passion of The Christ to epic proportions, Jakes has invited key pastors and media people to private screenings in major markets. He’s hoping that the pastors will rent out theatres, filling them with church members – much the way churches did for The Passion. Woman Thou Art Loosed: The Movie opens in 500 theatres in major markets October 1st and other markets the following weekend.

G.P. Putnam, publisher of a number of Jakes’ books, plans to offer discounts on his titles during the same timetable as the movie promotion. Also, Jakes’ record label, Dexterity Sounds (distributed by EMI Gospel) will be releasing a soundtrack for the film featuring Micah Stampley along with other Dexterity Sounds artists. Woman, Thou Art Loosed: The Movie will be going to DVD in 2005.

Article appears Courtesy of Kay3music.com