White Woman Accused Of Stealing T.D. Jakes’ ‘Woman Thou Art Loosed’ Sermon

Last December, Pastor Kristina Java was invited to speak at a church in New York by her spiritual father and the founder of Kingdom Embassy Church, Prophet Passion Java. Excited about the opportunity, she published a video on Instagram of the night she addressed the crowd to showcase her preaching skills on Dec. 15. She also wrote the caption, “I’m so grateful for the special opportunity that @prophetpassion let me participate in during New York. There is no way I could learn how to preach or minister without him. Thank you Papa!”

In the clip, the church congregation, primarily made up of Black people, clapped and stood up in response to the words she shared as she paced back and forth. Four weeks ago, someone wrote a comment that read, “I’ve heard this sermon before, verbatim. I hope you gave him credit.”

On Jan. 9, the person was proven correct when an Instagram page called Only Saints, which shares Christian-related content, blasted Java with a video compilation featuring her oration alongside a joint teaching of Bishop T.D. Jakes and Noel Jones from the 2000 “Woman, Thou Art Loosed!” — an annual Christian women’s conference created by Jakes. The issue? The sermon wasn’t originally hers.

Unsurprisingly, people wasted no time flocking to her Instagram and criticizing her, including one of Jakes’ daughters.

“I’m saddened by this I do hope you have my papa credit he labored for what you mimicked. SMH,” Cora Jakes wrote.

“I can’t believe she hasn’t taken this down,” another person commented.

“Prophet passion taught you how to plagiarize a whole TD Jake’s sermon???? You can’t plagiarize the anointing though. Try again,” someone else said.

Another Instagram user wrote, “What in the watered down biscuits and gravy is going on here.”

The Shade Room also posted the sermon side-by-side with T.D. Jakes’ sermon, noting the similarities to Jakes’ “Woman Thou Art Loosed” sermon.

According to Atlanta Black Star, Java posted an Instagram story about “defamation” to defend herself in response to the backlash.

“Defamation laws protect people’s reputations. but they also protect freedom of expression Truth is a defense to defamation,” she said.