Author Jesse Duplantis

Jesse Duplantis (born July 9, 1949) is an Evangelical Charismatic Christian minister based in New Orleans, Louisiana, US, and the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries. Duplantis is strongly identified with preaching a prosperity and abundance message, sometimes referred to as prosperity gospel.

Duplantis preached his first sermon in 1976. He was introduced by John Hagee \"The Apostle of Joy\" on TBN, a phrase that became his professional PR slogan. He has been a full-time evangelistic minister since 1978, using his music and comic talent in his work. In the book \"Close Encounters of the God Kind\" Duplantis writes about his daily relationship with God, the reality of eternity, perspectives on Heaven and the depth of the compassion, forgiveness and love God has for humankind.

He is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries (JDM), which maintains an international headquarters in America and branches in the United Kingdom and Australia. In 1997, he and his wife, Cathy Duplantis, founded Covenant Church, a local outreach of JDM on the International Headquarters property in Destrehan, Louisiana. The JDM official website states: \"Jesse Duplantis Ministries is an evangelistic ministry dedicated to reaching people and changing lives with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our vision is world evangelism and our desire is to see God bless everyone in every way.\" Duplantis\' books have been translated into thirteen languages, including Braille, and are distributed worldwide. Duplantis appears on the internet via webcasts, a variety of Christian television stations such as the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Daystar, and LeSEA, in addition to secular networks inclusive of the ABC, NBC and CBS.