{{Short description|American evangelical pastor, author and televangelist}}
{{Infobox person | name = Jentezen Franklin | image = Jentezen Franklin May 2019.jpg | caption = Franklin in 2019 | birth_date = | birth_place = Wilson, North Carolina, U.S. | occupation = pastor<br />author | notable_works = | spouse = {{marriage|Cherise Franklin|1987}} | children = 5 | awards = | website = {{URL|https://www.jentezenfranklin.org|JentezenFranklin.org}} }}
'''Jentezen Franklin''' is an American evangelical pastor, author, and televangelist. He is the senior pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-site church based in Gainesville, Georgia, and author of ''Right People, Right Place, Right Plan''; ''Fasting''; ''Fear Fighters'' and ''The Spirit of Python''. Franklin is also known for his support of Israel, including humanitarian initiatives and advocacy for Christian‑Jewish cooperation.
==Ministry== On his way to a musical career as a saxophone player Franklin became an evangelist. After Roy Wellborn, senior pastor of Free Chapel, died in 1989, Franklin was installed as pastor of Free Chapel.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Right people, right place, right plan : discerning the voice of God|author=Franklin, Jentezen|date=2007|publisher=Whitaker House|isbn=978-0883682760|location=New Kensington, PA|oclc=85862208}}</ref> At the time, Free Chapel was a small congregation of 300 people. In 2004 the church moved to a new location which had a 3,000-seat auditorium.<ref name=gt>{{cite journal|last =Blackwood|first =Harris|title =Jentezen Franklin: 2 coasts, 1 message|journal =Gainesville Times | date=March 6, 2008|url =http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/archive/3703/ | accessdate =January 17, 2009}}</ref> As of 2023, Free Chapel is a megachurch with multiple campuses across the Southern United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salon |first=Heather |date=2022-10-12 |title=Dreams are Meant to be Lived |url=https://www2.cbn.com/article/not-selected/dreams-are-meant-be-lived |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=www2.cbn.com}}</ref> The ''Jerusalem Post'' described the ministry as being "focused on prayer and spiritual renewal".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 10 Christian Voices for Israel |url=https://www.jpost.com/influencers-25/visionaries/article-867767 |website=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref>
Jentezen has written over a dozen books. His close friend, pastor Tommy Tenney, wrote the foreword Jentezen's 2007 best seller ''Fasting: Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God.''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Franklin |first=Jentezen |title=Fasting: Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God. |date=2007 |publisher=Charisma House |isbn=9781599792583 |pages=Forward}}</ref>
In 2025, Franklin was included in ''The Jerusalem Post''{{'s}} list of Top 10 Christian Zionists, and in the Israel Allies Foundation's Top 50 Christian Allies for his work fighting antisemitism and leadership in Christian humanitarian relief efforts, benefiting Israeli communities.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-21 |title=10 Christian Zionists: Pastor Jentezen Franklin - No.3 |url=https://www.jpost.com/influencers-25/visionaries/article-867767 |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-05-09 |title=Israel Allies Foundation unveils top 50 Christian allies of 2025 |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/415836 |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=Israel National News |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Franklin and his wife Cherise married in September 1987. They have children and grandchildren.<ref>[https://www.jentezenfranklin.org/about/ About Jentezen Franklin]</ref>
==Published works== * ''Fasting: (Volume I) Private Discipline That Brings Public Reward'' (2004) * ''Fasting: (Volume II) Opening A Door To God's Promises'' (2005) *''Take Hold Of Your Dreams '' * ''The Amazing Discernment of Women: Learning to Understand Your Spiritual Intuition And God's Plan for It'' (2006) * ''Right People, Right Place, Right Plan'' (2007) * ''Right People, Right Place, Right Plan Devotional: 30 Days of Discerning the Voice of God'' (2008) * ''Fasting: Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God'' (2008) * ''Fasting Journal: Your Personal 21-Day Guide to a Successful Fast'' (2008) * ''Believe That You Can'' (2008) * ''Fasting Study Guide: 5-Week Interactive Study Resource'' (2009) * ''Fear Fighters: How to Live with Confidence in a World Driven by Fear'' (2009) * ''Right People Right Place Right Plan'' (2011) * ''The Fasting Edge: Recover your passion. Recapture your dream. Restore your joy.'' (2011) * ''Fasting Student Edition: Go Deeper and Further with God Than Ever Before'' (2012) * ''The Spirit of Python: Exposing Satan's Plan to Squeeze the Life Out of You'' (2013) * ''Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt'' (2018) * ''Acres of Diamonds: Discovering God’s Best Right Where You Are'' (2020)
==See also==
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.jentezenfranklin.org/ Jentezen Franklin Media Ministries]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Jentezen}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American male writers Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers Category:20th-century evangelicals Category:21st-century American male writers Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers Category:21st-century evangelicals Category:American evangelicals Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:American Pentecostal pastors Category:American religious writers Category:American television evangelists Category:Pentecostals from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Pentecostal writers Category:Christian Zionists