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James Fortune Opens Up On Domestic Abuse Charges (Watch VIDEO)
Grammy Award nominated gospel artist James Fortune who is known for chart-topping gospel radio classics such as “I Believe” and “I Trust You” sat with “The 700 Club” television program Tuesday, June 28 @10:00 AM EST to discuss the domestic abuse charges that rocked his household and shocked the gospel music industry two years ago.
Gospel music fans know James Fortune as chart-topping recording artist, singer and songwriter. But for nearly two years, his music career has taken a back seat to charges of domestic violence.
The incident happened at his home in October of 2014, but in March of this year, Fortune faced a judge and pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife Cheryl Fortune.
The Past Two Years
In an exclusive interview with CBN News, the singer is opening opening up for the first time about what unfolded in his home in 2014, and what’s followed in the last nearly two years of his life.
Fortune is a preacher’s kid from Houston, Texas. He has recorded seven albums, earned two Grammy nominations, and performed for packed crowds around the world.
“This was something that was difficult for me,” Fortune shared.
“A lot of people were saying don’t talk about it, kind of just let it go. Let people forget about it and move on and kind of move on with your life. But as I was praying, my spirit, that didn’t sit well with me,” he recalled.
“God was like, I want you to share your story because domestic violence is something the Church doesn’t talk about,” Fortune said.
“I am basically stretching out and saying, you know what, I was a perpetrator of domestic violence. I was an abuser in more ways that one. But I believe that is how God is healing me,” he told CBN News’ Efrem Graham.
Abuse: More Than Physical
Fortune is more than believing and praying for healing. He is working at it. Since the 2014 assault, he has been in therapy and allowed our cameras to follow him to a meeting.
“I’ve learned a lot more now since I have been in therapy for almost 18 months,” he said.
“I was a perpetrator of domestic violence. I was an abuser. I thought domestic violence was just if you hit your wife, you slap your wife. But I found out there are 18 forms of abuse and only one of them is physical,” he explained.
“So, it didn’t start with physical. That night, that is what caused me to be arrested obviously. But there were other forms of abuse that I was a perpetrator of, intimidation,” Fortune added.
A judge sentenced Fortune to five years probation, five days in jail, and 175 hours of community service.
He’s still working to complete his 175 hours of community service. But he has served the five-day jail term.
“I had a lot of time to just think. I had a lot of time to think, why am I in here? What am I doing because I have sung in so many prisons. I have ministered in prisons — I mean maximum security prisons and shared the gospel,” Fortune said.
“One thing I will say is that God allowed me to understand I am only in here because of my bad decision. My own choices. It is nobody else’s fault,” he said.
Fortune’s wife Cheryl isn’t speaking publicly but issued this statement to him in court: “I hope in all of this you get help. Serious help. Although this probation might be like a slap on the wrist, I hope you look at it as a moment to better yourself and change something within you for your future.”
He and Cheryl are legally separated and moving forward with a divorce. Legally, they can have no contact with each other for the next five years. He spent six months separated from his four children.
The pain of losing his family is what’s been the most difficult for Fortune.
“For me, the most difficult part is the separation from my family, even my children to not know exactly why their father is not around as much as he used to be,” he said. “trying to explain that to them and them know that I just made a horrible choice. I just made a terrible decision.”
“And even for Cheryl. One of the things I learned is that I can’t make her forgive me or ever trust me again, because even that is a control thing. Domestic violence is about power and control,” he added.
Contemplating Suicide & Divine Intervention
Sitting down to talk about this process was a big step for Fortune. He could not have imagined sitting down for this interview two years ago.
In fact, there was a time he contemplated suicide.
“There was a time when I didn’t think I would get to this place to feel the way I feel now. It was a place where there seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel,” Fortune recalled. “It seemed like all hope was lost. And it wasn’t anyone else fault but my own.”
“And I started just feeling so guilty for what I had did, bad choices that I had made in my life and I just didn’t feel like I had anything to live for,” he said. “And so, at that point that I was going to take a whole bottle of those Xanax pills and just go to sleep.”
Fortune says prayer kept him from taking that bottle.
“So many people were letting me know that, ‘James it’s not over. It’s not the end.’ Many pastors and many Christian leaders around the country and around the world were reaching out to me,” he said.
“For me, personally, it was remembering my grandmother’s prayers, praying for me as a boy,” he continued. “And God kind of told me something. He said, ‘James, prayers don’t expire. Some of those prayers that your grandmother and your father and mother were praying for you, those prayers are still keeping you, even a situation where you don’t feel like you shouldn’t be kept.'”
“It started out rough. Yeah, I was suicidal. I didn’t think I had anything to live for. I didn’t think my life had any more purpose. I am like it is over,” he said. “But to see how God is able to keep me, everyday. I just kept going to sleep and waking up, believing that change was going to come.”
Sharing His Story
During that time, Fortune recorded the song “Prayer Saved My Life” .
“As I share with other people what God has been doing through my life, so many other people are reaching out and a lot of men are reaching out,” he said. “But so many women are reaching out and saying ‘We always hear the victims talk, but we never hear the perpetrator speak about where this comes from, why this happens and how it’s not their fault.'”
“So the process has been something that I would say was necessary,” Fortune said.
There’s still more work ahead for James Fortune and his family. That is his priority now. And at some point, he hopes to be ready to return to recording.
Visit CBN.com for more information
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- Who Returned: The second batch of 105 individuals included 55 adults, 45 children, and 5 infants.
- The Total So Far: This flight brings the cumulative number of rescued Nigerians to 205 people, following the first batch of 100 citizens who landed safely on September 24, 2026.
- The $265,000+ Commitment: Driven by an urgent appeal from the Nigerian High Commission, RCCG General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adeboye approved a $265,854 donation to purchase one-way tickets home.
- What’s Next: The church has committed to evacuating a total target of 500 distressed Nigerians, meaning approximately 295 citizens are still awaiting profiling and future flights home.
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- Biggest Single-Day Preview Gross: Secured the largest single-day preview revenue ever recorded in West African cinema history.
- Highest First-Day Admissions: Welcomed 12,134 viewers on day one, marking the highest opening attendance for any title in 2026.
- Top Nollywood Opening of 2026: Claimed the crown for the biggest first-day gross for a domestic Nollywood film this year.
- The October Standard: Crowned as the highest single-day box office gross on record for an October movie release.
- A Faith-Based Benchmark: Set a monumental new industry standard as the largest opening performance ever for a faith-based production in the region.
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Dunamis International Christian Center is set to commission a pedestrian bridge in the Federal Capital Territory.
Under the leadership of Pastor (Dr.) Paul Enenche, the pedestrian bridge is of tremendous benefit to the society, not least the immediate community around the Glory Dome, Dunamis Headquarters.
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Tens of thousands of worshippers converged on the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, on Friday, October 2, 2026, for the 10th anniversary edition of the Luli Concert (LC10).
The landmark dusk-to-dawn interdenominational gospel event was centered around the theme “I Will Rejoice in the God of My Salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18). Attendees, many dressed in traditional white garments, filled the venue for a night of intense praise, worship, and spiritual revival.
A massive central choir led the energetic crowd in non-stop, spirit-led gospel music and worship throughout the night. It also featured ministrations from renowned gospel ministers including Tope Alabi, Shola Allyson, Lillian Nneji, Paul Tomisin, and others.
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A pastor has sparked reactions online after refunding a N2 million donation from a 24-year-old church member who could not provide a clear explanation of the source of his income.
The incident was narrated by an X user, who detailed how the cleric declined the offering and returned the funds.
My pastor called out a guy today who donated ₦2 million to the church account.
“Who is Mr. P…? I want to pray for him.”
He came out excitedly with his guys.
He was just a small boy of about 24 years old.
Pastor asked, “You sent ₦2 million during the donation last Sunday?”
“Yes, sir.”
“God bless you, my bro. May I know what kind of business you are into?”
“Online business, sir… anything online.”
“Content creation? Freelancing?”
“No, sir. Just online stuff.”
Pastor called the church accountant.
“Please refund his ₦2 million.”
— Ebun (@kenkenlewu) October 4, 2026
@kenkenlewu Pastor said, We are building the church, not sponsoring EFCC investigations. 😂😁
— King Resilience (@kingwizzi_tweet) October 4, 2026
@kenkenlewu Some pastor still have the fear of God in them
It requires a lot to do that
In Nigeria of today— FE RAN MI (@Feranmiisrael9) October 4, 2026
@kenkenlewu Some pastor still have the fear of God in them
It requires a lot to do that
In Nigeria of today— FE RAN MI (@Feranmiisrael9) October 4, 2026
Waysteam — In a world where ministry is no longer limited by geography or walls, technology has opened up new ways to preach, teach, and reach hearts across the globe. Waystream, a Nigerian-founded spiritual content live-streaming platform, is designed specifically for churches, ministries, and Christian broadcasters.
Waystream provides a simple yet powerful platform to stream sermons online, host live prayer sessions, deliver Bible studies, and share faith-based audio messages to a local and global audience — all without the high costs or tech-heavy demands of video streaming.
With Waystream, any ministry can start audio broadcasting immediately with a laptop or mobile phone. Currently serving over 40,000 users broadcasting to millions of listeners across the globe, Waystream provides features that meet the needs of the modern church, offering the ability to:
Launch a custom audio channel for your church or fellowship
Receive donations directly through your stream page
Store sermons for midweek listening or small group sharing
Schedule future services and weekly teachings
Allow real-time listener interaction for prayer requests or encouragement
Most importantly, Waystream supports local payment audio platforms, so churches can subscribe using Nigerian Naira with no international card stress. The platform also offers embedded links for easy sharing on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and email.
Waystream has flexible plans suitable for all ministry sizes:
Talk Free: Great for new or small fellowships
Talk Lite: Unlimited daily streaming for budget-conscious ministries
Talk Pro: Scheduling, donations, and archiving included
Talk 24/7: Best for ministries running daily radio or devotional broadcasts
More than a platform, Waystream is a religious broadcasting platform that puts the Gospel within earshot of those who need it. Whether you’re in Lagos or Lome, Aba or Atlanta, you can now reach souls with clarity, simplicity, and faith.
Visit www.waystream.io to start your 14-day free trial. Because ministry doesn’t need a building — just a willing voice and the right tools to send it forth.
Pastor Emmanuel Iren of Celebration Church International is set to release his debut movie “What About Us?”, out in cinemas on July 12, and we’re loving it!
Full episode of the show on #ThePraiseworldPodcast available everywhere you listen to your podcasts.
https://youtu.be/x5gRe6PI3vg
Annatoria who has been buzzing about being on the Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin “Kingdom Tour” for the last couple of weeks has suddenly pulled out for personal reasons.
Why exactly did she pull out of the tour?
Listen to full episode of the show on #ThePraiseworldPodcast available everywhere you listen to your podcasts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa4LGOKFOGc
A Modern Reimagining of Timeless Biblical Narratives: “DISTORIA: Bible Stories” by Tola Omoniyi
Tola Omoniyi, media entrepreneur and founder of Praiseworld Radio, proudly announces the release of his debut book, “DISTORIA: Bible Stories.” This innovative collection reimagines 30 classic Biblical stories, breathing new life into them with contemporary context to captivate today’s readers.
Many are familiar with Bible stories, but how many truly grasp their meaning? Often, these stories seem distant and unrelatable due to their ancient language and context. Tola Omoniyi’s acclaimed podcast, “Telling Bible Stories with TOLA,” launched five years ago and spanning over five seasons, has successfully bridged this gap by presenting these timeless tales in a modern, engaging manner.
Inspired by the podcast’s success, Tola decided to extend his reach to book lovers. “Seeing the impact of the podcast and how it inspired my listeners, I wanted to spread these stories to a wider audience, those who would rather read a book than listen to a podcast,” he explains.
“DISTORIA: Bible Stories” is far from a simple retelling. Tola’s vibrant prose and compelling storytelling bring a fresh perspective to these ancient narratives, making them feel immediate and relevant. He skillfully bridges the past and present, exploring the depths of Biblical values in a way that speaks directly to the soul and resonates with today’s world. Each story is followed by practical lessons and the original scriptural reference.
“Whether you’re a seasoned believer or a curious seeker, ‘DISTORIA’ promises to captivate, inspire, entertain, and challenge you in unexpected ways,” says Tola Omoniyi. “Dive in and relive ancient experiences that speak to our contemporary world like never before.”
Purchase “DISTORIA: Bible Stories” here: https://linktr.ee/tolaomoniyi
- Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2RD3QGC
- Kobo https://www.kobo.com/pl/en/ebook/distoria-bible-stories
For Nigerian readers
• Roving Heights https://rhbooks.com.ng/product/distoria-bible-stories/ and Roving Heights bookstores (Lagos and Abuja)
About the Author:
Tola Omoniyi is a dynamic media entrepreneur, celebrated for his roles as a Radio/TV and Podcast host, Public Speaker, Event Compere, and Communications Expert. He has significantly influenced the Nigerian church community, earning spots among the 100 Most Influential Nigerians in Church by YNaija! in 2021 and being named one of the Top 100 most influential Nigerian gospel personalities by GospelXperience in 2023.
In 2012, Tola founded Praiseworld Radio, Africa’s leading online gospel radio station, and hosts the award-winning ‘The Praise O’Clock Show.’ His innovative approach has reshaped gospel broadcasting. Tola also hosts several podcasts, including The Praiseworld Podcast, The Afrogospel Podcast, and Telling Bible Stories with TOLA, the latter inspiring this book.
Follow Tola Omoniyi on social media: @tola_omoniyi
Contact Information:
For more information about the book or to request an interview with Tola Omoniyi, please contact:
• Email: praiseworldshow@gmail.com
• Instagram: @tola_omoniyi
Don’t miss the opportunity to experience “DISTORIA: Bible Stories” and embark on a journey that connects ancient wisdom with modern living. Purchase your copy today and share this transformative collection with friends and family.
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