Joel A. Tudman (born about March 14, 1976) is an American pastor, author and former college football coach based in South Florida.
He spent more than a decade as Director of Player Development at Oklahoma State University, then served as an associate pastor at The Potter’s House in Dallas under Bishop T.D. Jakes.
He is now the founding pastor of Believers City, a church he started after his abrupt exit from The Faith Center Ministries in 2025.
Joel Tudman at a Glance
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Joel A. Tudman |
| Born | About March 14, 1976 (birth year estimated, not confirmed). Hometown: Mount Pleasant, Texas |
| Age | About 50 (as of September 2026, estimated) |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | LaTasha Tudman |
| Children | Jarion Tudman (son, 1993 to 2021) and other children. Exact number not confirmed. |
| Parents and siblings | Not publicly documented |
| Education | |
| University | Texas A&M University (bachelor’s in sports studies, master’s in health with a counseling minor) |
| Doctorate | Doctor of Ministry, Jakes Divinity School (2023) |
| Ministry | |
| Title | Founding pastor, Believers City |
| Church | Believers City, South Florida |
| Denomination | Not publicly stated |
| Past roles | Senior pastor, The Faith Center Ministries (2025); Associate pastor, The Potter’s House Dallas; Founder, The Net Church, Oklahoma City |
| Website | wearebcity.org |
| Career | |
| Books | The Fight to Find Yourself |
| Former job | Director of Player Development and team chaplain, Oklahoma State football |
| Net worth | Not disclosed. No verified figure exists. |
Where Is Joel Tudman Now?
Dr. Joel Tudman now leads Believers City in South Florida. He launched the church in the fall of 2025, weeks after he was removed as senior pastor of The Faith Center Ministries in Sunrise, Florida.
The church describes itself as “a city where belief has an address.” Its Instagram page lists 1901 N Federal Hwy, Hollywood, FL 33020 with services on Sundays at 10:30 AM and Tuesdays at 7:30 PM.
The church has also held pop-up worship days. One was set for December 21, 2025 at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines. Tuesday Bible study streams online on his YouTube channel.
Early Life and Background
Where Did Joel Tudman Grow Up?
Tudman is originally from Mount Pleasant, Texas. Little else is public about his parents and siblings.
He has spoken about his father. His father was not around when he was young, and Tudman carried anger about that for years.
When his father got sick, he sat with him anyway. He described those weeks as the time he finally became the son he always wanted to be.
How Old Is Joel Tudman?
Joel Tudman is about 50 years old. He has never published his birth year. The Christian Post gave his age as 49 in October 2025.
A Potter’s House social post reportedly marked his birthday on March 14, so he is likely 50 as of September 2026.
Education
Tudman studied at Texas A&M University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sports studies and a master’s in health with a minor in counseling.
He later earned a doctorate in Spirit-Filled Global Leadership in the African Diaspora. The Christian Post reports he completed the Doctor of Ministry program at Jakes Divinity School in 2023.
Career: From the Weight Room to the Pulpit
Oklahoma State Football
Tudman spent years on the Oklahoma State University strength and conditioning staff. By his 13th year, he was Director of Player Development, team chaplain and a life skills coach. He worked directly with Master Strength Coach Rob Glass.
He built a personal growth program called “The Person/The Player.” It treated athletes as people first. He also hosted a player development conference with speakers on money, leadership and life after football.
By 2018, had joined Glass as a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach. The same story says head coach Mike Gundy calls him a life coach.
Did Joel Tudman Play Football?
I found no verified record of a college or pro playing career. His football ties come from coaching and chaplaincy, not from the field.
Football runs through his family, though. His son Jarion was a standout running back and track athlete in Oklahoma. More on him below.
The Net Church in Oklahoma City
Tudman also planted a church. The Net Church grew out of a Bible study with Oklahoma State graduates around 2008, according to local reports summarized by secondary sources. It moved through several buildings in Oklahoma City before settling on a large campus at 4301 NE 23rd Street.
The church also appears online as The Place of Faith. Its Instagram page lists Joel and LaTasha Tudman as lead pastors and a Sunday service at 10:30 AM. I could not confirm who leads it today.
Secondary profiles also say he preached at Maranatha Church of God in Christ in Mount Pleasant, Texas. He reportedly made the long drive from Stillwater to do it. That is a lot of gas money for a sermon.
The Potter’s House in Dallas
Tudman later joined The Potter’s House in Dallas as an associate pastor on the teaching team. He preached to thousands in person and a very large online audience, and alternated in the pulpit with Bishop T.D. Jakes.
In July 2023, Jakes named him to the church’s corporate leadership team.
Rise to Prominence: The Faith Center Years
In the summer of 2024, Bishop Henry Fernandez announced Tudman would join The Faith Center Ministries in Sunrise, Florida as assistant senior pastor. Fernandez had led the church of more than 10,000 members for over 30 years.
In March 2025, Tudman was installed as senior pastor. Jakes attended. So did Pastor Mike Todd and Rich Wilkerson Jr., according to EEW Magazine.
What Happened to Joel Tudman at Faith Center?
Tudman was removed as senior pastor on or around August 30 to 31, 2025. That was about five months after his installation. Members learned through a letter and a statement before the Sunday message.
Fernandez did not give reasons. He told the congregation the church is not run by one man and that its pastor answers to a board of elders. He asked members to pray for Tudman and his family and not to guess.
Tudman posted a short, heartbroken message on Instagram. Weeks later, on The Breakfast Club, he said he did nothing illegal or wrong.
He described the split as a clash over mission: “We disagreed in mission.” He said the public nature of it hurt.
Believers City
Tudman did not leave South Florida. He launched Believers City in September 2025, and the Christian Post called him its founding pastor. Sunday services, a Tuesday night Bible study and a “Believers Night SoFlo” event followed.
One Christian media blog reports that LaTasha Tudman also serves as a pastor there. Check the church’s own channels for current staff.
Books and Publications
| Title | Publisher | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| The Fight to Find Yourself | Hachette Book Group | Identity, performance and finding who you are under your resume |
Tudman describes the book’s core idea as identity foreclosure. That means stacking roles and titles to look right in a room without knowing who you are underneath. He is also a mental health advocate and a frequent speaker.
Marriage and Family
Joel Tudman’s Wife: LaTasha Tudman
Joel Tudman is married to LaTasha Tudman. She is a minister and gospel singer. A Christian media profile credits her with the live songs “Surrender” and “Freedom Is Here,” the second featuring Lisa Knowles-Smith.
The two have led ministry side by side since the Oklahoma years. They moved to Florida for the Faith Center role and stayed after it ended.
How Many Kids Does Joel Tudman Have?
The exact number of children is not publicly confirmed. Some blogs say three daughters. Jarion’s obituary names several siblings, including Joel Tudman II. Those lists can include half and step siblings, so no count is safe to print.
Losing His Son Jarion
Jarion M. Tudman died on October 7, 2021, at age 27. His obituary says he was born November 29, 1993 in Amarillo, Texas. It calls him a husband, son, brother, friend and coach.
Jarion gave his life to Christ young and preached his first sermon. He was first team All-Edmond in football and rushed for 1,299 yards in 2010 and 1,085 in 2011. He held the school triple jump record. He earned a degree at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, then ran a fitness business in Fort Worth and coached youth football in Amarillo.
The cause of death has not been shared in reliable reporting, and this article will not guess. Tudman has said he lost his father and his son close together. He talked about the grief and guilt on The Breakfast Club and in a YouTube interview titled “Losing His Son, Grief & Guilt.”
If you are carrying loss of your own, these Bible verses for depression and hope may help.
Ministry Philosophy and Beliefs
Tudman preaches about identity, mental health and whole-person growth. His Oklahoma State work rested on one idea: what happens inside a young man decides what happens on the field.
He brings the same idea to church. Believers City’s tagline says belief needs an address. Faith should have a place to live, not just a Sunday feeling.
Influence and Legacy
His legacy has three parts.
- Athletes at Oklahoma State who received life coaching along with strength training.
- An Oklahoma City church that started as a campus Bible study.
- A very public example of how hard a pastor handoff can be at a large church.
The Faith Center split drew heated debate online. For many young pastors, it became a case study in succession planning.
Criticism and Controversies
The only well-documented controversy is the Faith Center dismissal. Neither side has shared full reasons. Fernandez pointed to board accountability. Tudman pointed to a disagreement over mission and denied any wrongdoing.
Social media has produced many claims beyond that. This article leaves out anything without a court record or a reliable news report.
Net Worth and Financial Information
Joel Tudman’s net worth has not been disclosed. No credible source publishes his income, church salary or assets. Any dollar figure you see online is a guess.
Interesting Facts About Joel Tudman
- IMDb lists him as Reverend Johnson in Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story (2022) and Samuel in Pardon Me: The Bevelyn B. Williams Story (2025).
- His Oklahoma church began with about 10 college graduates, according to secondary reports.
- His Faith Center tenure as installed senior pastor lasted roughly five months.
- He is often misspelled online as “Joel Tubman.”
- Jarion still holds a triple jump school record at his Edmond high school.
Joel Tudman Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| About 1976 | Born (estimated). Hometown: Mount Pleasant, Texas |
| Nov 29, 1993 | Son Jarion born in Amarillo, Texas |
| About 2008 | The Net Church grows out of a campus Bible study near Oklahoma State |
| 2010s | Director of Player Development and team chaplain at Oklahoma State |
| 2018 | Reported as a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach |
| Oct 7, 2021 | Son Jarion dies at age 27 |
| 2023 | Earns Doctor of Ministry at Jakes Divinity School. Named to Potter’s House corporate leadership team |
| Summer 2024 | Announced as assistant senior pastor at The Faith Center |
| March 2025 | Installed as senior pastor of The Faith Center Ministries |
| 2025 | The Fight to Find Yourself listed by Hachette |
| Aug 30 to 31, 2025 | Removed as Faith Center senior pastor |
| Sept 2025 | Announces Believers City |
| Oct 2025 | Speaks on The Breakfast Club about the split |
| Dec 21, 2025 | Believers City pop-up worship at Charles F. Dodge City Center |
Frequently Asked Questions About Joel Tudman
Where is Dr. Joel Tudman now?
Dr. Joel Tudman lives in South Florida and leads Believers City, a church he founded in fall 2025. Its listed address is 1901 N Federal Hwy in Hollywood, Florida. He left Oklahoma to join The Faith Center Ministries in 2024, then stayed in Florida after his removal.
What happened to Joel Tudman today?
I found no breaking news about Joel Tudman as of September 29, 2026. His latest documented chapter is Believers City, with weekly services and online Bible study. His last major news event was the August 2025 Faith Center dismissal.
What happened to Joel Tudman’s church?
Tudman was removed as senior pastor of The Faith Center Ministries in Sunrise, Florida in late August 2025, about five months after his installation. Founder Bishop Henry Fernandez did not give reasons. Tudman later started Believers City. His Oklahoma City church, The Net Church, also appears online as The Place of Faith.
Where is Joel Tudman’s church located?
Believers City lists 1901 N Federal Hwy, Hollywood, FL 33020, with Sunday services at 10:30 AM and Tuesday services at 7:30 PM. It has also held special worship days at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines. Check the church website for current times.
What is Believers City?
Believers City is a South Florida church founded by Joel Tudman in 2025. Its tagline is “a city where belief has an address.” It offers Sunday worship, a Tuesday Bible study, partner and volunteer teams, and events like Believers Night SoFlo.
How old is Joel Tudman?
Joel Tudman is about 50. The Christian Post gave his age as 49 in October 2025, and a March 14 birthday has been reported. He has not published his birth year, so treat the exact age as an estimate.
Who is Joel Tudman’s wife?
Joel Tudman’s wife is LaTasha Tudman, a minister and gospel singer. They have served together in ministry in Oklahoma City and South Florida. She is listed with him as lead pastor of The Place of Faith in Oklahoma City.
How many kids does Joel Tudman have?
The exact number is not publicly confirmed. Some blogs say three daughters. His late son Jarion’s obituary lists many siblings, including Joel Tudman II, but those lists can include half and step siblings. No reliable source gives a firm total.
What happened to Joel Tudman’s son?
Joel Tudman’s son Jarion died on October 7, 2021, at age 27. He was a husband, coach and former college football player. The family has not publicly shared a cause. Tudman has spoken openly about grief after losing his son and father close together.
Did Joel Tudman play football?
No verified playing career exists. Joel Tudman is tied to football as Oklahoma State’s Director of Player Development and team chaplain. His son Jarion was the player, starring at an Edmond high school and at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
Does Joel Tudman have a Wikipedia page?
I found no Wikipedia article for Joel Tudman in my September 2026 search. His most reliable public records are his publisher’s author page, Christian Post reports, Oklahoma State coaching bios and his church websites. This biography pulls those together.
Read Also
- Levi Lusko Biography: The Pastor, the Grief, and the Church That Started With 14 People
- Greg Laurie: Biography, Age, Wife, Son, Church & Net Worth
- Tim Ross: Pastor, Podcaster, and the Story Behind The Basement
- Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr.: Age, Wife, Church, Net Worth & Life Story
- Smokie Norful Biography: Age, Wife, Children, Pastor, Songs & Net Worth
