Jim Bakker, Televangelist Behind 'PTL Club,' Dies at 86
Bakker's career was marked by immense popularity, a fall from grace involving financial crimes and a sexual encounter, and a later return to Christian broadcasting.
Televangelist Jim Bakker, a prominent figure in Christian broadcasting best known as the co-host of "The PTL Club," died Monday at the age of 86. His second wife, Lori Bakker, announced his death, stating that he "went home to be with the Lord this evening."
Bakker suffered a stroke in 2020, and his cause of death was not immediately clear. Lori Bakker remembered him as a pioneer of Christian television who "loved people deeply" and remained dedicated to his ministry.
Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Bakker met his first wife, Tammy Faye, at North Central Bible College. The couple married in 1961 and began their ministry, eventually joining the Christian Broadcasting Network in the 1960s. There, Bakker developed "Come On Over," one of the first daily children's shows for Christians, and later hosted "The 700 Club."
In 1974, Bakker founded the PTL Satellite Network and launched "The PTL Club," which became a massive success throughout the 1980s. The show, featuring guest ministers, entertainers, and Bakker's sermons, attracted millions of viewers and generated substantial revenue from its followers. The ministry also encompassed Heritage USA, a Christian theme park and hotel complex in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
The empire began to unravel in 1987 when Bakker admitted to a sexual encounter with a church clerk, Jessica Hahn. This led to Jerry Falwell taking over operations of PTL.
The following year, Bakker was indicted on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy related to PTL's finances. He was convicted and initially sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, a sentence later reduced to eight years. He was released on parole in 1995.
Tammy Faye divorced Bakker in 1992 while he was incarcerated. She later married Roe Messner, a contractor involved in the Heritage USA projects, and died of colon cancer in 2007. Messner also served prison time for bankruptcy fraud.
Bakker married Lori in 1998, and the couple launched "The Jim Bakker Show" in 2003. The program's website describes it as focusing on "prophetic and Biblical revelations brought to light in today’s world."
In addition to his biological children with Tammy Faye, Jim and Lori Bakker adopted five children in 2002.
More recently, in June 2021, Bakker and his Morningside Church Productions Inc. settled a lawsuit over claims that he falsely promoted Silver Solution as a cure for COVID-19. The settlement required the organization to provide $156,000 in refunds to those who had purchased the product.