Jim Bakker, the American televangelist who established a multimillion-dollar Christian television ministry before his career fell apart amid a sex scandal and a fraud conviction, has passed away at 86.
According to an announcement from his wife, Lori Bakker, Bakker died on Monday. The cause of his death has not yet been revealed.
In a statement posted on social media, Lori shared news of his passing, saying, “It is with a broken heart that I share that my beloved husband, Jim Bakker, went home to be with the Lord this evening.”
She added, “For 66 years, Jim gave his life to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was a pioneer of Christian television, but to me, he was my husband, my best friend, and the man I was honored to walk beside through so many seasons of life and ministry.”
Bakker gained prominence together with his then-wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, via their Christian television show, The PTL Club, which they started in the 1970s.
The show expanded into a vast religious broadcasting empire, and the couple also created Heritage USA, a Christian theme park and resort located in South Carolina.
When their influence was at its peak, the Bakkers drew millions of viewers and collected considerable amounts of money through their television ministry.
Yet the empire fell apart in the late 1980s following disclosures about Bakker’s personal behavior and the finances of his ministry.
In 1987, Bakker stepped down from PTL after it came to light that money had been paid to church secretary Jessica Hahn, who accused him of sexual assault.
He was then investigated regarding the ministry’s finances and was convicted in 1989 on charges of fraud and conspiracy.
Bakker received a 45-year prison sentence but ended up serving roughly five years before his release on parole in 1994.
His conviction also ended his first marriage. Tammy Faye divorced him later and went on with her own television career until her death in 2007.
After leaving prison, Bakker eventually went back to Christian broadcasting and founded a new ministry in Missouri.
He went on to host The Jim Bakker Show, in which he concentrated heavily on end-times teachings and promoted survivalist goods.
Controversy also surrounded his later ministry. In 2020, Missouri authorities filed a lawsuit against Bakker after he promoted a product as a treatment for COVID-19.
The case was eventually settled, and Bakker and his ministry agreed to pay restitution.
Even with the controversies that defined his career, Bakker stayed active in Christian broadcasting for decades.
His wife said in her statement, “Jim loved people deeply. He loved this ministry, and he loved the friends and partners who stood with him throughout the years.”
She added, “Even in his final days, his heart was still for the work of God and for the gospel to continue reaching the world.”
Lori and Bakker’s family have asked for privacy following his demise.
