Jim Bakker has died at 86. The televangelist was known as much for pioneering televangelism as for his personal scandals. His widow, Lori Bakker, announced the news on Facebook, and the New York Post reported it.
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"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 wrote.
"For 66 years, Jim gave his life to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ," she continued. "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."
Jim Bakker Wanted to "Make Jesus Real"
According to his show's website, Jim was born in Muskegon, Michigan. He believed God called him to "make Jesus real" to the world, which led him to North Central Bible College in Minneapolis.
There, Jim met his first wife, Tammy Faye LaValley. They were wed in 1961, and then dropped out of college to become traveling evangelists.
Several years later, Jim felt "divinely inspired" to use television to share his message. He joined Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network, where he became the first host of The 700 Club. After eight years, he left the network.
Jim then settled in Charlotte, North Carolina and created The PTL Club. He and Tammy Faye hosted the show from 1974 to 1987. It became a multimillion-dollar empire that included the PTL Satellite Network and a theme park.
Scandal Followed Success
In 1987, church secretary Jessica Hahn accused Jim of sexually assaulting her in 1980. The preacher admitted the two had sex, but he insisted it had been consensual. He also offered her $279,000 in hush money.
Jim then resigned from PTL. A federal investigation revealed that the couple had several homes, a jet, luxurious cars, and other amenities. Jim was convicted on 24 counts of fraud. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison, but served five. He was released on parole in 1994.
Jim and Tammy Faye divorced in 1992. She died of cancer in 2007. Jim later worked with the ministry at Los Angeles Dream Center. There, he met his second wife, Lori, and they launched a new television ministry in 2003: The Jim Bakker Show.
In 2021, Jim and Morningside Church Productions were forced to pay $156,000 for selling a colloidal silver supplement they said would cure COVID-19.
Lori said in her statement, "Our family is grieving and we ask for your prayers and privacy during this time. Jim finished his race with faith. His voice, his vision, and his legacy will never be forgotten."
