Renowned televangelist Jim Bakker, who, along with his first spouse Tammy Faye, established an evangelical realm through the highly acclaimed TV program, “The PTL Club,” ultimately losing it all due to a scandal and financial misconduct, has passed away at the age of 86.
His demise was confirmed by his second wife, Lori Bakker, in a statement on Monday, with the exact cause of death not immediately disclosed.
While Bakker was acknowledged as a trailblazer in Christian television, his legacy to Lori was more personal as her cherished husband and confidante throughout their shared life and ministry experiences. The couple resided close to Branson, Missouri, where they produced “The Jim Bakker Show” since its inception in 2003, with Bakker suffering a stroke in 2020.
Although “The PTL Club” and the Bakkers were renowned cultural figures, they often fell under scrutiny and parody by late-night comedians and were featured in a theatrical release titled “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” in September 2021.
During its peak in the mid-1980s, the Bakkers’ ministry not only captivated up to 13 million viewers nightly on their TV show but also oversaw the Christian-themed Heritage USA theme park and hotel in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Bakker attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, where he met Tammy Faye. They wed in 1961, abandoning college to embark on their own traveling ministry, with Jim preaching and Tammy Faye singing and playing the accordion as they journeyed across the nation visiting churches and revivals.
Having caught the attention of televangelist Pat Robertson, they launched a children’s show on Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network in 1965. By 1966, Bakker was hosting “The 700 Club,” a Christian talk show.
Bakker departed from the Christian Broadcasting Network in 1972 and established the PTL Satellite Network two years later, with “The PTL Club” becoming its flagship program. During its pinnacle in the 1980s, the show attracted millions of viewers and substantial financial contributions from followers.
The show featured discussions with guests and Christian performers, with Bakker delivering uplifting sermons and Tammy Faye captivating audiences with her charismatic persona and distinctive heavy mascara. The majority of episodes were recorded at their expansive facility south of Charlotte, North Carolina.
However, their empire began to crumble in March 1987 when Bakker confessed to a liaison with church clerk Jessica Hahn, leading to his resignation and the subsequent legal scrutiny of PTL’s finances. Subsequently, Bakker was indicted for fraud in 1988, resulting in a conviction and a reduced sentence of eight years in federal prison.
Following his release on parole in 1994, Bakker tied the knot with Lori in 1998 and launched “The Jim Bakker Show” on the PTL Satellite Network five years later. In June 2021, Bakker settled a lawsuit alleging false claims about a health supplement’s ability to cure COVID-19, agreeing to refund $156,000 to consumers who purchased the product.
Bakker, who had two children with Tammy Faye, adopted five more children with Lori in 2002.