Date: October 6, 2026
Source: CNN
Topic: Jim Bakker / Televangelism / PTL Club / US News
American televangelist Jim Bakker, who rose to national prominence through Christian television before his ministry collapsed amid financial and sexual scandals, has died at the age of 86.
Bakker’s death was announced Monday by his wife, Lori Bakker, who said he had “gone home to be with the Lord.” She described him as a pioneer of Christian television and said he remained committed to preaching throughout his life. No cause of death was disclosed.
Rise of the PTL Empire
Bakker became one of America’s best-known televangelists alongside his first wife, Tammy Faye Bakker. The couple became prominent through their Christian television program “The PTL Club,” short for “Praise the Lord.”
At its height, the ministry’s television program attracted millions of viewers, while the couple also developed Heritage USA, a Christian theme park and resort in South Carolina. The ministry became a major force in American Christian broadcasting during the 1970s and 1980s.
Scandal and Prison
Bakker’s career dramatically collapsed in the late 1980s.
He resigned from the PTL ministry in 1987 amid a scandal involving church secretary Jessica Hahn and financial allegations surrounding the ministry. In 1988, Bakker was indicted on federal charges involving fraud and conspiracy related to PTL finances.
He was convicted in 1989 and initially sentenced to 45 years in prison, although the sentence was later reduced. Bakker ultimately served about five years before being released on parole in 1994.
His marriage to Tammy Faye also ended. The couple divorced in 1992 while Bakker was still incarcerated. Tammy Faye later remarried and died of cancer in 2007.
Return to Television
After his release from prison, Bakker eventually returned to Christian broadcasting.
He married Lori Bakker in 1998, and the couple later launched “The Jim Bakker Show,” which was filmed in the Branson, Missouri, area. Bakker continued preaching and discussing Christian issues on television for years.
Bakker faced renewed controversy in 2020 after promoting a product called Silver Solution on his television program and making claims about its ability to treat coronavirus. Missouri authorities sued Bakker and his production company over the claims. A 2021 settlement provided refunds to people who had purchased the product or contributed money to obtain it.
A Complicated Legacy
Bakker’s life became one of the most dramatic stories in American televangelism — from building a massive Christian broadcasting empire to losing his ministry, serving time in prison and later returning to television.
His story, along with Tammy Faye’s public career and their PTL empire, remained part of American popular culture decades after the ministry’s collapse.
Bakker is survived by his wife Lori, two children from his marriage to Tammy Faye, and five children he and Lori adopted.
Source: CNN
Original CNN Article: Read the original CNN report
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Date: October 6, 2026
Source: CNN
Topic: Jim Bakker / Televangelism / PTL Club / US News
