Televangelist Jim Bakker Dead at 86: Disgraced PTL Founder Dies After Decades of Scandal and Redemption

Jim Bakker, the famed Christian televangelist who co-founded the PTL Satellite Network and became a cultural icon before his empire collapsed amid financial and sexual scandals, died Monday at age 86, his wife Lori Bakker announced. "It is with a broken heart that I share that my beloved husband, Jim Bakker, went home to be with the Lord this evening," Lori Bakker said in a statement.

Bakker, born in Muskegon, Michigan, dropped out of Bible college after marrying his first wife, Tammy Faye Bakker. The couple began a traveling ministry and later hosted a children's show for televangelist Pat Robertson before leaving in 1972 to launch PTL, which stood for "Praise the Lord." At its peak, their program drew 13 million viewers and led to the construction of a Christian theme park and hotel in Fort Mill, South Carolina. In 1987, Bakker admitted to a sexual encounter with church secretary Jessica Hahn and was forced to hand over control of his ministry to Jerry Falwell. Two years later, he was convicted of fraud and conspiracy, sentenced to 45 years in prison, later reduced to eight years. Tammy Faye divorced him in 1992 and died of colon cancer in 2007. Bakker continued to evangelize until his death and was a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.

Bakker's death marks the end of a controversial chapter in American evangelicalism, highlighting the rise and fall of televangelism's golden era and its enduring influence on conservative politics. Reactions from religious leaders and former followers are expected, while his legacy remains a subject of debate over the intersection of faith, finance, and media. Lori Bakker said, "Even in his final days, his heart was still for the work of God and for the gospel to continue reaching the world."