Jim Bakker, Televangelist Who Built and Lost a Religious Empire, Dies at 86
Jim Bakker, the televangelist who with his first wife Tammy Faye built a sprawling evangelical empire around the hit TV show “The PTL Club,” only to see it collapse amid a sex scandal and financial crimes, has died. He was 86. Bakker died in Branson, Missouri, according to his family. His second wife, Lori Bakker, said he remained committed to his ministry until the end of his life.
Bakker’s rise and fall became a cautionary tale about the excesses of televangelism in the 1980s. At its peak, his ministry attracted millions of viewers and donations, but it unraveled after revelations of a sexual encounter with church secretary Jessica Hahn, who alleged Bakker sexually assaulted her. Bakker maintained the encounter was consensual. He was later convicted of fraud for overselling lifetime partnerships in a failed Christian theme park, serving time in federal prison. In a 2000 interview with CNN’s Larry King, Bakker reflected on his downfall: “I wanted people to believe in my dream, and my dream became more important than the people,” he said. “When the dream of Christian community becomes more important than the community, that’s when it’s a sin.”
After his release from prison, Bakker reinvented himself as a progressive Christian pastor, becoming critical of the Christian right and an advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion. His transformation marked a sharp departure from his earlier alignment with conservative evangelicalism. In February, he told television station WCNC Charlotte that he and his son, Jay Bakker, “have very different opinions on things like theology and politics, but we do try to maintain a relationship.” That comment underscored his complicated legacy—both as a pioneer of religious broadcasting and as a figure who sought redemption later in life.
Bakker’s death marks the end of an era in American televangelism. While his name is forever linked to scandal, his later years were defined by a more inclusive faith and a desire to reconcile with those he once alienated. As his wife noted, he never stopped preaching, even as his health declined. His life story
Shimanta Das 
