Jim Bakker, the televangelist whose rise and fall became one of the most talked-about stories in American religious history, died Monday at age 86.
Quick Take
- Jim Bakker died Monday, October 5, 2026, at age 86, according to his wife Lori Bakker.
- Lori Bakker announced the death on the Jim Bakker Show’s official social media pages, saying he “went home to be with the Lord.”
- No cause of death has been shared publicly, and the family asked for prayers and privacy.
- Bakker co-founded the PTL Club ministry, which later collapsed in one of the biggest scandals in televangelism history.
Family Confirms Death In Public Statement
Lori Bakker shared the news directly on her husband’s official Facebook and Instagram pages. She wrote that it was “with a broken heart” that she announced he had “finished his race with faith” and gone home to be with the Lord—the statement named no cause of death. Major outlets including CBS News, NBC News, UPI, and USA Today ran the same core details within hours, all crediting Lori Bakker as the source.
Bakker was born January 2, 1940, making him 86 at the time of his death. The family’s message closed with a request for “prayers and privacy during this time,” a common ask from grieving families that also means fewer details may come out in the days ahead. No hospital, hospice, or medical examiner has released any additional information so far.
From Furniture Store Studio To A Television Empire
Bakker built his name alongside his first wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, through The PTL Club, short for Praise the Lord. The show started in 1974 inside an old, converted furniture store in Charlotte, North Carolina. It grew into a full media operation that, at its peak, drew as many as 13 million viewers a night and raised hundreds of millions of dollars from loyal supporters.
The ministry expanded into Heritage USA, a Christian theme park and resort in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Bakker sold what he called “lifetime partnerships” to fund it, raising over $ 400 million between 1984 and 1987. He had promised only 25,000 memberships would be sold, yet records later showed more than 150,000 were issued, far more than the park could ever support.
Scandal, Fraud Charges, And A Prison Sentence
The empire cracked in March 1987 when Bakker admitted to a sexual encounter with church secretary Jessica Hahn that happened years earlier in 1980. He resigned from PTL, handing control to fellow broadcaster Jerry Falwell. Investigators soon found that ministry funds, including more than 250,000 dollars, had been used to keep the Hahn matter quiet.
A deeper financial investigation followed. In 1988, prosecutors indicted Bakker on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy tied to how PTL raised and spent money. A jury convicted him on all 24 counts in October 1989. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison and ordered to pay a 500,000 dollar fine, though his sentence was later reduced and he was released after serving about five years.
A Second Act And A Lasting, Complicated Legacy
After prison, Bakker returned to television ministry, eventually marrying Lori Bakker and running a new program from the Ozarks. He remained a familiar, if controversial, figure in Christian media for decades, drawing both loyal supporters and continued criticism tied to his past. Coverage of his death from outlets like the Associated Press affiliates and local stations in the Carolinas and the Ozarks reflected that same split legacy, mixing obituary with reminders of the scandal that once made him a household name.
REST IN PEACE | Jim Bakker, the televangelist who built an evangelical empire with his first wife, Tammy Faye, around the hit TV show "The PTL Club," has died at 86. https://t.co/sQHi334w58 pic.twitter.com/lSWRxj24tk
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) October 6, 2026
For many Americans old enough to remember the 1980s, Bakker’s story has always carried a warning about mixing faith, money, and fame without real accountability. His death closes a chapter on one of the most dramatic falls from grace in modern religious broadcasting, one that still shapes how audiences view televangelism today. The family’s request now is simple: prayer, space, and time to grieve privately.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, upi.com, deadline.com, kesq.com, usatoday.com, nbcnews.com
