Jim Bakker Bio, Age, Wife, Kids, PTL Club, Scandal, Death & Net Worth

Jim Bakker Biography

Jim Bakker was an American televangelist, Christian broadcaster, and ministry leader who became one of the most recognizable figures in American religious television. Born on January 2, 1940, in Muskegon, Michigan, he began preaching after attending North Central Bible College in Minneapolis. He met his first wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, while studying there.

Bakker and Tammy Faye started their television ministry in the 1960s. He later worked with Pat Robertson at the Christian Broadcasting Network and became the first host of The 700 Club. In 1974, Bakker founded The PTL Club, which grew into a major Christian television ministry.

At its height, The PTL Club attracted millions of viewers and supported Heritage USA, a large Christian resort and theme park in South Carolina. However, Bakker resigned from PTL in 1987 following revelations involving Jessica Hahn and a payment made with ministry funds.

His legal troubles continued, and authorities later prosecuted him for mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy connected to PTL finances. A federal court convicted him in 1989, and he eventually served about four and a half years in prison. He received parole in 1994.

After prison, Bakker rebuilt his ministry career. He married Lori Bakker in 1998, and they launched The Jim Bakker Show in 2003. The program later broadcast from Morningside in Missouri and focused heavily on biblical prophecy and Christian teachings.

Bakker died on October 5, 2026, at age 86. Lori Bakker announced his death, while his cause of death had not been publicly disclosed at the time of reporting.

Jim Bakker Age: How Old was Jim Bakker?

Jim Bakker was 86 years old when he died on October 5, 2026. He was born on January 2, 1940, in Muskegon, Michigan. Therefore, Bakker had lived for 86 years and nine months before his death. His wife, Lori Bakker, announced his passing, but the family did not immediately disclose his cause of death.

Jim Bakker Height: How Tall was the Televangelist?

Jim Bakker stood approximately 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) tall. The televangelist’s height appeared in biographical accounts during his years in Christian broadcasting. Bakker became widely known through The PTL Club, which he co-founded with Tammy Faye Bakker. He later hosted The Jim Bakker Show after rebuilding his television ministry. Bakker died on October 5, 2026, at age 86.

Jim Bakker Young | Early Life & Family

Jim Bakker was born James Orsen Bakker on January 2, 1940, in Muskegon, Michigan. He grew up in a strict Pentecostal Christian household as the youngest of four children. His father, Raleigh Bakker, worked as a machine repairman at a piston-ring factory. During high school, Jim developed an interest in television, music, and public speaking. Later, he attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis. There, he met Tammy Faye LaValley, whom he married in 1961.

Jim Bakker Ex-Wife | Tammy Faye Bakker: Marriage & Divorce

Jim Bakker’s first wife was Tammy Faye Bakker, whom he met at North Central Bible College in Minneapolis. They married in 1961 and began traveling together as evangelists. Jim preached while Tammy Faye sang and played the accordion at churches and tent revivals. Later, they built their television careers through Christian broadcasting. In 1974, they launched The PTL Club, which became a major religious television ministry. The couple had two children, Tammy Sue and Jamie Charles. However, their marriage ended in 1992 while Jim served prison time. Tammy Faye later married Roe Messner and died from cancer in 2007, aged 65.

Jim Bakker Wife: Lori Bakker

Jim Bakker’s wife was Lori Beth Graham, whom he met in 1998 while serving at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. Lori worked in Christian ministry and had experience counseling women and serving in church outreach programs. The couple married on September 4, 1998, after a brief courtship. Together, they rebuilt Bakker’s television ministry and launched The Jim Bakker Show in 2003. They also adopted five children in 2002. Lori remained Jim’s wife until his death on October 5, 2026, at age 86.

Jim Bakker Children | Kids

Bakker had seven children from his two marriages. With first wife Tammy Faye Bakker, he had daughter Tammy Sue “Sissy” Bakker in 1970 and son Jamie Charles “Jay” Bakker in 1975. Both children grew up around their parents’ television ministry. Later, Jim and second wife Lori Bakker adopted five children in 2002. The family expanded through adoptions from Lori’s ministry connections in Phoenix. Therefore, Jim’s children included two biological children and five adopted children.

Jim Bakker Televangelism Ministry| PTL Club, Heritage USA & Career

Jim began his ministry journey as a traveling preacher after marrying Tammy Faye in 1961. They traveled across the United States, with Jim preaching and Tammy Faye singing at churches and tent revivals. Their ministry gained attention after they joined Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network in the 1960s. Bakker later hosted The 700 Club before leaving CBN in 1972.

After working with Pat Robertson, he launched the PTL Satellite Network in 1974. Its flagship program, The PTL Club, became one of America’s most successful religious broadcasts. The show combined sermons, interviews, Christian music, and fundraising appeals. By the mid-1980s, it reportedly reached up to 13 million viewers nightly. Bakker and Tammy Faye also developed Heritage USA, a Christian resort and theme park in South Carolina. However, financial and sexual scandals destroyed the ministry in 1987.

Jim Bakker Scandal | Sex Scandal, Financial Investigations & Fraud Convictions

Jim Bakker’s scandal began in 1987 after he admitted having a sexual encounter with former church secretary Jessica Hahn in 1980. Hahn received a $265,000 payment connected to the effort to keep the encounter private. Bakker resigned from the PTL ministry in March 1987 as investigations intensified.

Meanwhile, federal investigators examined PTL’s finances and its sale of Heritage USA lifetime partnerships. Prosecutors accused Bakker of misleading followers about the number of available partnerships and their use. In 1989, a jury convicted him on 24 counts of fraud. He initially received a 45-year prison sentence, which was later reduced. Bakker ultimately served about 4½ years before his release in 1994.

Jim Bakker Imprisonment : Prison Sentence & Release

Jim served about 4½ years in federal prison after his 1989 fraud conviction. A federal jury found him guilty on 24 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy involving his Heritage USA ministry. Initially, Judge Robert Potter sentenced Bakker to 45 years in prison and fined him $500,000. However, an appeals court ordered a new sentencing process, and his term later fell to eight years. Bakker ultimately left prison in 1994, after serving roughly four and a half years. Later, he returned to Christian broadcasting and rebuilt his ministry with his second wife, Lori Bakker, and their family.

Jim Bakker New Ministry | The Jim Bakker Show & Morningside

After his prison release, Jim Bakker rebuilt his ministry with his second wife, Lori Bakker. They launched The Jim Bakker Show in 2003 from Branson, Missouri. The program marked his return to Christian television after the collapse of PTL. Later, Jim and Lori moved the ministry to Morningside in Blue Eye, Missouri, in 2008. The new ministry focused on biblical prophecy, end-times teachings, and Christian broadcasting. Additionally, the PTL Television Network became part of the ministry’s media outreach. The show expanded across television, satellite platforms, Roku, and online streaming. Jim remained active in broadcasting until death on October 5, 2026.

Jim Bakker The Jim Bakker Show | Controversies: COVID-19 Claims & Scandals

Bakker returned to television in 2003 with The Jim Bakker Show, following his prison sentence for fraud. However, the program later faced controversy over its promotion of Silver Solution, which Bakker presented as a COVID-19 treatment in 2020. The FDA issued a warning, while Missouri authorities pursued legal action. In 2021, Bakker and his church agreed to $156,000 in refunds without admitting wrongdoing. His earlier PTL scandals also continued to shape public perceptions of the show. Bakker died on October 5, 2026, aged 86, according to his family.

Jim Bakker Author | Books

Jim Bakker was also an author who wrote Christian books about faith, redemption, prophecy, and his personal experiences. His best-known work, I Was Wrong, explores his PTL scandal, imprisonment, and spiritual transformation. He later wrote Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse, examining prosperity theology and biblical prophecy. Additionally, Bakker authored The Refuge and Time Has Come, which focused on Christian faith and end-times themes. His official ministry biography lists these works among his post-prison books.

Jim Bakker Death | Cause of Death

Jim Bakker died on October 5, 2026, at age 86, according to his family. His wife, Lori Bakker, announced his death through The Jim Bakker Show’s social media accounts. However, his cause of death remains undisclosed, and his family has not shared details about his final illness. Bakker faced health challenges during his later years, including a stroke in 2020 that temporarily interrupted his television ministry. Nevertheless, he later resumed his Christian broadcasting work. His death ended a controversial career that spanned more than six decades in Christian television, including his work with The Jim Bakker Show and PTL.

Jim Bakker Net Worth

Jim Bakker’s estimated net worth was $50,000 at the time of his death in October 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His financial position changed dramatically after he built a multimillion-dollar Christian television empire with Tammy Faye Bakker. At the height of The PTL Club, the ministry reportedly generated millions of dollars annually. However, Bakker later faced fraud charges and served nearly five years in prison. After his release, he returned to television and launched The Jim Bakker Show in 2003. His later ministry focused on Christian broadcasting, books, and donations. Therefore, his reported wealth remained far below his earlier financial standing.

Jim Bakker Quick Facts

• Full Name: Jim Bakker
• Born: January 2, 1940
• Died: October 5, 2026
• Age at Death: 86
• Birthplace: Muskegon, Michigan, U.S.
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Televangelist, Minister, Author
• Religion: Christianity
• Spouse: Lori Bakker
• Former Spouse: Tammy Faye Bakker
• Children: 7
• Known For: The PTL Club, The Jim Bakker Show
• Books: I Was Wrong, Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse
• Net Worth: Estimated $50,000