Disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker has issued a desperate plea, asking viewers to send $1 million to keep his ministry, the PTL Network, and his program, The Jim Bakker Show, from shutting down.
Bakker, 85, who was convicted in 1989 for mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy, said on May 6 that unless 1,000 viewers each donate $1,000, the ministry will close within a month. “If everyone that watches this program will give $1,000, we’ll be able to pay our bills and stay on the air,” he said. The episode was later removed from his website and YouTube, but clips remain widely shared.
He warned that foreclosure on the ministry could mean losing his house and being homeless, though he quoted Psalm 37:25 to express faith in God’s provision. Joined by co-hosts Mondo De La Vega and his son Ricky Bakker, he described the ministry as having “big debt” and accused unnamed parties of taking millions from them.
Bakker claims he has not received a salary from the ministry in decades, living off his second wife Lori’s income and Social Security. He encouraged donations of any amount, promising that donors will be blessed for their generosity.
Bakker’s ministry operates under Morningside Church in Branson, Missouri, which is not required to publicly disclose its financial records.
Once one of the most prominent televangelists, Bakker’s $125 million empire collapsed amid scandal in the 1980s. His PTL Network and the Christian theme park Heritage USA drew millions until a sex scandal and fraud convictions led to his downfall. Prosecutors accused him of cheating followers out of $150 million and funding a lavish lifestyle.
Bakker’s story was dramatized in the 2021 film The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Since returning to television in 2003, he’s focused on end-times preaching and selling “prepper” supplies. In 2020, he faced a lawsuit over false advertising for a COVID-19 supplement and paid $156,000 in restitution.
Despite health challenges, including strokes and recent hospitalization, Bakker continues to seek donations to sustain his ministry amid ongoing financial troubles.