Disgraced Televangelist Begs Viewers To Rescue His Empire
Televangelist Jim Bakker, known for his once-flourishing but scandal-ridden 1980s Christian media empire, has made an emotional plea to his audience for financial help. During a recent episode of The Jim Bakker Show, the 85-year-old said his ministry is on the verge of collapse and that he could lose both his program and his home if he doesn’t raise $1 million soon. Citing End Times prophecies, Bakker tied the urgency of the appeal to biblical warnings and claimed that many supporters have stopped giving due to the challenging times.
Bakker pointed to personal health struggles, including multiple strokes, and shared that he lives solely on Social Security. He claimed he has not received a salary from his ministry for over four decades and emphasized that unless around 1,000 viewers each contribute $1,000, the show might go off the air within a month. He warned that the ministry’s foreclosure could also result in him being evicted from his home, but expressed trust in God and hope that loyal followers would respond.
His co-hosts supported the appeal, and Bakker encouraged even those who couldn’t give large amounts to contribute smaller donations. He framed giving as a spiritual act and reminded viewers that God supports those who give faithfully. Despite the serious tone, he remained confident that a financial “miracle” was possible if his audience acted quickly.
Bakker’s request comes in the context of a career filled with both prominence and controversy. In the 1980s, he built the PTL Ministry into a media empire before facing a major financial scandal. He was convicted in 1989 on multiple counts of fraud and served nearly five years in prison. The charges stemmed from misleading followers and misusing millions of dollars in ministry funds.
In recent years, Bakker has rebranded his message around biblical prophecy and preparation for the End Times, selling survival supplies and focusing on apocalyptic themes. During his May 6 broadcast, he connected global conflicts and natural disasters to scriptures in Matthew 24 and encouraged believers to continue spreading the Gospel. Despite financial struggles, Bakker insisted the ministry’s mission must continue and urged supporters to help sustain it.