Jim Bakker was an American television host and convicted felon, known for hosting the television program “The PTL Club” between 1974 and 1987. He co-founded the “Trinity Broadcasting Network” with Paul and Jan Crouch. Bakker passed away on October 5, 2026, at the age of 86.
Jim Bakker Biography
| Full Name | James Orsen Bakker |
| Nickname | Jim Bakker |
| Profession | Television and convicted |
| Date of Birth | 2 January 1940 |
| Age | 86 years old (At the time of his death in October 2026) |
| Birth Place | Muskegon, Michigan, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| School | Not known |
| College | North Central University |
| Education Qualification | Graduated |
| Gender | Male |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Date of Death | 5 October 2026 |
| Death Place | United States |
| Cause of Death | Natural |
Jim Bakker Age
Jim Bakker (James Orsen Bakker) was born on 2 January 1940 in Muskegon, Michigan, United States. He was 86 years old at the time of his death in October 2026, and his zodiac sign was Capricorn.
Jim Bakker Wife | Children
| Marital Status | Married |
| Affairs/Girlfriend | Not known |
| Spouse/Wife | Tammy Faye Messner (m. 1961, div. 1992) Lori Beth Graham (m. 1998) |
| Children | Seven – Two biological (with Tammy) and five adopted (with Lori) |
Jim Bakker Family
| Father’s Name | Raleigh Bakker (factory worker) |
| Mother’s Name | Furnia Lynette “Furn” Irwin |
| Brother’s Name | Norm Bakker and one other |
| Sister’s Name | Donna Puckett (nee Bakker) |
Career
- 1961 to 1965 – With his wife, he began their careers as traveling itinerant evangelists.
- 1965 – He and his wife joined Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia.
- 1996 to 1972 – He became the first permanent host of The 700 Club.
- 1973 – He briefly co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network alongside Paul and Jan Crouch.
- 1974 – He moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, to launch the Praise the Lord Network.
- 1978 to 1986 – He constructed Heritage USA in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
- 1987 – Bakker resigned from PTL
- 1989 – He was convicted on 24 federal counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy.
- 2003 – Bakker returned to television, launching The Jim Bakker Show alongside his second wife, Lori Bakker.
- 2003 to 2026 – Broadcasting from Morningside Church in Blue Eye, Missouri.
Jim Bakker Height And Weight
| Height (Approx) | In centimeters – 178 cm In meters – 1.78 m In feet & inches – 5’10” |
| Weight (Approx) | In kilograms – 82 kg In pounds – 180 lbs |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | White |
Jim Bakker Net Worth
At the peak of his success as an American televangelist, Jim Bakker had a net worth of approximately $125 million to $129 million. However, his exact net worth at the time of his death in October 2026 was not publicly disclosed.
| Net Worth (Approx) | Not known |
| Real Estate | Not publicly known |
| Income Sources | Broadcasting career, investment, etc. |
Some Interesting Facts About Jim Bakker
- Jim Bakker was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan, to Raleigh Bakker and Furnia Lynette “Furn” Irwin.
- He attended North Central Bible College, where he met fellow student Tammy Faye LaValley in 1960.
- He worked at a restaurant in the Young-Quinlan department store in Minneapolis.
- Despite already having a fiancée in Muskegon, Jim began courting Tammy Faye.
- Jim and Tammy married on April 1, 1961, and left college to become itinerant evangelists.
- Jim and Tammy had two children before their divorce on March 13, 1992.
- Bakker married Lori Beth Graham, a former televangelist, fifty days after they met.
- In 2000, Bakker and Lori adopted five children, siblings whom Lori had befriended in Phoenix.
- In 1966, Jim and Tammy Faye Baker began working at Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia.
- He was forced to resign from PTL in 1987 because of allegations that he had embezzled money.
- Throughout the 1970s, Bakker built a headquarters for PTL in the Carolinas called Heritage Village.
- In 1987, he was accused of sexual misconduct by church secretary Jessica Hahn.
- Bakker was dismissed as an Assemblies of God minister on May 6, 1987.
- In 1990, the biographical television movie Fall From Grace, starring Kevin Spacey as Bakker, depicted his rise and fall.
- On March 19, 1987, after the disclosure of a payoff to Hahn, Bakker resigned from PTL
- In August 1993, he was transferred to a minimum-security Jesup prison in Jesup, Georgia.
- Bakker had a minor stroke in 2020 and took a sabbatical from his program to recover.
FAQ:
How old was Jim Bakker?
86 years old (at the time of his death)
What happened to Jim Bakker?
Jim Bakker died on October 5, 2026, at the age of 86.
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