Christian evangelist scandals

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A series of scandals resulted in the destruction of the reputations of several famous Christian evangelists. Some of the more famous happened in the 1980s with Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart.

Some scandalized televangelists continue preaching, though with a far diminished viewership. Despite their respective scandals, they each often retain a core group of "faithful" followers.

1 Jim Bakker
2 Darlene Bishop
3 Ted Haggard
4 Kent Hovind
5 Jimmy Swaggart
6 Jim Whittington
7 Randall Radic
8 References

[edit] Jim Bakker

After receiving millions in salary and bonuses from his PTL televangelism network, Jim Bakker was forced to resign in 1987 following threats of the revelation of payoffs to former secretary Jessica Hahn, to whom Bakker's staff members had paid $265,000 to keep secret her sexual services to him. A later investigation into financial irregularities at PTL and its Heritage USA Christian-oriented theme park led to Bakker additionally being indicted on federal charges of fraud, tax evasion, and racketeering.^[1]

[edit] Darlene Bishop

Darlene Bishop, a televangelist in Monroe, Ohio was sued by four relatives "over her claim that God cured their father — her brother — of throat cancer. He died of the disease 18 months ago." Her book, Your Life Follows Your Words tells how her brother was cured of cancer, but "there is no mention of his death in the book, which she says is due to the fact that it was published at a time when he had been in remission for more than a year." Bishop was also accused of probate irregularities and of mishandling her brother's estate.^[2]

[edit] Ted Haggard

On November 3, 2006, Ted Haggard, who was more regarded as a pastor rather than as a televangelist, resigned his leadership of the National Association of Evangelicals^[3] and temporarily stepped aside as pastor of his church because of allegations by former prostitute^[4] and masseur Mike Jones that Haggard engaged in sex with him for three years and used methamphetamine. Haggard at first claimed he did not know his accuser.^[5] He later admitted receiving a massage from Jones but denied having sex with him. He also admitted buying methamphetamine but asserted he never kept it and denied ever using it. On November 4 he was dismissed by the church for "sexually immoral conduct."^[6]

[edit] Kent Hovind

On November 2, 2006, Kent "Dr. Dino" Hovind and his wife, Jo, were found guilty by a jury in Federal court in Pensacola, Florida of numerous federal tax and tax-related offenses. Hovind is best known as an outspoken "Young Earth" creationist. He is serving a 10-year prison term.^[7]^[8]

[edit] Jimmy Swaggart

Jimmy Swaggart admitted "sinning against God" and his wife in 1988 after being caught on film taking a prostitute to a motel. He had previously built his ministry into a $150 million-a-year concern.^[9]

In 1991 it was alleged that he was stopped by police in a car with another prostitute.^[10]

[edit] Jim Whittington

Jim Whittington spent 10 years in prison for money laundering, mail fraud, conspiracy, and interstate transportation of stolen property from his evangelist crusades and direct mail business in the 1980s.

On November 2, 2005, U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm Howard ordered the Rev. Jim Whittington to pay $5,500 a month. Whittington, who had expensive high-speed boats and a Rolls-Royce, owed wheelchair-bound Valeria Lust $848,532.^[11]

[edit] Randall Radic

Pastor Randall Radic of the First Congregational Church of Ripon, California pleaded guilty in 2006 to embezzlement. Radic hopes to receive some leniency during sentencing because he will testify about a murder confession of a fellow inmate.^[12]