A Legacy of Preaching, Scandal, and Redemption Ends in Baton Rouge
Gospel Giant Jimmy Swaggart, the fiery televangelist who rose to international fame in the 1980s before a public scandal ended his denominational career, has died at the age of 90. He passed away Tuesday at a Baton Rouge hospital after suffering a heart attack at his home on June 15. He never regained consciousness.
Swaggart was a defining figure of America’s televangelism boom, particularly during the peak of the Moral Majority’s political influence in the 1980s. At his peak, he was a preacher and cultural force, influencing politics, media, music, and American evangelicalism.
From Small-Town Roots to Global Reach
Born in Ferriday, Louisiana, Jimmy Swaggart shared his early years with famous musical cousins Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley. While Lewis and Gilley achieved mainstream success in rock and country music, Swaggart took a different route, fusing gospel music and old-fashioned Pentecostal preaching into a dynamic televised ministry.
Known for his passionate sermons and seamless transitions from the pulpit to the piano, Swaggart’s style captured the hearts of millions. His show, the Jimmy Swaggart Telecast, reached more than 2 million viewers worldwide. At its financial peak, his ministry reportedly pulled in over $60 million annually, according to the cultural journal 64 Parishes.
In 1982, Newsweek famously crowned him the “King of Honky Tonk Heaven,” a nod to his musical roots and evangelical charisma.
A Fall from Grace
However, Swaggart’s rise was followed by a highly publicized fall. In 1988, he tearfully confessed to adultery before his congregation, triggering a massive scandal that reverberated across the evangelical world. Shortly thereafter, the Assemblies of God defrocked him.
He was not alone in his downfall—fellow televangelists Jim Bakker and Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker (not Marvin Gorman) also faced scandals around the same time, shaking public confidence in the televangelical movement.
Despite losing his official status within his denomination, Swaggart refused to step away from his pulpit. He rebuilt his ministry independently and continued preaching, recording gospel albums, and broadcasting his services from Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge.
A Lasting Legacy
Even in his later years, Swaggart remained a prominent voice within evangelical circles. His son, Donnie Swaggart, gradually assumed leadership of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries while Jimmy continued to appear on stage and screen.
Donnie spoke just days ago about his father’s enduring influence:
“There’s no greater example of a good and faithful servant than my father,” he said.
Swaggart’s gospel music legacy was honored with his 2025 induction into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame. He will be honored posthumously next fall.
Survived by Family and Followers
Gospel Giant Jimmy Swaggart leaves behind his wife, Frances, and his children, including Donnie, who now leads the ministry. His legacy, shaped by spiritual triumph and personal controversy, remains deeply embedded in American religious and cultural history.
A man of contrasts, he preached and performed with talent, yet his widespread influence faced a very public downfall.
Still, in death as in life, Gospel Giant Jimmy Swaggart stands as a towering figure in the ever-evolving story of American faith.