How Jim Bakker became the Johnny Carson of Christian TV
Get RNS’ thoughtful, essential religion reporting every morning. Sign up for free!
(The Conversation) — When I was researching my 2017 book, “ PTL: The Rise and Fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Evangelical Empire ,” I interviewed dozens of former staffers and supporters of PTL , the ministry, television and theme park empire that the Bakkers built starting in the 1970s.
Time and again, I heard the same thing. PTL – sometimes known as “Praise the Lord” or “People That Love” – was both the best and worst thing they ever did.
The worst has been recounted at length , sometimes tinged with schadenfreude: the financial fraud, sex scandals, federal trials and prison time that plagued Jim Bakker, who died on Oct. 5, 2026 , at age 86.
But it’s also worth remembering PTL as a pioneering force in Christian broadcasting. Working with a dedicated core of energetic young believers, Jim and his wife, Tammy Faye, built PTL from scratch, demonstrating how religion could be fused with pop culture and entertainment to better connect with American Christians.
From Billy Graham to Little Richard The Bakkers had a talent for recognizing cultural trends and tailoring their message…
