Jimmy Swaggart

Jimmy Swaggart was an American Pentecostal televangelist, gospel singer, and religious broadcaster who became one of the best-known evangelical figures in the United States during the 1980s.

Jimmy Swaggart was an American Pentecostal televangelist, gospel singer, and religious broadcaster who became one of the best-known evangelical figures in the United States during the 1980s. He founded Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, the SonLife Broadcasting Network, and Jimmy Swaggart Bible College, and later continued as an independent minister after being defrocked by the Assemblies of God in 1988. He died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 1, 2025, at age 90.

Early life and ministry

Swaggart was born in Ferriday, Louisiana, in 1935 and later became a Pentecostal evangelist. He built his early reputation through preaching, revival meetings, and gospel music.

Television ministry and peak influence

By the 1980s, Swaggart had become one of the most visible televangelists in the United States. His broadcasts reached large audiences, and his ministry expanded into television, publishing, and education.

Scandals and defrocking

Swaggart’s career was severely damaged by a 1988 prostitution scandal, followed by a second scandal in 1991. The Assemblies of God defrocked him in 1988, after which he continued independently.

Later years and death

Swaggart remained active through Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and SonLife Broadcasting Network in later years. He died in Baton Rouge on July 1, 2025, at age 90.