Jim Bakker, PTL Club Co-Founder, Dies at 86
Jim Bakker, co-founder of the "PTL Club" televangelism empire, has died at 86.
Raleigh Durham, NC, October 6, 2026 —
Jim Bakker, a prominent figure in televangelism and co-founder of the influential “PTL Club” empire, has passed away at the age of 86.
Bakker, alongside his then-wife Tammy Faye Bakker, rose to national prominence in the latter half of the 20th century through their widely broadcast religious television program, the “PTL Club.” The show became a cornerstone of the televangelism movement, reaching millions of viewers across the United States and beyond.
The “PTL Club” was broadcast from Heritage USA, a Christian-themed amusement park and retreat center in Fort Mill, South Carolina, which also became synonymous with the Bakkers’ ministry. The empire they built represented a significant force in religious broadcasting and fundraising during its peak years.
Details regarding the cause or circumstances of Mr. Bakker’s death were not immediately available or were not provided in the initial summary. His passing marks the end of an era for a controversial yet widely recognized figure in American religious broadcasting history.
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