ApexNews
Return to Main
Book

Forgiven: The Rise and Fall of Jim Bakker and the PTL Ministry

1989

Purchase on Amazon

Synopsis

Charles E. Shepard's investigative reporting of television evangelist Jim Bakker and his Praise The Lord/People That Love ministry won for The Charlotte Observer the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for meritorious public service.

Unprecedented in its scope, Shepard's reporting forced Bakker's resignation in 1987 by exposing PTL's scandalous payoff of Jessica Hahn—and then helped thwart Bakker's secret plan to return to power.

In Forgiven Shepard analyses how Bakker won the allegiance of so many, as he details Bakker’s early years and PTL’s birth, blossoming, and headline-making decline. Truly a landmark work, Forgiven delves beneath the PTL scandal to illuminate the fascinating inner workings of a major TV ministry, the hazards of the strange alliance between television and church, and the power of television in our culture.

This edition includes new and updated material on the trial, sentencing, and imprisonment of Jim Bakker.

Suggested Reading

I Was Wrong: The Untold Story of the Shocking Journey from PTL Power to Prison and Beyond

I Was Wrong: The Untold Story of the Shocking Journey from PTL Power to Prison and Beyond, published in 1996, is televangelist Jim Bakker’s candid autobiography detailing the dramatic rise and fall of his ministry empire. The book chronicled the height of the Praise The Lord (PTL) network and its ma...

Purchase on Amazon View Details

PTL: The Rise and Fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's Evangelical Empire

In 1974 Jim and Tammy Bakker launched their television show, the PTL Club, from a former furniture store in Charlotte, N.C. with half a dozen friends. By 1987 they stood at the center of a ministry empire that included their own satellite network, a 2300-acre theme park visited by six million people...

Purchase on Amazon View Details

Latest News

October 6th, 2026

Jim Bakker, televangelist who co-founded "The PTL Club" empire but fell into disgrace, dies at 86

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you accept our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.