Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart Dies at 90 After Decades of Ministry and Scandal

The Rev. Jimmy Swaggart gestures as he preaches the Gospel to the nearly 14,000 faithful who attended his Los Angeles Crusade in the Sports Arena, Sunday, March 29, 1987. (AP Photo/Mark Avery, file)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Renowned televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, whose fiery preaching and gospel music once captivated millions around the world before his career was marred by sex scandals, has died at the age of 90. His death was confirmed Tuesday on his official Facebook page. No cause of death was disclosed, though he had recently suffered cardiac arrest.

Swaggart rose from modest beginnings in Ferriday, Louisiana, to become one of the most recognizable faces in American evangelical circles. A Pentecostal preacher and gifted pianist, he built a multimillion-dollar religious empire through Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, reaching global audiences through radio, television, and print. In 1986, his ministry reportedly generated $142 million in revenue.

Members of the audience react to evangelist Jimmy Swaggart during a recent rally in Milwaukee, Feb. 10, 1985. (AP Photo/Joseph Jensen Jr, file)ASSOCIATED PRESS

His powerful sermons at the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, drew crowds and television viewers who responded emotionally, often speaking in tongues or weeping during services. Known for his strong conservative views, Swaggart was an outspoken critic of Roman Catholicism and made controversial statements about Jews and homosexuality.

His fame, however, was derailed in 1988 after he was caught on camera with a prostitute in New Orleans. In a tearful televised sermon that became one of the most memorable moments in televangelism history, Swaggart declared, “I have sinned against you,” while offering no direct acknowledgment of the prostitution incident. Shortly afterward, he resigned from the Assemblies of God church following its decision to defrock him for failing to comply with a disciplinary program for “moral failure.”

Rev. Jimmy Swaggart raises his fist to make point at news conference at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, Friday, March 27, 1987. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, file)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Further controversy followed. In 1991, Swaggart was detained in California after being found with another prostitute. His conduct was widely mocked in popular culture, including on “Saturday Night Live,” and his image became synonymous with the fall from grace of high-profile televangelists during that era.

Despite the scandals, Swaggart never fully retreated from ministry. He continued preaching at his Baton Rouge church, often alongside his son Donnie Swaggart, and maintained a presence on Christian broadcasting platforms. His radio and television network continued to air sermons and gospel music across 21 states and worldwide online.

Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart speaks at the funeral service for his cousin, rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, in Ferriday, La., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, file)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Swaggart’s early life was rooted in poverty and faith. He began preaching and performing gospel music in his youth, often with cousins who would become stars in their own right—rock-and-roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis and country singer Mickey Gilley. He claimed to have felt the divine calling at age 8 and followed that path fervently throughout his life.

Over the years, he remained committed to spreading his religious message. In one of his final public remarks, Donnie Swaggart shared that his father’s passion was unwavering. “My dad was a warrior. My dad was a preacher. He didn't want to be anything else except a preacher of the gospel.”

Jimmy Swaggart is survived by his wife, Frances; son Donnie; daughter-in-law Debbie; grandchildren Gabriel and Jennifer; daughter Jill; sons-in-law Clif and Matt; daughter-in-law Joanna; and nine great-grandchildren.