Jim Bakker is a good man, there I said it. Yeah, he had the whole PTL scandal and I am not excusing his actions but when people are face to face with grace it changes them. This is the very thing that happened to Jim Bakker.
If you remember anything about the late 80’s you probably remember the scandal that rocked Christianity to it’s core. The ‘Golden Boy’ Jim Bakker lost everything because of an extra marital affair and was then arrested for fraud. I wasn’t even a Christian at the time and I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember thinking ‘that holy guy who asked everybody for money on TV got caught’. I thought he got what he deserved.
Fast forward 20 years. To tell you the truth, I haven’t thought that much about Jim over that time frame, I mean who could blame me, it’s been a long time and after all I do have a life. So it was a bit of a surprise when I hit play on my ipod to listen to a sermon by Jim’s son Jay and Jay flipped it up on me. He introduced his old man, and Jim stepped up to the mic in a smoked filled bar (Jay pastors a church that meets in a Brooklyn bar) to preach a sermon that would stir my soul.
He spoke about how for the first time in his life he understands grace. He goes on to explain that he has only been ‘living in grace for the past three weeks’ and it has radically rocked his world. He describes how he always thought he had to measure up, for the audience, for his family, for God. He never understood that he was ultimately loved and there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing he could do to be loved more, and nothing he could do to be loved less. He was a man who preached to millions and didn’t even get it. He was bound, and then he found freedom!
I can see why people flocked to hear him speak. His voice quivers at just the right moment and he is so transparent he is invisible. It is a wonderful thing to see a man restored. We all make our mistakes and thanfully, grace is the gasoline of life.
Isn’t it a wonderful thing that our God is in the forgiveness business.
WONDERWHAT 
“Grace is the gasoline of life”. I like that Dustin.
Praise God for being the longsuffering potter!
I saw Jim a number of years back and I also can attest that God changed Jim through that notorious incident that caused him to fall from public praise. I am learning that humility is where it is as a Christian, not seeking people and/or God to applaud your ability to be a superior Christian, which is what much of my time as a Christian has been directed towards. I have a hard time grasping that I don’t need to measure up in my own strength. I don’t need to do things in order to gain God’s approval.
So I thank you for sharing what you did about Jim Bakker, “It is a wonderful thing to see a man restored. Grace is the gasoline of life.” It made me cry.
It is always good to be reminded that God loves us unconditionally. I need to hear it over and over again. Thanks again for saying it.
God used you good. 🙂
Great piece on Jim Baker Dusty. I’ve spoken with Jim a couple of times. First: to let him know that God used him to save my career as an Air Traffic Controller during the historical 1981 national strike. I was a PATCO ( Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization) union president at the time. Had I followed my heart instead of God’s Word through Jim, I surely would have been destroyed professionally. Second: We spoke again here at Lowes one day as he was preparing to re-open his ministry and move to Branson, Mo. . I offered my prayer for strength, wisdom, and uprightness to be be his hallmark. He was sincerely grateful. It really encourages me to KNOW that GOD loves us enough to look past our flesh ! I fight with it daily. Thank God that people like Jim, Jimmy Swaggart, B.J. Thomas, and me have A REDEEMER in spite of ourselves. Thanks for the reminder.
Right….
A church that meets in a bar? Do they have revival meetings in a brothel? Grace is not a license to sin, looks like they still don’t get it.
Food buckets? selling “Crap” just like all the other selling channels. What happened to preaching the gospel, without selling “Stuff”. Endless books, and even selling “Wedding Videos” of his step-daughter and even “Bakker” own wedding video. This is just plain “Wrong and Ludicrous”. But he keeps on!
If the apostle Paul was here, he would be paying a visit to Mr. Bakker and the rest of these “Elmer Gantry’s……..and it wouldn’t go down very nice, he would expose them for what their agenda really is!
I am so saddened over the years to see these “Frauds”
continue and not be ashamed of what they are doing. Jim Bakker should of never come back and continue where he left off years ago. On his show on Oct. 7th, 2010, in his ramblings, he said to his audience, if he told what he knows about the US Finances, (the calapse), he would be arrested(as he laughed), what is he saying, he is promoting fear to get people to buy his “Food Buckets”. Unbelievable. His TV show number one agenda is to make money and sell!
Number 2, Gospel is last.. Shame on you Mr. Bakkerss!
i worked at ptl and i was so blessed jim bakker gave me bibles to tale to ringling b&b circus in english and spanish to hand out for souls and all the work helping the unwed mothers saving babies and everything that no one talks about. as far as him selling the food thank god he is listing to god to day for he is trying to help us all. we love him and lorie and will stand with them its a honor to listen to the man of god in these last days.Jesus says to forgive and love one another. jim is loving us by helping us every way he can.thank you jim for listing to our heavenly father. we love you & lorie.
Yeah,”a man who preached to millions and still didn’t get it.” That’s about all the evidence I need to prove that all religion is bullshit and people will believe anything.
There is a reason they are called the flock.
Jeff, do you ever imagine if heaven and hell really exist? Every religion have it’s own challenges. And even so is all beliefs. That is all the evidence I need to prove grace and forgiveness is all we need.
Baker,
If God does not condemn you, then I also do not. It is Jesus that died. I hope you will really prove it that you are now a changed person. I believe in the working grace of God in your life.