By Bianca Sierra

FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Jimmy Lee Swaggart (/ˈswæɡərt/; March 15, 1935 – July 1, 2025) was an American Pentecostal televangelist, pastor, media mogul, author and gospel music artist.

Swaggart was ordained as a pastor by the Assemblies of God. He went on to become one of the most well-known televangelists in America. During the 1980s, his crusades were a major part of his ministry—drawing large crowds and receiving significant media attention. Swaggart founded Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, which owns and operates the SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN). He also founded the Jimmy Swaggart Bible College. Swaggart was the senior pastor of the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Swaggart was known for scandals involving prostitutes and revolutionary groups accused of war crimes in southern Africa. One prostitution scandal gave rise to a televised February 21, 1988, speech by Swaggart known as his “I have sinned” speech. After Swaggart was defrocked by the Assemblies of God due to sexual immorality, he moved on to become a non-denominational minister.

Swaggart wrote about 50 Christian books offered through his ministry. He sold over 15 million records worldwide as a gospel artist and, in 1980, he received a Grammy Award nomination.

Swaggart was the cousin of rockabilly pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and country music star Mickey Gilley.

In 1952, at the age of 17, Swaggart married 15-year-old Frances Anderson, whom he met in church in Wisner while playing music with his father, who pastored the Assembly of God Church there. They have a son named Donnie. Swaggart worked several part-time odd jobs to support his young family and also began singing Southern Gospel music at various churches.

According to his autobiography To Cross a River, Swaggart, along with his wife and son, lived in poverty during the 1950s as he preached throughout rural Louisiana, struggling to survive on an income of $30 a week (equivalent to $340 in 2024). Being too poor to own a home, the Swaggarts lived in church basements, homes of pastors, and small motels. Sun Records producer Sam Phillips wanted to start a gospel line of music for the label (perhaps to remain in competition with RCA Victor and Columbia Records, who also had gospel lines at the time) and wanted Swaggart for Sun as the first gospel artist for the label. Swaggart’s cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis, had previously signed with Sun and was reportedly earning $20,000 per week at the time. Although the offer meant a promise for significant income for him and his family, Swaggart turned Phillips down, stating that he was called to preach the gospel.

On June 15, 2025, it was reported that Swaggart had been hospitalized in intensive care after going into cardiac arrest at his home. His son, Donnie Swaggart, stated of his father: “Without a miracle, his time will be short.” He died at a hospital in Baton Rouge on July 1, 2025, at the age of 90.