Rev. Jimmy Swaggart Passes Away at 90

Rev. Jimmy Swaggart, who was America’s longest-serving television evangelist and established the Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, has died at the age of 90, as announced by his family on Tuesday.

In a Sunday service last month, his son, Rev. Donnie Swaggart, urged the congregation to pray for his father, suggesting that only “miracles” could prolong his life. “Today, our hearts are heavy as we share that Brother Swaggart has finished his earthly race and entered the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ,” he said. “This was the day he’s been singing about for decades. He’s finally with his beloved Savior.”

Rev. Donnie added, “He wasn’t just a preacher; he was a worshiper, a witness to God’s grace. A man of constant faith who always walked through the doors the Lord opened.”

Swaggart was a fixture in American evangelicalism, known for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ via television longer than any other evangelist in recorded history, as per his ministry’s website.

Born on March 15, 1935, in Ferriday, Louisiana, Swaggart began full-time ministry in 1955. As the pastor of the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, he also founded his ministry, reaching the height of his popularity in the mid-1980s when his broadcasts were viewed in over two million households.

However, his reputation took a hit following a scandal in 1987 linked to a prostitute in New Orleans. During his televised apologies, he tearfully admitted to “a speech I sinful” but never clarified the specifics. In another incident, he was pulled over in California under suspicion related to his driving.

In more recent years, Swaggart caused controversy again when he jokingly mentioned he would kill a gay man who was attracted to him, later clarifying that it was meant as a joke without any malice intended.