Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart Dies at 90

‘Brother Swaggart has finished his earthly race and entered into the presence of His Savior,’ his family said.

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

Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, whose ministry once amassed a vast following and television audience, has died at 90 years old.

His family announced the news of his passing in a July 1 statement on Swaggart’s official Facebook page.

“Today, our hearts are heavy as we share that Brother Swaggart has finished his earthly race and entered into the presence of His Savior, Jesus Christ,” read the statement.

“He met his beloved Savior and entered the portals of glory. At the same time, we rejoice knowing that we will see him again one day.”

While an immediate cause of death was not provided, his family said during a June prayer service, also posted on Facebook, that Swaggart had been rushed to Baton Rouge General Medical Center on June 15 after going into cardiac arrest at his Louisiana home.

His family went on to express gratitude for hospital staff, doctors, and nurses for their “incredible support and care” during his two-week hospitalization.

“He was not just a preacher—he was a worshiper, a warrior, and a witness to the grace and mercy of God,” the statement continued.

Swaggart was best known as a captivating Pentecostal preacher before his downfall in 1987, when he was faced with a prostitution scandal.

The allegations came after he was photographed with Debra Murphree, an admitted prostitute, whom he met at a New Orleans hotel.

During a sermon at the time, he told his congregation that he had “sinned” and asked for forgiveness, but didn’t reference the scandal directly.

As a result, Swaggart announced his resignation from the Assemblies of God, and in separating from his church duties, was required to undergo a two-year rehabilitation program.

He returned to preaching over the last few decades, but with a smaller audience and rare public appearances.

Born in 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana, Swaggart began full-time ministry in 1955, founding Jimmy Swaggart Ministries (JSM), preaching first through radio, print, and eventually to television.

His first radio ministry program, aired in 1969 in Atlanta, Georgia, and over the course of five years grew to 700 stations across the nation.

The following year, The Evangelist magazine was launched. Each monthly issue features articles by Swaggart and other pastors and evangelists.

Swaggart rose to fame with his Sunday TV ministry in 1973, and through his preaching and gospel music, his broadcasts reached more than two million households in the United States.

At its peak in the mid-1980s, his crusade team held meetings in major U.S. cities and over 40 different countries, with thousands of people in attendance.

He also established the Jimmy Swaggart Bible College in 1984 and served as senior pastor of Family Worship Center, the home church for full-time students on campus.

Currently, the Swaggart family continues to broadcast church programs through its SonLife Broadcasting Network.

Swaggart is survived by his wife, Frances, their son, Donnie—also a pastor—three grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.