Jimmy Swaggart Net Worth: The Rise, Fall, And Legacy Of A Televangelism Giant

Jimmy Swaggart, an American Pentecostal pastor, author, and televangelist, has an estimated net worth of $10 million. Swaggart’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most prominent televangelists of the 1980s is marked by both immense success and public scandal.

Early Life

Born on March 15, 1935, in Ferriday, Louisiana, Jimmy Swaggart was the son of Minnie and Willie Swaggart, with his father serving as both a fiddle player and Pentecostal preacher. Swaggart was raised in a musical and religious household alongside his younger sister, Jeanette. He is also a cousin to famous musicians Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley.

In the 1950s, Swaggart and his wife Frances, whom he married as teenagers, lived in poverty while he preached throughout rural Louisiana. The couple often resided in church basements, small motels, and pastors’ homes due to their financial struggles. Swaggart began evangelizing full-time in 1955 and launched his gospel music recording career in 1960. A year later, he was ordained by the Assemblies of God and subsequently began his radio ministry.

The Height of His Ministry

Swaggart’s television ministry, which began in 1975, quickly gained national and international attention. By the 1980s, his broadcasts were being aired on over 3,000 stations weekly, making him a household name. At the peak of his influence in 1987, his ministry, Jimmy Swaggart World Ministries, and its Bible college generated an impressive $150 million in revenue annually, equating to more than $500,000 per workday. The majority of this income, approximately $135 million, came from individual contributions through his TV ministry. His organization employed 1,200 people, including more than twenty of his direct family members, with an annual payroll of $11.5 million.

Scandal and Decline

Swaggart’s career took a dramatic turn in the late 1980s when he was embroiled in a highly publicized sex scandal involving a prostitute. The scandal led to his defrocking by the Assemblies of God and caused significant damage to his reputation and ministry. Despite a temporary step down as the head of his ministry, Swaggart returned to his televangelism work, though on a much smaller scale.

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Today, his programs, “Jimmy Swaggart Telecast” and “A Study in the Word,” continue to air on 78 channels in the U.S. and in 104 countries worldwide. His ministry, now non-affiliated and non-denominational, has been significantly reduced from its pre-scandal size but remains active through television and online broadcasts.

Televangelism Success

In 1971, Swaggart introduced “Camp Meeting Hour,” a weekly 30-minute Christian telecast in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He expanded this telecast to an hour in 1975 and introduced additional programs, including “A Study in the Word” and a weekend telecast featuring church services. By the 1980s, Swaggart had reached the pinnacle of his popularity, with his broadcasts airing on thousands of stations weekly.

Swaggart later launched the SonLife Broadcasting Network, a 24/7 cable and satellite television network. He hosts the daily Bible study program “The Message of the Cross” on this network, while his wife Frances hosts “Frances and Friends.” SonLife Broadcasting Network also delivers live broadcasts of weekly services and camp meetings from the Family Worship Center.

Jimmy Swaggart Bible College

In 1984, Swaggart established Jimmy Swaggart Bible College, initially offering degrees in education and communication. The college saw peak enrollment of around 1,500 students in 1987. However, the following year, enrollment dropped drastically amid Swaggart’s sex scandal. In 1991, the school was renamed World Evangelism Bible College, reflecting its renewed focus.

Music Career

Swaggart is also an accomplished pianist and gospel singer, having sold over 17 million albums during the 1970s and 80s. His music career earned him a Grammy Award nomination in 1980 for Best Performance for Traditional Gospel.

Scandals and Controversies

Swaggart’s career has been marred by scandal, the most notable being his 1988 encounter with a prostitute, which led to his defrocking by the Assemblies of God. A few years later, he was involved in another similar scandal, further diminishing his ministry’s reach and influence. Ironically, Swaggart had previously accused fellow minister Marvin Gorman of extramarital affairs, leading to Gorman’s defrocking in 1986. Gorman later played a central role in exposing Swaggart’s own affairs.

In addition to his sex scandals, Swaggart faced controversy for his support of the South African-backed Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) during Mozambique’s civil war. RENAMO was accused of committing systematic war crimes, and in 1991, Swaggart and his ministry were accused by the government of Zimbabwe and Covert Action Magazine of continuing to support the group.

Personal Life

Jimmy Swaggart married Frances Anderson in 1952 when he was 17 and she was 15. The couple has one son, Donnie Swaggart, who also preaches at the Family Worship Center and other churches worldwide. Donnie’s son, Gabriel, leads the youth ministry at the Family Worship Center and serves as the president of World Evangelism Bible College.

Jimmy Swaggart Net Worth

Jimmy Swaggart net worth is $10 million.