Jimmy Swaggart

Jimmy Lee Swaggart (March 15, 1935 – July 1, 2025) was an American Pentecostal televangelist.^[1] His church, Family Worship Center, is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Swaggart wrote about 50 Christian books. He sold over 15 million records worldwide as a gospel artist. He also received a Grammy Award nomination.^[2][3]

Jimmy Swaggart in 2012

Career

Swaggart first started his television ministry in 1975. The show airs nationally across the U.S. and overseas. The weekly Jimmy Swaggart Telecast and A Study in the Word are shown nationwide and overseas on 78 channels in 104 countries and live over the Internet.^[4] He preaches a message called "The Cross" which is that you can only get to heaven through Jesus.

He was a very controversial figure, too. He was caught with a prostitute in 1987, but later asked God (and the public) for forgiveness. He was caught again in 1991.^[5]

In 1981, Swaggart received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Gospel Performance, Traditional for his album Worship.^[6]

Swaggart held many crusades in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Liberia, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, and South Africa.^[7]

Despite being known as an important figure in the Christian Right, Swaggart was politically independent.^[8] However, he was a supporter of President Donald Trump.^[9]

Personal life

Swaggart was born in Ferriday, Louisiana.^[5] He was a cousin of musicians Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley. Swaggart was married to Frances Swaggart, who hosts the popular SonLife Radio program, Frances and Friends. They had one son, Donnie, who is also a minister. They had three grandchildren, Jennifer, Gabriel and Matthew Swaggart. Gabriel also served the ministry as pastor of Crossfire Youth Ministries.^[10]

In June 2025, Swaggart was hospitalized in Baton Rouge, Louisiana after going into cardiac arrest at his home.^[11] He died in Baton Rouge on July 1, 2025 at the age of 90.^[12][13][10]