August 2, 1998 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The fallen Pentecostal preacher Jim Bakker, who was convicted in 1989 of bilking supporters of his Charlotte, North Carolina-based Praise the Lord (PTL) ministry out of $158 million, has returned to Charlotte with his second wife to open a new ministry called Covenant House. The 17,000-square-foot lodge facility was donated by Rick Joyner’s MorningStar Ministries. (Joyner claims to have a "prophetic" ministry.) Covenant House is "for pastors, evangelists or someone in the limelight who has fallen or who is exhausted" (Charisma, August 1999, p. 17).

Bakker served five years of a 45-year prison sentence and was paroled in 1994, after a federal appeals court reduced his sentence. He was also guilty of adultery with church secretary Jessica Hahn. He paid more than $250,000 to keep Hahn quiet about the sexual encounter. Television personality John Ankerberg also presented witnesses to homosexual activities committed by Bakker. Ankerberg presented the charges on Larry King Live and ABC’s Nightline in April 1987. Bakker’s wife and PTL ministry partner, Tammy Faye Messner, divorced him while he was in prison and married Roe Messner, a former close friend of Bakker’s who helped him build the Heritage USA complex in South Carolina. Bakker was also defrocked by the Assemblies of God for his crimes. Bakker was remarried to Lori Beth Graham in 1998.

While in prison, Bakker renounced the prosperity gospel that he had preached while at the helm of PTL. His book "I Was Wrong" described the error of the "health and wealth doctrine" that is very popular among charismatic preachers. His trial brought to light his lavish lifestyle, which included six luxurious homes, thousands of dollars in self-approved bonuses, luxury cars, jewelry, air-conditioned doghouse, etc. Prosecutors charged that Bakker diverted $3.7 million in ministry money to his own use.

Bakker’s former PTL associate Richard Dortch, who also served jail time for defrauding PTL partners, rehabilitated himself into a new ministry called Life Challenge Ministry in Florida in 1996.

We do not believe that pastors who commit adultery should be reinstated to the pastorate. Yes, they can be forgiven and can serve the Lord in some capacity if they repent of their great evil, but they have permanently disqualified themselves from the pastorate. To return an adulterer to the pastorate is like returning the fox to the hen house. When a man has exhibited such a massive lack of moral character as to so viciously sin against his wife, his church, and his God, he has no business remaining in the holy office of the pastorate. The office of a bishop is only for men who are blameless in their family lives, because he must be an example to the church. If the office of the bishop is degraded, the churches are degraded. One of the greatest problems of our day is the lowering of pastoral standards and convictions. Pulpits are filled with unqualified, cowardly, people-pleasing men.

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, OF GOOD BEHAVIOUR … One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (FOR IF A MAN KNOW NOT HOW TO RULE HIS OWN HOUSE, HOW SHALL HE TAKE CARE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD?)" (1 Timothy 3:2-5).

In fact, I do not believe an adulterous preacher should assume any preaching office in the church, even that of an evangelist. I believe he has permanently disqualified himself from holding such a position because it requires a respect he cannot demand and a level of dependability that he does not possess.

It is a puzzle to me why a man like Bakker should have any ministry whatsoever to preachers. Yes, he claims to have repented of his sin, but how has he now become qualified to "restore ministers"? He is not even qualified to be one. Why can’t men like that be content to keep their mouths shut? That would be the greatest evidence that they have truly repented of having horribly trashed the name of Christ before this wicked world. I believe in God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. I also believe a man can disqualify himself from many things by his sin, and that should be a great motivation for preachers to flee fornication. Ananias and Sapphira illustrate that in spite of God’s grace certain sins can have permanent consequences in the churches.