Controversial Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart Dies at Age 90
Famous televangelist and pastor, Jimmy Lee Swaggart, passed away on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at the age of 90.
This sad news was confirmed by an official statement from the family through the official Jimmy Swaggart Facebook account.
Health Condition & Cause of Death
About two weeks before his passing, on June 15, 2025, Swaggart suffered a cardiac arrest at his residence in Baton Rouge and was rushed to the hospital. He was in critical condition and admitted to the ICU. His son, Donnie Swaggart, warned that “without a miracle, the time is short.” The family requested prayers and privacy for the pastor.
Career & Influence
Jimmy Swaggart began full-time ministry in 1955 and recorded a gospel album in 1958. In 1971, he founded the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, and two years later launched his television broadcast, The Jimmy Swaggart Telecast. At its peak in the 1980s, the program reached over 2 million viewers each week and was aired on hundreds of broadcast stations.
Additionally, Swaggart built a religious media empire that included a Bible school (Jimmy Swaggart Bible College) as well as the SonLife radio and television network, which launched in 1995 and 2010 respectively. He also sold more than 15 million gospel music recordings and authored dozens of Bible study books.
Jimmy Swaggart leaves a long legacy as one of the most influential yet controversial televangelists in American history. Through prayer, forgiveness, and decades of ministry, he remains remembered as a significant figure in the Pentecostal Christian world.