Dear friends:

Tammy Faye, former wife of Jim Bakker, went to be with the Lord on Friday.  I saw her on the Larry King TV show just one day earlier, in pain, gaunt and emaciated at 65 pounds, but ever ebullient and totally confident of her faith and destination.

In the early 1960s, Jim Bakker, a young Assemblies of God minister, and his new wife Tammy Faye, began working with Pat Robertson at Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network, which at the time was only one low-powered TV station in Portsmouth, Virginia. The Bakkers greatly contributed to the growth of the network, and their success with a variety show format (including interviews and puppets) helped make The 700 Club one of the longest-running and most successful televangelism programs ever.  Some believe Jim Bakker was actually the main creative force behind the 700 Club TV program and format. 

I was living nearby in Virginia in the early 1970s and was able to pick up their programs on WYAH-TV in Portsmouth.  I remember Jim and Tammy as a dynamic young ministry team who especially had a great ministry for children.  They also produced gospel music records for children.  Tammy had a great voice.  (Remember the old 33 1/2 rpm records?)  My young son, Scott, used to go to sleep listening to their music every night, and night after night prayed the prayer of salvation with them on the records!  I thank God for their gospel ministry to children.

Jim Bakker was once the guest preacher at a church near where I lived, and I visited the service.  He was a powerful speaker from the pulpit.

The Bakkers left CBN for California in the mid-1970s.  There, teaming with Paul and Jan Crouch, the Bakkers created the "Praise the Lord" show for the Crouches' new Trinity Broadcasting Network in California.  Jim emulated the 700 Club format and even had a prayer room at TBN using the CBN model, with a huge wooden cross hanging over a large rock.  I visited TBN and saw this in about 1976.

That relationship with TBN lasted only about a year, and the Bakkers retained the rights to use the initials PTL and traveled east to Charlotte to begin their own show, The PTL Club.  The rest is history, and not all pleasant.

Tammy Faye was almost a cartoon character.  She was either weeping or laughing, and her facial makeup was legendary.  She was not perfect.  Some things about her life I do not agree with.  But I know she loved Jesus and trusted in Him.  She was positive and maintained her faith confession until the end.  I am confident she is with Him.  I am thankful for the things she did right.

Jim