Jim Bakker moved millions — of dollars and followers — with his TV ministry

NPR | By Kathryn Fink,

Published October 6, 2026 at 4:04 PM EDT

NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer talks with Dartmouth College religion professor Randall Balmer about Jim Bakker's legacy.

Kathryn Fink

Kathryn Fink is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.

Sacha Pfeiffer

Correspondent, Investigations

Sarah Handel

WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.

Contribute now

Related Content

NPR News

Is it time to talk to the Taliban?

D. Parvaz

Five years after the U.S.'s withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban remains firmly in power. Here's how the Taliban doing in terms of foreign policy.
NPR News

The questions swirling around a U.K. base and possible Iranian-backed attacks

Tom Bowman

British police said they had made a seventh arrest in a murky plot that may have targeted a U.K. airbase.
CDC funding for HIV prevention shifted from providers to states under Trump

Sierra Pfeifer

Nonprofits fighting HIV used get direct funding from the CDC. Now that money is going to state health departments that may have other priorities.
Warm ocean waters may have led to first known sea turtle nesting in California

Gurjit Kaur, Mallory Yu, Ailsa Chang

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with marine ecologist Jeff Seminoff about the first known natural sea turtle nesting on California's shores.
The Commonwealth

Election 2026: Ralph Alvarado, Zach Dembo face off in Kentucky's 6th district

Sylvia Goodman

Former GOP state Sen. Ralph Alvarado is facing off against former federal prosecutor Democrat Zach Dembo for the Lexington-area Congressional district. What you need to know.