While Jimmy Swaggart died in 2025 at the beginning of July, many people only know him because of his public scandals of being caught with prostitutes in 1988 and then again in 1991. But before those revelations that heralded the decline of his influence, he was an internationally known preacher on TV and radio, making around $150 million dollars per year, who had built his ministry over nearly 40 years.
In this episode, we want to look at Jimmy Swaggart’s message and the techniques he used in his ministry and ask some questions about his success. It’s so easy to dismiss false teachers and to think that we cannot be tricked by them. But in doing research for this episode, Charles went back and listened to some of Swaggart’s old sermons and was surprised to realize how much he sounded like an old-fashioned fire-and-brimstone preacher that would have preached in many churches he grew up in. Swaggart consistently refined his preaching techniques to the point that when he began his ministry, he sounded much like Billy Graham, and toward the end, he sounded much like Joel Osteen.
False prophets will always be a threat to the flock, but we can protect ourselves and others by being aware of how they lead men astray and by keeping our eyes fixed upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Please join us as we discuss this important topic.
Timecodes
00:00:00 Entertainer
00:17:10 The Trinity
00:20:24 Speaking in Tongues
00:22:32 Red letter Bible
00:25:30 Cross Idolatry
00:26:43 Strange Ideas
00:38:42 Pride
00:42:56 Swaggart’s Fall
00:51:43 Why People Followed Him
00:57:48 Changing Appeal
01:03:17 Appeal to Sinners
01:09:34 Graham on Swaggart
Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Permanent Hosts – Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director – Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music – Gabriel Hudelson