In 1988, Swaggart was accused of a sex scandal involving a prostitute initially resulting in his suspension, and ultimately defrocking, by the Assemblies of God. By 1983, more than 250 television stations broadcast Swaggart's telecast. In the early 1980s, Swaggart's broadcasts expanded to major cities nationwide. In 1980, Swaggart began a daily weekday telecast featuring Bible study and music, and the weekend, hour-long telecast included a service from either Family Worship Center (Swaggart's church) or an on-location crusade in a major city. In 1978, Swaggart's weekly telecast was increased to an hour.

Swaggart has often preached that God doesn't borrow from the world to reach the youth, but has since changed his position on contemporary Christian music and has integrated its sound and style in his worship services such as Hillsong.Д«y 1975, Swaggart's television ministry had expanded to more stations around the U.S., and he began to use television as his primary preaching forum. He also mentioned in the article that Christian leaders were in 'terrible opposition' with him for preaching the truth against contemporary Christian music and its artists. In Swaggart's magazine 'The Evangelist' he wrote against worldliness in worship music, particularly referring to a Carman concert. Swaggart wrote a book 'Religious Rock n Roll: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing' in 1987. Girard himself being one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. However, he is known for his cover of Chuck Girard's song Sometimes Alleluia which Swaggart used as the theme to his weekly and flagship namesake program. Jimmy Swaggart Ministries still operates several radio stations that operate under the name Sonlife Radio. Swaggart sold many of his radio stations gradually throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. As Contemporary Christian music became more prevalent, the station avoided playing it. The station broadcast Christian feature stories, preaching and teaching to various fundamentalist and Pentecostal denominations and playing black gospel, Southern gospel, and inspirational music. In the late 1960s Swaggart began transmitting a weekly 30-minute telecast over various local television stations in Baton Rouge and also purchased a local AM radio station, WLUX (now WPFC). In the late 1960s, Swaggart founded what was then a small church named the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana the church eventually became district-affiliated with the Assemblies of God. In 1961, Swaggart was ordained by the Assemblies of God a year later he began his radio ministry. In 1960, he began recording gospel music record albums and transmitting on Christian radio stations. He began developing a revival-meeting following throughout the American South. Preaching from a flatbed trailer donated to him, Swaggart began full-time evangelistic work in 1955. Although the offer meant a promise for significant income for him and his family, Swaggart turned Phillips down, stating that he was called to preach the gospel. Swaggart's cousin Jerry Lee Lewis, who had previously signed with Sun, was reportedly making $20,000 per week at the time.

Sun Records producer Sam Phillips wanted to start a gospel line of music for the label (perhaps to remain in competition with RCA Victor and Columbia, who also had gospel lines at the time) and wanted Swaggart for Sun as the label's first gospel artist. Being too poor to own a home, the Swaggarts lived in church basements, pastors' homes, and small motels. Swaggart worked several part-time odd jobs to support his young family and also began singing Southern Gospel music at various churches.ДЄccording to his autobiography, Swaggart, along with his wife and son, lived in poverty during the 1950s as he preached throughout rural Louisiana, struggling to survive on US$30 a week (equivalent to $280 in 2020). In 1952, aged 17, Swaggart married 15-year-old Frances Anderson whom he met in church while he was playing music with his father. With his parents, Swaggart attended a small, 25-member Assemblies of God church in Ferriday. He also had a sister, Jeanette Ensminger (1942вЂ“1999). The extended family had a complex network of interrelationships: 'cousins and in-laws and other relatives married each other until the clan was entwined like a big, tight ball of rubber bands.' He is the cousin of rock'n'roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and country music star Mickey Gilley. They were related by marriage, as Willie's maternal uncle, Elmo Lewis, was married to Minnie's sister Mamie.

Jimmy Lee Swaggart was born on March 15, 1935, in Ferriday, Louisiana, to fiddle player and Pentecostal preacher Willie Leon (known as 'Sun' or 'Son') Swaggart and Minnie Bell, daughter of sharecropper William Herron. 4.2 Swaggart's confession and defrocking.

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