Won’t Fight to Regain PTL: Bakker

Disgraced PTL Club leader Jim Bakker, in his first news conference since the scandal that led to his resignation from the PTL ministries, said today that he “will not fight” to return to the leadership of the television ministry.

“Without a miracle of God, we will never minister again,” said Bakker in a short meeting with reporters outside his Palm Springs home.

Bakker denied that he was a homosexual or that he had ever been to a prostitute or been involved in wife-swapping. He also said he is writing a book in which he will respond to accusations against him.

“We hope all of the people we love so much will forgive us and help us to go on,” Bakker said. He said he and his wife, Tammy Faye, forgave their accusers and were not going “to spend the rest of our life hating people.”

‘Alive, Not Too Well’

“We just wanted to come and say hello to you today,” Bakker said. “Tammy and I are alive. We may not be too well.”

“Barely!” his wife tearfully interjected.

Bakker turned control of PTL over to Jerry Falwell in March, admitting he had a sexual tryst with church secretary Jessica Hahn in 1980. Subsequent revelations that Bakker and his wife were paid $1.6 million in salary and bonuses in 1986 prompted PTL’s new board, led by Falwell, to sever ties Tuesday with Bakker.

Falwell took over the “PTL Club” broadcast Wednesday, but on Thursday said he would step aside and name a permanent host for the religious program carried on more than 1,400 stations.

Accuser Not Known

The Bakkers said today they hoped their program and Heritage USA, the PTL’s religious theme park, would be able to go on. Mrs. Bakker said the park was “not for Jim and Tammy. It’s for the people.”

Tammy Bakker said they did not know the Rev. John Ankerberg, who made allegations about Bakker’s involvement with homosexuals and prostitutes.

“We’ve never met him,” she said.

Bakker said he did not know why Ankerberg would make such accusations.

“I will say this: I have never been involved with wife-swapping,” Bakker said.

“Never!” interjected his wife.

” . . . I am not a homosexual,” he added.

“Right!” Mrs. Bakker said.

” . . . and I’ve never been to a prostitute,” Bakker added. “But that’s not important. We’ve been accused of so many things that we’ve just decided to let our accusers do what they would like. We’re just going to forgive them. We’re going to go on, and we’re going to love.”