Church Defrocks Jim Bakker

Jim Bakker, the beleaguered former television evangelist and PTL founder, was defrocked today by the Assemblies of God Church for, among other things, alleged “bisexual activity.”

Reasons for Bakker’s dismissal “include conduct unbecoming to a minister based specifically on his confession to a sexual encounter with Jessica Hahn and his alleged misconduct involving bisexual activity,” the Rev. G. Raymond Carlson, church general superintendent, said. Richard Dortch, Bakker’s right-hand man, also lost his credentials. It was the first official confirmation of charges raised publicly two weeks ago that Bakker had consorted with homosexuals. Bakker denied those charges in a brief statement to reporters last week.