Bakkers Cheered in Surprise Visit to Heritage Village

Deposed evangelist Jim Bakker was cheered Thursday by hundreds of supporters as he made a surprise visit to the Christian theme park he had abandoned amid scandal.

It was Bakker’s first return to the PTL ministry’s Heritage Village since he resigned in disgrace in March, and the public appearance lasted only moments.

Asked why he came to Heritage Village, Bakker replied: “To say goodby to it all. If Jerry Falwell lets us, we’ll come back. But otherwise we are going to start a new ministry.”

Wants to Return

Last month, Bakker said he wanted to return to his television pulpit. However, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who stepped in to direct PTL at Bakker’s request in March, said that Bakker has not repented of his greed and arrogance and is not welcome to return.

On Thursday, Bakker and his wife, Tammy Faye, were taken by motorboat from the rear of the lakeside home at Tega Cay, which PTL has ordered them to vacate. Then they got into a Mercedes-Benz limousine and were driven to Heritage USA--PTL’s theme park and ministry headquarters, five miles from the home in Tega Cay.

Bakker “shook a few hands, kissed a couple of kids, got back into the car and left,” said C. J. Sloan of Melbourne, Fla. Reporters and Bakker’s fans were not told where the Bakkers were heading.

Falwell spokesman Mark DeMoss said he did not know what was behind the Bakkers’ visit to Heritage Village.

Grounds Are Public

“He’s certainly entitled to go on the grounds. They’re public grounds,” DeMoss said. “He’s not going to regain (his ministry) by walking on the grounds.”

Harry Hargrave, PTL’s new chief operating officer, said officials of the ministry will meet with the Bakkers over the next few days and work with them to determine which of the contents of the Tega Cay home belong to PTL and which to the Bakkers.

The Bakkers had been secluded in their Palm Springs home since March when Bakker handed PTL over to Falwell after admitting a sexual encounter with a church secretary.

Hargrave wrote to the Bakkers three weeks ago, telling them that they have until Monday to get their belongings out of the $1.3-million Tega Cay home.

Kisses Ground

The Bakkers flew in from California late Wednesday. When they reached the house, Tammy Bakker said, “I am now going to do something I said I would do when I got home.” She then knelt and kissed the ground.

Bakker said he intends to be back on television within 30 days, and that he has received five offers to return to television ministry.