Threats Cripple PTL’s Efforts to Raise Money

PTL directors met in secret Friday afternoon after the ministry’s new leader said fund-raising efforts have been crippled by hate mail and crank and threatening telephone calls.

Appearing on the “PTL Club” television show before the board meeting, the Rev. Jerry Falwell said PTL needs $1,748,000 by next Friday to avoid laying off workers and to keep the Heritage USA Christian theme park here open.

Documents released earlier in the week showed that the PTL is $66 million in debt, which the ministry has tried to erase through a telethon and stepped-up fund raising.

Suspends Telethon

Falwell, who took control of the ministry in March when the Rev. Jim Bakker stepped down amid a sex scandal, suspended the telethon temporarily because of hate letters and 1,800 prank phone calls on Thursday.

He read on the air some of the hate messages received by mail or by phone, including one that said, “I’m going to kill Dr. Falwell somewhere, someplace.”

“In the name of Jesus, I hope you rot in hell,” he quoted another as saying.

Falwell said, however, that the majority of the telephone calls and letters were supportive.

On Wednesday, attorneys filed documents in U.S. Bankruptcy Court showing that Bakker paid himself $1.3 million and loaned himself $180,000 during his last year as head of the ministry.

Bakker also paid his wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, $437,018 and secretary Shirley Fulbright $193,058 between June, 1986, and June, 1987, according to the 545-page document.

Many of the payments were made in the weeks before and after March 19, when Bakker resigned after it was disclosed that he had a sexual encounter with Jessica Hahn, a former church secretary.

19 Lawsuits Pending

The document showed that the ministry faces 19 lawsuits for debts, including $14.1 million allegedly owed to Wichita, Kan., contractor Roe Messner.

The salaries of former PTL officials were also disclosed.

Former President Richard Dortch was paid $501,082, and aide David Taggart received $580,830, the documents show. Taggart received $45,000 of his pay on March 28 and $30,000 on April 16, weeks after Bakker resigned.

Dortch was ousted from the PTL in April and Taggart left soon after Bakker quit. Both Bakker and Dortch were later unfrocked by the Assemblies of God.