Session Called to Decide Fate of Swaggart : Assemblies of God Leaders Give General Presbytery Final Say

Leaders of the Assemblies of God, who are at odds with their Louisiana district over the discipline of evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, said today the denomination’s policy-making body will have the final say.

A statement from the headquarters of the Pentecostal denomination said the Executive Presbytery of the church’s General Council has called a special meeting of the General Presbytery for March 28 “to make decisions regarding matters relating to evangelist Jimmy Swaggart.”

“The 250-member General Presbytery is the policy-making body for the church when the General Council is not in session, and serves as a court of appeals in matters relating to ministerial credentials,” the statement said. “Its decisions are final.”

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the 13-member Executive Presbytery is March 29.

Acknowledged Sin

Swaggart, in a tearful admission at his headquarters in Baton Rouge, La., a week ago Sunday, acknowledged that he was guilty of unspecified sin, begging forgiveness. He was reportedly caught with a prostitute at a New Orleans area motel by rival evangelist Marvin Gorman last October.

Swaggart heads a ministry based in Baton Rouge that takes in nearly $150 million a year to support broadcasts in almost 150 countries and a Bible college.

The Louisiana District presbyters of the Assemblies of God, the nation’s largest Pentecostal denomination, recommended that Swaggart be suspended from the pulpit for three months. But after complaints that that was too lenient, the Executive Presbyters of the Springfield-based church referred the matter back to the district level for reconsideration.

On Monday, the district leaders decided to stand by their recommendation.

Message in Tongues

The Rev. Gerald Lewis, a member of the church’s Louisiana District Council, was quoted by The News-Leader in Springfield today as saying the council decided Monday to stand by its original recommendation to suspend Swaggart from the pulpit for three months after “there was an interpretation” of a message received in tongues.

Pentecostals believe in tangible manifestations of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in “unknown tongues.”

“I don’t think there was a person on the board that was not weeping,” said Lewis, a cousin of Swaggart, referring to the nine-hour council meeting.