Swaggart to Defy Church; He’ll Preach : Assembly of God Had Suspended Him a Year for ‘Sins’

Television preacher Jimmy Swaggart heated up America’s evangelical wars today by deciding to return to the pulpit and the airwaves on May 22, defying national Assemblies of God church officials who suspended him for a year over visits to a prostitute.

The date coincides with a more lenient three-month suspension given Swaggart by the church’s Louisiana council after his tearful confession on Feb. 21 that he committed “sins” against his church and family.

Deborah Murphree, who is wanted in suburban New Orleans on a prostitution charge, has said Swaggart paid her $50 a meeting on several occasions for more than a year to perform obscene acts.

Penalty Too Lenient

The national Executive Presbytery had decided that the state council’s penalty was not severe enough and announced Tuesday that Swaggart must stop preaching for at least one year and undergo two years of rehabilitation. (Story on Page 8.)

“We have an issue involving the constitution and bylaws of this organization,” said Bill Treeby, a lawyer for Swaggart. He said there was a conflict over whether the National Presbytery or the Louisiana District council had the right to discipline ministers.

“He is willing to submit himself to the Louisiana District,” said Treeby. “He will be considering an appeal to the National Presbytery.”

The Assemblies of God church, headquartered in Springfield, Mo., had no immediate comment on the Swaggart announcement. A spokeswoman did not return telephone calls.

Prostitute Posed Nude

Although Swaggart did not specify the sins he confessed to, a prostitute has said Swaggart paid her to pose nude for him.

Treeby said that the National Presbytery might dismiss Swaggart from the denomination if he resumed preaching on May 22 but that Swaggart would have the right to appeal that move.

Rev. G. Raymond Carlson, the Assemblies’ general superintendent, had earlier said that if Swaggart did not accept its ruling, “the Executive Presbytery would no doubt take action to dismiss him.”

Asked if Swaggart had considered leaving the Assemblies, Treeby said: “He is considering the possibility of an appeal. He has not thought beyond that.”

Could Leave Ministry

The national group has not officially been informed of the decision, since Swaggart is still deciding what to do about an appeal. Treeby conceded, however, that Swaggart’s leaving the ministry is a possibility.

Asked if a one-year suspension would ruin Swaggart’s ministry, the denomination’s most profitable, Treeby said, “He is weighing all those considerations very carefully.”

Before May 22, Swaggart will remain in Baton Rouge taking care of administrative business and receiving counseling from the denomination, Treeby said.

Swaggart will stay out of the pulpit and no tapes of his television shows will be shown before May 22. Treeby did not say whether Swaggart would refrain from attending services to introduce guest speakers or testify, as he has since the scandal broke.

The ministry has said it took in $150 million in 1986 from its worldwide operations, including sales. It contributes an estimated $12 million a year to the Assemblies’ foreign missions program.