Swaggart Said to Have Broken Suspension
Disgraced evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, facing possible banishment from the Assemblies of God, violated terms of a yearlong suspension by preaching during Easter services, a spokeswoman for the national church said today.
“Any type of pulpit ministry, whether it’s admonishing the crowd or reading the Scripture or anything like this would be in violation of the rehabilitation program that’s been recommended to him,” said Juleen Turnage, spokeswoman for the national church in Springfield, Mo.
Swaggart, who has not agreed to the punishment and has said he would be back in the pulpit May 22, briefly addressed congregants during Easter services Sunday at his Family Worship Center. (Story on Page 5.)
“That really does violate the spirit and the conditions set down in the rehabilitation. But we have to say we have not heard from Jimmy Swaggart on whether he’s accepting the rehabilitation.”
Swaggart has 30 days from last Tuesday to respond to the General Presbytery’s mandate that he refrain from preaching for at least one year and undergo two years of rehabilitation for consorting with a prostitute.
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