A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

The Charismatic Movement
publications including Ministries Today.
• Regent University (1977), founded by Pat
Robertson (originally as CBN University).
Several influential ministries arose but then fell.
Examples were the media empires of Jim Bakker (based
in Charlotte, North Carolina), Jimmy Swaggart (based in
Baton Rouge, Louisiana), and Robert Tilton (based in
Dallas, Texas). Bakker and Swaggart were prominent
television evangelists in the AG who developed a nationwide
following outside classical Pentecostalism. In the
1980s, both acquired lavish incomes, fell into sexual
immorality, and lost their credentials with the AG.
Bakker’s ministry, PTL, folded, and he served time in
prison for fraud. Swaggart continued his ministry but lost
most of his following. Tilton’s ministry likewise crashed
in the 1990s after two divorces and accusations of dishonesty
and financial wrongdoing.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many hippies and
other youth who embraced street culture were converted
to Christianity, especially on the U.S. West Coast. Some
adopted Baptist beliefs, while others received the
Pentecostal experience. They turned from drugs, promiscuity,
and other sins, but many retained their countercultural
hairstyles, dress, music, and informality. Charles
“Chuck” Smith (born 1927), a Foursquare Gospel pastor,
was able to incorporate many of these Jesus People into
his church—Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California—
giving rise to a network of such churches.
This time period also saw the rise of Messianic Jewish
congregations and organizations, including Jews for
Jesus. These Jewish believers in Jesus embraced conservative
Christian theology but retained Jewish culture and
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