I started out by believing God for a newer car than the one I was driving. I started out believing God for a nicer apartment than I had. Then I moved up.

From 1984 to 1987 Bakker and his PTL associates sold $1000 "lifetime memberships" which entitled buyers to a three-night stay annually at a luxury hotel at Heritage USA. Bakker "sold" more "exclusive partnerships" than could be accommodated while raising more than twice the money needed to build the actual hotel. On April 1 1961 Bakker and Tammy Faye were married.

He later remarried and returned to televangelism. A sex scandal led to his resignation from the ministry.