It’s hard to imagine how yesterday’s broadcast from the former PTL Studios at Heritage International (formerly Heritage USA) in Fort Mill, South Carolina with Pastor Jim Bakker could get any better, but that’s exactly what happened today.
Jim and Lori were honored as they were joined by hundreds of friends and supporters, some from days gone by at Heritage USA and some from their ministry now in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks.
Special guests in the audience included Ann Green, 101, who came to welcome Jim Bakker back to the restored Heritage studios. Andy Gazak sang a stirring rendition of “How Excellent is Thy Name” and former PTL singer Derek Floyd sang a song he wrote and produced in 1984, “It’s All Taken Care of (thanks to you). Kevin Shorey sang “Jesus is a Valley Walker,” a song he wrote as a theme song for Pastor Jim’s current ministry.
Other guests included Bishop Wellington Boone, the senior Pastor of The Father’s House in Norcross, Georgia and a veteran of over 40 years in ministry. Bishop Boone talked about the spiritual seeds that Pastor Jim had sown, “seeds that are now bearing fruit.” Referring to Heritage USA, he said “this was not just a theme park – this was a place where the presence of God dwelt!”
Pastor Jim recalled how there were over 86 services a week at Heritage USA from Bible studies to marriage workshops to healing, prayer and worship services. Indeed, the ministry that took place at Heritage USA is still bearing fruit today, and the many who were impacted by that ministry still love to tell their stories which bear witness to the Power of God’s Spirit there.
“The best way to get fixed is to admit you were wrong,” said Philip Cameron. “At that point, He can restore you. Jim wrote a book, ‘I Was Wrong.’ They tell you a broken bird can’t fly again but with God, He will bear you up on His wings. Say to yourself, ‘I Was Wrong’ and let God restore you. Jim Bakker is a better man by miles than he was 25 years ago. THIS Jim Bakker is a man who walks softly in front of God.”
Bishop Boone went on to say, “your resume has built you for this day.” I have pastors say to me, ‘I don’t want to offend these people…’ and we live with a generation now that is afraid of man, not God. What we have to be concerned about is not offending God.”
“The Word will offend, we are all sinners, but we are to be restored and be restorers,” said Pastor Jim. He then ministered on Genesis 26, re-digging the wells, a process that Isaac completed in order to receive the blessings of his Father, Abraham. Abraham had dug a series of wells that were a source of refreshing water and life for the people in that generation and they had enjoyed the refreshing of those wells. But, their enemies had come along and stopped up those wells and filled them with dirt so that they couldn’t access the refreshing water any longer. Later, Abraham’s son Isaac began to re-dig those wells. He recognized that there was a place of refreshing there, and re-dug the wells from the days of his father. Pastor Jim said that it’s time to re-dig the wells of our spiritual heritage. It’s time for a refreshing revival of the Church.
Encouraging others that their calling and their ministries can be restored just as God has restored him and Lori, Pastor Jim signed off again, probably for the last time from Heritage, by thanking the faithful partners and those who came to the Restoration Celebration and those who restored Heritage.
He told the folks he loves them and asked again for forgiveness for his failures.
Jim Bakker stands as a beacon of hope for all who have felt hopeless. His restoration models the love of Christ for His Church, and though some would resist his ministry today, there are multitudes of disenfranchised Christians whom religion has discarded who are watching… and finding hope that if God’s love can restore Jim Bakker, perhaps it’s not hopeless, perhaps they can be restored as well.
NOW is the time for the greatest restoration in the history of the Church. NOW is the time for the greatest revival of all time – a revival of the ministry of Jesus Christ who calls out as He did to Peter, and to David, and to all who have failed or given up hope: “Come home!”
This is the message that Jim Bakker has repeated over his 50 plus years in ministry, “God loves you, He really does!”
