Jay Bakker

Jay presently preaches at the New York City branch of Revolution Church, which holds services at the nightclub Pete's Candy Store, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Before moving to New York, Jay preached at Revolution's Atlanta location before turning it over to Stu Damron. Much of Jay's story was retold in a documentary on Sundance Channel called One Punk Under God: The Prodigal Son of Jim and Tammy Faye.

The trauma of his father being sent to prison, combined with the subsequent ostracism by others in the Church and religious community, led to a period of substance abuse and partying. He was distrustful of other ministers and viewed televangelist Jerry Falwell to be instrumental in ruining his family. In his autobiography, Son of a Preacher Man, he claimed Reverend Falwell deceived his father into relinquishing PTL and auctioned off much of the church's property, including some of the Bakker family's personal possessions that were left there. After becoming sober, he re-examined his faith and Christianity, adopting a philosophy that God is a loving and accepting entity rather than a judgmental one. Read Less