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He was born in Ferriday, Louisiana, cousin of rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis.
While his own televangelism program was being taped in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Swaggart, on February 21, 1988 confessed that he was guilty of an unspecified sin and would be temporarily leaving the pulpit. The "unspecified sin" was an affair with a prostitute.
Some time later, he was stopped for speeding. In the car with him was another prostitute. Soon after, he was told to leave the church he pastored, but he didn't do so. Swaggart kept his church and began preaching again years later.
Now he has "made his life right with God" and preaches a message called "the Cross" which says that the only way to Heaven is through the death of Jesus. He opposes such movements as "G12" and "Purpose Driven Life".