THE ONE AND ONLY TAMMY FAYE
You can say what you like about her; Tammy Faye Bakker Messner was an original.
Nearly every day for three years, I worked with Tammy Faye on the PTL program, during the ministry's heyday. No one could ever have imagined then what the future would hold.
Initially, my assignment there was to sing and sing and sing. Heritage USA was a ministry, holiday and vacation destination for Christian people. They came from everywhere to be blessed and ministered to in a wholesome, safe environment where they could bring the whole family.
The huge campus of ministry, media, retreat facilities and family entertainment venues was not like any other place. Believers of every sort were part of the experience of PTL and, by the thousands, they came over and over again.
Of all the events I was part of, I had the privilege of seeing Tammy Faye at, what I believe, was her best. Every year at Christmas, the PTL ministry went on location. Tammy Faye, along with the PTL Orchestra and Singers, traveled to various women’s correctional institutions in the South.
Everyone anticipated this event, and when Tammy and company rolled into town, with satellite trucks, buses for musicians, singers, designers, engineers and crew, an 18-wheeler with sets, wardrobe, Christmas trees, decorations, and oh yes, lots of presents for the women, it was major. Since it was an annual event, the women really looked forward to it, and so did Tammy.
When we held evangelistic services with the women, Tammy would walk up and down the aisles, praying, preaching the Word of God and weeping with the ladies over their common struggles of life, with which she could relate. A profound theological treatise would have been unnecessary. A simple song and a “God loves you and you are special” did the trick. She’d regale the crowd with stories about all the times she’d felt insignificant to God because as a woman, she always seemed to put others before herself. Then she’d tell them the difference Christ makes and cast the net for those who wanted salvation. Scores of them would come forward, always.
In this setting, she was utterly amazing! A tiny little thing, only 4’11”, she could honestly wrap herself around an entire auditorium, much in the way she seems to have wrapped her arms around millions of fans today. Just as she said, she made herself available to God, and He used her gift to encourage the women, pour out His love to them and change their lives. To this day, she is a model for me whenever I minister in jails or prisons.
When the meeting concluded, for reasons I can’t remember, I ended up riding in the car along with Tammy Faye, her producer and her assistants to the next location where we were to minister. Sitting in the back of the car, Tammy was unusually quiet, and then suddenly, she burst into tears. She started remembering the faces of the women we had to leave behind, and the experience overwhelmed her. “It’s just so sad,” she said. She went on to say that she was thankful we had the opportunity to do what we did, but she wished she could have offered them more.
Her compassionate ministry meant more to the ladies than she could know. I’m sure they never forgot her. These women were not so quick to criticize. They loved her sometimes over the top outfits, her stories about the challenges she faced with her husband and kids, and her many misadventures in cosmetology. Her self-deprecating humor made her non-threatening, so they weren’t afraid to trust her to tell them the truth.
When Tammy told the women she loved them, they believed she did, just like the millions of fans she touched, who never even saw her up close. People believed that Tammy cared, and for many of them, this made it easier to believe Jesus cared too.
Her feisty image may have opened unusual doors for her, but she always took the name of Jesus along and never stopped talking about her love for Him and His desire for us to know Him. On Larry King Live, in what turned out to be her final interview, she was still exhibiting the zany humor for which she was famous. When asked what she wanted to be remembered for, at first she laughed and referred to her trademark eyelashes. But she followed up that comment by saying: “Well, my walk with the Lord. I think people need to know that there's great peace and joy in knowing…the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.”
Tammy Faye’s contribution to Christianity will be difficult to gauge. Some probably feel she did the cause of Christ more harm than good. Her theology wasn’t overly complicated, but we shouldn’t rule out the fact that her simple offering of what she had may well be the reason why many people find their way to the Lord and to heaven someday. We may be surprised one day to discover that the things for which she was sorely criticized were not the most important things after all.
Brenda J. Davis, Editor of SpiritLed Woman
Nearly every day for three years, I worked with Tammy Faye on the PTL program, during the ministry's heyday. No one could ever have imagined then what the future would hold.
Initially, my assignment there was to sing and sing and sing. Heritage USA was a ministry, holiday and vacation destination for Christian people. They came from everywhere to be blessed and ministered to in a wholesome, safe environment where they could bring the whole family.
The huge campus of ministry, media, retreat facilities and family entertainment venues was not like any other place. Believers of every sort were part of the experience of PTL and, by the thousands, they came over and over again.
Of all the events I was part of, I had the privilege of seeing Tammy Faye at, what I believe, was her best. Every year at Christmas, the PTL ministry went on location. Tammy Faye, along with the PTL Orchestra and Singers, traveled to various women’s correctional institutions in the South.
Everyone anticipated this event, and when Tammy and company rolled into town, with satellite trucks, buses for musicians, singers, designers, engineers and crew, an 18-wheeler with sets, wardrobe, Christmas trees, decorations, and oh yes, lots of presents for the women, it was major. Since it was an annual event, the women really looked forward to it, and so did Tammy.
When we held evangelistic services with the women, Tammy would walk up and down the aisles, praying, preaching the Word of God and weeping with the ladies over their common struggles of life, with which she could relate. A profound theological treatise would have been unnecessary. A simple song and a “God loves you and you are special” did the trick. She’d regale the crowd with stories about all the times she’d felt insignificant to God because as a woman, she always seemed to put others before herself. Then she’d tell them the difference Christ makes and cast the net for those who wanted salvation. Scores of them would come forward, always.
In this setting, she was utterly amazing! A tiny little thing, only 4’11”, she could honestly wrap herself around an entire auditorium, much in the way she seems to have wrapped her arms around millions of fans today. Just as she said, she made herself available to God, and He used her gift to encourage the women, pour out His love to them and change their lives. To this day, she is a model for me whenever I minister in jails or prisons.
When the meeting concluded, for reasons I can’t remember, I ended up riding in the car along with Tammy Faye, her producer and her assistants to the next location where we were to minister. Sitting in the back of the car, Tammy was unusually quiet, and then suddenly, she burst into tears. She started remembering the faces of the women we had to leave behind, and the experience overwhelmed her. “It’s just so sad,” she said. She went on to say that she was thankful we had the opportunity to do what we did, but she wished she could have offered them more.
Her compassionate ministry meant more to the ladies than she could know. I’m sure they never forgot her. These women were not so quick to criticize. They loved her sometimes over the top outfits, her stories about the challenges she faced with her husband and kids, and her many misadventures in cosmetology. Her self-deprecating humor made her non-threatening, so they weren’t afraid to trust her to tell them the truth.
When Tammy told the women she loved them, they believed she did, just like the millions of fans she touched, who never even saw her up close. People believed that Tammy cared, and for many of them, this made it easier to believe Jesus cared too.
Her feisty image may have opened unusual doors for her, but she always took the name of Jesus along and never stopped talking about her love for Him and His desire for us to know Him. On Larry King Live, in what turned out to be her final interview, she was still exhibiting the zany humor for which she was famous. When asked what she wanted to be remembered for, at first she laughed and referred to her trademark eyelashes. But she followed up that comment by saying: “Well, my walk with the Lord. I think people need to know that there's great peace and joy in knowing…the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.”
Tammy Faye’s contribution to Christianity will be difficult to gauge. Some probably feel she did the cause of Christ more harm than good. Her theology wasn’t overly complicated, but we shouldn’t rule out the fact that her simple offering of what she had may well be the reason why many people find their way to the Lord and to heaven someday. We may be surprised one day to discover that the things for which she was sorely criticized were not the most important things after all.
Brenda J. Davis, Editor of SpiritLed Woman
posted by Felicia Mann at
6:19 AM
5 Comments:
Amen. Very well written. I wish that people would understand that we all have flaws..but we can focus on the things about people that were honorable. I never saw Tammye Fay in person but I did hear Jim Bakker preach after he got out of jail. God is able to restore people...if only we'd get out of the way.
Very well written indeed. I never had the pleasure of meeting tammy Faye, but I remember when I first came to the Lord, I watched PTL all the time. Tammy faye was funny, yet she was sincere. I was very broken hearted when I saw the last interview with Larry King and Tammy. But, she is with the Lord now and she doesn't have be concerned with what people say about her cosmetology or her eyelashes. Praise God!
A very fitting tribute. It was hard NOT to be won over by Tammy, even if you sometimes cringed.... Ultimately, she exhibited the faith of a little child, and we could all use some more of that.
- Bert Saraco
'Lifetime' partner
Tammy Faye was a very special breed of woman. I don't see too many other female evangelists that have the faith and courage to break out of the traditional "church stereotype" of what is acceptable and what is not. I knew Tammy personally, and I can tell you that because she did not judge people, and loved all unconditionally, she won over more unsaved celebrities that one may think. It was still "the church" who often times gave Tam a hard time, but if they only knew what she did behind the scenes that very few people know about..I saw it personally. I was with recently with Ron Jeremy in April and he and I sat over dinner together and just talked so highly of this wonderful woman. He was deeply touched by her and honors her in his book. I know she was controversial to some people, but before you judge her actions, maybe you need to find out the results of actions...and why she did what she did.
I will never forget this lady as she truly put aisde being christian "politically correct", and followed Jesus and what he would do. My heart goes out to Sue, Jay, James and Jonathan, Jim, and Roe. Much love....
-another, "Lifetime Partner"
P.S. Brenda...you and I spoke on the phone about 2 years ago discussing the possibility of a PTL Singer Reunion at Morningstar one day!! Thanks for the gre
I didn't watch PTL as we didn't get that channel but was of a generation that wasn't interested in that sort of presentation; it struck us as overdone and rather false. However, the heartfelt ministry of Tammy Fay was what I was impressed with in the 90's and 2000's, especially how she related to people who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. She genuinely loved on them when the mainstream church wouldn't. She could speak simply about how God loved them and recognized their spiritual need and was willing to spend time with them, ministering in her unique way. I think they admired her being 'out there' and her perseverence in the face of adversity - like many GLBT people themselves face.
I was sorry to hear of her health struggles and her untimely passing. She is praising the Lord in His presence, without any more pain.
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