January: On the 2nd, With his family, Rick Joyner and a camera crew, Jim Bakker toured the grounds of Heritage USA. Taping from the Barn Auditorium, the TV Studio, the Heritage Grand Hotel and the Towers, he showed an overall assessment of how the former PTL Ministry now looks. At the end of the tour, he prayed inside the unfinished Towers asking the Lord for a total restoration of the buildings. He concluded his prayer saying, “This is God’s property, use it Lord for your glory.” This was Jim Bakker’s 68th birthday and exactly 21 years to the day since he last televised a program from the grounds of PTL.
In mid January, Jim Bakker televised his first TV show from his new location in Blue Eye, Missouri, which is approximately 30 miles south of Branson in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. Morningside was now the official location of “The Jim Bakker Show.” Morningside is to be a retreat, ministry and education center as well as an end-time “place of refuge.”
February: Construction continued at Morningside and Conferences continued at MorningStar. Rick Joyner and Jim Bakker kept in contact with each other, agreeing that we are definitely in the tribulation times written about in the Book of Revelation.
Jim continued to state, on his TV program, that man’s love for money was the root of all the evil that was taking place in America.He continued to prophesy that one day the Stock Market will crash and those who have put their trust in “money” would be devastated.
March: Morningside Ministries began working on a project to create a new network that would bring 24-hour-a-day broadcasting through the internet from their new location.
April/May/June: A “Holy Spirit Breakout” started inside the high school during a Bible class at MorningStar. Because of this, Rick Joyner made the decision to have services six nights a week in the lobby of the Grand Hotel. These nightly “Holy Spirit Breakout” services continued throughout the summer. For the first time since MorningStar came on the grounds of Heritage USA, the ministry planned to stay open for the month of July.
July: On the 4th, Jim Bakker hosted a large picnic at Morningside where a few hundred people attended the all day event. This was the second year that Morningside hosted a 4th of July picnic at the retreat.
Near the end of the month, Jim and Lori and their five children moved on the grounds of Morningside.
August: Sunday Church Services started at Morningside. Jim Bakker pastored the church and continued to warn people that we were living in the last moments leading up to the Great Tribulation and the return of Christ. “The church is going to be the Ark in the last days, and will become a place of refuge. Every church in America should become a place of refuge,” were some of the things he strongly believed. He helped people to understand that this wasn’t a time to fear, but a time to firmly plant our faith in God.
During the month Rick Joyner was a guest on Jim Bakker’s show.He spoke about the many miracles that they were experiencing at the “Holy Spirit Break-out” services at Heritage.Rick Joyner believed that a huge revival was about to break out in America and spread around the world.
September: The Herald printed the following article: York County to ministry: Pick up the pace of tower construction, by Charles D. Perry (Updated 9/11/08) Rendering courtesy of MorningStar Ministries:
MorningStar Ministries plans to renovate the 21-story tower at the former Heritage USA in Fort Mill Township into a senior living center. Renovations proceed on Heritage landmark
FORT MILL– Plans to renovate the former Heritage USA tower are moving forward, but not as fast as county officials would like.
“It’s still dragging out longer than we wanted (it) to,” York County Manager Jim Baker said of MorningStar Ministries’ efforts to turn the unfinished 21-story hotel into a senior living center. The tower, the tallest building in York County, was supposed to be torn down last year.
The building was started in the 1980’s and nothing has been done to it since televangelist Jim Bakker left in disgrace in 1988.
The former Heritage property is now Regent Park, mainly a residential area and golf course. MorningStar has been slowly restoring parts of Bakker’s former Christian vacation destination, including the Main Street USA and grand ballroom areas.
MorningStar hopes to convert the old hotel into a complex with about 200 apartments, a fitness center and a swimming pool. The project is expected to cost more than $40 million dollars.
The York County Council approved MorningStar’s development plans in November, but the county’s agreement with the nonprofit organization outlines funding and building timelines for the tower. If those guidelines aren’t met, the agreement calls for the tower’s demolition.
County official say they’ve received regular reports from MorningStar and seen some progress — most recently the hiring of a contractor — although they wish more work were done.
“I don’t know how we could have gone any faster,” said Rick Joyner, MorningStar’s founder and director. “And I think we are still on our timeline. … We want it up fast. Nobody has more interest in getting it done quick as we do.”
MorningStar recently hired Choate Construction to work with an architect, making sure the design stays within budget.
MorningStar Construction Manager Pat Selvey said the ministry hopes to provide blueprints to the county in four or five months.
Joyner said the group also must obtain the proper building permits.
“That’s kind of the slow tedious, part of the process,” he said. “We would like to be turning hammers now, but this part is important.”
The group plans to strip the 309,000 square-foot building back to steel and concrete. Renovations also include adding 20 to 30 thousand square feet.
MorningStar’s goal is to have the tower ready for residents in two years.
Joyner, who plans to live in the building once it’s ready, said financing for the project is in place and engineering studies have shown the tower is sturdier than previously thought.
That means the cost will be $15 million to $18 million lower than earlier estimates.
“It was super well built and remains in incredibly good shape,” he said. “Even though it looks bad.”
From the 18th to the 24th, MorningStar had its week-long Harvest and Worship & Warfare Conferences.
On the 29th, after several days of fluctuating in triple digits, the Stock Market dropped 777 points. Major lending institutions began to flounder, some going into bankruptcy because of bad mortgage loans and bad credit loans. The words “economic meltdown” were on the lips of many of the world’s financial leaders. This money crisis was not contained to America only, it was being considered a “global money crisis.” There were some bank failures as well, placing America’s financial future in limbo.
October: The first 8 days of the month the Stock Market suffered tremendous losses.
The Federal Government stepped in with a $700 billion dollar rescue plan, but stocks continued to slide. Alan Greenspan, the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve said on October 23, “This is a once-in-a-century financial tsunami.”
The Jim Bakker Show featured guest Larry Bates, who wrote the book THE NEW ECONOMIC DISORDER. This Christian author had been a Congressman, once owned three banks, and was an economic expert. He explained to Jim Bakker’s audience how the financial situation in America got to where it is now. When he finished talking about the catastrophic situation America faces, Jim Bakker asked, “Is there any hope for America?” Larry Bates answered, “Yes, if God’s people will humble themselves and pray, then God will hear from Heaven and heal our land.”
November: During the month, the downturn in the Stock Market and overall troubled economy caused many people to panic. The three top American auto makers, General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford announced they were on the verge of bankruptcy and needed financial help from the government to avoid going under.
President Bush hosted a G20 Summit meeting with 20 of the world’s economic leaders to discuss solutions to this global problem. There were no definitive answers concluded after the meeting. Some news reporters referred to the economic crisis as “the Armageddon of the financial system.”
Major ministries in America started to lose 10% – 40% of their income.
December: During the first week in December, after several delays, our book titled “Listen To Me!” was released. This was the first time some of our family and friends in New York learned of our testimony, and how involved we were with Jim and Tammy during their darkest days of the PTL scandal.
Jim and Lori hosted a huge Christmas celebration on December 15th. With a variety of special guests, including Ce Ce Winans, it was a full day of music, food and fellowship. There were several hundred people that attended the celebration that was held on “Grace Street.” Grace Street was an enclosed street similar to Main Street at PTL. It was a day a reflection and looking forward.
MorningStar’s New Years Conference was scheduled for the 29th through the 31st. This year Jim Bakker was not going to speak at Rick Joyner’s meeting because he wanted to present all that God revealed to him for the new year from his new location at Morningside. He also planned to stream his message “live” from his web site starting at 10 PM, CST.
Prophetically gifted and proven to be accurate in his revelations from the Lord, Jim Bakker wanted to go over the 31 things the Lord revealed to him in 1999. He also wanted to talk about his latest revelations from the Lord. He was making a DVD available through his ministry to anyone who wanted a copy.
Toward the end of December, Rick Joyner put out his outlook for 2009 on his web site. An excerpt from his writings:
“Discerning the Times
It is obvious that 2009 will be one of the most significant years in history, and whether the outcome is good or bad will depend on many factors. For those who are on the right path, there is but one inevitable outcome–this year will be one of ever increasing light and clarity. Proverbs 4:18 promises: “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” Therefore, if we are on the right path, the light that we are walking in should increase continually until we are walking in the fullness of the light. Light is what we can look forward to. In the times that are filled with darkness and confusion, the promise of light is one of the greatest promises we could have, and we can be sure that is coming.
The promise of this light is that it will shine on our paths, giving us the clarity to move forward with boldness. This will become an increasing hallmark of those who are walking with God. Most people, including Christians, are facing decisions about many different things, so this promise of light on the right path is a great one. It is a part of the inheritance of those who serve the Lord and one that will increase as long as we stay on the right path.
Growing in the light is also one of the ways that we can discern if we are still on the right path, we must go back to where we missed the turn to get back on the right path. This is called “repentance.” To repent first requires refusing to make excuses and taking responsibility for our actions, which can begin to bring a light into our lives.
The next verse in Proverbs states, “The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:19). There will be an increasing darkness and confusion coming upon those who walk in the way of wickedness this year. There will also be an increasing distinction between those who are walking on the path of the righteous and those who are not. Those who are on the right path will walk in increasing light, peace, and joy–this is your inheritance. For those who have chosen to walk on the path of the wicked, we will see them stumble more, becoming more fearful, depressed, and at times panic stricken.
Because of this, those who are walking in the light are going to be getting more of the attention than those who are not.Therefore, we should all be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us.This is going to be a year of great harvest, and many of our loved ones, friends, neighbors, even our enemies, will turn to the Lord.For this reason, we should be keen to help them find the right path, leading them into the commitment of their life to Christ…”
New Years Eve Morningside Church in Blue Eye, Missouri The following is a small sampling of Jim Bakker’s teaching.
The entire message is available by clicking here for the Jim Bakker Show. Jim Bakker began his message by talking about the coming days of 2009. Going over most of the 31 things the Lord showed him in 1999, he began his teaching with a heavy heart. “The time of sorrow began in 2000”, he said at the beginning of his message. He spoke of the things the Lord showed him that have already occurred since 1999, including the terrorist attack of September 11th, 2001, the 9.3 earthquake that caused the Great Tsunami of 2004, and the Stock Market crash of 2008.
He referred to the words from Matthew 24:7-8 spoken by Jesus when His disciples asked when He would return to the earth. Jesus answered, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Reviewing his message of 2007, when he spoke at Rick Joyner’s New Years Conference, Jim reminded the people that he prophesied about economic collapse and bank failures. He also said that mega ministries would fail because they had taught people to “fall in love” with money. Jim Bakker was anxious to warn people of what has “yet to be.” Again, he comforted people by saying this is not a time to fear because God’s people will come together in unity and take care of one another.
Speaking prophetically, he continued on, “The Antichrist is alive on Planet Earth right now. Some would say to me, ‘Jim I have been hearing that for so many years.’ I would explain to those people that never before has there been a time like this in history!”
Then Jim Bakker quoted from the Bible in Matthew 24:24 (KJV) “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” He then warned people not to follow “miracles, signs and wonders” as they would be preparing themselves to accept the Antichrist, who will perform great miracles. Revelation 16:14 (KJV) says that they are the “spirits of devils working miracles…”
He also warned of more “out of control weather” as well as an increase in earthquakes and volcano eruptions. Then he said, “There will be an EVENT in 2009 that will have Americans cloistered around their TV.” An EVENT so drastic that many people will not be able to go to work! He continued saying that there will be so much chaos that many will be looking for a “World Leader” to solve the many problems on the earth.
At the end of his message, he stated that this is a time of shaking–There will be a great falling away of those who follow after money and things.
At the end of 2008:
- The Amphitheatre remained dismantled;
- It was reported by a representative of Coulston Construction, at an Emerald Lakes Homeowners’ meeting, that the Upper Room was to be taken down…Bulldozers and heavy machinery arrived in the parking lot of the Upper Room in December and began clearing the ground next to it to make room for more town homes;
- The Barn Auditorium (Heritage Village Church) remained unfinished and for sale;
- The TV Studio was being rented to a ministry that taped their TV programs, but remained on the market;
- New home construction on the grounds dramatically slowed down;
- Toward the end of the year Choate Construction started renovations on the Towers for MorningStar Ministries.
