Rating: 
Summary: The "real" Jim Bakker seems to surface
Review: Curiosity probably caused my initial ... purchase of the hardback copy, but by the time I was finished I felt I knew a different Jim from the materialistic, flashy head of PTL and Heritage, USA. From a humble beginning with such promise, he and Tammy Faye somehow lost their way in the glamor and glitz of Heritage and its' fame. Granted, they felt a call of God on their lives, but they seemed to turn a corner somewhere along the route and money became a god instead of God. At least that's how Jim describes their life in this book. Although the book is long and sometimes wordy, it really does lay out the past and present situation of a man who, once acknowledged as a shining star in the Assemblies of God - failed. His deep devotion to his wife Tammy Faye is obvious as is his sense of betrayal by her with his trusted best friend. Of course, he also seemed to understand her needs and the fact that he was in prison and she was lonely. Still, his account made me very angry at Tammy Faye for not "standing by her man" -per Tammy Wynette. The prison routine was frightful and probably Jim's sanity was often on the edge, but when he sincerely and seriously turned to God and the Bible, he found that his real friends were there for him. Not the "Job's" friends like in that saga, but his real, true friends literally bridged the gap between despair and decency. I appreciated the fact that Jim gave credit where it was due. Probably the most impressive page of the book was when Jim Bakker said he really, never, ever knew God as deeply as he met Him within the walls of prison, after being stripped of all his glory, money, his marriage and reputation. It had to be humiliating and embarrassing, but it was probably at that low point in his life when he realized all the expensive trappings and phoney friends were just transitory, and all that was real was his faith and dependence on God. He realized he was wrong, he repented and came back, just as he was, and God met him there. I feel writing this book was perhaps the cleansing ritual Jim needed to go through before being released, and I think it was much like his personal journaling only he shared it with the public. Thanks Jim, and may God bless your new ministry however humble.
Rating: 
Summary: I Was Wrong
Review: Dear Jim: I was given your book by a patient of mine and felt oblidged to read it. Your book did a wonderful job of vindicating you and rightfully so. You were had! I am certain Jessica Hajn was a plant sent to destroy your ministry. And in fact you mention many other charismatic preachers who were defrocked as well as yourself. Without getting into any government consperacy here don't you think any of this was planned. But getting back to critiquing the book. Vindication was served well. But your book was also instrumental in casting a shadow on the whole charismatic movement. How does it look...a brother under Christ destroyed you and PTL? If a brother could be so vilainous and he's an influential brother what does that say for all of you? I Know the correct facts now thanks to your book.But you also must understand how many people such as myself will only further distance themselves from ever investigating your movement because of this book. I'm glad you're OK now. Be Well.
Rating: 
Summary: God's Vindication
Review: Having watch the PTL show 23 years ago, I respected Jim Bakker and his exwife,Tammy Faye, very much as television evangelists. Yet, I never really heard about the personal tragedy and hardship that was endured by the then Bakker team. Even more so I didn't know where the blame really existed. With Jim Bakker's candid input to the book of "I Was Wrong", I could see much much more clearly the inside and widely complexing fall of the PTL empire. Its No Holds Barred from Mr. Bakker on home,family,prison-life,and God's chastisment of the former Bible College student.
Rating:
Summary: THE STORY OF A CHANGED MAN WHICH CAN CHANGE YOU
Review: How can I give the story of a man sent to prison for crimes he did not commit anything less than a "ten". When I first purchased I Was Wrong, I thought the title indicated that Bakker was apologizing for his crimes. Indeed, as the courts of the United States have since shown, Bakker committed no crime. As Bakker indicates in the book, he was not imprisoned by any government, but by God. Bakker says he was wrong to have preached a doctrine of prosperity and he was wrong to have become wrapped up in the material things of PTL and Heritage USA. In one of the most life changing books I have ever read and probably will ever read, Bakker not only gives an incredible array of truths from Scripture and presents a fascinating human interest story, but he indeed does apologize for many parts of his past. Bakker says God sent him to prison to get his attention. Jim Bakker is a changed man with no intentions other than helping others to see beyond the religious facade that many of us mask ourselves in, and giving us all the incentive to seek out truth from the Bible on our own. I Was Wrong makes us all stop and think about where God really wants us and what God really wants us to be doing
Rating:
Summary: Not just for PTL viewers and supporters
Review: I am not the target audience for this book. During the time that Jim Bakker and Jessica Hahn were in the news, I attended a non-denominational church most like the Baptists. My only familiarity with Jim Bakker and his programming is what little I saw in excerpts over the years, which really wasn't much. Now I attend an Orthodox Presbyterian church. Doctrinally, it was always my assessment that Jim Bakker was wrong. I didn't need to read his confession to hear that. In fact, if we were to get into many of the doctrinal issues, I would probably still disagree with Bakker on a number of issues. Had I not gotten my cheap copy used here on Amazon, I likely never would have read it. I am SO glad I did. On all the IMPORTANT matters, we agree. This book was tremendous. It was so encouraging to read about how God provided for Bakker and worked in his life, giving him encouragement when he needed it and direction in how to go on. The story that especially comes to mind is when he was in prison after his mental breakdown, when he was ready to just give up on everything and die, and a guard risked his career to remind him, "Jesus loves you." Bakker's discussion of forgiveness and what is necessary to do it was wonderful. It helped me finally forgive some people who hurt me many years ago in totally different ways. If anybody knows how to forgive, it is Jim Bakker. He's had to forgive a huge number of people. His humility in writing this book and confessing his own failures and weaknesses was refreshing. Many Christian leaders become full of themselves and what they've accomplished, unfortunately, and it is not at all unusual for many people to refuse to admit, at least to others, that they were wrong. Bakker never had to write this book. It probably reopened a number of old wounds that he'd rather leave alone. But he did, and I would imagine that the majority of his readers are glad that he did. My perception of Jim Bakker has been transformed through the reading of this excellent book. When I bought it, it was mostly due to the curiosity factor. What did he think he was wrong about? It might be interesting. I once thought of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker as a couple of clowns, buffoons that Satan used to smear mud all over the name of Christ. Today, I see a broken man, a modern day Job. In this present day and age, there is no one in the Christian community I can think of who went through as much as he did. Did he bring it on himself? To an extent, yes he did. He chose to procede with an affair with Jessica Hahn. But Bakker knows that. Did he deserve to lose everything -- his personal posessions, his reputation, his word (in the failure of PTL, though not something he intentionally did), his marriage? No. But God had a plan. He uses everything for the good of those who love him, and he never forgot Jim Bakker. This book is an encouragement and something most of us can learn from. As I said, it is such a tremendous book, that it is worth reading, no matter what you once thought of Jim Bakker, before the headlines and the demise of PTL. My only disappointment is that I bought the abbreviated paperback. I can't help but wonder if the parts that were excluded were also well worth a read!
Rating:
Summary: A new opinion
Review: I have just finished reading this informative book. I have been aware of Jim Bakker for many years. I have contributed at times to the ministry of PTL. When things went downhill for the ministry I was sorry but not really concerned. However, when the initial trial was ended I was appalled at the long sentence given Jim. But I live in Texas and a long way from The Carolinas so I didn't lose any sleep over it. I do though feel that the PTL Ministry was useful in God's work.
Since reading the book, which is very well written, I believe that Mr. Bakker was really treated unjustly. I would love to have his email or physical address to encourage him now. However, I would imagine that he would have more appreciated some more encouragement while confined. I vow to never again overlook adding my two cents worth to any case that I feel is not fair. I would recommend Christian folks who are guilty of prejudging others read this book.
Rating:
Summary: HE WAS RIGHT TO WRITE THIS BOOK!!
Review: I never liked Bakker. I never watched Bakker on TV. I was embarrassed by his ministry. I was horrified about his theology. But for some reason someone gave me this book and I was deeply moved. What Bakker was wrong about was "Prosperity Gospel." The idea that God wants Christians to be rich and wealthy. Bakker says, "For years I had embraced and espoused a gospel that was branded 'prosperity gospel.' I didn't mind the label, on the contrary I was proud of it. 'You're absolutely right!' I'd say to critics... Look at all the rich saints in the Old Testament... I even got to the point where I was teaching..."Don't pray, 'God your will be done.' You already know it is God's will for you to have those things... when you want a new car, claim it." (page 532) This is a wonderful message from a televangelist turned pastor, an entertainer turned theologian.
Rating:
Summary: HE WAS RIGHT TO WRITE THIS BOOK!!
Review: I never liked Bakker. I never watched Bakker on TV. I was embarrassed by his ministry. I was horrified about his theology. But for some reason someone gave me this book and I was deeply moved. What Bakker was wrong about was "Prosperity Gospel." The idea that God wants Christians to be rich and wealthy. Bakker says, "For years I had embraced and espoused a gospel that was branded 'prosperity gospel.' I didn't mind the label, on the contrary I was proud of it. 'You're absolutely right!' I'd say to critics... Look at all the rich saints in the Old Testament... I even got to the point where I was teaching..."Don't pray, 'God your will be done.' You already know it is God's will for you to have those things... when you want a new car, claim it." (page 532) This is a wonderful message from a televangelist turned pastor, an entertainer turned theologian.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful testimony of restoration and renewal!
Review: I was inspired by Jim Bakker's honesty, courage and depth in writing this book. I'm thankful to God for taking Jim on this journey of restoration, renewal, conviction, repentance, and forgiveness. I was moved by his story of the sexual abuse he suffered as a child, and how this contributed to the problems in relating to his wife and others. I was praising God for Jim's willingness to recant on the false interpretations of Scripture regarding prosperity ( I do believe that Christians can prosper financially, but we must depend on God alone, not our riches). I rejoiced to hear of how God used Jim's reduced-to-eight-years prison sentence to draw Jim closer to Himself, and to healp him deal with the issues he had long avoided. I WAS WRONG is a story of a man changed by God's grace.
Rating:
Summary: True Humility
Review: I, too, was skeptical that this book would be an accusing tell-all of the final PTL days and his lament over the loss of Tammy Faye. I believe he wrote this book with a broken and spilled out spirit. I truly believe from this book and from his present lifestyle that he is not the same Wealth Theology minister of the 70s and 80s. God has forgiven him, and he has moved on with his life. This is an excellent book.
| 
