Jack Van Impe (1931-2020)

Jack Leo Van Impe was an American televangelist know for his 30 minute weekly series Jack Van Impe Presents , an eschatological commentary on the news of the week through an interpretation of the Bible. The program was aired both religious broadcasters and the purchasing of paid programming time on commercial television stations. jack was know as the Walking Bible having memorized most of the king James version of the Bible. His wife, Rexella, was co-host on the television ministry.

His parents were Belgium immigrants who had moved to Troy. Michigan in 1929 two years before he was born on 9th February 1931.

Jack and his father Oscar played the accordion at night clubs. They enjoyed drinking alcoholic beverages together - a European tradition. When Jack was 12, in 1943, both his father and mother, Marie Louise, experienced a conversion experience. A week later Jack walked to the front of church to profess his own faith. Father and son smashed all their bottles of alcoholic beverages. He never drank alcohol again.

Oscar became a missionary with a very strong faith and Jack decided to be an evangelist. Together they played their accordions across Michigan and other states.

In 1948 Jack graduated from school and entered Detroit Bible institute. He earned his diploma in 1952 and began his career as a preacher, evangelist and extensive recording career.

He worked with the Billy Graham crusades. At a Youth for Christ rally with Chuck Ohman he met his future wife, Rexella Mae Shelton. They married on 21st August 1954.

In the 1950s he released dozens of Gospel and spoken word recordings. His first album Presenting the Van Impes featured jack on the accordion and Rexelle on the organ. ( He later used an accorgan -a type of electronic accordion.)

Together in 1970 they started Jack Van Impe Crusades Inc… They travelled the USA together, performing music and preaching in 130 cities in 10 years,

For over 30 years Jack and Rexelle hosted Jack Van Impe Presents - a non profit organization.

They offered eschatological (end times) commentary on current affairs he would recall Scripture on his show as he explained his apocalyptic theology before ending each episode with a call for viewers to prepare for the end by accepting Christ as their Lord and Saviour

The television ministry, started in 1980, ran into financial trouble in 1984. It was relaunched in 1988 on TBN. In the new show Rexelle performed a piece of music, chatted with her husband, then Jack would bring up contemporary headlines and explain their prophetic significance.

In the mid 1990s it was aired in about 25,000 cities in the USA, Canada and 150 other countries.

In January 2017 Jack broke his hip. On 27th May 2017, taking doctor’s advice, the couple ended their TV ministries.

Jack, a popular televangelist and one of the world’s best known end times preacher, died at the age of 88 on 18th January this year 2020.

Sources
Home - JVIM
The New York Times
wikipedia