Marilyn Hickey, the internationally renowned Bible teacher and evangelist whose ministry spanned more than seven decades, died on Saturday at the age of 94, her family confirmed in a statement released early Sunday. Hickey, who built a global following through television broadcasts, crusades, and humanitarian perform, was remembered as a pioneering figure in charismatic Christianity, known for her uncompromising faith and direct preaching style.
The announcement of her death came from her ministry’s headquarters in Greenwood Village, Colorado, where Hickey had lived and worked since founding Marilyn Hickey Ministries in 1974. In a brief statement, her family said she “passed peacefully into her heavenly home” on April 25, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. No cause of death was disclosed, though associates noted she had faced declining health in recent months.
Hickey’s influence extended far beyond the pulpit. Over the course of her career, she preached in more than 100 countries, often in regions where Christian evangelism was restricted or dangerous. Her television program, *Today with Marilyn and Sarah*, co-hosted with her daughter, Sarah Bowling, reached millions of households worldwide, blending scriptural teaching with personal testimony. The ministry’s humanitarian arm, Touch of Hope, provided food, medical aid, and disaster relief in some of the world’s most impoverished communities, including war-torn South Sudan and earthquake-devastated Haiti.
Born Marilyn Sue McElroy in 1931 in Dalhart, Texas, Hickey grew up in poverty during the Great Depression. She later recounted how her faith was forged in hardship, a narrative she wove into her sermons with characteristic bluntness. “God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called,” she often said, a phrase that became a hallmark of her teaching. After marrying Wallace Hickey, a pastor, in 1951, the couple moved to Colorado, where they planted a church in Denver. When Wallace died in 1973, Marilyn took over the ministry, transforming it into a multimedia empire that defied the gender norms of the era.
Her approach to evangelism was both confrontational and compassionate. She was known for her fiery sermons on repentance and healing, delivered in a raspy voice that belied her small stature. Yet she similarly championed causes like women’s leadership in the church and interfaith dialogue, earning both admiration and criticism. In a 2018 interview with *Christianity Today*, she addressed the tension: “The Gospel is offensive to those who don’t seek to hear it. But love is not offensive. We have to preach the truth in love.”
Hickey’s death elicited an outpouring of tributes from religious leaders, politicians, and former students. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, called her “a spiritual mother to millions,” while Colorado Governor Jared Polis praised her “lifelong commitment to service.” The White House released a statement acknowledging her “profound impact on global faith communities” and her work in humanitarian aid.
Her ministry, however, was not without controversy. Critics accused her of promoting a “prosperity gospel” message, which links faith to material wealth—a charge her defenders dismissed as a misrepresentation of her teachings. In a 2020 sermon, Hickey addressed the criticism directly: “If you think I’m here to make you rich, you’ve missed the point. I’m here to make you free.”
At the time of her death, Marilyn Hickey Ministries reported an annual reach of 250 million people through its broadcasts, online platforms, and in-person events. The organization’s leadership transition had been a subject of speculation for years, with Hickey’s daughter, Sarah Bowling, widely expected to assume a more prominent role. In a statement Sunday, Bowling said the ministry would continue “in the same spirit of boldness and compassion that defined my mother’s life.”
Plans for a public memorial service have not been announced, though the ministry’s website indicated that details would be shared in the coming days. For now, her family has asked for prayers “for peace and unity in the body of Christ as we honor her legacy.”
