Televangilists

PloverWing · Apr 8, 2019

Kenyon Ledford said:
Thanks! You get a useful wrench, which I thought for the longest time was a turkey drumstick

Is that what it is? Really, all this time I thought it was a carrot. I mean, carrots are useful, full of vitamins.

PloverWing · Apr 8, 2019

I'm originally from Virginia Beach, and I'm 50-something years old. This means I grew up near a famous televangelist, when he was first starting out, and I watched his career over the years. What I saw in this case was that originally, he was genuinely concerned to evangelize and teach people. He saw an opportunity to reach a large audience through newly-available technology, first radio, then television. His early programs were pretty good Bible teaching. (From a Charismatic point of view, which is different from mine, but solid, sound stuff within that tradition.)

But, y'know, TV broadcasting costs money. So he had to raise money. And you're donating to help spread the word of God, and that's really important, right? And money came in, and he became more prosperous, and somewhere amidst that prosperity I saw him lose his way. I think he might have done better overall if he's stuck with that little radio station.

People who broadcast the Christian message on TV are a wide variety -- some genuine, some hucksters, some in between. Use good judgment. I think that money and fame are terrible temptations, and that those temptations can corrupt well-meaning people. The Bible warns us about this -- camels and eyes of needles and all that.

Andrew77 · Apr 8, 2019

LoricaLady said:
None of us can see into their hearts. Bur we can check what they have to say and compare that to the Gospel. We can look at their life styles. Aren't they all extremely rich? Can anyone name one who isn't very rich? Look at their luxury homes and their pricey, tailored, suits, their private planes and so on. Couldn't they be giving their excesses of wealth to help the poor so that they aren't extremely rich anymore? Like that's gonna happen.

I like how someone, above, reminded us that the Scriptures tell us not to give money to the rich.

Yeah, actually I can. I can think of 5 people on TV that are not extremely wealthy, don't have private jets, tailored suits, luxury homes, and so on.

No, I'm not going to name them. Make sure you are not violating G-d's word, while complaining about people you think are violating G-d's word.

And I don't see anything in the Bible saying I am not to give money to the rich. Besides, I'm not. I'm giving money to the ministry of G-d.

LoricaLady · Apr 8, 2019

PloverWing said:
I'm originally from Virginia Beach, and I'm 50-something years old. This means I grew up near a famous televangelist, when he was first starting out, and I watched his career over the years. What I saw in this case was that originally, he was genuinely concerned to evangelize and teach people. He saw an opportunity to reach a large audience through newly-available technology, first radio, then television. His early programs were pretty good Bible teaching. (From a Charismatic point of view, which is different from mine, but solid, sound stuff within that tradition.)

But, y'know, TV broadcasting costs money. So he had to raise money. And you're donating to help spread the word of God, and that's really important, right? And money came in, and he became more prosperous, and somewhere amidst that prosperity I saw him lose his way. I think he might have done better overall if he's stuck with that little radio station.

People who broadcast the Christian message on TV are a wide variety -- some genuine, some hucksters, some in between. Use good judgment. I think that money and fame are terrible temptations, and that those temptations can corrupt well-meaning people. The Bible warns us about this -- camels and eyes of needles and all that.

Did the money and fame corrupt them? Or were they secretly grasping and greedy all along, putting up a good show? Narcissists, sociopaths and psychopaths are great often times at being charismatic and knowing how to manipulate people. After they get successful at their rackets, though, they not uncommonly get cocky and their true selves are revealed.

Kenyon Ledford · Apr 8, 2019

PloverWing said:
Is that what it is? Really, all this time I thought it was a carrot. I mean, carrots are useful, full of vitamins.

Careful, I'll have to make a new topic

Kenyon Ledford · Apr 8, 2019

PloverWing said:
I'm originally from Virginia Beach, and I'm 50-something years old. This means I grew up near a famous televangelist, when he was first starting out, and I watched his career over the years. What I saw in this case was that originally, he was genuinely concerned to evangelize and teach people. He saw an opportunity to reach a large audience through newly-available technology, first radio, then television. His early programs were pretty good Bible teaching. (From a Charismatic point of view, which is different from mine, but solid, sound stuff within that tradition.)

But, y'know, TV broadcasting costs money. So he had to raise money. And you're donating to help spread the word of God, and that's really important, right? And money came in, and he became more prosperous, and somewhere amidst that prosperity I saw him lose his way. I think he might have done better overall if he's stuck with that little radio station.

People who broadcast the Christian message on TV are a wide variety -- some genuine, some hucksters, some in between. Use good judgment. I think that money and fame are terrible temptations, and that those temptations can corrupt well-meaning people. The Bible warns us about this -- camels and eyes of needles and all that.

One of my points being lost in this, which you bring back, is the fact that they do spread the word. I had a friend who accepted Christ due to a TV sermon.

But again, I saw one of them, while begging for more money rather than souls, say, "You may have $1,000 dollars tucked away for college. Maybe you're saving for an emergency, you could use that money as your seed..."

So many use the same phrases, buzz words, and "personal stories"

Sorry. It's disgusting on that level.

Joined2krist · Apr 8, 2019

I would rather watch a man/woman talk about Christ on TV than watch a soap opera or anything else, whatever the motive behind their preaching, as long as Christ is preached, it's better than watching an immoral show.

PloverWing · Apr 8, 2019

LoricaLady said:
Did the money and fame corrupt them? Or were they secretly grasping and greedy all along, putting up a good show? Narcissists, sociopaths and psychopaths are great often times at being charismatic and knowing how to manipulate people. After they get successful at their rackets, though, they not uncommonly get cocky and their true selves are revealed.

It's hard to know the true inner self of a stranger, so I can't answer you with certainty. This particular televangelist did seem genuinely concerned for evangelism and Bible teaching at the outset.

LoricaLady · Apr 8, 2019

Andrew77 said:
Yeah, actually I can. I can think of 5 people on TV that are not extremely wealthy, don't have private jets, tailored suits, luxury homes, and so on.

No, I'm not going to name them. Make sure you are not violating G-d's word, while complaining about people you think are violating G-d's word.

And I don't see anything in the Bible saying I am not to give money to the rich. Besides, I'm not. I'm giving money to the ministry of G-d.

There is a post above quoting where the Bible says not to give to the rich.

Well, if you are not going to name them, and I have only seen wealthy ones, I guess I just have to go with my own perceptions. Though, I suppose, if they are just starting out that they might not have gotten in enough donations to be rich. Yet.

Friend, you tell me not to violate "G-d's Word". Please take your own advice. Where is the Almighty ever called God, or G-d in Scriptures in the original Hebrew? Actually, per ancient documents dating back at least to the Dead Sea Scrolls - over 2,000 years old - and common Hebrew knowledge, His Name is spelled YHWH. The word God is apparently a derivation of Gad, one of the tribes of Israel.

You are free to call Him whatever you want, and I know that He is merciful to us and has answered countless prayers with "God", but kindly don't lecture others on violating the Word, while not conforming to it yourself.

Kenyon Ledford · Apr 8, 2019

Joined2krist said:
I would rather watch a man/woman talk about Christ on TV than watch a soap opera or anything else, whatever the motive behind their preaching, as long as Christ is preached, it's better than watching an immoral show.

I would rather watch an immoral show posing as an immoral show than an immoral show posing as the word of God.

I don't want that to sound snarky toward you, and hope you don't take it that way. In church yesterday the pastor was talking about how bad debate is for the soul!

LoricaLady · Apr 8, 2019

Kenyon Ledford said:
I would rather watch an immoral show posing as an immoral show than an immoral show posing as the word of God.

I don't want that to sound snarky toward you, and hope you don't take it that way. In church yesterday the pastor was talking about how bad debate is for the soul!

Well, yes, that would seem the best choice. And even better choice, in my opinion, is to watch no T.V. shows at all. They "preach" too, in their own way, so often trying to make anti Biblical ways seem funny or attractive.

Paul debated with people, so did others in the Bible. Debate is one way you can "test everything". Squashing debate can be a way of getting people to not think for themselves sometimes. Of course it should not be done in a spirit of hostility.

Kenyon Ledford · Apr 8, 2019

You are SO RIGHT about what TV has done to our culture. Teachers have been utilized at school to rot
our culture and TV continues the job when people are at home. TV has gone out of its way to turn Christianity into a joke and Islam into a wonderful sacred thing.

LoricaLady · Apr 8, 2019

Kenyon Ledford said:
You are SO RIGHT about what TV has done to our culture. Teachers have been utilized at school to rot
our culture and TV continues the job when people are at home. TV has gone out of its way to turn Christianity into a joke and Islam into a wonderful sacred thing.

Amen.

lismore · Apr 8, 2019

Kenyon Ledford said:
Do you think the majority of them are just using the pulpit to rake in cash?

Some Televangelists are really good, they give an inspired gospel message. Often the smaller, more down to earth a ministry is the better.

Others are cringeworthy.

I guess until the Lord returns the sheep and the goats will be together. Until then we should test everything, hold fast to the good, throw out the bad.

However I do think the overseers of some of the Christian channels are perhaps not vetting as much as they should be.

Overall I think it's important for a believer to find other believers to fellowship with, not just watch Christian TV> it isn't a substitute for real fellowship. God Bless

Kenyon Ledford · Apr 8, 2019

I had the TV to a Christian channel so I had some good going on in the background rather than the normal news cycle. But after awhile I was like, "Waitaminute, WHAT?"

Heavenhome · Apr 9, 2019

Kenyon Ledford said:
I had the TV to a Christian channel so I had some good going on in the background rather than the normal news cycle. But after awhile I was like, "Waitaminute, WHAT?"

Yep, I know just what you mean. In a way it is worse because the immoral secular is easy to spot. It is just as we are told that the wheat and weeds grow together until our Lords return. The Christian must take heed and see that for us,the enemy to be particularly aware of is what is masquerading as Christian, perverting the word of God just as in Eden.

Ttalkkugjil · Apr 9, 2019

LoricaLady said:
Nothing in the Bible tells us to go to Church, though.

Hmm... "not forsaking our gathering together, as it is the custom to some men, but comforting [them], and by so much the more, by how much ye see the day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25 (WYC).

Emulation can't occur where Christians don't meet together, both for public worship and for other assemblies in which Christ's work's discussed. So Priscilla urges the believers not to neglect such meetings. Even in those days, as Priscilla remarks, some of the congregation's members stayed away from such meetings.

The last day's nearness and the remembrance of the account which we'll have to render should make us eager to heed the admonition here. If Christians neglect churchgoing, they offend the weak in faith endangering their own faith. The change from faith to unbelief comes on so gradually that the damage is done before the victim is aware of it. Faithfulness should characterize Christians.

Ttalkkugjil · Apr 9, 2019

PloverWing said:
Is that what it is? Really, all this time I thought it was a carrot. I mean, carrots are useful, full of vitamins.

They make you see in the dark.

LoricaLady · Apr 9, 2019

Ttalkkugjil said:
Hmm... "not forsaking our gathering together, as it is the custom to some men, but comforting [them], and by so much the more, by how much ye see the day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25 (WYC).

Emulation can't occur where Christians don't meet together, both for public worship and for other assemblies in which Christ's work's discussed. So Priscilla urges the believers not to neglect such meetings. Even in those days, as Priscilla remarks, some of the congregation's members stayed away from such meetings.

The last day's nearness and the remembrance of the account which we'll have to render should make us eager to heed the admonition here. If Christians neglect churchgoing, they offend the weak in faith endangering their own faith. The change from faith to unbelief comes on so gradually that the damage is done before the victim is aware of it. Faithfulness should characterize Christians.

If you will look at my post again, I did say that we are told to assemble on the Sabbath. Of course, though that is still true, it was written before there ever was such a thing as what we call a Church.

You are conflating Churches with assemblies and congregations, but the Bible no way does that.

Again, the Bible tells us to assemble, but it certainly never tells us to go to a Church. Again, history and the Bible show the apostles and early belieers did NOT go to any Church, but met in synagogues or in others' homes on the Sabbath. Again, the word Church simply is a translation from Greek for a Hebrew word meaning assembly. It was never, as written, meant to convey the image of a big building with a cross on top where people go to worship on Sundays.

Even if that were not true, which it is, nowhere in the Bible are we told to go to what this culture calls Church, on Sundays or at any other time.

LoricaLady · Apr 9, 2019

P.S. Also the Bible verse tells us to assemble on the Sabbath. Sunday is not the Sabbath anyway.

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