Let me start this week’s column by saying that I have no intention of offending anyone with my commentary on why I think it’s time for people to return to their local churches and give their hard earned money to the local church and turn off the TV preachers.  With Congress wanting financial information from six leading televangelists and with the resignation of Richard Roberts from the presidency of Oral Roberts University while under a cloud of financial allegations, it is time the “faithful” re-evaluate why they are supporting televangelism and not their local church.

     First off I admit that I have a bias against televangelism, and I am no fan of contemporary Christian TV, television pastors, nor televangelists.  Most of them have done the local and corprate church great harm. I believe some televangelists had good intentions when they began their minsitry. Yet as God blessed their work (and the praise and money flowed in) they began to loose sight of the center of the Christian ministry--Jesus Christ! They began to believe it was their ability and greatness that caused the multitudes to flock to them and their minsitry to grow. They eventually fall into the same trap King Saul fell into; as Saul became more established in the kingdom he lifted himself up in pride (as did Nebuchadnezzer) and began to see himself as King, Priest, and Prophet, all the while forgetting who he served and made him king (God). Eventually the prophet Samuel rebuked Saul for his pride and disobedience: "And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?" (1Sa 15:17). There was a time in Saul's life when he was humble before the Lord but those days were now gone forever. The rest of this passage is Samuel's announcement that God would rent the Kingdom away from Saul and give it to his neighbor--David (vs. 28).

It is glazingly apparent that over time, Christian TV has become centered upon raising money, providing great entertainment, raising more money, and if time allows, preaching something (and not always the gospel), and raising even more money. Allow me to site several reasons why I think television evangelism hurts the local church and in the long run weakens the body of Christ.   

     First, the local church has always been about community--a body of believers. People bonded together sharing a common faith, fellowshipping together, supporting each other, working together in minsitry. In short the church is a community of believers joining together for a common purpose of worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ. The admonition of Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” cannot be fulfilled by television or even the Internet. Christian TV tries to be a replacement for the local church. Some say one need to 'support a local church' or 'you need a local church to worship with people of like precious faith.' Yet very subtly they go on to define what type of church you should look for to attend--and by the time they are through--the choice is obvious: tune in next week same tiem and channel whiel they continue to exhort you to give so God can bless you.

     Secondly, if Christians are to make disciples for Christ, how can one do just that when glued to a television Christian reality show?  Where will you take them to be discipled and with whom will they fellowship with?   Where are they going to become a part of the body of Christ at?  Where are they going to operate the spiritual gifts that God wants everyone to have and use?  If you are sick, you are to call upon the elders of the church to pray the prayer of faith (see James 5:15).  Who are you going to call in the middle of the night to come to your home or your hospital bed?  Don’t expect someone to fly in via private jet from San Antonio or Houston! This will not happen because again television is not a local body of believers.

     Perhaps the greatest waste of money sent to broadcast minsitries is the enormous cost in purchasing air time. Whether it be on public boradcast networks, satellite, cable, radio, or the Internet, broadcast time is expensive. A good portion of money is spent purchasing television air time, which can cost, as from one hundred dollars an hour for a satellite broadcast, to over a million dollars an hour for a prime time slot. And when that time is used up, it is gone forever; and a rebroadcast that will cost you extra.  Smaller amounts go toward administrative costs and salaries of the ministry “team.”  So when one gives one's money to broadcast ministries they purchase air time, TV and radio stations, satellite equipment and so forth (which usually becomes personally owned); that is money that cannot be used in the local church, in the local community for ministry. Therefore a third reason is that television siphons hundred of millions of dollars of funds that could be used in the local church and community

     Another reason is that most broadcast evangelists are not affiliated with any denomination or group which has any doctrinal or ministerial supervision or oversight of them. Therefore whatever they want to teach, preach, and say goes "offically" unchallenged. Thankfully the Internet is there for anyone to read up on serious doctrinal issues and questions these broadcasters have, but who of the faithful does that?  For example, Robert Tilton was unmasked in 1992 by ABC's Primetime (along with W.V. Grant Jr. and Larry Lee) with his money for God scheme ( I have a videotape of the program).  Investigators found a local bank’s dumpster (in Forth Worth, Texas) full of Tilton donor's correspondence with the all cash and checks removed and the pictures and prayer requests still inside the envelopes. Tilton and his "team" never saw the correspondence. They only saw the balance ont he ledger sheet. Because of this startling revelation one would think that Tilton is done: washed up: end of story right? Wrong! He is back on the air in Florida using a new ministry name pitching the same "dialing for dollars" scheme. Send me a thousand dollars and God will bless you.

     A fifth reason is that many televangelists make merchandise of Christians with their trinkets, holy land water, anointing oil, nails, and prayer cloths.  The scripture admonishes the faithful to be weary of those: “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not" [II Peter 2:3].

     Because broacast minsitries need enormous amounts of revenue to stay on the air most teleministries always have a new book, tape, or DVD to send you for a small donation.  Of course, you will find God's revelation or prophecy revealed in the media purchased. And for a little more you can have all three! What a deal.  

     I recall watching a televangelist a few years ago. On this particular program he was extolling the virtues of a new cassette tape series of messages that God had directed him to make and that the "faithful" needed to hear.  Unfortunately time did not allow him to go into the “truths” revealed on these tapes because he was running out of time on his program. Fortunately for a discount price of x-number of dollars, one could have a copy of these messages by calling right now with your Visa/mastercard in hand.  I have always had a problem with this pitch because Jesus said in Matthew 10:8: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” If they really had the faith they claim to have--they would give away their wares and allow God to bless their faith!

     Finally, the massive amounts of money that come into these ministries is staggering and mindboggling. Sadly, and iin reality, the only checks and balances that are in place are what the governing boards of these minsitries put in place.  Almost without exception, the boards that govern these ministries are comprised of spouses, sons and daughters, other family members, and friends (this is called nepotism and simony and is illegal in government and many for-profit companies).  Therefore, it should not be surprising when financial mismanagement comes to light. Sadly most faithful donors are shocked and cannot believe what they hear--not their minsiter!  Why are people shocked to learn that their favorite minister needs a private jet, his and hers Mercedes, three different houses each worth millions of dolalrs located in exclusive neighborhoods becasue their small three-thousand square foot home is too small for the four of them, and so on. One only has to look back at the scandals of PTL, Jimmy Swaggart, Bob Tilton, WV Grant Jr, and the latest casualty is Richard Roberts to understand why these minsitries are out of control and bad for Christiandom.

    Many supporters of these broadcast minstries argue that these minsiters are doing good and who am I or anyone else to judge them. many cite Matthew 7:1: judge not lest ye be judged! very good point. However verse 7:2 says: "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." This passage speaks to us to judge fairly and righteously. We are admonished to be careful for judgment from God goes both ways. It isn't hard to see many of these minsitries are caught up in greed, immorality, heresy, and so forth. How or what does the scripture say of these? "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1Ti 6:10).

     In the end, the local church and the Kingdom of God loses. Unbelievers and lukewarm Christians lose confidence in the ministry, and some people consider all churches and preachers hucksters and snake-oil salesmen (which is not true).  Sadly and quite often the local church is measured against the gala broadcast and edited production of the televangelists. There is no way most churches can compete at that level, which is in reality only entertainment. Also, countless millions of dollars are removed from the local church that could be used for ministry on the local level for food pantrys, day care for low income parents, clothes closets, children's ministry, and so on. But all of those funds are being vaccumed up by the many megabroadcast ministries. I know of no church or pastor that doesn't see the need to do more for God but yet lacks the necessary funds to carry out the vision.     

     Where do we go here?  Encourage those who are hooked on Christian entertainment masquerading as gospel programs to turn of the Televangelists and quit sending their money to the profiteers.  Start attending a church of believers.  Study the word of God and quit being spoon fed sermonettes in between pitches for money.  Put your efforts in evangelizing your family and community and link yourself with missions that have financial accountability.            

     I think most local pastors would agree with me if they dare to be so bold.  To them I would say, and this goes for all, when Jesus returns, will he find faith, and will you be one of the faithful?  Think about it!   

—God’s Peace and Blessing,

© 2007 Curtis W. Bond All rights reserved