The TBN Spring 2008 Praise-a-Thon Report
Volume 30 - By Michael C. Gaudiosi
THE CIRCUS IS BACK IN TOWN! Yes, it’s that time again! The TBN Spring Praise-a-Thon, where for one week, the parade of celebrity preachers grace our TV screens with promises of health, wealth and prosperity, BUT you must give a monetary offering (specific amounts to be determined), to TBN…and TBN ALONE!! That’s right, the promised health, wealth and prosperity only come to you if…and only if you give exclusively to TBN. Giving to your local church, or a biblically based ministry does not count!
Before I go further, I want to make my intentions perfectly clear. I have nothing personal against anyone at TBN, whether on camera or off. This is not a personal attack on anybody. What this is about is simply looking at the fund raising methods of TBN and expressing my disagreement with the way they conduct such an event. I know some people will not like what I have to say about TBN, but be that as it may, this is the reason for this article.
I would like to start with a quote, not from the Spring Praise-a-Thon, but from last fall 2007. This quote clearly sums up the reason why TBN does this year after year. From Paul Crouch Jr. Himself:
“We don’t need your money…we don’t need your money, but we want you to be blessed, and we want to release the blessing into your life, and that’s what this is all about” - (Paul Crouch Jr. - TBN Fall 2007 Praise-a-Thon November 10th 2007)
TBN does not need your money, they just want you blessed. This confirms everything I’ve always said about the Praise-a-Thon. It’s not about the cross of Jesus Christ, nor the spreading of the Gospel…it’s all about YOU! This whole week of Praise-a-Thon is about how you can get something from God…provided you ONLY give to TBN ALONE! I may sound like a broken record, but I strongly disagree with this! If TBN does not need your money…as they have said, then TBN should be telling you to give to your church, or a bible based ministry first, however, they never tell you this on the Praise-a-Thon.
Instead TBN wastes an entire week of TV air time telling you to be obedient and “go to the phone” and give, and they really go to extremes to do so. The one person I found to be very extreme about pleading for money was Steve Munsey. If there was an academy award for best drama during fund raisers, this guy would win it hands down! Not only did he quote scripture way out of context, but he did it with mood music in the background for a dramatic effect! It was like watching a theater production instead of a fund raising event.
Again, I would like to emphasize what Paul Crouch Jr. himself said:“We don’t need your money…we don’t need your money, but we want you to be blessed, and we want to release the blessing into your life, and that’s what this is all about” - (Paul Crouch Jr. - TBN Fall 2007 Praise-a-Thon November 10th 2007)
TBN does not need your money because, by their own admission, they have plenty of it! Now, is it wrong to have plenty of money? Not at all! There’s nothing wrong with people having wealth. Is it wrong to flaunt such wealth before the world on a “Christian” TV network? Absolutely! TBN has no fear of God whatsoever! They make no bones about the fact they have plenty of wealth, and they certainly want you to know about it…yet they still have the audacity to ask you for money!
Jesse Duplantis was a prime example of this. Not only does this man have a vivid imagination, but he also boasts about how much money he has, reaching in his pocket and pulling out a roll of cash (claiming it’s mad money his wife does not know about) in front of the camera while he is delivering his fund raising “sermon”.
I know some people will say “you’re just jealous!” I have received these kinds of emails before, and I am sure I’ll receive them again no matter what I say. What have I to be jealous of? These people will stand before the Lord one day to give an account about such ungodly fund raising….here is what they will have to answer to:
2 Peter 2:3 - 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.
How will they explain themselves on Judgment Day? No…I do not envy these people at all! They can have their wealth and prosperity. I am content with what the Lord has already given me, and I do not have a desire for more and more as these people do.
Luke 3:14 - And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
1 Timothy 6:6 - But godliness with contentment is great gain.
SOLA SCRIPTURA – THE SCRIPTURE ALONE!
Now to the TBN Spring 2008 Praise-a-Thon quote of the week. This one comes from Rod Parsley. I have mentioned this quote in the past, but what he said sums up why TBN and the like are so successful despite the clear departure from sound biblical doctrine. I present to you the TBN Spring 2008 Praise-a-Thon quote of the week:
“When a word from God is given, reason is never required. Faith and faith alone must answer that door” - (Rod Parsley – The TBN Spring 2008 Praise-a-Thon - March 31, 2008)
Reason is never required?? WHAT?? Parsley is actually telling people not to think! Rod Parsleys way of thinking is this: If what you hear is a word from God, do not use your brain, do not try to discern…just receive it “by faith”. Talk about the blind leading the blind! I have seen firsthand how church leaders manipulate people this way. Sadly many believers are throwing reason out the window and this is why TBN remains so successful. Does scripture tell us not to think?
1 Thessalonians 5:21 - Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
This verse clearly tells us to use reason and to test everything by the light of scripture! When the apostle Paul spoke the word of God to the Bereans, did they just accept what he said “by faith?”
Acts 17:11 - These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Jesus Himself praised the church at Ephesus for using reason to expose the false apostles:
Revelation 2:2 - I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars
It is crystal clear the Bible teaches we are supposed to use reason in every situation. If more believers used their God given intellect to discern through scripture what they see and hear, TBN would lose many supporters…Parsley certainly know this…and so does TBN!
TBN has the money to stay on the air without these fund raisers. Again, here’s Paul Crouch Jr.
“We don’t need your money…we don’t need your money, but we want you to be blessed, and we want to release the blessing into your life, and that’s what this is all about” - (Paul Crouch Jr. - TBN Fall 2007 Praise-a-Thon November 10th 2007)
Crouch is not the only one who said this. During the Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon, Bishop John Francis said:
“This is what Paul Crouch Jr. said: Whether you give yes or no, this station will still continue cause they got the money to keep it going. We just need you to get blessed” - (Bishop John Francis - TBN 2007 Spring Praise-a-Thon – 04/11/07)
TBN has the funds people! They will not go off the air if you do not give! They are the ones saying this, not me! If you want to have a heart for giving, then give to your local bible believing church. God will bless your giving. Your church needs it more than TBN does.
No matter how much money TBN has, they will never stop doing the Praise-a-thon…and I will never stop doing these reports, EVER! Next report Fall 2008…stay tuned!
Search the Scripture for yourself! SOLA SCRIPTURA! The Scripture ALONE! May the Lord bless you!
on April 17, 2008 on 10:17 pm
Mike,
I appreciate your coverage of the TBN Tele-thons. Regular news does not cover this type of thing and we just thank God we can count on you to cover it for us.
on April 20, 2008 on 6:28 pm
The nail has been hit on the head….again.
It never ceases to amaze me the lengths that the adminstration and hosts of the TBN network and its partners will go. I sit here in Nigeria and marvel in compassion for the number of souls that are being led astray by the anti & extra Scriptural doctrines and messages that are passed for prophesy & revelation. It only takes the gift of the Holy Spirit and a heart and mind devoted to Scriptures to see through the mess that is propagated over this mainstream media network.
I pray that more righteous and bold children of God will heed the voice of our Lord when He seeks for us to speak forth His word, that many will hear and turn from their wicked ways. God is not mocked, this is only a mockery of what men have turned the word of God into. May the Lord have mercy.
God bless you Mr. Gaudiosi
on April 22, 2008 on 12:03 pm
This is the reason why so many non-believers think that Christianity is all about rich preachers. What ever happened to, “take nothing with you and ask for nothing”. All these TV preachers remind me of a Sunday morning comedy show with back-up singers.
on April 22, 2008 on 2:11 pm
It angers me that these godless liars continue to promulgate their vile trade, but what can I do? The Word of God tells me that these things must happen and then the end will come.
Dear friends, let us stick to the REAL Jesus of the Bible like never before. Hallelujah! He’s coming back soon!
Thank you Michael, for your sober and Berean reportage.
In Christ,
Sandy.
on April 24, 2008 on 11:41 am
I feel as though I’m being awaken from a daze. I have often wondered about ‘the asking for money’ so blatently on tbn and most local churches around the world,and it shames me to think that unbelievers will actually see this and think that Christianity is all or mostly about our leaders begging for money to spread the Word of a God who can’t seem to take care of His own finances if we proclaim Him to be such a Powerful God. It is shaming and I often think to myself, that had I not experienced Christ for myself, I wouldn’t want to be associated with such people under the banner of ‘Christianity’. Now if I think in such a way, what will the unbelievers think? It makes it all the more a challenge to win souls to the Lord.
The Word of God will always draw the hearts of the hungry to Him wherever it is preached, but we have to pray for the Spirit of discernment so that the same people are not turned away from Christ because He is being largely misrepresented by the same greedy preachers. Thank you for your report and for awakening the ability to interpret and speak out the misgivings I’ve had in my spirit.
God Bless,
Joye
on April 24, 2008 on 8:30 pm
Joye H hit it right… I can’t tell you how many times I a “grouped” together with these fakers in non-believers minds. They think that TBN is Christianity!!! How false and how sad. I honestly don’t believe many of these fakers on TV are even saved.
on May 13, 2008 on 2:33 pm
TBN is thriving because most so called christians are ignorant of the scriptures. They take scripture out of context to mean what they want it to mean. If we don’t rightly divide the word of truth, we get confusion and God is not the author of confusion. They are taking blessings given to Israel and claiming them for us today in the age of grace.
on May 30, 2008 on 4:07 am
When I read Revelation Chapter 3 verse 14, I think of the Word of Faith preachers and TBN, And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen,the faithful and true witness,the begining of the creation of God;15) I know thy works,that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing :and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
on July 20, 2008 on 9:52 pm
Did you watch the whole show Sir ? Or did only pull things out of it for the purpose of making your point? As a viewer, Paul Crouch said that he doesn’t need our money ,but he was not boasting about his wealth. He was simply saying that even if you don’t pledge.. Gods hand is on this ministry and we are not the determining factor in the shows longevity.I pledge because holy spirit moved me too. The men on that show were simply a conduit an instrument for open and willing participants. Whether they were corny, white, black , short ,tall . God used those men to usher in the prescence of God. Did not God use Moses the murderer, David the adulter, and prostitutes. God is not just the God of the local church or the baptist or the methodist . We are a BODY of christ. It takes a leg and arm and tbn has touched the hearts of millions and brought them to christ. I love you all Godbless