On TBN....

[Ovedya]

After some prayer on the matter, and some burdening from the Lord, I decided to go ahead and post some of my experiences working for TBN in the early 90

[Ovedya]

Problems on the Home Front

Leadership problems, cliques, and Sexual Immorality:

As I wrote, roughly 20-30 people staffed the pulling room. Of these 20-30, maybe two or three

[traveller]

Petitions for prayer were ignored. Now, consider how many people write into TBN requesting prayer. Once the reading ladies were finished with the letters, they were sent downstairs to the shredder, which I had the honor of manning on several occasions. Shredded letters were picked up by a guy who used to recycle shred paper and use it to stuff beanbags and packaging boxes with; kinda

[Guest coolwaters]

Mathew 7:21-23

21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

This verse I believe speaks to these type of ministries. I for one will not judge them outwardly, although I have always had my doubts about the integrity of these $ based ministries. I believe G-d uses these ministries for good and no one especially those who benefit can say they don't, but at the same time I believe money is the god they truly worship and religion is the path they chose to get rich. Although they perform great works they are spiritually dead and G-d will deal with it at the appropriate time.

P.S. Godman

[Catsmeow]

So this is what WOF is all about? Preying on the poor and needy?

Can anyone reading this imagine what our precious Lord must be feeling when He sees what's done in "His Name"?

A little sidenote:

*Godman, for what it's worth...I had some friends who once saw Charles Stanley taking a regular airplane flight, regular, plain ol' coach. They think he may have been fasting as he refused to eat. There really are ministries which are loyal to the Lord and faithful servants.

Thanks for sharing this, GM. Much appreciated. You were there...you saw it with your own eyes.

[Anonymous]

It Breaks my heart to hear all this about TBN!

I have heard testimonies from people whom I have actually met, who were saved through listening to a TBN program. (God can use whatever he chooses to get his message out!)

In the end... those who use deception will give accountability to God!

[Catsmeow]

p.s.

I would counsel that the post could have been just as revealing with out the personal accounts of others being aired for everybody to read.

I disagree with you on this. I believe in this case it was appropriate. Hopefully, people will not be inclined to support and feed bogus ministries such as this.

There's far too many poor and elderly who are caught in the trap of predators like this. How very sad.

Since he worked there and saw it firsthand, it is right that he warn people who could otherwise be squandering money better spent on ministries which are truly doing the work of the Lord.

God-man

[Guest coolwaters]

:t:

[Ovedya]

The account of a co-workers having inappropriate relations...was to point out just one of the many problems TBN had with its own workers. This may not be uncommon in some workplaces, but in a place that claims to do the work of the Lord it should not have gone unchecked, which it did - in large part because of who was involved. These persons names were not used, so I believe the Lord covers me. Chosing to use my wife and myself as examples was my own. The Lord knows what's in my heart in that respect.

To answer your questions and traveller's no, I am not still carrying any baggage from these experiences. I have confessed my sins before God and have released these things from my life. But that does not mean that I am not still a bit jaded about what man's religion can do to even th best of intentions. It does not mean that I am not extra cautious or critical of certain "pop preachers." I believe that his experience was of the Lord, and I use this experience to keep me watchful.

Much grace,

~G

P.S. I also agree that there are some preachers that use TBN as a venue to preach the gospel. I know of at least three ministries that simply pay TBN ait time for their programming, and do not want to have anything to do with their other activities.

Edited September 14, 2003 by God-man

[Guest New Creature]

Thank you God- Man for posting about your time on TBN. I found it very informative. I do not belong to TBN. I am partners with the Christian televison here in Florida. They have been haveing a telethon for the last week. Every single guest has been a different faith teachers. Big names like Richard Roberts, John Avazini, Rodney Howard Brown and others. Every night a different theme with a different target audience.

I have forced myself to watch as much as I can stomach. I don't think I will ever get over falling for this stuff. Part of me wants to believe that this telethon is worse than the others, but I know its not.

Today I actually heard the owner of the station say out of his own mouth that the Jesus was rich and that the only time he was poor was the three days of the cross and burial.

He also said that God does not expect us to live on earth poor when He is in heaven with streets of gold. These people believe that God wants us to be rich and healed so that heaven won't be such a shock.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!!

They take this from 2 Cor 8:9 which says "For ye know the grace our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

I may be wrong, but in doing my own Bible study I think that scripture has to do with being rich spiritually. I welcome any coments on this.

Praise to God for us that our out of this heresy and thats pray that the Almighty will let us help others.