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TBN Televangelists Buy $5,000,000 Home
Deception in the Church ^ | Nov.4,2001, page K15 | LOS ANGELES TIMES,

Posted on 11/29/2001 7:38:54 AM PST by hsmomx3

DITC Commentary: Ever wonder where all those "seed faith" dontations are going? Whose getting rich again? Remind me. It thought it was those people who sent in their seed faith donations who were going to get a "100 fold increase" and that they would be the ones buying luxury homes. What a shock to find out it doesn't work out that way! Duh!!!!

Televangelists JAN and PAUL CROUCH of the Costa Mesa-based Trinity Broadcasting Network have purchased a Newport Beach house for close to $5 million, Orange County Realtors say.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
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To: hsmomx3
You are passing judgement with incomplete information. There's nothing wrong with a $5 million per se. For example, you have absolutely no idea how they are paying for this. Did they make wise investments? Was a businessman who was blessed by their ministry give a designated offering for this purpose only? Is the home owned by the ministry or the Crouches? Could it in fact be a wise investment?

Read Romans 14:1-4, 10
Rom 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
Rom 14:2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
Rom 14:3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.
Rom 14:4 Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

If the Crouch's have faith for a $5 million house, who am I to criticize?

However, Romans 14:15, 21 continue:
Rom 14:15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

So, perhaps in this the Crouches did err, in that their actions have grieved, offended, caused to stumble, and made weak people who have faith only to eat "vegetables".

141 posted on 11/29/2001 9:33:10 AM PST by The Truth Will Make You Free
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To: ecomcon
You probably just didn't get the memo. ;-)
142 posted on 11/29/2001 9:33:12 AM PST by JoeMomma
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To: Media2Powerful
Yep -- it's this sort of thing that makes televangelism (which is, properly done, a fine way to bring the church to shut-ins) into a running joke.
143 posted on 11/29/2001 9:35:38 AM PST by steve-b
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To: joathome
I agree. I do not put Chuck Swindoll in the category of the Crouchs. Chuck has written many excellent books that are based on Biblically sound principles. TBN and many of their shows, not all, are an entirely different thing. Benny Hinn is a disgrace to the Gospel.
144 posted on 11/29/2001 9:35:46 AM PST by connectthedots
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To: stuartcr
Hasn't it occurred to anyone that this could be one of the reasons Christians, and especially vocal, fundamentalist Christians, get such a bad rap? You don't see rabbis, mullahs, or even priests acting like that do you?

That reminds me of the joke about the Jewish televangelist: "OK, so don't give. See if I care! But your mother will know you didn't give and it will break her heart...."

145 posted on 11/29/2001 9:37:38 AM PST by steve-b
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To: Captain Kirk
"The 'religious right' Freepers are too busy cheering on those who violate the religious freedom of Muslims."

Hey Abdul -- maybe we oughta check your visa. Is it the "student" variety, or are you just visiting??

146 posted on 11/29/2001 9:38:11 AM PST by F16Fighter
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To: My Favorite Headache
I can't find the entire song's lyrics, but here's the chorus to a song that directly makes fun of televangelists ( and justifiably so): Ray Stevens' "Would Jesus Wear a Rolex?"

Would he wear a pinky ring?
Would he drive a fancy car?
Would his wife wear pearls and diamonds,
Would his dressing room have a star?
If he came back tomorrow, there's something I'd like to know,
Would Jesus wear a Rolex on his television show?

147 posted on 11/29/2001 9:38:18 AM PST by JoeMomma
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To: hsmomx3
Matthew 6

19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal,
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

148 posted on 11/29/2001 9:40:34 AM PST by patent
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To: hsmomx3
5 , 000 , 000 dollars buys a lot of food and blankets . It might even be enough to invest in a company that could hire more people to work.
149 posted on 11/29/2001 9:41:23 AM PST by InvisibleChurch
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To: hsmomx3
Anybody that produces two of the worst movies of all time, "Omega Code" and "Meggido" should not have a right to live in a $5,000,000 house. Matt Crouch has to be one of the worst movie directors of all time.

All joking aside, what is unfortunate about TBN is that they will have some good evangelists on their station like Charles Stanley, Tony Evans, Franklin Graham, etc. sometimes and then they will have these deceptive snake handlers who have no concept of what the Bible says. There are many people that are new Christians who look at this channel and support whoever is on it.

150 posted on 11/29/2001 9:41:23 AM PST by truthandlife
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To: jdhmichigan
From BENNY HINN -- FALSE PROPHET EXTRORDINAIRE, January 2001:

Back in 1989 he prophesied to his congregation at the Orlando Christian Center in Florida what he was seeing for the decade of the 1990s.
"The Lord also tells me to tell you in mid 90's -- about '94 or '95, no later than that -- God will destroy the homosexual community of America . . . He will destroy it with fire."
"The Spirit of God tells me -- an earthquake will hit the east coast of America and destroy much in the 90's."
"The Spirit tells me -- Fidel Castro will die in the 90's. . . Holy Spirit just said to me, it'll be worse than any death you can imagine."

[...]

It was the spring, 1999 Praise-a-Thon, Trinity Broadcasting Network's (TBN), biannual fund-raiser, seen around the world via satellite. From the discussion between Paul & Jan Crouch and their guests, pledges were down because people were apprehensive anticipating potential troubles arising from Y2K hysteria. 'Prophet' Hinn exhorted TBN's supporters to not let Y2K fears affect their donations.

Hinn laid out his first prophetic message under Elijah's mantle. "Pat Robertson, in January, said 'I have just come out of two days of prayer and fasting. The Lord has said to me that this year, 1999, would be the greatest year for the body of Christ, economically and spiritually, but beginning the year 2000, disasters would hit in the world, economically and otherwise, and only those in the church who have been giving to God would be spared.'"

Turning his attention to the viewers, Hinn said, "So when I say to you here and in your home, increase your seed, God knows you can and you must because if you do not, you will be the one to suffer."

TBN supporters then jammed the phones in order to survive the coming year of disaster. Hinn gave dire warnings to those who pledge and then fail to follow through. "And one final thing, if you break your promise, hear this! Some of you make a pledge and along the way you decide to forget about it. The Bible says God will destroy the work of your hands if you do that . . . We can't play games with him!"

151 posted on 11/29/2001 9:42:44 AM PST by sanchmo
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To: homeschool mama
I stopped giving to televangelists some time ago, after a a report on ABC about WV Grant, Robert Tilton, and some other person (Larry Lea?), all who seemed to be complete fakes. Not all are, and I'm not very trusting of liberal network news, but if you also saw that report, and wanted to make your money count for something besides helping some charlatan make his Cadillac payment, you would have also examined your giving patterns and made a change. I don't give to anyone I do not know personally. And I only give to direct evangelism efforts (missionaries) not to "TV people." At a former Church I attended for 10 years, I stopped all non-tithe giving when the Church made the Pastor's wife a "minister," just so they could get her on the payroll. You have to be careful; just because someone says they're a Christian, doesn't mean a thing. In fact, my defenses go up whenever someone blurts that out. If you're a Christian, then your behavior and demeanor will prove it (fruits) not empty hot air coming out of your mouth. I thought when I became a Christian in March of 83 that I would find most believers hold to a certain standard but that has not been my experience. In fact, some of the most cruel and dishonest persons I have ever known were those I met via Church and a music ministy I myself served in. But since JC is the real deal, and you can't get to Heaven any other way, I will stick with it. Narrow is the Way, and few are they who find it, but I intend of being one of those few.....
152 posted on 11/29/2001 9:45:22 AM PST by Malcolm
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To: JoeMomma
Speak plainly. What is it you are trying to say? Efforts at cleverness sometimes get in the way.
153 posted on 11/29/2001 9:45:26 AM PST by ecomcon
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To: Eva
"I don't pretend to understand it [charismatics], but it scares the heck out of me to see it."

...& me, just hearing it.
I must *consider* with all which is (obviously) at stake, all to be gained?
Where does good old fashioned acting play into the equation contributing towards this, "Charismatic state"??

I mean; simply by using my amazing powers of empathy?? {g}
I can tell you unequivocally if *I* knew that every day m-f I'd be on that television for an hour or more?
...& when I was on, the *meter* would start spinning wildly with dollars flying straight into my pocketS?
I *could* get myself worked-up into a mighty big *charasmatic* lather; right before your eyes & anyone else dumb enough to be watching me? Yea...
Scare the bejebbers outa *all*, I would. Bank on it.
...& if I knew for certain there were a correlation between the *fear* reaction of my audience to my *charismatic* state, TO the RPM of that $$-meter?
Well, guess what I'm doing; & it ain't praying.
I'd be hard at work making a damned good living, eh?

"...that everytime they switch to a fundraiser, it is because they are slipping into a charismatic state and don't want it broadcast on TV."

BIG -g-

"Perhaps the viewers/donors are slipping into one of these states at the same time."

Do ya think? ;^)

154 posted on 11/29/2001 9:45:54 AM PST by Landru
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To: hsmomx3
I just love it when Non-Christians tell Christians how to practice their faith...I'm sure all the "donations" to Larry Flynt, Hollywood and Disney World have a true "spiritual" value..it's not your money, don't bitch on how they get theirs...if you want an enemy to fight,don't make it a minister making money. There are thousands of ministers who barely make enough money to raise a family. Remember this when you start "clumping" them together. What if they ARE working for God...and you're not? Guess who's gonna be fried?
155 posted on 11/29/2001 9:47:44 AM PST by Shaka
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To: mancini
"I'm doing fine and am back at work. Glad your Thanksgiving was pleasant. I had a fine day as well."

Well, it's good to see you've become somewhat more talkative since last our paths crossed. :o)

156 posted on 11/29/2001 9:48:12 AM PST by Landru
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To: F16Fighter
Another enemy of the first amendment chimes in.
157 posted on 11/29/2001 9:49:43 AM PST by Captain Kirk
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To: mancini
What is that tatoo, an angel?

I'm no expert by any means, but that looked like the Harley-Davidson symbol to me. 'Wonder who she expects to see it there?

158 posted on 11/29/2001 9:51:25 AM PST by Aristophanes
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To: ofMagog
"Televangelists are to religion as rasslin' is to sports."

LOL

159 posted on 11/29/2001 9:52:20 AM PST by Patria One
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To: hsmomx3
I have to reply to the above about TBN's Paul and Jan Crouch. What so many people don't understand about ministries is that the ministers are on salary decided upon by the board of the organizations. Being parents of ministers, I am in a position to know that a lot of people who support ministries, also give special gifts to the ministers for their own personal use. Also, they write books and receive royalties. From their salaries they also make wise investments. There are a lot of wealthy Christians who want to bless ministers because they love and appreciate them. So please, don't be so quick to find fault with God's anointed ministers. God's Word says "The workman is worthy of his hire" Mr. Bob's wife
160 posted on 11/29/2001 9:53:05 AM PST by Mr. Bob
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