Last night I was watching TBN. For those that haven't heard of it (apparently a bigger part of the population than I would have guessed) TBN stands for "Trinity Broadcasting Network," it's that channel with the televangelists who encourage your debt to support their "ministry." This year they're asking all of their viewers to give them two-thousand and seven dollars, since they've proclaimed this year as "The Year of Jubilee."
I guess there's a small group of bible and theology students who watch it regularly, apparently to fuel frustrations with this section of the church? Despite those frustrations, I think it is helpful to watch TBN because, since God allows evil, it only seems productive to appreciate the good that God can bring even through such a disastrously unethical program. And I'll explain why I think that.
I think TBN was started with an original and purposeful idea. Seems like they want to bring Jesus and the Gospel to the world. They bring the Gospel, as one of my friends noted in regards to Africa (he traveled as a missionary of Christ to Uganda over the summer), TBN is the only way to salvation for, dare I say, millions of people in the world- it's "all they have." And, because people have faith in their ministry, TBN does change lives, and does bring salvation. Are people saved despite the deception they have fallen to?
I think, at least for the most part, that thankfully people saved by means of television or by means of relational "real" Christianity share in the same salvation. Despite this, I'd like to quickly go over two very specific problems with this ministry.
TBN overemphasizes the dependence of God on two things: preachers and money. In fact, they downright lie about God's need for these things.
Let's make my point even clearer: God does not need money, nor does he need preachers. God can work alone, instead he allows us to be worked through. It's only by the grace of God that we have life, and that our life is given a purpose. As for money, it is the root of all evil. If God was truly present in their program they would have no dependence on money or on the proven lavish lifestyles of their preachers. If Jesus was alive today, would most televangelists would either be considered Pharisees or else damned to Hell.
It's important to note a few statements of Scripture. I have already cited I Timothy 6:10 (and consequentially Exod. 23:8 and Deut. 16:19), and isn't it interesting how Paul's discussion in the passage, where he mentions that loving money is evil, he is talking about false teaching... Allusion? Aside from scripture that relates to the evil of money, I think it's fair to talk about two passages that come to mind about the goodness of GIVING money. This is the story of the widow's offering that begins Luke 21. Though God does not need money, He appreciates the widow's mite- her devotion, her purity, and the wholeness of her giving. Jesus says that she put more in the offering than anyone else. Further, in Luke 7:36-50, a sinful woman comes to Jesus, and shows him love in a genuine way. Jesus says the woman's sins are forgiven, because she "loved much." In the same way, he says those who "love little" are "forgiven little." God is just, God understand the devotion of those who adhere to TBN- by giving money or devotion- to, they believe, God. In the same way, we have preachers of an organization that abuse money, who love God and the people they "serve" in a small way. I'm sure God will, if we are right about the preachers' characters, give for righteousness with righteousness, and abuse for abuse.
Yesterday when I watched it, the "preacher" (in quotes not because I question whether or not he was a preacher, but that I question the righteousness of what he preached. I think you could say that even Lucifer preaches as he tempts). talked for over an hour about how God provided money for him when he needed it. He also talked about his moments of faith, his actions, and how he was God's servant who was deserving of our money (not God, that HE was deserving of God's money). He was boasting. All such boasting is evil. And all such televangelists boast, they all beg for money. As I alluded to earlier, this particular "preacher" said that people needed to give 2007 dollars to TBN because it was God's will, and that they should even go into debt to give this money. His justification: God would bring them out of debt. Is this biblically backed? In the story in Luke 21, does Jesus say that those who borrow money to give to God, so that they are in debt, are righteous? No. He says the woman has given the most because she gave all she had, not because she gave a specific amount. The WHOLE point of that story, in fact, is that she DIDN'T have more than what she gave. So, how then, is it right to give more than you have to support a ministry that claims to need money to survive. Only things apart from God are dependent on money to exist. In fact, God discourages debt, and encourages responsible finances. Faith can bring you through anything, even out of death, even out of blindness, even out of debt. That doesn't mean He has to, and that doesn't mean He will. It also doesn't mean you should die, become blind, or go into debt to test this righteousness. Jesus says "You shall not put the LORD your God to the test" (Jesus is recorded saying this in Matthew 4:7 and in Luke 4:12. He is quoting the Hebrew scriptures, probably Deuteronomy 6:16 and/or later in Isaiah 7:12)
Aside from the issues I have addressed, TBN is full of discrepancies other than these. For example they say, on their website, publicly, officially, that "Through TBN, viewers can attend services at America's most dynamic churches!" What does that mean? Most dynamic churches? If the church is the church, is one more dynamic or not? Is one just more conforming? Does it mean these churches have more money? I wouldn't put it past TBN.
So what is our response to the Trinity Broadcasting Network?
Do we argue, as Paul tells us not to?
Is it worth action against TBN directly?
Does that mean we support TBN?
It's easy to attack, it's easy to mock, it's easy to judge and to condemn. It's not easy to give grace, after all that is what makes God so magnificent in regards to salvation through Christ. So, I suggest we give grace, and instead of attacking TBN, learn to appreciate how God works as a result of the program, despite it's discrepancies, and let God condemn televangelists to hell if that is their fate.
In ministry and as Christians, when we encounter debate, we have a choice to make: Action or Patience.
I do not believe that TBN prevents salvation, in fact I believe that they do spread salvation to the world. I do not believe that they are responsible, biblical, or just in regards to their finances. But, despite man's sinfulness and inadequacies, God works. One broad example is that TBN exists in places where communities that have no churches or knowledge of Christ. Many of these people, despite the alleged and aforementioned problems with the organization and its leadership, come to know Christ in a real way. They are saved, they have come to join the Kingdom of God? Why? Because of TBN? Directly, on the surface, perhaps. But how could what is obviously and organization with a deep-seated and evil lifestyle bring that which is not evil to people? It cannot. God can. TBN is under Satan's grasp, in fact I dare say Satan's grasp is perhaps focused on TBN and like ministries. Why? Because they are powerful, they are effective, they bring salvation to people. And so, despite Satan's grasp or control over TBN, God works through the ministry, not because of their money or as a result of their money, but because He can, and TBN has fulfilled a calling to bring Jesus to certain nations and God has an "excuse" to prove Himself to the people of those nations.
Another example, and perhaps more concretely showing God's hand despite man, is the story of a blind woman that the "preacher" I watched last night shared. He said a blind woman came to him asking him to spit in her eyes so that she could see, like Jesus spat in the eyes of the blind to bring healing. Amidst "funny" misogynistic comments he basically said he didn't believe God told her that he would do it and that he wasn't willing to do it. She kept begging, so, even though he was without faith, he did it. She was healed. By her faith, she was healed. By God's hand she was healed. God worked. Now, the "preacher" went on to talk about what HE himself had done, though he honestly did nothing and had no faith, but despite his deception, God still made the woman see. This is all, of course, assuming that a man proven to be a deceived liar was telling the truth when he told this story.
So, we can choose. Act against TBN, or be patient with it.
It's easy to act, to condemn, etc (like I've said). If we are patient, we can watch TBN continue to result in the salvation of many, and choose to be patient in regards to the fate of the its leadership and ideals. If we act, we risk ending TBN, and thus ending the salvation of many that will be saved as a result of God's hand through the airwaves.
I suggest patience, because as my friend said about Ugandans, "it's all they have." In the meantime, while we're being patient, I suggest action. Not against TBN, but against the ideals they spread aside from salvation. We tell people that money is not needed by God, we tell Ugandans that they don't need gold around their neck to be followers of Christ, we tell member's of Benny Hinns "church" that no MAN has the power to heal by his own mite (though he doesn't proclaim it he seems to make like implications) or is righteous in boasting about healing people. And most of all we spread a message Jesus himself proclaimed as part of his sermon on the mount: No man can serve God and earthly wealth. We tell them that TBN does not need their money, and that they are better off without it. If it is God's ministry it will continue without money. But the right option isn't to cut off the organization, but to cut off its blind followers and givers.
God does not need preachers or money.
He does the work, we are tools he can use, and so is TBN.
God is Just, God is Understanding, God is Loving. Let's not forget to be also.
