Televangelist and TBN Founder Paul Crouch 1934-2013

[Zoneboy]

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Paul Crouch, a pioneering televangelist who founded Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world’s largest Christian TV network, died today, according to the network's website. He was 79.

The son of a Missouri missionary, Crouch moved to California in the early 1960s to manage the movie and television unit of the Assemblies of God. A decade later, after receiving what he believed was a message from God, he began to buy television stations, cable channels and satellites and developed enough Christian programming to sustain a 24-hour network.

By the mid-1980s, Orange County-based TBN was “the country’s most-watched religious network,” according to J. Gordon Melton and Jon R. Stone in their book “Prime-Time Religion: An Encyclopedia of Religious Broadcasting.”

With his bubbly wife Jan, Crouch anchored TBN’s flagship program, “Praise the Lord,” a nightly two-hour talk show featuring guests, Scripture and entertainment. He was known for preaching a gospel of prosperity, imploring viewers to open their pocketbooks to further God’s works and reap spiritual and material blessings in return.

During four decades on air he often generated controversy, in particular because of the extravagant lifestyle he and his wife led. Critics complained that his jets, mansions and lavish expense-account meals were paid by tax-exempt donations from TBN’s legion of “prayer partners,” whose pledges enabled the network to surpass its rivals in size and global reach.



Paul Crouch, a pioneering televangelist who founded Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world’s largest Christian TV network, died today, according to the network's website. He was 79.

The son of a Missouri missionary, Crouch moved to California in the early 1960s to manage the movie and television unit of the Assemblies of God. A decade later, after receiving what he believed was a message from God, he began to buy television stations, cable channels and satellites and developed enough Christian programming to sustain a 24-hour network.

By the mid-1980s, Orange County-based TBN was “the country’s most-watched religious network,” according to J. Gordon Melton and Jon R. Stone in their book “Prime-Time Religion: An Encyclopedia of Religious Broadcasting.”

With his bubbly wife Jan, Crouch anchored TBN’s flagship program, “Praise the Lord,” a nightly two-hour talk show featuring guests, Scripture and entertainment. He was known for preaching a gospel of prosperity, imploring viewers to open their pocketbooks to further God’s works and reap spiritual and material blessings in return.

During four decades on air he often generated controversy, in particular because of the extravagant lifestyle he and his wife led. Critics complained that his jets, mansions and lavish expense-account meals were paid by tax-exempt donations from TBN’s legion of “prayer partners,” whose pledges enabled the network to surpass its rivals in size and global reach.

[Penny Lane]

[QUOTE]During four decades on air he often generated controversy, in particular because of the extravagant lifestyle he and his wife led. Critics complained that his jets, mansions and lavish expense-account meals were paid by tax-exempt donations from TBN’s legion of “prayer partners,” whose pledges enabled the network to surpass its rivals in size and global reach.

Well, you can't take it with you!

[MickeyMac]

He did a lot of great things with TBN. He will be missed

[MacLeaper]

I'm sorry to hear of Mr. Crouch's death. But I am glad to think of how God has used him to reach many the world over with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I know that he is rejoicing in Heaven with Jesus his Savior now. But in the mean time, until his family can be rejoined with him there, may God comfort them in this sad time of loss.

[ABlairican Pie]

I used to watch TBN all the time about 25 years ago. It did seem a little glitzy and all that, but I did like watching Real Videos with his son Matt hosting it.

I heard some things over twenty years ago that often, Paul Crouch was rather heavy-handed with things and people in his ministry. Rather indicative of the TV preacher empires of the times then. But if God was able to use his message to reach people, then it was good. He uses us in spite of ourselves, ironically enough.

[simmytbone]

God Bless You Paul Crouch and Thanks for 40 years of TBN

May You R.I.P.

[Yooch]

Originally Posted by tnawcwvictoriafa

God Bless You Paul Crouch and Thanks for 40 years of TBN

May You R.I.P.

I think that TBN's extensive outreach has had a positive impact, reaching across language, country and culture, and imo, this is a good thing.

[ABlairican Pie]

If there were one problem with Paul Crouch's influence, he was the one person who promoted the whole "backwards masking" hysteria in rock and heavy metal over thirty years ago. "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin and the entire "Number Of the Beast" album by Iron Maiden were both victims of this vinyl kristalnacht, and Crouch tried to alert even the state of California to the spectre of
"backwards subliminal messages" embedded in record albums designed to corrupt young minds.

But who knew how to play records backwards on their stereos?

[Tubehead]

I don't like tbn the girl whos got yellow skin every time she mentions god or jesues she starts crying. then like every week they have mat horn to rise money I used to watch it for Christian music videos I used to like real videos was different Christian artists then I watched g-rock for a while I quit watching tbn when they started having a tele thorn to rise money -for like every week. I like insp inspiration network they show classic shows they have preaching on the tv station to.

[Tubehead]

I can't stand tbn but I highly recommend inspiration network or gospel music station is good to they both show classic shows and insp network show preaching too. I also like gospel music channel they show classic shows too.

[Tubehead]

sorry didn't mean to post three times sorry .