Volume Twenty – May 2007"The Noble Berean Fund raising Report - Part Two: The TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-ThonBy Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Noble Berean
In Part two of this report, I will recap this Praise-a-Thon with comments from some of the guest speakers, and the quote of the week. I will most importantly examine this event from the light of scripture. With that thought in mind, let’s get to the comments. I thought it would be appropriate to start with everybody’s favorite TV preacher, since he gets top billing on TBN. I’m talking about none other than the one and only Benny Hinn! After all, what would the Praise-a-Thon be without Benny! He started with the classic theme of divine protection from the “financial evils” of the world, and he used Ecclesiastes chapter 11 as his so-called “scriptural basis” to justify his sales pitch for your hard earned funds: "I'm going to save you from trouble tomorrow, are you ready for that? You will have no financial trouble if you obey Ecclesiastes 11, that's God's word.' - (Benny Hinn - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/09/07) "When you give you protect yourself from the evil coming tomorrow. Because the future is dark for this world, but not for the believers, not for the saints" - (Benny Hinn - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/09/07) – (Reads Ecclesiastes 11:2) "Now tonight I'm asking God's people to get to the phones because I'm going to pray the promise of Ecclesiastes 11 for you. I'm going to ask God to literally fulfill what we just read. That no evil will financially touch your life ever. You'll have no evil in your finances tomorrow. You'll have no bankruptcies, listen to me, you'll have no financial disas...look it's in the Bible, I'm not going to pray something out of my head, it's in the Bible!" - (Benny Hinn - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/09/07) "Sow your seed, because you don't know which seed will produce, God says the storms will come, but I'll protect you from the storm, if you obey Me" - (Benny Hinn - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/09/07) Ecclesiastes eleven simply states the importance of giving to those who are in need. Look at verse two - Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. This verse does not say that giving a financial seed will protect you and your family from financial evil, it says that we are to give to those who need our help, because someday, we may find evil befall on us and then we would need their help in return! It simply states the importance of generosity to our brethren in need. Here’s an analogy. Remember the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life?” The main character, George Bailey was always helping others who were in trouble, putting everyone else’s needs first before his own. Then when trouble came to him, everybody gathered together to help George out of his despair. This is exactly what this passage is saying. This chapter says nothing of giving a financial seed so God will protect you from calamity in your finances, but of course, that’s how Benny makes it sound! As you would expect in these fundraisers, the word “anointing” was used several thousand times. Benny Hinn, was “feeling” the “anointing” all over: "There's an anointing you feel for healing, there's an anointing you feel right now, or at sometimes for deliverance, there's an anointing for teaching, right now, I'm feeling an anointing of faith, I'm telling you, I know that everything we're gonna ask God tonight He'll do it" - (Benny Hinn - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/09/07) Hinn then went on to claim the “anointing” that fell on the Day of Pentecost was for blessings and prosperity: "Just the same anointing that fell on the Day of Pentecost, that brought prosperity to the early Church, it says none of them lacked. C'mon it's in the Bible! You can't erase it out of the Bible. Acts four says clearly, none of them lacked, now that's prosperity. We're not talking about ten Cadillac’s and ten houses, we're talking about no lack!" - (Benny Hinn - The TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon April 10th 2007) Strange, but after all this time I thought the anointing on the Day of Pentecost was for the salvation of 3000 souls! This is classic of these slick-talking preachers. Yes, none of them lacked is in the Bible, but what Benny didn’t tell you was there were also those believers that were in NEED BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK! Let’s look at Acts chapter four. Acts 4:34 - Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold Here’s what Benny had left out, verse 35: And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. He also didn’t mention Acts 2:45 - And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. You may say, “all right, there was need! But as they sold their possessions, and gave to them that were in need, THEN there was no more lack.” Well, that may sound good on the surface, but according to scripture, lack was an ongoing problem in the Church: James 2:15-16 - If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? So you see, even after the Day of Pentecost and despite what Benny Hinn is telling you about this “anointing of prosperity” that supposedly came upon the Church, there were still believers in NEED, which means there was LACK among the brethren hence the reason why the giving was taking place! (Also refer to Acts 6:1-5). Moving right along, here is an interesting quote from Rod Parsley. I say interesting from the strange vantage point, because I have always said during these Praise-a-Thons you never hear anything remotely close to the preaching of repentance to salvation, and the fact that Parsley made this statement proves this: "I know businessmen that do not have a personal relationship with Jesus of Nazareth, but they employ the principles of this book (Bible) and when they do that their businesses prosper. The laws of God work whether you're born again or not. God'll heal more people that are not born again than He will people that are." - (Rod Parsley TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon 04/09/07) So there you have it folks! You don’t have to be saved to apply the principles of “seed faith” giving, after all, Parsley’s unsaved, unrepentant sinner business pals are doing it, and God is blessing them! It appears through Parsley’s statement that salvation is irrelevant in the world of the “prosperity gospel”. One would think these non-believing businessmen would be believers by now since they know such a prominent and influential televangelist like Rod Parsley! 2 Corinthians 6:14 - Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Next, there’s Jamal Bryant of Empowerment Temple, Baltimore, Maryland. I have stated this before, and after hearing Jamal Bryant’s comments, I’ll say it again: There is absolutely NO fear of God whatsoever! When preachers can stand up on a global television network and give God ultimatums and deadlines, I know that the fear of the Lord is gone! You think I’m kidding? Look for yourself: "I'm believing God that within 24 hours any person that sows a seed, you are gonna see a sign, a wonder, a confirmation happen in your life. Elbow your neighbor say, I'm giving God 24 hours" - (Jamal Bryant - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/13/07) So, God has 24 hours to do this miracle? My next question is, what’s the catch? Well, Jamal answers this one: "I want you over the next 12 months to make a pledge that you are sowing 24 dollars because I cannot wait for next year, I can't wait for next month, but I need God to do something within the next 24 hours" - (Jamal Bryant - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/13/07) My miracle will come within 24 hours of “sowing my seed” of 24 dollars, for 12 months? This makes the grand total for my “twenty four hour miracle” $288.00 for the year! Not too bad considering God WILL give me a miracle, because after all, Jamal Bryant has given the Almighty, thrice Holy God of the universe 24 hours to produce this miracle: "I'm sowing just 24 dollars, believing that within 24 hours something is going to happen" - (Jamal Bryant - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/13/07) Of course Bryant claims this is biblical and tries to come up with his basis by reading Matthew 14:13-16. This chapter Jesus feeds the five thousand, in which Jamal Bryant states God can perform a miracle instantly! I have no problem with that because there are accounts in scripture where God does the miraculous instantly. My issue here is Bryant wants us to believe we can “sow a seed” of $24 a month for 12 months and God MUST do a miracle within 24 hours, and folks…he’s not kidding, Jamal Bryant really is giving God an ultimatum: "I dare somebody to just declare I'm giving God 24 hours. C'mon somebody, just holler at your boy, say I'm giving God 24 hours, He got to show me something, He's got to confirm something, some word got to come to me. God has got to send something my way, somebody just shout God give me 24 hours" - (Jamal Bryant - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/13/07) Isaiah 45:9 - Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Jeremiah 5:22 - Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? Now, I know this report seems very negative and biased against TBN. Believe it or not, I actually have some positive things to say! Especially about some of the comments made by Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, GA. Although I did not agree with everything he said, I was pleasantly surprised to hear some of these comments: "You know there's no premium on ignorance. Do you hold this book as precious?" - (Jentezen Franklin - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/12/07) Note: When Jentezen Franklin refers to “this book” he is talking directly about the Bible, just wanted you to be aware, and yes I do hold it as precious! "Paul says study...study to show yourself approved unto God, which means if you don't study this book and value the preciousness of this book, then you won't be approved by God" - (Jentezen Franklin - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/12/07) I could not have said it better myself! I absolutely agree. Here is the verse Franklin is referring to: 2 Timothy 2:15 - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Franklin did not stop there: "I know a lot of singers that can jump up and down but they don't read this book" - (Jentezen Franklin - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/12/07) He’s correct in this statement. I myself know pastors who can sing and jump up and down, but do not read the Bible! Here is a statement that Jentezen Franklin makes in which I myself have said before, not in the same way of course, but have received a lot of flack because of it, but here he is on TBN saying it right before the camera: "When I can't hear God, read God, and if I read God, I'll start hearing God, and if I read this book, this book will start reading me" - (Jentezen Franklin - TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon - 04/12/07) I agree! In fact here is where you can find the basis in scripture for this: Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. So you see? My comments are not all bad! I always give credit where credit is due. However, I fear Franklin’s comments fell on deaf ears because if the people in the TBN studio audience and watching by television did what he said, actually read and also study their bibles, then TBN would lose a lot of support, maybe even go off the air! Of course, this will never happen, but be that as it may, I tip my hat to Jentezen Franklin for the great comments! Next, I wish to mention comments made by Steve Munsey, pastor of the Family Christian Center in Munster, Indiana and also Jan Crouch, co-founder of TBN. In May 2003, as many of you know, Jan Crouch had been diagnosed with colon cancer which was successfully treated and went into remission in 2004. The comments made by Munsey and Crouch literally blows apart one of the biggest doctrines of the Word Faith Movement, I mean there was a HUGE contradiction made! To better understand what I am getting at here, it is important to know according to Word of Faith theology, which Munsey and TBN wholeheartedly support, Jesus took our sicknesses upon Himself and physical healing is provided FREE OF CHARGE in the Atonement. Stay with me…it’s getting good!! Steve Munsey starts out by telling the story of Jesus in the garden praying the night before His crucifixion. He claimed Jesus was about to “abort 4000 years of prophecy” concerning His death by saying “let this cup pass from me”. At this point Munsey claims an angel was “dispatched” to minister to Jesus. According to Steve, the angel ministers to Jesus by showing Him future events, such as TBN on the air and Jan Crouch stricken with cancer. Apparently, seeing the future convinces Jesus to go all the way! Here is what Steve Munsey claims Jesus said in reaction: “The doctors can’t do anymore, but if I’ll let them take the flesh off my back, if they’ll pull the flesh off my back, put stripes on my back…there is…can I talk to anybody that will listen, that by my stripes, they shall be healed” – (Steve Munsey – TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon – 04/10/07) Remember folks, according to Steve Munsey, this is Jesus talking here, and He is saying sickness is removed and by the stripes on His back, healing has been provided…FREE OF CHARGE!! Munsey hands the microphone to Jan Crouch, who shares a testimony of how she was healed of her cancer. Jan states the surgery was successful and there was no cancer found, (which I am thankful to God for!) Jan Crouch too was also very thankful. One day in her garden she was praising and thanking God for her healing. As she is doing this, “Jesus” interrupts her and says: “Jan, thank you for receiving my gift of healing; thank you for receiving what I did for you 2000 years ago” – (Jan Crouch – TBN Spring Praise-a-Thon – 04/10/07) I want to stress the point they claim “Jesus” is speaking in both cases. According to the quotes of Munsey and Crouch, they are attempting to convince us Jesus Himself supports one of their biggest doctrines, which is a staple of the Word of Faith Movement…sickness has been removed by the stripes on His back, and it’s all…FREE OF CHARGE!! Remember the “FREE OF CHARGE” part because here is the contradiction, in their words: Steve Munsey dramatically elaborated (for quite a while, I may add) on the importance of giving the “Passover Offering” which in this case consisted of $70.00 per month for twelve months, or a one time gift of $700.00 or better yet, $7000.00. Of course, this would result in receiving what he calls, the “Seven Blessings from God”. Munsey made it very clear the fourth blessing out of the seven is: “God will take sickness out of the midst of you” – (Steve Munsey – TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon – 04/10/07) It is vital you keep this in mind as you continue reading, because here is where I see a big problem! Next, Steve Munsey gives a testimony of a woman in his church who gives a “Passover Offering” because she wishes to donate her kidney to her husband: “I’m giving the Passover Offering because the fourth thing that He does is He takes sickness out of the midst of you” – (Steve Munsey – TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon – 04/10/07) Are you beginning to see something wrong here? Why is this woman giving a financial offering to Munsey for a kidney donation for her husband? According to Steve, after she gave the offering she went into the hospital for surgery, and when the doctors opened her up…to their amazement there was a THIRD KIDNEY! So there you have it, she still has both kidneys, plus one to spare…all for the price of the “Passover offering”! At this point, you should be thinking…whatever happened to the “by His stripes, they shall be healed…FREE OF CHARGE” part?? Let me digress! Remember Jan Crouch and her cancer testimony? Well, she further said during her surgery the doctors had found a slight problem with her heart, and she needed to go back to the hospital for further tests. While she was in her hospital room, she was watching TBN, and wouldn’t you know it, Paula White was on with Steve Munsey as her guest and what do you think Steve was teaching? Why, it was on the “Passover Offering” and the “Seven Blessings from God” all for the same seventy, or seven hundred, or seven thousand dollar price tag! So, Jan is watching and she gets all excited and says: “If you give a Passover Offering, He will take sickness out of the midst of you, and I claimed that. I called the lady who does my books; I said you write $7,000.00 to Paula White!” – (Jan Crouch – TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon – 04/10/07) You know the rest of the story, Jan gives the $7,000.00 and the doctors find absolutely nothing wrong with her heart. She is totally and completely healed. With this, the studio audience goes completely crazy! I know I went on a bit here, but from these comments, it appears the Word of Faith crowd has a BIG problem! I wanted you to see for yourself how Munsey and Crouch both contradicted one of the most important doctrines of the Word of Faith Movement. Here’s the dilemma: If Jesus carried our sickness, and by the stripes on His back we are healed, and this was done…FREE OF CHARGE…why would I have to give a financial “Passover Offering” to have sickness removed from my midst, when Jesus already took care of this 2000 years ago...(that is, according to Word of Faith theology). Remember Munsey said: “God will take sickness out of the midst of you” – (Steve Munsey – TBN Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon – 04/10/07) Jan Crouch ALSO claims this by giving SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS to Paula White…EVEN AFTER “JESUS” SUPPOSEDLY THANKS HER FOR RECEIVING HIS FREE GIFT OF HEALING HE PROVIDED 2000 YEARS AGO!! So here is the contradiction: If Jesus really provided total and complete physical healing FREE OF CHARGE two thousand years ago, and by His stripes He removed ALL sickness from our midst, why then do we need to give TBN a financial “Passover Offering” to receive the physical healing which has already been provided by Jesus...FREE OF CHARGE? Total and complete physical healing is either included in the Atonement, as Word of Faith theology teaches, or it is not. You can't have it both ways! TBN supports physical healing in the Atonement so as you can see, by their own words, they have blasted a big hole in their doctrine! I’ll leave this one for TBN and the Word of Faith camp to sort out. SOLA SCRIPTURA – THE SCRIPTURE ALONE! I come to the conclusion of this report by bringing you the “TBN SPRING 2007 PRAISE-A-THON QUOTE OF THE WEEK! This honor belongs to Bishop John Francis of Ruach Ministries. He stated something that I believe sums up the true heart of these TBN fund raisers. What’s funny is I though all along this was about getting the Gospel of Jesus Christ out to the world. After all, that is what they say over and over again! Bishop Francis proves, however, this is not the case…so without further delay I bring you: THE TBN SPRING 2007 PRAISE-A-THON QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "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) There you have it! I didn’t say this…they did! This comes from Paul Crouch Jr. as well! TBN has the money (and then some) to stay on the air…THEY DON”T NEED YOUR MONEY…THEY HAVE PLENTY!! The cat is out of the bag…it’s not about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, TBN just wants you blessed! The truth is finally out and Bishop Francis spilled the beans! They have the cash folks…go to Ministrywatch.com and read it here yourself: http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/pdf/MWDA_041607_TBN2.pdf This report covers just some of what was said and done on the Spring 2007 Praise-a-Thon. Of course, I could not cover everyone and everything, as this article would be much longer! But this should give you an idea of the nonsense that goes on twice a year on the classic fund raising fiasco known as: THE TBN PRAISE-A-THON! I leave you with this thought: Give to your local Bible believing, New Testament church. The past two weeks in my church, I have seen with my own eyes, three people born again, saved by the Blood of the Lamb!! These are people TBN never would have reached. However, my local church did! This is why my finances go there…not to a “Christian” TV network that boasts “they don’t need the money” and then places a burden on those who can't afford, or simply do not have the money to give by telling them it's not about “buying a miracle” but rather it's about being “faithful and obedient”. Proverbs 22:16 - He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. There is only one thing this Praise-a-Thon proves: TBN HAS ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR OF THE LORD WHATSOEVER!! We’ll do this again in the fall everybody, see you then! Search the Scripture for yourself! SOLA SCRIPTURA! The Scripture ALONE! May the Lord bless you! If you would like to respond please send your comments to: email@thenobleberean.org. Copy write 2007 The Noble Berean. This may be used in its entirety for non-commercial personal use. Changes/edits are not permitted without the express permission of The Noble Berean. |
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NOW PROSPERITY was the theme of the TBN Spring 2007
Praise-a-Thon, which aired from April 8th – April 16th.
This one was historical (as well as hysterical!) I have said it before,
but now I am totally convinced that TBN has absolutely no fear of the
Lord whatsoever! How could they after everything they said and did on
this Praise-a-Thon? Each time I see this event, it gets more and more
ridiculous and this one did not disappoint me in this area at all!