What started out several years ago by Trinity Broadcast Network as a means to raise funds to provide for the expenses for television time. This was known as a praise-a-thon to which a few days were set aside yearly to raise funds. Oh my how the times have changed even so much that I like to refer to this time as a beg-a-thon. What started out as a few days has become several weeks out of the year with reruns of the beg-a-thon shown several times after taping the event to continue to raise funds. This is not limited to just the TBN crowd, there are other well known ministries that have learned the art of begging for funds. I have lived to see a great hell fire and brimstone preacher Jimmy Lee Swaggart reduced to a bible and music sales man.With his television costing rate at one million dollars a month, two thirds of the thirty minute program is devoted to selling Jimmy Swaggart bible and his music tapes and cd's along with a few commentaries these written by Jimmy Swaggart. It has come to the point that even Jimmy Swaggart has gotten to the place that he begs for those to send the very best offering they can possibly give to keep him on the air. Donnie Swaggart also a sales person of the Jimmy Swaggart merchandise recently commented on air that ninty-nine per cent of all television preachers are flem-flam con-artist.At the cost of one million dollars a month Jimmy Swaggart's ministry must be the other one percent that's preaching the true gospel according to Donnie Swaggart.
The subject of the beg-a-thon really applies more to the rich beggars' like Paul and Jan Crouch and several of their clones. Every year all the big name preachers on the TBN's empire are called in to help beg for funds during the beg-a-thon. Several years ago, they started using scriptures that Jan found in a living bible paraphase that says one could not attend church services in the Old Testament without bringing in an offering. The mileage and the funds that were raised from that wrestling of scriptures, not that these folks don't preach you give to get. In more recent beg-a-thon's, they now have well know preachers using the Oral Robert's fund raising method of sowing a seed. What started out as sowing a $50.00 dollar seed of faith has become a $1000.00 seed of faith. These Preacher's wouldn't even ask for a small amount money, because it takes a lot of money to meet the needs of the Crouches and other that benefit from the TBN's empire. These beggars will ask you to go to the phone and call in your pledge to keep TBN on the air, asking that you put this on a major credit card. They also imply that by you giving in faith or pledging to TBN that God will bless you with a hundred fold blessing. I really miss John A----------. the preacher that Paul Crouch would call up at the end of the beg-a-thon to pray the hundred fold blessing over everyone that gave a seed offering to TBN. I'm pretty sure that I've missed some of the more recent methods used to beg funds for the beg-a-thon's.I believe that these folks really would do just about everything to beg funds to keep this money making empire going.
It's become a crying shame to see what's proclaimed as the gospel of Jesus Christ, become a means by which some folks can get rich with this worlds treasures. I know a lot of what's being promoted as a ministry that's reach nine million lost people is only a means of lining the pockets of the preacher. Most of these beggar have no conscience in that they claim that God told them to raise this money. Why would Almighty God want his anointed out begging for funds? Is this not the same God that made Abraham a rich man? I can't find anywhere that Abraham had to beg God to make him rich. How about Daniel when God gave him the interpretation of the hand writing on the wall, and the King made him a wealth man. What about the time that Jesus sent Peter fishing to catch a fish that had the Lord's and Peter's tax money in his mouth. Does God really need a beg-a-thon to reach the lost as TBN would have us to believe? Probably the last place someone could find the Lord Jesus is in a place where all the attention is focused on begging funds to keep a sinking ship like TBN a float. God help us to realize that money can truly become the root of all that's evil. Are we laying up our treasures by providing funds for TBN, so they can continue to teach the false teachings of men? Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm, They like this scripture to use against anyone that would dare call their teaching false.
Our Children wander aimly, poisoned by cocaine; choosing to indulge their lusts, when God said to abstain. From sea to shining sea, our nation turns away, From the teachings of God's love, and a need to always pray.
We've kept God in our temples, How callous we have grown. When earth is but His footstool, and Heaven is His throne. We've voted in a government, that's rotten at the core, Appointing godless judges, who throw reason out the door.
Too soft to place a killer, in a well deserved tomb, But brave enough to kill a baby, Before he leaves the womb. You think that God's not angry, that our land's in moral slum? How much longer will he wait, before His judgment comes?
How are we to face our God, from Whom we cannot hide? What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide? If we who are his Children, will humbly turn and pray; Seek His Holy face, and mend our evil way:
Then God will hear from Heaven; and forgive us of our sins. He'll heal our sickly land, and those who live within. But, America the Beautiful, If you don't-then you will see, A sad but Holy God, withdraw his hand from Thee.