How much importance should a Christian place on popular evangelists in the media vs. the ones you never see on TV? People always talk about scandals, hypocrisy, etc., but does their influence or even existence really matter to what actually goes on in Christendom? Most of what we see on TV isn't much like what you see in real life.
I don't pay much, if any attention to the ones seen on the per say "Christian" networks (Daystar, TBN, etc). Many of the "popular" televangelistdo write and publish books on various religious/Christian topics, but I personally doubt that those books will be in print in a few years. Those that have written, and stood the test of time, CS Lewis, Dietrich Boenhoeffer, St. Augustine, etc are the ones who I would say have stood the test of time. Long term, I'm not sure what their influence will be. I have seen more then a couple local mega-nondeminational grow and decline in my local area, with a scandal or two causing said decline. I also question the "prosperity theology" that I hear a lot of on the above listed networks
The Imitation of Christ. TBN ironically has several Catholics on their programming. I agree most of it is trash, and only a few are really genuine or trustworthy. A lot of sensational prophecy garbage and of course the prosperity filth that permeates their lineup. Back when my family had the all-Christian station SkyAngel, most of it was polluted with badly produced, toupee-touting evangelists like Oral Roberts asking for donations on ludicrous terms.
I would pay no attention to it, honestly. That's my only opinion on it. They are not worth further thought.
Don't forget the pink haired wives of the toupee-touting evangelists...who cried a lot...and had bad makeup ...
We are of one accord. Billy Graham and D. James Kennedy are of blessed memory, and in their absence I have no interest in wolves in sheep’s clothing who preach a false Gospel.
We have to think of the average person in the pew. I live in the same general area as Pat and Gordon Robertson and their influence is massive, even in my parish. They don't put a lot of thought into the programming, they flip the TV on at nine and have a cup of coffee while the 700 Club is on. I'm sure some of my people think T.D. Jakes is a legitimate bishop. Most people consume that type of media devotionally.
I don't dislike the 700 Club as much as some people here might, simply because I grew up watching it with my mom, and it has edified us even if we don't always agree with the Robertsons on every issue. Pat does interview Roman Catholics and even Anglicans once in a while, with a positive bent. He even responded to a viewer's question during the "Ask Pat" segment about whether the Roman Catholics were a true church, since they had grown up Protestant, but converted after they got married because their spouse was RC. Pat said that even in spite of his disagreements with the RCC as a Baptist, he did not actually consider them full fledged heretics or that they weren't Christian in some way or another. TD Jakes, on the other hand, is, to my knowledge, a heretic who teaches the anti-Trinitarian modalist heresy.
What is kind of upsetting about the televangelist is that they give a false impression of what Christianity is in many ways. Most televangelist theolgy is at best quesionable. The scandals they've had around money makes the RC sex scandals look comparitivelly small. It gives those who are not Christian and channel surfing thing Christianity is entertainment in many ways (it's on TV/the rock n roll concert "worship",etc) Over all I am not impressed with televangelist with the definite exception of Mother Angelica of EWTN and of Blessed Memory, Bishop Fulton Sheen