Free Republic

The Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, the flamboyant minister better known as the Reverend Ike, who preached the blessings of material prosperity to a large congregation in New York and to television and radio audiences nationwide, died Tuesday in Los Angeles, where he had lived since 2007. He was 74. “This is the do-it-yourself church,” he proclaimed. “The only savior in this philosophy is God in you.” Along with Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and Pat Robertson, he was one of the first evangelists to grasp the power of television. At the height of his success, in the 1970s, he reached...

Televangelism empire in chaos over family split By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press Writer Saturday, January 31, 2009 Once one of the nation's most popular televangelists, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller is watching his life's work crumble. His son and recent successor, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, has abruptly resigned as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. The shimmering, glass-walled megachurch is home to the "Hour of Power" broadcast, an evangelism staple that's been on the air for more than three decades. The church is in financial turmoil: It plans to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County...

For the uninitiated, every year televangelist Pat Robertson has predictions dressed up as prophecy. He contends that the Lord speaks to him [in his heart presumably] and let's him know about things for the future. Now don't get me wrong, I think that God can and sometimes does speak to people. He does this for His reasons. I must admit that I don't think that God and Pat are on very good speaking terms. Now I have made my predictions for 2009. Prescient or imbecilic, they are mine. Other than creating my weak little brain, God had nothing to do...

A Kenneth Copeland Ministry jet worth $3.6 million has been denied tax-exempt status by the Tarrant Appraisal District, setting the stage for a battle that could require the minister to reveal his salary if he wants the jet to be tax-free. Jeffery D. Law, Tarrant chief appraiser, said the jet was denied tax exemption because the ministry failed to disclose salaries of directors as an application requires. Law said the ministry, based in Newark, northwest of Fort Worth, will protest the denial at a hearing Monday morning. "The application requires that they submit to us a list of salaries," Law...

Rev. Rod Parsley withdraws McCain endorsement Saturday, May 24, 2008 10:08 PM THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH After saying Friday that he would not withdraw his endorsement of Sen. John McCain, pastor Rod Parsley has changed his mind. The pastor of World Harvest Church, in the Canal Winchester area, issued a statement almost identical to one he had sent late Friday night, but with one key change: the addition of the sentence “Therefore I withdraw my endorsement.” Spokesman Gene Pierce wouldn’t shed light on Parsley’s decision, saying only “this statement is a clarification on (Friday’s) statement.” McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for...

TV preacher Joel Osteen shuns lavish lifestyle of some others MARK I. PINSKY The Orlando Sentinel ORLANDO, Fla. — If the evangelical world is looking for a poster child to offset the negative publicity surrounding rich televangelists, Joel Osteen would be a good choice. Joel Osteen, pastor of the nation’s largest megachurch, preaches at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, where services are broadcast around the world.MCT Photo Times Leader Photo Store Osteen is among the nation’s most widely recognized television ministers, trailing only Billy Graham and Rick Warren, and in 2006 was named the most influential Christian in America by...

By far, the most significant story of the 2008 Republican primaries has been the unlikely candidacy of Mike Huckabee and his_single-handed_resuscitation of Christian conservatives as a force to be reckoned with in the Republican_Party. Yet, regardless of how he fares on Super_Tuesday_and_beyond, Mr. Huckabee will perhaps be best remembered as the man who, however unintentionally, helped persuade evangelicals to vote a Democrat into the White House in 2008 – and possibly in future races, as well. Since the 1970s, conventional_wisdom has held that evangelicals are driven by a single-minded_concern with defending "moral values," while mainline Protestants focus on issues of...

A broad coalition of black conservatives from across the country are holding a press conference to urge former Governor Mike Huckabee to stay in the presidential race for the Republican nomination until the convention. "Governor Huckabee should not be intimidated to stop his bid for the Republican nomination," states Don Scoggins, veteran GOP activist and ... president of Republicans for Black Empowerment, a DC-based national grassroots organization. The concern of the group is the pressure that is mounting by Republican talking heads to push Governor Huckabee out of the race. The consensus is that Huckabee's campaign was deliberately sabotaged by...

What should be Sen. Grassley's next step in his probe of six televangelist ministries? (related article) Forge ahead w/ court orders Be patient and wait Turn it over to the IRS Drop the investigation altogether None of the above

The Rev. Pat Robertson said Monday that his son, Gordon, has succeeded him as chief executive of the Christian Broadcasting Network, the most recent shift to a younger generation of leaders within major conservative Christian groups. Robertson, 77, announced the transition on "The 700 Club," the Virginia-based network's flagship show, with Gordon, 49, on air with him. "I thought that some of this day-to-day operation was important to pass down the line, especially to somebody a little more adept at figuring out the new technologies coming at such a bewildering speed to all of us," the elder Robertson said. The...

New Iowa Leader Criticized by for Indecision on Federal Student Aid. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor who backed in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants, hedged Sunday on whether illegal immigrants who have gone to school in the United States should become eligible for federal student aid such as Pell grants and subsidized federal student loans. "I'm not sure that I would support that," Huckabee told ABC News, "it was a different program in Arkansas." Huckabee's failure to take a clear position on federal student aid while appearing on ABC News' "This Week with George...

TULSA, Okla. - Twenty years ago, televangelist Oral Roberts said he was reading a spy novel when God appeared to him and told him to raise $8 million for Roberts' university, or else he would be "called home." ADVERTISEMENT Now, his son, Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts, says God is speaking again, telling him to deny lurid allegations in a lawsuit that threatens to engulf this 44-year-old Bible Belt college in scandal.Richard Roberts is accused of illegal involvement in a local political campaign and lavish spending at donors' expense, including numerous home remodeling projects, use of the university jet...

ST. PETERSBURG - For the first time in nearly five years, controversial Christian televangelist Bill Keller is going off the air. Keller - known for his vitriolic criticism of religious, political and pop culture figures - said Thursday his program was yanked in response to pressure from local Muslims. Earlier this month, officials from the Council on American Islamic Relations wrote to executives at CBS asking them to investigate Live Prayer with Bill Keller, an hourlong nightly program. In a May 2 broadcast, the televangelist said Islam was a "1,400-year-old lie from the pits of hell" and called the Prophet...

TROY, MICHIGAN The Bible teaches that in the end times there will be 'wars and rumors of wars.' While popular Bible prophecy teacher Jack Van Impe has no control over the first part of that statement, he definitely believes he can contribute to the last part, and thus plans now to devote his ministry to the spread of 'rumors of wars.' "I feel it is my calling and my duty to hasten the end times." Said Van Impe. "I can't start a war. I'm not the leader of a nation. But I can start 'rumors of wars,' and that's what...

The popular Kenneth Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries lives in a large mansion in Texas. He recently asked his audience to help him spread the gospel by giving him $20 million to buy a new jet. Copeland promised that the plane "will never, ever be used as long as it is in our care, for anything other than what is becoming to you, Lord Jesus."

This version of Benny and the jet has nothing to do with the hit Elton John song. "Benny" is Benny Hinn, the Dallas-area televangelist. The jet is Dove One, a Gulfstream G4SP that his ministry recently acquired, according to his Web site. Hinn's ministry did not return a call from the Houston Chronicle, but it has very publicly sought help paying for the plane. Hinn wants 6,000 of his "partners" to donate $1,000 each toward the down payment. Extensive information about Dove One on the Web doesn't include the total cost, but similiar Gulfstream jets appear to sell for at...

Click and watch and turn up the volume! :)

Benny goes beserk, takes off his jacket and starts swattin' a few folks. People fall down left and right. Click HERE to see Benny and the Jets.

Tele-evangelist sued over 'God can heal' claim Ed Pilkington Darlene Bishop, a tele-evangelist with a nationwide following, does not do things by half. When she and her husband Lawrence erected a statue of Jesus on the grounds of their mega church in Monroe, Ohio, they made it 62 feet high. No less gargantuan are her claims about the power of prayer to overcome illness. Through a series of sermons, books and a television show, Sisters, broadcast on religious satellite channels throughout the US and abroad, she preaches that God has the power to heal even the most deadly diseases, including...

DARLENE BISHOP, an American televangelist with a nationwide following, does not do things by half. When she and her husband Lawrence erected a statue of Jesus on the grounds of their mega-church in Monroe, Ohio, they made it 19 metres high. No less gargantuan are her claims about the power of prayer to overcome illness. Through a series of sermons, books and a television show, Sisters, broadcast on religious satellite channels throughout the US and abroad, she preaches that God has the power to heal even the most deadly diseases, including cancer. But the claim is now the subject of...

December 5, 2006 – (www.joelosteen.com) America’s “Most Watched Pastor” Joel Osteen will be featured on Barbara Walters Presents: "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006". The annual hour-long ABC news special highlights some of the year's most prominent names in entertainment, politics, sports and business. Joel Osteen is the first pastor to be featured on the program, which is scheduled to air Tuesday, December 12, 10:00 PM ET on the ABC Television Network. Joel Osteen is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, which has...

Two of the most prominent faces in American televangelism, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Fort Worth, preach the gospel of financial prosperity. But News Eight learned some former business associates are wondering why that gospel didn't apply to everyone in the flock. The people who ran Affordable Homes Limited said it was just about to take off when the Copelands suddenly backed out and left tens of thousands of dollars of debt. While limited partners like the Copelands have no financial obligation to pay the company's debts, the question being asked by creditors is how do the Copelands later pay...

by Mark Finkelstein March 16, 2006 You'd think that of all days, they'd be believers over at Today this morning. After all, they were blessed with presidential poll numbers for which they were surely praying. Numbers so low that Matt Lauer, Tim Russert et. al could spend an extended first segment reveling in them. Ironically, in sowing some GOP dissent, Lauer even used the language of religion, suggesting the low numbers were "a blessing in disguise" for congressional Republicans because "they can look and say I don't have a popular president here, I can turn my back on that President."...

On eve of fraud trial, Christian investors say they were betrayed When Gregory Setser's import empire came crashing down two years ago, little was left to pay back hundreds of investors and church groups who funded his International Product Investment Corp. with at least $160 million. Big-name evangelists and everyday churchgoers are among those who were invited to invest in a plan to import cheap, foreign-made goods for pre-arranged sales to retailers like Garden Ridge, Kmart, Michaels and Pier 1. But what remained after the Securities and Exchange Commission shut the company down serves as testament to the lavish California...

You guys hear the latest on Mr. Robertson, Apparently he is being sued by Hugo Chavez. (CBS/AP) President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that his government may ask the United States to extradite U.S. religious broadcaster Pat Robertson to Venezuela for suggesting American agents should kill him. Earlier Sunday, Rev. Jesse Jackson offered support for Chavez, saying the televangelist's call for the Venezuelan leader's assassination was a criminal act. The U.S. civil rights leader, who is on a four-day visit to Venezuela, called Robertson's statements "immoral" and "illegal." He urged U.S. authorities to take action, and said the U.S. government must...

CARACAS, Venezuela, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday his government would take legal action against Pat Robertson and potentially seek his extradition after the U.S. evangelist called for Washington to assassinate the South American leader. Robertson, who later apologized for the remark, said he was expressing his frustration with Chavez's constant accusations against the administration of President George W. Bush. "I announce that my government is going to take legal action in the United States ... to call for the assassination of a head of state is an act of terrorism." Chavez said in a...

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson called on Monday for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, calling him a "terrific danger" to the United States. Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, said on "The 700 Club" it was the United States' duty to stop Chavez from making Venezuela a "launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism." Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Bush, accusing the United States of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have...

RALEIGH, N.C. Former televangelist Tammy Faye Messner says cancer has returned to her lungs, marking her third battle with the illness. Messner was first diagnosed with colon cancer nearly a decade ago. Last year she announced that the disease had spread to her lungs, where it has since reappeared. Messner says she's "not worried ... not afraid," adding: "By the third time you have cancer, you begin to think about your mortality." Despite her ailment, Messner is planning to continue traveling the country to give inspirational talks. The former Tammy Faye Bakker divorced Jim Bakker in 1992 while he was...

STARVATION: DAY 7 Minister to Jeb Bush: Disobey court order D. James Kennedy says governor must 'disregard' judge to save Terri Posted: March 24, 2005 5:00 p.m. Eastern With all legal remedies apparently exhausted, a prominent evangelical Christian leader is urging Jeb Bush to disobey a judge's order barring the Florida governor from intervening to save the life of Terri Schiavo. In a statement shortly after Judge George Greer's decision today, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., minister D. James Kennedy pointed to Bush "as the only legal authority who can save the life of Terri Schiavo. " Kennedy, president of Coral Ridge...

Televangelist Paul Crouch, founder of the world's largest Christian broadcasting network, has waged a fierce legal battle to prevent a former employee from publicizing allegations that he and Crouch had a sexual encounter eight years ago. Crouch, 70, is the president of Trinity Broadcasting Network, based in Orange County, whose Christian programming reaches millions of viewers around the world via satellite, cable and broadcast stations. The source of the allegations against him is Enoch Lonnie Ford, who met Crouch at a TBN-affiliated drug treatment center in 1991 and later went to work for the ministry. After Ford threatened to sue...

Repent, sinners. Your Macintosh is a tool to promote Godless Communism and anti-Creationist "propaganda", according to an article at OBJECTIVE: Christian Ministries. Dr. Richard Paley, apparently "a teacher of Divinity and Theobiology at Fellowship University," starts out with discussions of the PBS series Evolution and Pokemon, and goes on to say: However, these propagandists aren't just targeting the young. Take for example Apple Computers, makers of the popular Macintosh line of computers. The real operating system hiding under the newest version of the Macintosh operating system (MacOS X) is called... Darwin! That's right, new Macs are based on Darwinism! While...