TV Evangelists- any harm done?

[Andyindauk]

Right, I'm not talking about all TV evangelists, just most, and yes, the biggest names. There are of course a few really good preachers that know their stuff and deliver a really powerful, uplifting and meaty service every time. At the opposite end of the spectrum there's a plethora of others. Some seem to have little of any consequence to say so they screach meaningless clichés down their microphone instead. Others deliver what I call a McDonald's milkshake service. The large McDonald's milkshake delivers 16 teaspoons of sugar and over 800 calories, so if you like your sermon sickly sweet, and being 'spiritually obese' isn't something that you worry about, then scroll through the religious channels and you'll see that 90% of the content falls into one of the above two categories.

My question is this, are they doing any harm? This is what Paul says:

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. Philippians 1:15‭-‬18 NKJV

In your opinion, are such programmes tantamount to false prophecy?

Your thoughts appreciated,

 

[Reba1]

Right, I'm not talking about all TV evangelists, just most, and yes, the biggest names. There are of course a few really good preachers that know their stuff and deliver a really powerful, uplifting and meaty service every time. At the opposite end of the spectrum there's a plethora of others. Some seem to have little of any consequence to say so they screach meaningless clichés down their microphone instead. Others deliver what I call a McDonald's milkshake service. The large McDonald's milkshake delivers 16 teaspoons of sugar and over 800 calories, so if you like your sermon sickly sweet, and being 'spiritually obese' isn't something that you worry about, then scroll through the religious channels and you'll see that 90% of the content falls into one of the above two categories.

My question is this, are they doing any harm? This is what Paul says:

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. Philippians 1:15‭-‬18 NKJV

In your opinion, are such programmes tantamount to false prophecy?

Your thoughts appreciated,

Yes

 

[Hekuran]

More harm than good for the most part. The model of church I see in the new testament (and the most effective throughout church history) is small groups of believers living in community that's centred around Jesus and extending God's grace in their neighbourhood.

The work of every Christian is to point others to Jesus. I am concerned that many high profile Christians appear to put their energy into building their own following and reputation (and wealth) rather than directing others to Jesus.

There are excellent teachers and preachers with global audiences that I appreciate follow myself -- but even these cannot be a substitute for the rather ordinary christians who I walk alongside in my local church -- we know each other, pray together, share in the joys and disappointment of life, and keep each other in check as we follow Jesus.

 

[Rhema]

Right, I'm not talking about all TV evangelists, just most, and yes, the biggest names.

Not just TV. Recall the massive destruction and devastation wrought upon innumerable lives caused by Family Radio founder Harold Camping.

Watch Wheat and Tares | Prime Video

What happens when the world ends? For Harold Camping and his followers on May 21st 2011 the saved would go to heaven and the damned would spend the rest of eternity in gloom. Without any doubt about the coming apocalypse they spend their life's savings, quit their jobs and clash with those who...

www.amazon.com

But isn't radio and TV just a mirror of what is happening throughout Christendom?

Rhema

PS: And TV is insignificant when compared to YouTube, where now it is claimed (over and over and over) that one must believe the earth is flat in order to be saved. This should be taken very seriously. I now keep running into people like that in real life.

 

[Rhema]

The work of every Christian is to point others to Jesus. I am concerned that many high profile Christians appear to put their energy into building their own following and reputation (and wealth) rather than directing others to Jesus.

A church exists to meet the needs of believers, a cult exists to meed the needs of the leader.

Rhema

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.​

(1 Thessalonians 5:11 KJV)​

 

[MrBear]

The lord had a couple of tests in the Bible his law of measuring the fruit of prophets this never changes
Deuteronomy 13
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams,appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the signs or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet
Deuteronomy 18
If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lordhas not spoken
i encourage you to use this test for anyone that preaches or claims to speak for the lord
There are many false prophets in the form of tv evangelists
Even people like this can be used for good if they bring you closer to god because the lies are oftentimes mixed with the truth that is a trick the enemy uses a lot it is up to you to pick the truth from the false teaching and use it against the enemy
I have used popular evangelist for my benefit I took the truth but rejected the false teaching
Like a person that studies counterfeit money they don’t study the counterfeit they study the real money they know it back-and-forth and upside down so when they do see a counterfeit they know right away that’s not the real thing that’s why we need to study the Bible to know the truth and be able to use the TRUTH to fight the fake

 

[Rhema]

Deuteronomy 18
If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lordhas not spoken
i encourage you to use this test for anyone that preaches or claims to speak for the lord

And yet I know of a rather large church denomination down in the VA area that categorically states that Jesus gave a wrong prophecy - a prophecy that did not come true.

I still find that troublesome.

Rhema

 

[MrBear]

And yet I know of a rather large church denomination down in the VA area that categorically states that Jesus gave a wrong prophecy - a prophecy that did not come true.

I still find that troublesome.

Rhema

I hadn’t heard that one but if they preach that Jesus was a false prophet than it is bearing bad fruit
I hope the congregation can use the dueteronomy test to leave there at once for the sake of thier soul
Shalom

 

[Rhema]

I hadn’t heard that one but if they preach that Jesus was a false prophet than it is bearing bad fruit

It's a bit bizarre, but they adamantly declare that giving a failed prophecy or a "wrong" prophecy that was not fulfilled doesn't mean that Jesus was a false prophet.

Here's the verse:

But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.​

(Luke 9:27 KJV)​

But I tell you truly, there are some of those who stand here who will absolutely not taste of death until they see the Kingdom of God.”​

(Luke 9:27 REV)​

They openly preach that this prophecy of Jesus did not come to pass. (But yet Jesus is not a false prophet... go figure.)

Digging further, I believe the group is called "The Way International."
(Sorry, these are out of Ohio - trying to find the local group in VA.)
And I see their "About" page has a mistranslation of 2 Tim. 3:16.

Okay, the fellow I know is part of a home church somewhere in VA, and is heavily into the REV Bible:

The Revised English Version® (REV®) is a translation produced by Spirit & Truth Fellowship International®.

https://www.revbible.org/

Rhema
(All I got for now.)

 

[MrBear]

It's a bit bizarre, but they adamantly declare that giving a failed prophecy or a "wrong" prophecy that was not fulfilled doesn't mean that Jesus was a false prophet.

Here's the verse:

But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.​

(Luke 9:27 KJV)​

But I tell you truly, there are some of those who stand here who will absolutely not taste of death until they see the Kingdom of God.”​

(Luke 9:27 REV)​

They openly preach that this prophecy of Jesus did not come to pass. (But yet Jesus is not a false prophet... go figure.)

Digging further, I believe the group is called "The Way International."
(Sorry, these are out of Ohio - trying to find the local group in VA.)
And I see their "About" page has a mistranslation of 2 Tim. 3:16.

Okay, the fellow I know is part of a home church somewhere in VA, and is heavily into the REV Bible:

https://www.revbible.org/

Rhema
(All I got for now.)

From what I gathered it was a bad translation
Jesus was referring to the transfiguration. The Greek word translated "kingdom" can also be translated "royal splendor," meaning that the three disciples standing there would see Christ as He really is—the King of heaven—which occurred in the transfiguration. Which took place 6 days later
this can happen when translating from Greek text

 

[Reba1]

Way too often the truth of Scripter depends on mans verson of his own theology

 

[Rhema]

The Greek word translated "kingdom" can also be translated "royal splendor,"

Interesting.

I find two entries in the Liddell Scott for βασιλειαν (G932 - βασιλεία) and neither list "royal splendor".

LINK 1 - Kingdom
LINK 2 - Queen, princess.

Neither is "royal splendor" a gloss listed in The Cambridge Greek Lexicon. (No link is available... I'm looking at the book right now.) Plutarch used the word βασιλειον to mean Royal Treasury.

Might I ask where your definition came from?

Thanks,
Rhema

 

[MrBear]

Interesting.

I find two entries in the Liddell Scott for βασιλειαν (G932 - βασιλεία) and neither list "royal splendor".

LINK 1 - Kingdom
LINK 2 - Queen, princess.

Neither is "royal splendor" a gloss listed in The Cambridge Greek Lexicon. (No link is available... I'm looking at the book right now.) Plutarch used the word βασιλειον to mean Royal Treasury.

Might I ask where your definition came from?

Thanks,
Rhema

Sure!
Looked it up at

Kingdom of God - New World Encyclopedia

www.newworldencyclopedia.org

I can see the confusion of the word as many debates have been done over the context of the meaning
It’s common for translations in the Bible have sometimes caused problems
That’s a lot why we have so many denominations today
Shalom
I must admit I was about to go to bed when I quickly looked up if it could have been misinterpreted so the actual site was

Was Jesus’ statement that “some who are standing here will not taste death” in Luke 9:27 (also Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1) incorrect? | GotQuestions.org

In Luke 9:27 Jesus says: 'I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.' None of the disciples were taken up to heaven without dying, were they? What does Christ mean by that statement?

www.gotquestions.org

 

[MrBear]

I mentioned the different denominations and as I sleep I like to listen to biblical podcasts and sermons
The lord had good timing because last night he inspired me to click this podcast of a round table discussion between people who were part of different denominations
Jehovas witness
Southern Baptist
One was from the occult
And the theme was how gods word led them all to the truth of gods word

Praise the lord for his guidance
It still amazes me that he can use even the smallest things to give you his message
Shalom

 

[Rhema]

Sure!
Looked it up at

I much appreciate the link to "New World Encyclopedia" but neither the words "royal" nor "splendor" are in the article. And I note:

This project transcends the metaphysical assumptions of both the Enlightenment and Modern Encyclopedias.

The originator of this project is Sun Myung Moon.

NWE editors and contributors promote the ideal of joy and universal happiness through the realization of human responsibility toward self-creation,

Sorry, can't take the guy seriously. And "self-creation" is rather New Age.

I can see the confusion of the word as many debates have been done over the context of the meaning
It’s common for translations in the Bible have sometimes caused problems

Especially when one makes up definitions such as "royal splendor" eh?

I learned nearly 50 years ago to not trust translations, so I now read the Greek directly.

so the actual site was

Well I don't trust "gotquestions dot org" anymore than I can throw the Pope. To me, it's a bunch of jumbled up cobbled together half excuses that don't make sense most of the time, as evidenced here:

From "gotquestions":

The Greek word translated "kingdom" can also be translated "royal splendor,"

No it can't.

And this is just one more piece of nonsense that has no academic support. (I've never understood why people have to make crap up.)

As far as my views on the Kingdom, I find it fulfilled here: (and it has nothing to do with the transfiguration) -

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.​

(Matthew 28:18 KJV)​

... a testimony to both king and kingdom.

Rhema

 

[Rhema]

I mentioned the different denominations and as I sleep I like to listen to biblical podcasts and sermons
The lord had good timing because last night he inspired me to click this podcast of a round table discussion between people who were part of different denominations
Jehovas witness
Southern Baptist
One was from the occult
And the theme was how gods word led them all to the truth of gods word

And yet I can guarantee you that none of these people actually know the accurate definition of "God's Word".

(But that's a discussion for a later time.)

Rhema

 

[MrBear]

And yet I can guarantee you that none of these people actually know the accurate definition of "God's Word".

(But that's a discussion for a later time.)

Rhema

I appreciate the feedback
Shalom

 

[MrBear]

And yet I can guarantee you that none of these people actually know the accurate definition of "God's Word".

(But that's a discussion for a later time.)

Rhema

Wow god is amazing it “ just so happens that right this moment my fav podcasters are live talking about this very subject

See how god is amazingly helpful
I can’t watch it live right now but will catch it tomorrow on vod
Might give me some insight into this subject as these guys go deep into the word
Shalom

 

[Hitch]

If you ever watched Gene Scott you know the answer