Televangelism

== Controversies and criticism ==
Televangelists frequently draw criticism from other Christian ministers. For example, preacher [[John F. MacArthur|John MacArthur]] published a number of articles in December 2009 that were highly critical of some televangelists.

{{blockquote|text=Someone needs to say this plainly: The faith healers and health-and-wealth preachers who dominate religious television are shameless frauds. Their message is not the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is nothing spiritual or miraculous about their on-stage chicanery. It is all a devious ruse designed to take advantage of desperate people. They are not Godly ministers but greedy impostors who corrupt the Word of God for money's sake. They are not real pastors who shepherd the flock of God but hirelings whose only design is to fleece the sheep. Their love of money is glaringly obvious in what they say as well as how they live. They claim to possess great spiritual power, but in reality they are rank materialists and enemies of everything holy.|sign=[[John F. MacArthur|John MacArthur]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gty.org/Blog/B091207|title=A Colossal Fraud|website=Grace to You}}</ref>}}

Similarly, [[Ole Anthony]] wrote very critically of televangelists in 1994.<ref>[http://www.trinityfi.org/investigations/roots_corruption.html Corruption in Televangelism and Paganism in the American Church]. September 23, 1994. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812112353/http://www.trinityfi.org/investigations/roots_corruption.html |date=August 12, 2013 }}</ref>

A proportion of their methods and theology are held by some to be conflicting with Christian doctrine taught in long existing traditionalist congregations. Many televangelists are featured by "discernment ministries" run by other Christians that are concerned about what they perceive as departures from sound Christian doctrine.

* Many televangelists exist outside the structures of Christian denominations, meaning that they are not accountable to anyone.
* The financial practices of many televangelists are unclear. A 2003 survey by the ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]'' indicated that only one out of the 17 televangelists researched were members of the [[Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.trinityfi.org/press/JoyceMeyer4.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523062020/http://www.trinityfi.org/press/JoyceMeyer4.html |archive-date=2010-05-23 }}</ref>
* The [[prosperity gospel]] taught by many televangelists promises material, financial, physical, and spiritual success to believers, which can run counter to several aspects of Christian teaching that warn of suffering for following Christ and recommend surrendering one's material possessions ''(see: [[Jesus and the rich young man]])''.
* Some televangelists have significant personal wealth and own large properties, luxury cars, and various transportation vehicles such as private aircraft or ministry aircraft. This is seen by critics to be contradictory to traditional Christian thinking.<ref>See, for example, {{cite web |url=http://www.fox8live.com/news/local/story/duplantis-mille-tax-problems-ministries-zurik/w8ceY7VaLUW7QV2Gvy9WMg.cspx |title=Lee Zurik Investigation: Could ministries face IRS issues? - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8 |access-date=2010-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530052353/http://www.fox8live.com/news/local/story/duplantis-mille-tax-problems-ministries-zurik/w8ceY7VaLUW7QV2Gvy9WMg.cspx |archive-date=2010-05-30 }}</ref>
* Televangelism requires substantial amounts of money to produce programs and purchase airtime on cable and satellite networks. Televangelists devote time to fundraising activities. Products such as books, CDs, DVDs, and trinkets are promoted to viewers.
* Televangelists claim to be reaching millions of people worldwide with the gospel and producing numerous converts to [[Christianity]]. However, such claims are difficult to verify independently and are often disputed.<ref>Calvin L Smith wrote at http://www.calvinlsmith.com/2010/05/televangelism.html, "Thus, despite a clear market demand for religious broadcasting... the evidence is that, ironically, the medium actually wins very few converts and is completely ineffective as an evangelistic tool. Instead religious broadcasting is primarily aimed at and viewed by Christians..."</ref>
* Several televangelists have been very active in the national or international political arena (e.g., [[Pat Robertson]], [[Jerry Falwell]], [[Jimmy Swaggart]], [[John Hagee]]), and often espouse [[conservative]] politics on their programs. Such televangelists may occasionally arouse controversy by making remarks deemed offensive on their programs or elsewhere, or by endorsing partisan political candidates on donor-paid airtime, which runs afoul of the [[Johnson Amendment]]'s ban on [[501(c)(3) organization|tax-exempt organizations]] supporting or opposing candidates for political office.

===Senate probe===
In 2007, [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Chuck Grassley]] opened a probe into the finances of six televangelists who preach a "[[prosperity gospel]]".<ref>{{cite press release|url = https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-seeks-information-six-media-based-ministries |title = Grassley seeks information from six media-based ministries|date = 6 November 2007|access-date = 4 July 2018|url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705093921/https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-seeks-information-six-media-based-ministries |archive-date = 5 July 2018}}</ref> The probe investigated reports of lavish lifestyles by televangelists including fleets of [[Rolls-Royce (car)|Rolls-Royces]], palatial mansions, private jets, and other expensive items purportedly paid for by television viewers who donate due to the ministries' encouragement of offerings. The six that were investigated are:

*[[Kenneth Copeland|Kenneth]] and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas;
*[[Creflo Dollar]] and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Georgia;
*[[Benny Hinn]] of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas;
*[[Eddie L. Long]] of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Georgia; "DocuSeries – Sex Scandals  and Religion" did a 2011 investigative episode on his alleged sexual misconduct<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.earthbook.tv/religion/channelhome/channelvideos/150/630/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529025257/http://www.earthbook.tv/religion/channelhome/channelvideos/150/630/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 May 2011 |title=Sex Scandals In Religion – Ep. 4: IN THE NAME OF THE LORD |publisher=Earthbook.tv |access-date=20 October 2011 }}</ref>
*[[Joyce Meyer]] and David Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Missouri and
*Randy White and ex-wife [[Paula White]] of the Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa.<ref>{{cite news|agency=The Associated Press |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-11-07-televangelist-probe_N.htm |title=Sen. Grassley probes televangelists' finances |work=USA Today |date=7 November 2007 |access-date=20 October 2011}}</ref>

On January 6, 2011 Grassley released his review of the six ministries response to his inquiry. He called for a further congressional review of tax-exemption laws for religious groups.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://finance.senate.gov/newsroom/ranking/release/?id=5fa343ed-87eb-49b0-82b9-28a9502910f7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108051906/http://finance.senate.gov/newsroom/ranking/release/?id=5fa343ed-87eb-49b0-82b9-28a9502910f7 |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 January 2011 |title=The United States Senate Committee on Finance: Newsroom – Ranking Member's News |publisher=Finance.senate.gov |date=6 January 2011 |access-date=20 October 2011}}</ref>