TBN Inspire

{{short description|Christian broadcast television network}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = TBN Inspire
| logo = TBN Inspire Logo.png
| logo_size = 
| logo_caption = 
| image = 
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2002|1|14|}}
| closed_date = {{End date and age|2024|02|25}} (Australia, Foxtel feed)
| picture_format = {{ubl|[[720p]] [[High-definition television|HDTV]]|(downscaled to [[480i]]/[[576i]] for the [[SDTV]] feed)}}
| owner = [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| area = United States, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Isles
| headquarters = [[Tustin, California]]
| former_names = The Church Channel (2002–2016)<br/>Hillsong Channel (2016–2022)
| sister_channels = {{Plainlist|
* [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]]
* [[Positiv]]
* [[Smile (TV network)|Smile]]
* [[TBN Enlace USA]]
* [[TBN Salsa]]
}}
| timeshift_service = 
| website = {{URL|tbninspire.org}}
| terr_serv_1 = Available on full-power and some low-power stations in most markets in the U.S.
| terr_chan_1 = x.3 on most TBN [[owned-and-operated stations|owned-and-operated]] stations and affiliates; check local listings for stations
| online_serv_1 = Watch TBN
| online_chan_1 = [https://watch.tbn.org/live-channels/videos/tbn-inspire TBN Inspire]<br/>(free account required)
}}

'''TBN Inspire''' is an American Christian [[terrestrial television|broadcast]] [[television network]] owned by the [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] (TBN). It is carried on the [[digital subchannel]]s of TBN's stations.

The network originally launched as '''The Church Channel''', which focused on carrying [[brokered programming|brokered]] broadcasts of various Christian church services. In 2016, the network was re-launched as a broadcast feed of '''Hillsong Channel'''—a [[joint venture]] with the [[Hillsong Church]], which added its services and original programming to the schedule. In 2022, the network rebranded again as TBN Inspire, maintaining the same format.

== History ==
The network originally launched on January 14, 2002, as '''The Church Channel''', which was devoted primarily to carrying church service programs from various Christian ministries and denominations, often under [[brokered programming|brokered]] arrangements.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/2009/12/29/tbn-to-stop-carrying-coral-ridge-hour|title=TBN to stop carrying 'Coral Ridge Hour'|website=The Gazette|access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Hillsong Channel Logo.png|thumb|left|150px|Network logo for Hillsong Channel from June 1, 2016, until December 31, 2021.]]
On March 9, 2016, TBN announced a partnership with the [[Sydney]]-based international congregation [[Hillsong Church]], that would see The Church Channel re-branded as the '''Hillsong Channel'''—a network devoted to its ministry, teaching, and [[Contemporary worship music|worship music]]. Hillsong founder [[Brian Houston]] stated that the channel would be a "Christ-centred, Bible-based television channel that changes mindsets and empowers people to lead and impact in every sphere of life", and would be "constantly looking towards the future–filled with a vision that inspires and influences many."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hillsong Launches 24/7 TV Channel Featuring Music, Bible Teaching |url=https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/hillsong-launches-24-7-tv-channel-featuring-music-bible-teaching.html |access-date=January 11, 2019 |website=ChristianHeadlines.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Paulson |first=Michael |date=September 9, 2014 |title=Megachurch With a Beat Lures a Young Flock |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/10/us/hillsong-megachurch-with-a-beat-lures-a-young-flock.html |access-date=January 11, 2019 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hillsong Church launches 'life-changing' new 24/7 TV channel |url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/hillsong-church-launches-life-changing-new-24-7-tv-channel/87321.htm |access-date=January 11, 2019 |website=ChristianToday.com |date=June 2016 |language=en}}</ref> The new channel officially launched June 1, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/hillsong-launches-24-7-tv-channel-featuring-music-bible-teaching.html|title=Hillsong Launches 24/7 TV Channel Featuring Music, Bible Teaching|website=ChristianHeadlines.com|access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/10/us/hillsong-megachurch-with-a-beat-lures-a-young-flock.html|title=Megachurch With a Beat Lures a Young Flock|last=Paulson|first=Michael|date=September 9, 2014|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 11, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/hillsong-church-launches-life-changing-new-24-7-tv-channel/87321.htm|title=Hillsong Church launches 'life-changing' new 24/7 TV channel|website=ChristianToday.com|date=June 2016 |language=en|access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref> An over-the-top subscription service, '''Hillsong Channel Now''', launched in November 2017.

On January 1, 2022, the US feed of the network was rebranded as TBN Inspire, with no change in programming. TBN stated in a notice to carriage providers that the change was intended to "speak more clearly to how we are programming the network".<ref name="tbn_inspire_pr">{{cite press release|title=Hillsong will become TBN Inspire on January 1, 2022|publisher=TBN/National Cable Television Cooperative|date=November 18, 2021|url=https://www.nctconline.org/index.php/members/resources/technical-notices/item/1814-hillsong-will-become-tbn-inspire-on-january-1-2022|access-date=November 27, 2021}}</ref>

The international Hillsong Channel operations and the Hillsong Channel Now online service were initially unaffected by the January 2022 rebrand in the United States. However, following Hillsong Church's internal investigation over the alleged inappropriate behavior against women by co-founder Brian Houston, and his subsequent resignation as the church's senior global pastor in March 2022,<ref name="alexander2022" /><ref name="knowles2022" /> TBN began rebranding its linear Hillsong Channel operations outside the US as TBN Inspire as well beginning April 2022, and removed Hillsong programming from their schedule (with a version operated by TBN Pacific, which is available in Australia, following suit on April 28). The Hillsong Channel website and Hillsong Channel Now service, as operated by the church, remained operational until 2023 with the website redirecting to the Hillsong Church and the service removed from app marketplaces respectively.

On February 25, 2024, the channel was removed from the [[Foxtel]] platform.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 11, 2024 |title=Foxtel for Your Business |url=https://www.foxtel.com.au/business/your-business.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223213751/https://www.foxtel.com.au/business/your-business.html |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |access-date=February 23, 2024 |website=[[Foxtel]]}}</ref>

== Programming ==
TBN Inspire programs a mix of original programming and outside [[televangelism]]. 

=== As Hillsong Channel ===
Shows not produced by Hillsong or TBN were billed as "partner programs".
* [[Hillsong Church]] Services from worldwide Hillsong congregations, including London, Sydney, New York and Los Angeles.
* ''Best of [[Hillsong Conference]]''
* [[Hillsong Conference]] Live
* ''What Do You See? with Robert Fergusson''
* ''[[Brian Houston (pastor)|Brian Houston]] TV''
* [[Colour Conference]]'': Main Stage, Green Room, The Edition''
* ''Chapel: The College Experience'' – Services and stories from the [[Hillsong International Leadership College]]
* ''What's Cooking with [[Hillsong Young & Free|Young & Free]]'' – Cooking series with a comedic bent
* ''Hillsong Kids: A Big Life'' – Children's programme for ages 6–12
* ''Hillsong Kids Jr Cubby House'' – Children's programme for ages 3–5
* ''Sex, Love, and Relationships''
* "Worship by Hillsong" – Music videos by [[Hillsong United]], [[Hillsong Worship]], and [[Hillsong Young & Free]]
* Pastor Robert Morris Ministries (sermons from [[Gateway Church (Texas)|Gateway Church]])
* [[Elevation Church]]
* [[Joel Osteen]]
* [[Enjoying Everyday Life]]

Hillsong Channel also aired specials documentaries, other worship programming and music programming such as a special around ''[[Let There Be Light (album)|Let There Be Light]]'', along with other Hillsong events and short series.

== Availability ==
TBN Inspire is available over-the-air on [[digital subchannel]]s of TBN stations, and via select U.S. cable providers, [[Dish Network]], [[Glorystar]] ([[free-to-air]] [[Galaxy 19]]) and [[DirecTV]], in the UK and Ireland on Sky and in many nations around the world via [[Satellite dish|direct-to-home satellite]], such as ABS1 to India and the Middle East, [[Hot Bird]] satellite to Europe, and [[Agila 2]] satellite both C-band and Ku-Band signal in Asia and the Philippines. The network also livestreams its programming on its official website, along with TBN's streaming apps.

In late May 2019, Olympusat, the main provider of TBN's networks to cable providers in the United States (including [[Spectrum (cable service)|Spectrum]] and [[Xfinity]]), discontinued carriage of the network, thus affecting carriage of Hillsong Channel to those systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eastlongmeadowma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=704|title=Charter Communications - Upcoming Changes|date=May 30, 2019|publisher=City of [[Longmeadow, Massachusetts]]|access-date=May 30, 2019}}</ref>

===International versions===
====TBN Asia version====

At around 2017, selected provincial cable operators in the Philippines carried the Hillsong Channel along with TBN Asia.<ref>{{cite web|title=TBN Asia - Apr. 2017|url=https://www.tbn.org/sites/default/files/TBN%20Asia%20-%20Apr.%202017.pdf|date=April 30, 2017|access-date=October 7, 2023}}</ref> In 2020, Hillsong Channel was launched on SkyCable and Cignal.

On April 1, 2022, it was announced that the Asian feed of Hillsong Channel will rebrand to TBN Inspire on April 8.<ref>{{cite web|title=Scrolling ticker: Hillsong Channel Philippines to rebrand to TBN Inspire Philippines|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_s9mN-EEqM |website=Youtube|date=April 6, 2022|access-date=October 7, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

====TBN Pacific version (Australia, New Zealand and rest of Oceania)====
On July 24, 2016, the IPTV service [[Fetch TV]] began carrying the version of Hillsong Channel as operated by TBN Pacific.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hillsong Channel now available on Fetch TV|url=http://www.christiantoday.com.au/article/hillsong.channel.now.available.on.fetch.tv/22240.htm|work=Christian Today Ministries|date=August 4, 2016|access-date=October 9, 2016}}</ref> On September 11, 2016, it was announced that [[multichannel television]] provider [[Foxtel]] would carry Hillsong Channel on its satellite and cable television services.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hillsong Church - Spiritually Alive, Not Staying Alive|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z8bxFpSbQQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/7z8bxFpSbQQ |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|website=Youtube|publisher=Hillsong Church|access-date=September 14, 2016|date=September 10, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=April 2022}}

In April 2022, it was reported that the particular version would be rebranded as TBN Inspire on April 28, with Hillsong content replaced by TBN original programming (such as ''[[Praise (TV program)|Praise]]''), and other worship music and televangelism programming.<ref>{{Cite news |first=David |last=Knox |title=Hillsong Channel to be dumped from Foxtel |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/04/hillsong-channel-to-be-dumped-from-foxtel.html/ |date=April 11, 2022 |access-date=April 15, 2022 |website=[[TV Tonight]] |language=en-AU}}</ref> The change, along with Australian [[Network 10]]'s removal of Hillsong-produced programs from its schedules,<ref>{{Cite news |first=David |last=Knox |title=Hillsong TV pulled from Channel 10 |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/03/hillsong-tv-pulled-from-channel-10.html/ |date=March 25, 2022 |access-date=15 April 2022 |website=[[TV Tonight]] |language=en-AU}}</ref> came amid controversies involving Brian Houston, who resigned from his position as senior pastor after being indicted in a misconduct investigation by the ministry.<ref name="alexander2022">{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Harriet |date=March 23, 2022 |title=Brian Houston resigns as Hillsong pastor |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/brian-houston-resigns-as-hillsong-pastor-20220323-p5a76y.html |access-date=March 23, 2022 |website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="knowles2022">{{cite web |last=Knowles |first=Lorna |date=March 24, 2022 |title=How Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston's fall from grace played out over five days |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-24/hillsong-church-founder-brian-houston-fall-from-grace/100934680 |access-date=March 24, 2022 |website=ABC News |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|https://www.tbninspire.org}}

{{TBN}}
{{American broadcast television}}
{{Hillsong}}
{{Australian streaming companies}}
{{VOD services}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:TBN Inspire}}
[[Category:Evangelical television networks]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Hillsong Church]]
[[Category:Religious television stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Trinity Broadcasting Network]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2002]]