Televangelists: Hit or Miss (May 22, 2008) It's lame for jealous Christian folks or the faithless folks to condemn televangelists root and branch.There are good ones going bad, bad ones going good- but that's not for us to judge.   And good ones who have always been good. But I'd say it is easier to fool 50 people in your small cult than an international television congregation.   Some of them are brilliant and their preaching so outshines the rest of the preacher ilk that they are hated and reviled by lesser lights. The former euGene Scott comes to mind, a pioneer in the use of media and message. He deliberately provoked the mainstream church, and his histrionics made it possible for more of God's people to hear him preach. I don't begrudge his style- it made other preachers better. What's wrong with a little faith show biz when you preach like him? He backed up any outrageous behavior with outrageously good preaching.  Nobody ever criticized his preaching, and I suspect that his detractors in the church,whom he rudely called some very Babylonian and humorous names did just what he said they did. They borrowed his best teaching and best lines without attribution, while criticizing him publicly for his style.     Some televangelists glow with the love of God and man, like the Apostle of Love Morris Cerullo. Some overcome the fakeness of television and the modern age with a purity of heart that seems too good to be true, but is, like Joel Osteen (folks keep asking me what I think of Joel Osteen, and I say "ask God and I think you'll get a good answer). Some disarm you with their humility and enthusiasm like Jesse Duplantis. Some of them could stop traffic at the Indy 500, like Paula White. She could sell anything, conduct a 24 hour telethon in an hour, and make fasting fun. I suppose Jesus is happy to have her selling him than someone or something else.   Some are not all that handsome or pretty but their preaching cascades and takes you aback, until you give in, and admit "He's right, more often than not anyway. I wish I had the courage to say that." That's John Hagee. Some have fallen, but no more so than others in the same business. It's not the television that brings leaders down. It's Satan himself, who doesn't like competition on his airwaves. Some of them I can't watch, for even a minute. They seem violent, mean, crassly political without the prompting of the Holy Ghost, ambitious, powerful, craven and obsequious all at the same time. But you might like the ones I can't watch. Bully for them. Maybe I'm wrong.   My first hope for televangelism is not that their characters would improve. They are no better or worse than traditional pastors, toiling in relative obscurity. What I hope is that they would use their immense talents and resources to come up with more topics instead of the topic of the day. It makes it look like God has nothing to say beyond how to plant financial seeds and receive blessings from a positive confession. These are valid topics, but I'm hoping to hear about a few more things from God, than the topics du jour.   Having said all that I think radio is still the best and purest medium for preaching. Faith comes by hearing, not by seeing. Seeing your preacher can be a distraction, but you have to listen to get the message on the radio.  Besides I suspect watching preaching on television may be leading us to get used to a variety show-sit com- telethon format, complete with canned jokes, predictable laugh tracks, urgent appeals and way above average singers. I don't think John G. Lake or Smith Wigglesworth, or Oral Roberts or Kathleen Kuhlman needed all the jokiness.   In sum, it's hit or miss with televangelists. Trust your gut. But I'm rooting for them. I trust them more than I trust those with whom they compete with. Real foxes like cable news conglomerates, selling Babylon on credit, requiring shibboleths like democracy equals capitalism, and denouncing anything that doesn't please your average tin man multinational corporation.    Peace Out Brothers and Sisters. We are a long way from "Jesus Saves", but then again maybe not. Love your international televangelist. He or she might be the religious antichrist, or he or she might be the last powerful individual willing to freely speak up for the man-God we call Jesus, on the most powerful medium  known to man.