Interesting article on the need for Apostolic TV..

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Newman

The "key trivia" is irrelevant to her compelling and well-written argument.

It is well written but rather being in advocation of television it exposes the obligation this pastor and church family had to this dear saint. With all the tapes and cd's available and young suppose to be preachers sitting around Pentecostal churches this is an indictment to them. When I started preaching my pastor sent me to the rest homes weekly. We sang and preached and visited. I would hate to think God had this neglect on my record. This congregation does not need a television program they need a good praying through to see their obligations to widows and shut ins. The tube will not and cannot ease the conscience of what the church should be doing PERSONALLY.
Cancel a golf game I suggest and church outing and do what God commanded to do to 'visit widows in their afflictions.'

[OP_Carl]

Elder Epley,

EXACTLY.

Carl

Originally Posted by OP_Carl

It's a valid argument that completely ignores some key trivia:

Less than 1% of people watch "religious" television programming.

Approximately 95% of people who watch religious programming believe themselves to be already "saved."

Those who have gone before us into the world of television ministry, and fallen spectacularly, have indelibly muddied the waters. In the minds of the secular population, all TV preachers are fake, hypocritical money-grabbers. ALL of them.

We are only fooling ourselves if we think we can get on the airwaves and be perceived as different by the world. A good deal of what talent is on TV now was trained in the UPC.

Usually, people need to feel the presence and power of God, and the warm welcome of the saints, to be reached. Apostolic services on television will be borderline entertainment for the saints and the topic of abject ridicule for the unsaved.

In the end, television will merely consume resources of time, talent, energy, and lots of money that could have been used to greater effect building bible schools on missions fields - all the while stirring controversy and division to distract the congregation's attention from more important matters.

Sounds like you are more worried about your reputation than exhausting all means to communicate the Gospel.

If it lead ONE person to Jesus wouldn't it be worth it? If it lead or compelled someone to tell someone else or lead them to the Lord, wouldn't it be worth it?

What is the worth of one soul? Can you be so sure it won't be effective to reach that ONE soul?

I think your post characterizes the entire mentality of reputation above all things, including souls.

[OP_Carl]

Originally Posted by Chewy

Sounds like you are more worried about your reputation than exhausting all means to communicate the Gospel.

If it lead ONE person to Jesus wouldn't it be worth it? If it lead or compelled someone to tell someone else or lead them to the Lord, wouldn't it be worth it?

What is the worth of one soul? Can you be so sure it won't be effective to reach that ONE soul?

I think your post characterizes the entire mentality of reputation above all things, including souls.

Well, I really wasn't thinking about reputation. But you may have a point.

What I am giving here is an estimation that it won't be effective. All we're going to get, when we're on the air, are a bunch of baptists and charismatics yelling at the TV about grace, trinity, and pharisees. The lost aren't going to tune in. The ones that do are going to assume we're just like all the rest.

The money and effort is better spent on other venues of outreach.

It's also going to introduce some funny quirks, such as pastors admonishing their saints to not believe everything they see on TV, except on channel 9 between 10 and noon. Don't let television influence your life, unless it's my program. I think it's funny already!

[NLYP]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

It is well written but rather being in advocation of television it exposes the obligation this pastor and church family had to this dear saint. With all the tapes and cd's available and young suppose to be preachers sitting around Pentecostal churches this is an indictment to them. When I started preaching my pastor sent me to the rest homes weekly. We sang and preached and visited. I would hate to think God had this neglect on my record. This congregation does not need a television program they need a good praying through to see their obligations to widows and shut ins. The tube will not and cannot ease the conscience of what the church should be doing PERSONALLY.
Cancel a golf game I suggest and church outing and do what God commanded to do to 'visit widows in their afflictions.'

So you are saying that they should be there 24/7????
Seems to me having a 24/7 church program would be alot more conveient for all those involved.
I know I would not want my Pastor over all day everyday.

[NLYP]

Originally Posted by Chewy

Sounds like you are more worried about your reputation than exhausting all means to communicate the Gospel.

If it lead ONE person to Jesus wouldn't it be worth it? If it lead or compelled someone to tell someone else or lead them to the Lord, wouldn't it be worth it?

What is the worth of one soul? Can you be so sure it won't be effective to reach that ONE soul?

I think your post characterizes the entire mentality of reputation above all things, including souls.

BRAVO CHEWY BRAVO!!!!!

[South of I 90]

Great article, even if it is over 4 years old!

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by NLYP

So you are saying that they should be there 24/7????
Seems to me having a 24/7 church program would be alot more conveient for all those involved.
I know I would not want my Pastor over all day everyday.

I have no clue what you are asking?????????????????????????

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

Originally Posted by Chewy

Sounds like you are more worried about your reputation than exhausting all means to communicate the Gospel.

If it lead ONE person to Jesus wouldn't it be worth it? If it lead or compelled someone to tell someone else or lead them to the Lord, wouldn't it be worth it?

What is the worth of one soul? Can you be so sure it won't be effective to reach that ONE soul?

I think your post characterizes the entire mentality of reputation above all things, including souls.

This strawman would hold credulance more so if those on TV were having sweeping numbers due to TV alone as outreach.

Even business marketing will tell you the best form of growth is one-on-one referrals. TV is expensive and about as effective as direct maill 1 % of saturation.

Originally Posted by OP_Carl

It's a valid argument that completely ignores some key trivia:

Less than 1% of people watch "religious" television programming.

Approximately 95% of people who watch religious programming believe themselves to be already "saved."

Those who have gone before us into the world of television ministry, and fallen spectacularly, have indelibly muddied the waters. In the minds of the secular population, all TV preachers are fake, hypocritical money-grabbers. ALL of them.

We are only fooling ourselves if we think we can get on the airwaves and be perceived as different by the world. A good deal of what talent is on TV now was trained in the UPC.

Usually, people need to feel the presence and power of God, and the warm welcome of the saints, to be reached. Apostolic services on television will be borderline entertainment for the saints and the topic of abject ridicule for the unsaved.

In the end, television will merely consume resources of time, talent, energy, and lots of money that could have been used to greater effect building bible schools on missions fields - all the while stirring controversy and division to distract the congregation's attention from more important matters.

Shhhh! Let them live the dream.