Christian Ministry Keeps Profiteering TV Prophets Under Close Surveillance
by Allie Martin and Jenni Parker
June 9, 2005
(AgapePress) - The founder of a Texas watchdog organization that monitors television evangelists across the U.S. says many of the donors who give their money to self-appointed "faith healers" are in desperate situations. He is concerned that many of these people may be prone to exploitation by "prosperity gospel" profiteers.Ole Anthony is founder of the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation, a ministry largely made up of people seeking sanctuary from the ravages of homelessness, poverty, and addiction. The Foundation often provides people in crisis with shelter, food, education, or other assistance, such as providing a place to do court-ordered community service or receiving parolees and helping them to forge positive relationships.
Foundation members also work with individuals struggling with financial hardship and instability over the long term, helping the needy secure employment, medical and dental treatment, legal aid, counseling and guidance. However, the organization has become internationally known for one particular ministry focus -- investigative work in exposing the fraud of many nationally known televangelists, many of whom it contends prey on the poorest of the poor.
Anthony says many of the people who come to the Trinity Foundation have given their last dollar to televangelists in hopes of either physical healing or a financial return. That is why the ministry founder spends much of his time monitoring the activities of TV preachers. He says the gospel preached by many of these televangelists is not to be found in scripture.
"Sixty percent of the donor pool for televangelists comes from elderly women," Anthony notes. "Thirty-five percent are what we call a desperation pool -- they've tried everything else. Their son is dying of AIDS, or they have cancer." The remaining percentage, the media minister watchdog points out, "are people that are relatively well off, that want a spiritual justification for their own greed. If their preacher who they listen to is justifying greed, then they feel comfortable with their greed."
Several of the Foundation's members are licensed private investigators with informants and undercover agents in ministries nationwide. Anthony, who has overseen the ministry for more than 20 years, is deeply committed to its ongoing efforts toward exposing frauds who use a Christian platform to exploit people's faith.
The Trinity Foundation spokesman wants to see believers "return to the basic principles of Christianity," he says; a time "when you had the small groups and vulnerability, and you laid down your life for one another and for the poor around you -- not use God as a heavenly lottery. That's just goofy."
Still, in an age when so many people would rather watch a TV preacher than read the Bible for themselves, Anthony says it is easy to understand why many Christians get taken in by the claims of so-called faith healers and self-proclaimed prophets who are only out for profit. He encourages believers to shun the gospel of greed that he feels many televangelists preach, and instead to become familiar with the true, biblical gospel to be found in scripture.
