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Televangelist and best-selling author Joel Osteen celebrates the opening of the new Lakewood Church in Houston, July 16. The televised sermons have helped the church to become one of the fastest growing in the nation.

Televangelism still gaining popularity in United States

Leslie Bardsley BAR04015@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

Millions of people across the world watched the 175th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints two weeks ago. What most of those people probably didn’t realize is that they were participating in a form of televangelism.

Televangelism has been a part of the television family for many years. It includes any religious minister who preaches his or her sermons in a television broadcast.

Ministers have been preaching over the radio waves since the 1930s, which made the transition to television quite simple.

The United States caught the fire of televangelism in the late 1970s into the 1980s. Some programs were being broadcast in over 200 markets and the charismatic ministers running those programs quickly gained the fame and love of millions.

Programs were highly varied. They could include anything from a simple sermon to a miraculous healing. Many of the most popular programs sustained themselves through the contributions of devoted viewers, a practice that continues to invite the skepticism of many.

“I think generally it’s a lot of bunk,” Mica Sorensen, a senior from Branson, Mo., said. “But every once in a while it’s a nice reminder of good morals and values.”

“Televangelism is a nice idea because it’s trying to get the good word out to the people,” Kara Fraser, a sophomore from Powder Springs, Ga., said. “But while the ministers claim to have the Spirit, most of the time it just feels like a big production to get donations.”

As the decade of the 1980s progressed, televangelism audiences were repeatedly battered with financial and sex scandals perpetrated by many of their most popular ministers. Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and Pat Robertson as well as others were all exposed by that same medium which had brought them their initial fame and fortunes.

These scandals, however, did not spell the end for televangelism, although they have dealt a severe blow to its reputation. Many of the former ministers have started reforming and are again leading the televangelism march and new ministries continuing to blossom.

Non-denominational minister Joel Osteen began his ministry with his wife, Victoria, only six years ago, and now preaches to an audience of over 28,000 every weekend. He has maintained a squeaky clean financial record and few have anything to say against his personal reputation.

Pat Robertson now runs the Christian Broadcasting Network, which broadcasts to over 200 countries and does everything from providing humanitarian aid throughout the world to selling cookbooks and CDs.

So while Gordon B. Hinckley and the preachers of Sunday morning television are apparently quite different, both utilize the same airways to touch the people of the world through the method of televangelism.