From the Desk of Jeff King

Shameful

I hardly watch TV anymore, but in a weak moment today I grabbed the remote and began flipping cable channels. I made the mistake of stopping at the Trinity Broadcasting Network, where I was about to hear Paul Crouch say the unthinkable.

The TBN founder was bragging to his sidekick Kim Clement – the rapping prophet – that the Chinese government was close to putting the Christian network on the air. I thought, great, the false gospel polluting the minds and hearts of thousands more people. What Crouch said next made me shudder: He looked into the camera and scolded people who complain about the Chinese persecution of home churches – in other words, the true followers of Yeshua (Jesus). He warned people to stop making a fuss about it because it might hinder TBN’s plans to carry the gospel to China. Was he serious? Doesn't he know that the gospel is flourishing in China, where true believers are being tortured, imprisoned and martyred for their faith? These precious saints don't need TBN's prosperity gospel and satellites. Crouch is selling them out. He said that China is changing and western Christianity must lay hold of this opportunity. Tell that to the 25 Christians of the South China Church in central Hubei Province who were savagely beaten and tortured with electric prods. Two died in police custody, including a young mother named Yu Zhongju. If TBN were to present the true gospel, I doubt the communist government would be so friendly and eager to let it in.

As Crouch rambled on, Clement sat there in silence. Minutes later, Clement did offer a "prophetic utterance" about some big event coming in October. Wouldn't it be wonderful if this vague prophecy came true – with the persecuted Chinese finding relief from their tormentors.