Paul Crouch, Founder of TBN, has died.

[Amaris]

Paul Crouch, whom some of you may know as the co-founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, alongside his wife Jan Crouch, died today at the age of 79, from chronic heart trouble.

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- Paul Franklin Crouch, co-founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network, has died at age 79, according to the Christian-based network's website.
In 1973, the Missouri native founded TBN with his wife and parlayed the television station into the world's largest Christian TV network.

TBN grew from little-watched KLXA Channel 40 in Costa Mesa to a worldwide operation with 84 satellite channels offering targeting specific demographic groups in their native languages around the globe.
Crouch had been treated for chronic heart problems in the past and had received a pacemaker in 2012.

On Oct. 22, the former religious broadcaster was hospitalized in Dallas, Texas due to "heart and health-related issues," but was later released.

Full ABC LA Article


I grew up watching him on television, being raised in an Evangelical Christian home. We would watch "Praise the Lord," Benny Hinn, John Hagee, R.W. Shambach, and so many other preachers as they sat with Paul and Jan, and talked about their respective ministries.

Paul got into trouble, recently, in a number of scandals involving the vast fortune they had amasses through various charitable donations, among other things. For all of their faults, though, the Trinity Broadcasting Network did have itself involved in a number of good works, including toy drives, food donations for the poor, and so on. Whether you like him or not, respect him or not, Paul Crouch has been highly influential in the Evangelical Christian community for the past 30+ years. My respects go out to his wife and children.

Comments welcome.

 

[RoJoHen]

In our attempt to get rid of cable a few years ago, we picked up a cheap antenna to see what kind of channels we could still get. TBN was literally the only channel that the antenna picked up.

We decided to get DirectTV instead.

 

[Amaris]

Yeah, we had DirecTV but bills get expensive, so we're back to OTA. Our set of rabbit ears picks up about 10 channels. 4 of them are TBN.

 

[Pondwater]

I thought that it was just around here. It was the one channel that always showed up over the air. Now, that everything is digital. Not anymore but in the past it was throne channel that came in crystal clear no matter what.

 

[Sector 7]

Paul Crouch looked just like my friend and president of our company. Tom has since passed away, too.

On a side note: If you liked PTL, Jim Bakker is back to his old donation-grubbing tactics in an all new version. No wonder Jamie Charles rejected their brand of "christianity" in favor of street ministry in Charlotte, NC.