Monday Morning Insights

Photo of Todd
    .

    The TV Evangelist Who Sent ME Money!

    Bookmark and Share

    I gave my first donation to a TV evangelist when I was nine years old. The preacher was of Akron. My tax-deductible contribution totalled 27 cents. I received urgent fund raising appeals for the next three years.

    Since then, I’ve seen requests for money from and , and But this week, for the first time ever, a TV preacher SENT MONEY TO ME.

    of Tulsa, Oklahoma mailed me a crisp new $1 bill from the federal reserve bank in Minneapolis along with an upbeat, computer-generated letter.

    “I TELL YOU, FRANK, THIS IS YOUR TIME!...Frank, hold this “seed dollar” in your hand as you continue to read the words: “IN GOD WE TRUST.” I sent you this dollar bill as a seed to help you Prime the Pump for the wellspring of blessings that will flow like a river out of you.”

    To get those blessings flowing like an Oklahoma oil well, Pastor Bob said I need to take that dollar and mail it back to Tulsa—along with my best gift of $29, $49, $199 or $499.

    “Frank, when I receive your answer back, I am going to send you some anointing oil to help you believe God for a continuous miracle. When you receive this anointing oil, anoint your wallet and all your bills as our Point of Contact...for your CONTINUOUS MIRACLE.”

    Pastor Bob used to air on television stations across America. But after Prime Time Live aired damning allegations of ministerial misconduct, he faded from the screen. He’s back however (with his third wife and four french poodles) preaching his get-rich-quick spiritual schemes on BET. I caught his show on a recent trip to Arkansas and called the toll-free number. Now, he says, I too can reap financial blessings.

    Many TV evangelists seek donations. But Tilton goes after those who are poor and struggling. His letter asks “How much do you need to pay all your debts? Write your answer here: $ _______”

    Then it asks, “What is your biggest debt?_______________”

    For those scraping by, he writes: “If it’s just impossible for you to give $29 along with this dollar bill, then give the closest thing you have to that and send it...”

    It’s a spiritual pyramid scheme. But when Pastor Bob sowed money in my life, I’m afraid it fell among thorns.

    Pastor Bob urged me to leave this new seed faith dollar in my Bible overnight and then mail it back to him. But I sowed it in a Herald-Leader soda machine instead (after inspecting it carefully to make sure it wasn’t counterfeit.) Just as Esau threw away his inheritance for a bowl of pottage, I traded my shot at “unlimited blessings, unlimited miracles, unlimited prosperity” for a cold, 65-cent can of Diet Coke. With the remaining 35 cents, I made a down-payment on a Mounds bar.

    Pastor Bob, if you’re reading my blog, please SEND MORE MONEY. Don’t be stingy—mail me “YOUR BEST GIFT”—and a copy of your free book Learn How to Pay Your Bills—Supernaturally!

    (Yes, he’s really written a book by that title. And yes, he’s offering it for free on his website.)

    Frank Lockwood has an interesting post over on his Bible Belt Blogger site about the that actually sent HIM money. I never thought of this; but maybe what Frank suggests at the end of his post would work here. (If you need my address, just drop me an email). Frank writes...

    Comments

    if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.

    1. Peter Hamm on Thu, December 28, 2006

      Robert Tilton is my favorite comedian ever.

    2. Anthony John on Thu, December 28, 2006

      How do I get Bob to mail ME a dollar?


      Better yet: how do I get Bob to mail me a dollar for everyone I know, so they can recieve God’s blessing?

    3. Leonard on Thu, December 28, 2006

      I want bigger blessings so I am holding out for 1000 dollars.

    4. layne on Fri, December 29, 2006

      There is a ‘you tube’ video of bt that is very funny, (I saw the original a few years ago via actual video tape.)  I think the video is a reasonable commentary on his so called pastorship and his ministry.

    5. layne on Fri, December 29, 2006

      Oh my!  I just went over to you tube apparently bt is a very rich subject matter and he gets the respect he deserves.  Sad to think that he is still taking money from people.

    6. SundayLady on Mon, January 08, 2007

      Interesting…


      and although Robert Tilton DID send out a dollar- albeit with a different perspective from the saying below; I think this comes close to what most of us may be wondering when it comes to the type of faith-givng appeals that are being made today.


      “Have you ever noticed how some televangelists are


      always making urgent pleas, asking for money to keep


      their ministry afloat…?


      They often promise that if you “plant a seed of faith”


      (translated: give them money) you will receive one


      hundredfold in return. And to prove their point, they


      will provide testimonials of some who gave and how God


      blessed them a hundredfold.


      However, I have a question. If they really believe


      that for every dollar you give, you will receive one


      hundred in return, then instead of asking us to


      support them to keep their ministry afloat, why don’t


      they give to us and receive a hundredfold for


      themselves?”


      Something to think about….


      (wish I knew who first said this).

    7. Tony Peters on Sun, January 14, 2007

      I just feel sad that this kind of deceptive plotting is going out all over the world inthe name of Christ. I wonder how saddened the heavenly host must be.

    8. Chantal on Mon, January 22, 2007

      He sent me a dollar - I will give it to my church on Sunday. Thank you Bob

    9. Christian Hanek on Tue, May 27, 2008

      I need 25,000$ to continue Gods work.


      Send ASAP


      87A Fox Hill Drive


      dover, NJ 07801

    10. Page 1 of 1 pages

      Post a Comment

    11. (will not be published)

      Remember my personal information

      Notify me of follow-up comments?

    Sponsors