Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is a great show. While I don’t watch it regularly, I have enjoyed watching Oliver take on subjects like net neutrality and FIFA’s corruption. On the most recent episode, Oliver set his sights on televangelists. The segment was both hilarious and sickening, especially as someone who loves Jesus and believes in evangelism.
If you haven’t watched the segment yet, you can do so below. It is 20 minutes long, but well worth the time. Also, as a warning, it contains some NSFC language, but you’ll feel like cursing too when you see what these people are doing.
That segment would be utterly hilarious if it wasn’t so infuriating. I could spend an entire week blogging about everything I hate about what those televangelists do and not even scratch the surface.
I hate that they think they need private jets in order to accomplish the work of God.
I hate that Mike Murdock bragged about having two private jets and saw fit to call envy a sin but not pride.
I hate that a large number of the three million people who have watched this video will assume all Christians are money hungry charlatans.
I hate that they take advantage of real people with a genuine faith, exploiting that genuine faith to line the pockets of their ridiculous suits and garish dresses.
A genuine faith in Jesus Christ is a beautiful thing. I am so grateful that God called me and allowed me to respond to him in faith. Ever since God called me my faith has come easily to me; I’ve never endured long seasons of doubt. And for my friends who have walked roads of doubt, it’s beautiful when they come out the other side with a stronger faith.
To take advantage of something so beautiful, to turn it into a means of procuring wealth, is sickening. These predatory televangelists prop themselves up as pastors and preachers, individuals focused on guiding others closer to God. Unfortunately there are some who don’t see them for the wolves that they are and, in good faith, send them money. Those who send money are acting out of their genuine faith and placing their trust in someone who says he or she has their best interests at heart. These televangelists aren’t serving a flock, though; they’re fleecing it.
These televangelists would have us believe that God is sitting up in heaven, just waiting to pour out his blessings. He’s not going to tip over his blessing chalice, though, unless we show how much we believe by opening up our wallets. That’s a false god, so it makes sense that he would have false prophets.
Faith isn’t about believing enough to get what we want. Faith is about believing regardless of what happens.
That kind of faith isn’t going to line anyone’s pockets, though. God is going to do what God does, regardless of how much money I send to a slick-looking pastor with a bad toupee. If I have faith to trust in God regardless of what happens in my life, then I don’t need to worry about augmenting my faith with money. My faith can stand on its own and I can trust in God’s goodness regardless of what happens.
I appreciate John Oliver taking on televangelists and only hope that people understand the difference between good churches and those of televangelists, which look more like the moneychangers than anything else. And for those of us who are infuriated by these wolves in sheep’s clothing, then we need to live out an authentic faith. We need to live out an authentic faith that makes a positive difference in this world for Jesus that undoes the predatory work of these televangelists.
What did you think of John Oliver’s segment?
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