Paul Crouch, co-founder of the popular Trinity Broadcasting Network, has passed away at age 79.
Crouch’s grandson, Brandon, tweeted earlier Saturday, “Today, my grandfather, #PaulCrouchSr went home to be with Jesus in heaven. Thank you for your prayers…”
TBN’s Facebook page announced, “Dr Paul F. Crouch passed into the presence of the Lord on November 30, 2013. We are grateful for the life of this amazing servant of God.”
Another note on the page said Crouch passed away at 2:32 a.m. Crouch had suffered for more than a decade with chronic heart problems.
The televangelist was hospitalized for congestive heart failure two years ago and received a pacemaker last year. He went back into the hospital last month and for awhile needed a ventilator to help him breathe. But he had returned home early in November amid reports he was doing better.
The tributes roll in:
TBN’s Facebook page has been filling with words of condolence and memories throughout the day.
Preacher Arthur Blessitt, most well-known for carrying a large cross through many nations of the world, wrote, “I have been close friends with Paul and Jan since 1976. He was a true man of God and through TBN led millions to Jesus.”
“Let’s all pray for his wife Jan and all the family. His focus was always +jesus. Tears pour from my eyes,” he continued. “I’ll miss my friend but there is joy in heaven where millions of people are thanking him for sharing Jesus with them.”
Several Christian leaders also offered their condolences and tributes to Crouch upon learning of the news.
“Paul Crouch changed the course of Christian history by building a Christian network that spreads that Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world everyday,” John Hagee, founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, said. “Our deepest sympathies for his loved ones today.”
“Thanking God today for the life of Paul Crouch – a dear friend and mentor and a giant of the faith whose TBN Trinity Broadcasting Network helped bring untold millions around the world to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ…You will be missed but certainly never forgotten,” Rod Parsley, evangelist and pastor of World Harvest Church, wrote.
Now, I will simply say this: Obviously, I do disagree with the doctrines that are taught by programming on TBN and you can learn more about that here.
However, what will not do is this; I will not sit here and denigrate someone who is now passed on. The truth is the man was obedient to the Lord. The man felt that God had called him to the Ministry and then, he felt the Lord calling him into the field of Christian television and from there things grew. I am, as a Christian; simply not going to sit here and criticize the man for that decision at all. Why? Because I happen to know about the will of God. There are two of those sort of wills of God.
I will let C.I. Scofield take it from here, here is C.I. Scofield commenting on Genesis 46:3; which by the way is a really awesome story! -:
It is important to distinguish between the directive and the permissive will of God. In the first sense the place for the covenant family was Canaan (Gen_26:1-5); (Gen_46:3) is a touching instance of the permissive will of God. Jacob’s family, broken, and in part already in Egypt, the tenderness of Jehovah would not forbid the aged patriarch to follow. God will take up His people and, so far as possible, bless them, even when they are out of His best. In Israel’s choice of a king (1Sa_8:7-9) in the turning back from Kadesh (Deu_1:19-22) in the sending of the spies; in the case of Balaam — illustrations of this principle are seen. It is needless to say that God’s permissive will never extends to things morally wrong. The highest blessing is ever found in obedience to His directive will.
I happen to know that Paul Crouch operated, as many Christian evangelists did in years past and still do — in that Directive will of God.
By the way, I do NOT believe that Fundamental Baptists hold the market on the doing the will of God; many of them do believe that they hold that market, and they are stupid. While, I might not agree with the doctrines totally. I still celebrate the fact that anyone in America, can turn on the television set and be going through the channels and hear the gospel of Jesus Christ being preached 24/7 365 days a year on one channel. Now, keep in mind there are others doing it now too. But, Paul and Jan Crouch were the first ones.
Now as for the critics of TBN, and of Paul and Jan Crouch; I ask you this one simple question: What are you doing to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ? What sort of outreach ministry do you have? In other words:
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. —- (Matthew 7:1-5 KJV)
As for those who are bad mouthing Paul Crouch and his ministry, the Bible says this about them:
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.(Matthew 6:2 KJV)
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. — (Matthew 6:5 KJV)
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. — (Matthew 6:16 KJV)
Those who trash Paul and Jan Crouch; and their ministry. They have their reward. Those who are Mormon and supposedly Christian and they use their so-called “libertarian conservative” site to trash real Christians — they have their reward.
My prayers are with the Crouch Family and everyone at the TBN Ministry.
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