6 Dec 2013 by Donna Uning CM –
Sarawakians, like many from around the world, give thanks to the late Paul Crouch, the televangelist who built what's been called the world's largest Christian broadcasting network. Crouch went to be with the Lord on November 30. He was 79.
Before internet TV, many East Malaysian Christians were tuned in to Christian television via the satellite dishes. For many here in over two decades, TBN had been streaming broadcasts and running sermons from prominent preachers like Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, Rod Parsley, Billy Graham, Kenneth Copeland and more.
Many get their feed from around the world because of TBN. In a media statement, his grandson Brandon Crouch said his grandfather died at his home in California, on Saturday after a decade-long fight with degenerative heart disease.
"He was an incredible businessman, entrepreneur, visionary; he built something that impacted the world," he said.
Brandon Crouch, who was in Kuching a few years ago, spoke a lot about his grandfather and what he’s done with TBN. During Brandon’s visit here, Paul Crouch gave a shout out to Kuching, Sarawak and Speak Fest in which Brandon was speaking. Paul Crouch was the host of a show called “Behind the Scenes” that aired until recently.
Many people in these parts of the country recognized Brandon from his television show on JCTV. He had since visited a few churches in and around the city, meeting leaders and pastors apart from participating with Speak Fest.
Based in California, the TBN network has 84 satellite channels and more than 18,000 television and cable affiliates. The network also owns the Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Florida.
TBN’s affiliated television networks which are broadcast worldwide include Smile of a Child children's channel; JCTV youth network; The Church Channel; TBN Enlace USA, Spanish language network; Enlace Juvenil, Hispanic youth network; TBN Asia; TBN Europe; TBN Russia; Smile of a Child Russia; Juce Russian language youth network; TBN Africa; TBNE-Italia; Al-Horreya TV and Arabic language network; TBN Nejat TV, Farsi language channel; and TBN-HD, TBN's new high definition network.
In the last TBN newsletter, we read of the annual praise-a-thon event which reached from a little town in Sarawak to the rest of the world. Many here, in one way or another, are partners with the network and its affiliates.
“All over the country, they’re coming to know Jesus,” Paul Crouch said in a video tribute by the network. “Church, I think we ought to rejoice because the whole world is getting saved.”
References for pictures
http://pathmegazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Paul_Crouch_TBN2-300×281.jpg
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/TBNlogo-615×345.jpg
