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39-811: GOD TV is a word of faith Christian media network that started in the United Kingdom. The network's main offices are located in Plymouth, England , UK, and Orlando, Florida , US. Regional offices are situated in India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Australia. GOD TV's original productions have won awards from the Christian Broadcasting Council of the UK. Its schedule has five regional variations: USA; UK & Europe; Africa; Asia and Australasia each with local programming. GOD TV

78-414: A "positive confession" of God's promise and believing God's word stirs the power of resurrection which raised Christ from the dead ( Ephesians 1:19–20, 3:20), and brings that promise to fulfilment. This teaching is interpreted from Mark 11:22–23. A more recent variant of positive confession is "decree and declare". Word of Faith preachers have called faith a "force". Conversely, "negative confession"

117-526: A 'Middle East Special' helping to provide food for beleaguered Christians and Muslims in war-torn Iraq. The network hosts tours to Israel which include visiting Bible sites and staging events that are broadcast worldwide. The largest tour to date was in 2008 with 1,800 tour-goers who attended 'A Celebration of Israel's 60th Anniversary'. Held at the Davidson Center alongside the Western Wall in

156-620: A law against proselytising and risks being shut down. It was later determined to violate said law and was ordered off Israeli airspace a month later in June. In 2002, television satirist and critic Victor Lewis-Smith described GOD TV's programming as "hour upon hour of hate-filled, rabble-rousing, homophobic bigotry, much of it featuring (and funded by) right-wing American evangelists". GOD TV has several specific regions, each with its own regional director and office overseeing local content, distribution and providing viewer services. The regions are:

195-545: A new office in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2008. GOD TV also expanded into China during 2008. Further offices were opened in Nairobi and Melbourne in 2009. Rory Alec was the network's CEO from 1995 to 2014, when GOD TV announced his resignation due to "moral failure." The couple divorced in 2015. Wendy Alec attributed the end of their marriage to Satan leading her husband to have an affair. Wendy Alec took over as president and CEO,

234-694: A platform for a "closing of ranks" among different Indian Christian groups, allowing an expression of Christian unity which is partly a reaction against Hindu nationalism . In 2014, the network can reach 262 million homes worldwide including 93 million homes in India and employs 200 people with Ward Simpson as president and CEO Much of GOD TV's programming caters to a youth audience. The network aims to air 'relevant youth programming' that comprises series and events from leading youth ministries and featuring bands such as Leeland , Switchfoot , Rend Collective , Jars of Clay , Guvna B and Newworldson . GOD TV publishes content by Exodus International and Focus on

273-546: A position she held for two years, before appointing Ward Simpson. Communications scholar Pradip N. Thomas places the history of GOD TV into the larger context of a neo-imperialist project within Christian fundamentalism , comparing GOD TV's Christian Zionist messages to Franklin Graham 's travel to wartime Baghdad , which Graham presented as a triumph of Christianity over Islam . Thomas notes that in India, GOD TV provides

312-460: A spiritual Ponzi scheme , making the people at the top of the food chain rich, preying on the desires, the material worldly desires, of the people who want all this stuff. Comes under the name the Word Faith movement, prosperity gospel, name-it-and-claim-it." Many Word of Faith teachers use phrases such as "little gods" to describe believers. Kenneth Hagin wrote that God had created humans "in

351-522: A thesis, Kenyon Connection , to the faculty at Oral Roberts University, tracing the teaching back through Hagin to Kenyon and ultimately to New Thought , and calling the distinctive Word of Faith beliefs a heretical " Trojan Horse " in the Christian church. McConnell repeated this argument in his book, A Different Gospel , in 1988. One of McConnell's classmates, Dale H. Simmons, published his own doctoral research at Drew University , arguing that Kenyon

390-558: Is believed to be harmful, and so it is taught that believers should be conscious of their words. This is argued on the interpretation of Proverbs 18 :21, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and they that love them will eat the fruit thereof", and also Numbers 14 :28, "...saith the Lord, as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do", among other scriptures. Many of the movement's essential beliefs are criticised by other Christians. Christian author Robert M. Bowman, Jr. states that

429-494: Is generally Satan 's attempt to rob believers of their divine right to total health. Word of Faith teaching holds that its believers have a divine right to prosper in all areas of life, including finances, health, marriage, and relationships. Prosperity is not desired for the hoarding of finances but to be an avenue God uses to fund missions for the spreading of the gospel and to help the needy. Word of Faith preachers such as Creflo Dollar and Kenneth Copeland claim that Jesus

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468-574: Is included in Christ's atonement and therefore is available immediately to all who believe. Frequently cited is Isaiah 53 :5, ("by his stripes we are healed"), and Matthew 8 :17, which says Jesus healed the sick so that "it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, 'Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses'." Because Isaiah speaks in the present tense ("we are healed"), Word of Faith teaches that believers should accept

507-681: Is involved in various charitable initiatives in Sri Lanka. In the UK, it supports Mercy Ministries , a charity helping young women suffering from abuse. GOD TV has raised funds to help Christians in Iraq at St George's Church in Baghdad, through a Middle East Special. Word of faith The movement was founded by the American Kenneth Hagin in the 1960s, and has its roots in the teachings of E. W. Kenyon . Word of Faith

546-505: Is rejected as unbiblical and heretical by almost all Christian scholars and theologians across nearly every denomination. N. T. Wright , an Anglican bishop and theologian, referred to it as “myth” and a “pact with the Devil.” The Baptist minister E.W. Kenyon (1867–1948) is generally cited as the originator of Word of Faith's teachings. Kenyon's writings influenced Kenneth Hagin Sr.,

585-709: The IS20 satellite . In Kenya , GOD TV is carried on Kiss TV . Angus Buchan 's Mighty Men Conference was transmitted live on GOD TV from South Africa , with 400,000 men in attendance, and evangelist Reinhard Bonnke was filmed live from Nigeria. Angel Christian Charitable Foundation India was founded in 2002 with an office in Chennai headed by Thomas Robinson. GOD TV can be viewed by cable in cities across India; Indian Television.com includes GOD TV in its list of "best-known spiritual channels." Local programming includes Indian evangelist Sam P. Chelladurai . GOD TV has broadcast

624-780: The Asian tsunami. Angel Christian Television Australia Limited was established in 2005 enabling GOD TV to be watched on the Optus D2 satellite. GOD TV's office for this region is in Melbourne and is managed by Wayne Knapman. Local content in Australia includes series such as Victory Life Church - Margaret Court; PlanetShakers and Brian Houston @ Hillsong TV as well as conferences from Hillsong, Stairway Church, Arise NZ, Influencers and C3 Church. Corrective Services Queensland has allowed Instal-Life to provide equipment enabling inmates across

663-965: The Christian religion and education, and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness." As of 2010, GOD TV was "potentially available to up to 14 million homes in the UK". Fergus Scarfe is GOD TV's Regional Director for the UK & Ireland, based in Plymouth Chris Cole – Broadcaster is a trustee of the Angel Foundation. GOD TV's programming has won awards from the UK Christian Broadcasting Council, including Best Live Event Programme in 2011 for Angus Buchan's Mighty Men Event and Best Youth Programme for Soul Survivor Extra. Some European networks carry GOD TV in their satellite and cable television packages in Belgium, France, and Germany. Angel Television Africa

702-946: The Family that advocates for conversion therapy , the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change sexual orientation . GOD TV themed series support causes such as ending Human Trafficking Themed weekends have included The Persecuted Church season and the Refugees #LoveYourNeighbour Season. According to the BBC , GOD TV was criticized by the organizations Pride in Plymouth and Plymouth Humanists for inviting televangelist Andrew Wommack to "publicly preach discrimination towards LGBT people" at an annual gathering in 2015. David Amsalem , Israeli Minister of Communications, warned GOD TV's Israeli affiliate in May 2020 that it may be in violation of

741-839: The GOD Channel. The GOD Channel became part of the Dream Family Network, later known as GOD Digital and then GOD TV in 2002. The same year GOD TV's broadcast uplink was moved to Israel. This provided for international expansion via satellite and GOD TV was launched across Africa and Asia with new offices in Cape Town and Chennai. In 2003, a GOD TV office was established in the US in Orlando, FL, and in 2005 GOD TV launched across Australia and New Zealand. GOD TV launched on DIRECTV, America's largest satellite platform in 2006 and opened

780-917: The JNF of teaming up to force the Bedouin out of the area to make way for Jewish communities. GOD TV's CEO Ward Simpson was in Israel in October 2017 at the invitation of the Israeli government, to address a Christian Media Summit in Jerusalem. In June 2020, the channel was ordered to shut down for violating the country's laws concerning proselytism . GTV Lanka Foundation is GOD TV's company in Colombo, with David Nicolle as regional director. Dialog Satellite Television, Sri Lanka Telecom and Apstar Satellite carry GOD TV in Sri Lanka. GOD TV has supported Sri Lankan victims of

819-551: The Old City, this was attended by both Jewish and Christian guests. GOD TV's Arise Zion Tour took place in 2018 as part of Israel's 70th Anniversary celebrations. In 2009, GOD TV partnered with the Jewish National Fund (JNF) US$ 500,000 to plant trees on land said to be inhabited by Bedouin tribes in Israel's Negev region. A coalition of Jewish and Arab human rights groups denounced the project, accusing GOD TV and

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858-666: The Orlando launch, the Bay Revival on Tour was broadcast from Calvary Assembly of God in Winter Park with John Kilpatrick, Nathan Morris and Lydia Marrow. The network maintains an office in Orlando. The Angel Foundation is GOD TV's registered charity in Europe, and is regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales . Based in Plymouth, the Angel Foundation states that it is committed to "the advancement of

897-720: The Spirit . He concedes some New Thought influence in Kenyon's teaching, but argues that Kenyon's views helped the church rediscover some biblical truths. Arguing similarly but in an opposite direction is Robert M. Bowman, Jr. , formerly of the Christian Research Institute. His book The Word-Faith Controversy is more sympathetic to Kenyon's historical background yet more critical of his doctrine than DeArteaga's work. Evangelist Justin Peters, an outspoken critic of

936-576: The USA; UK, Europe, Scandinavia and Nordic countries; Africa and East Africa; Asia and the Middle East; Israel; Sri Lanka and Australasia. GOD TV launched in the US in 2006 on DirecTV . It is also available in some US cities via cable. GOD TV launched in Orlando, Florida , in 2012 via WACX 's second subchannel over-the-air; some GOD TV programming is also seen on the station's main schedule. As part of

975-525: The Word of Faith movement with heresy and accused many of its churches of being " cults ." He accused the Word of Faith teachers of "demoting" God and Jesus, and "deifying" man and Satan . Hanegraaff has focused a significant portion of his anti-heresy teaching since the 1990s on addressing and refuting Word of Faith teachings. Other critics, such as Norman Geisler , Dave Hunt and Roger Oakland, have denounced Word of Faith theology as aberrant and contrary to

1014-610: The Word of Faith movement, wrote his Master of Divinity thesis on Benny Hinn and has appeared frequently as an expert on Word of Faith pastors in documentaries and TV news stories. In his seminar "Clouds Without Water", he traces the movement's origins to the Phineas Quimby 's New Thought and E.W. Kenyon 's Positive Confession in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In contrast, Pastor Joe McIntyre, now head of Kenyon's Gospel Publishing Society in Washington , argues that

1053-508: The fulfillment of their words. While similar, it should not be confused with Norman Vincent Peale 's positive thinking theology focusing on the individual, as evidenced by the motto, "Faith in God and believe in oneself". Noted Word of Faith teachers, such as Kenneth E. Hagin and Charles Capps , have argued that God created the universe by speaking it into existence ( Genesis 1 ), and that God has endowed believers with this power. Thus, making

1092-676: The primary influences of Kenyon were A.B. Simpson and A.J. Gordon of the Faith Cure branch of the Evangelical movement. McIntyre's version is told in the authorized biography, E.W. Kenyon : The True Story . The same year, Pentecostal scholar Gordon Fee wrote a series of articles denouncing what he called The Disease of the Health-and-Wealth Gospel . In 1993, Hank Hanegraaff 's Christianity in Crisis charged

1131-524: The promises and provisions of the Bible, as an affirmation of God's plans and purposes. They believe this is what Jesus meant when he said in Mark 11 :22–24 that believers shall have whatsoever they say and pray with faith. The term word of faith itself is derived from Romans 10 :8 which speaks of "the word of faith that we preach". The Word of Faith teaches that complete healing (of spirit, soul, and body)

1170-555: The reality of a healing that is already theirs, first by understanding that physical healing is part of the New Testament's promise of salvation. It is reinforced by confessing the Bible verses which assert this healing and believing them while rejecting doubt. This does not deny pain, sickness, or disease, but denies its right to supersede the gift of salvation in Isaiah 53:5 and many other passages. According to adherents, sickness

1209-705: The recognized "father" of the Word of Faith movement. Hagin, who had founded a ministry known as the Kenneth E Hagin Evangelistic Association, started disseminating his views in the Word of Faith magazine in 1966, and subsequently founded a seminary training Word of Faith ministers. Distinctive Word of Faith teachings include physical, emotional, financial, relational, and spiritual healing for those who keep their covenant with God. The movement urges believers to speak what they desire, in agreement with

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1248-525: The same class of being that he is himself," and reasoned that if humans are made in God's image, they are "in God's class", and thereby 'gods'. Many Evangelical critics have condemned the "little gods" teaching as cultic. Hank Hanegraaff , for example, contends the 'little gods' doctrine is on a par with the teachings of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Jim Jones . Victor Lewis-Smith Too Many Requests If you report this error to

1287-751: The state to access GOD TV in their cells. Prisons in Western Australia have also installed GOD TV, and it is available in other rehabilitation centres and remote indigenous communities. The Melbourne office also manages Hong Kong, Macau and Greater China. Macau Cable has been broadcasting the GOD TV signal into Macau since 1 October 2006. GOD TV launched its Greater China service on 16 October 2008 and has televised events from China. The Kingdom Culture Conference has aired on GOD TV from Hong Kong. In Malawi, it cares for HIV/AIDS orphans by supporting Kondanani Children's Village, founded by Annie Chikhwaza , and

1326-521: The teachings of the Bible. John Macarthur of Grace Community Church accused Benny Hinn , Marilyn Hickey , Joyce Meyer , Kenneth Copeland , Kenneth Hagin , Robert Tilton , Oral Roberts , Paul Crouch and others of preying on the "weak and the desperate" through the "blasphemous lie" of the Word Faith Movement. He said, "You have been exposed to this lie, this deception, this pagan pantheistic perspective that has been turned into

1365-562: The word of faith movement is "neither soundly orthodox nor thoroughly heretical ". One of the earliest critics of Word of Faith teaching was Oral Roberts University professor Charles Farah , who published From the Pinnacle of the Temple in 1979. In the book, Farah expressed his disillusionment with the teachings, which he argued were more about presumption than faith. In 1982, one of Farah's students, Daniel Ray McConnell, submitted

1404-488: Was established in South Africa in 2002 and GOD TV launched across Africa on 31 May of the same year. Marcél Olivier is GOD TV's Regional Director for Africa and heads up the office in Cape Town. Erastus Maina oversees GOD TV's East Africa Region, with an office in Nairobi. GOD TV's programming can be accessed across Africa via satellite. It can be watched via ViewSat covering 20 million homes across Sub-Saharan Africa on

1443-666: Was founded by Rory and Wendy Alec in England in 1995 as the Christian Channel Europe, the Continent's first daily Christian television network. It started broadcasting on 1 October and was on air for three hours each day, broadcasting between 4am and 7am. This increased to seven hours (4am to 11am) in 1997 and 24-hours in 1999. The 'GOD' logo appeared in 1997 and the Christian Channel was rebranded as

1482-465: Was influenced by heterodox metaphysical movements and the Faith Cure movement of the nineteenth century. In 1990, The Agony of Deceit surveyed the critiques of Word of Faith doctrines. One of the authors, Christian Research Institute founder Walter Martin , issued his personal judgment that Kenneth Copeland was a false prophet and that the movement as a whole was heretical. Milder criticisms were made by William DeArteaga in his book Quenching

1521-478: Was rich, and teach that modern believers are entitled to financial wealth. In Word of Faith teaching, a central element of receiving from God is "confession", often called "positive confession" or "faith confession" by practitioners. Practitioners will claim and affirm they have healing, well being, prosperity, or other promises from God, before actually experiencing such results. They do so in demonstration of their faith, which they believe will ultimately result in

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