Preachers Dwell Less on Fundraising

Preachers Dwell Less on Fundraising

On-air fundraising and promotional activities by TV preachers have dropped to their lowest level in 15 years, according to televangelism expert Steve Winzenburg.

“Most religious broadcasters have adopted the approach of rarely and quietly mentioning their financial needs,” says Winzenburg, communications professor at Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa. “Even those preachers who had a reputation for dramatic fundraising and promotion, such as Oral Roberts and Jimmy Swaggart, now avoid any manipulative tactics.”

In monitoring 14 religious broadcasters last fall, Winzenburg discovered that tv preachers spent an average of 7 percent of air time raising money and 8 percent promoting the ministry. The combined 15 percent for the two categories was the lowest total since Winzenburg began monitoring in 1981. He defines fundraising as asking for a specific amount and promotion as time spent publicizing a specific aspect of ministry.

Fundraising and promotion peaked in 1988 at 27 percent in the wake of the Jim Bakker PTL scandal.

In this study, Hour of Power host Robert H. Schuller spent the most time among television ministers raising funds, 11 percent. Swaggart and the 700 Club ‘s Pat Robertson both spent 8 percent of their time asking for money.

Those who asked for funds least included Roberts at 2 percent and Praise the Lord ‘s Paul Crouch at 1 percent.

Roberts, who a decade ago announced that God would call him home if he did not raise $8 million, once devoted more than half of his content to promotion and fundraising, according to Winzenburg. Swaggart, after revelations of his involvement with a prostitute in 1988, spent 97 percent of his air time in fundraising and promotion, Winzenburg says.

Copyright © 1997 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Also in this issue

Why Pastor Steve Loves His Job: Pastors are overworked, underpaid, and bear the weight of unrealistic expectations. Why then are so many so satisfied?

Cover Story

Why Pastor Steve Loves His Job Part 2

Cover Story

Why Pastor Steve Loves His Job

Cover Story

Why Pastor Steve Loves His Job Part 3

Training Shortfall May Imperil Growth

Ecumenism: Back to the Drawing Board for Ecumenism?

Arab Press Says Hussein Has Returned to Islam

Giving: Inheritance Windfall May Bypass Churches

Bill Sparks Abortion Controversy in Israel

Neat! Way Cool! Awesome!

Assemblies of God: Layoffs Avoided in Downsizing

What Pastor's Wives Wish Their Churches Knew Part 1

What Pastor's Wives Wish Their Churches Knew Part 2

Leaders Allege Clergy Harassment

First Lady Wants to Love Enemies

Hatfield Praised as Christian Statesman

Muslims Destroy Christian Village

Evangelicals Plead for Korean Aid

Can Americans Still Hear the Good News?

News

News Briefs: April 07, 1997

News

News Briefs: April 07, 1997

News

Obituary: Historian Smith, 72, Dies

Singing the Local Church Blues

Letters

Editorial

A Tutsi's Hope

Editorial

Mourning the Morning-After Pill

The Dilemmas of a Pro-Life Pastor

News

Sharing Living Water

Why the Conductor Threw Away His Baton

Love and Miracles in China

The Agnostic’s Expositor

A Canadian with an Attitude

Classic & Contemporary Excerpts from April 07, 1997

Welfare Reform: God in a Box?

Evangelism: Is Jewish-Christian a Contradiction in Terms?

View issue

Our Latest

News

Ghana May Elect Its First Muslim President. Its Christian Majority Is Torn.

Church leaders weigh competency and faith background as the West African nation heads to the polls.

Shamanism in Indonesia

Can Christians practice ‘white knowledge’ to heal the sick and exorcize demons?

Shamanism in Japan

Christians in the country view pastors’ benedictions as powerful spiritual mantras.

Shamanism in Taiwan

In a land teeming with ghosts, is there room for the Holy Spirit to work?

Shamanism in Vietnam

Folk religion has shaped believers’ perceptions of God as a genie in a lamp.

Shamanism in the Philippines

Filipinos’ desire to connect with the supernatural shouldn’t be eradicated, but transformed and redirected toward Christ.

Shamanism in South Korea

Why Christians in the country hold onto trees while praying outdoors.

Shamanism in Thailand

When guardian spirits disrupt river baptisms, how can believers respond?

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube