ABC 20/20 Show Prompts "Donor Alert"

MinistryWatch.com has given TBN an "F" for transparency, and sent out a "Donor Alert" urging donors to reconsider giving to this cash-flush ministry, due to their dishonest reply to a 20/20 broadcast report. Get that story HERE. The majority of the ministries on TBN are also flagged and on "Alert" status. Some ministries, like Franklin Graham's "Samaritan's Purse," continue to get "A" ratings, but here's a few stats on TBN, based on the newest data available.

As of 2006, TBN had over 418 million in cash, receivables, and short term investments (savings investments), and long term investments of 444 million. Considering Paul Crouches shrewdness in growing the assets by nearly 100 million each year, it's safe to assume that they now, in 2009 easily have over 1 BILLION dollars in assets. When you consider their yearly operating expenses of only 141 million, one must wonder why they need enough "cash on hand" to operate for THREE YEARS, much less, all the long term investments. It's interesting to note that they have 2 mansions valued at over 10 million, plus over 30 other homes for their founder and CEO, Paul Crouch to live in. (I really don't mind the private jet. Any large operation has one.) To quote MinistryWatch, "Accordingly, donors need to be concerned that too much of TBN’s programming, with its unbalanced emphasis on personal prosperity as the goal of the Christian experience, may be leading an even greater number of unsaved people to reject Christianity as shallow and self-serving." And they continue, "We have little doubt TBN donors would be wise to prayerfully consider redirecting their gifts to one of the hundreds of ministries in the MinistryWatch.com database that practice true transparency, pay their leaders appropriate compensation and attempt to turn all donations into good deeds quickly rather than build up huge cash reserves and spend lavishly on ministry leaders." Get the full story HERE. Scroll to the bottom of MW's page for the complete financial report, and their review, pro's and con's of the TBN ministry.