Television Programs

Home >> Articles >> News & Entertainment

Television Programs
Recommendations?

Q. I've heard you say what you don't like on T.V. But, can you list some of the T.V. programs on Christian television that you do recommend?

Answer:

Memory Verse

First, be sure to commit applicable verses to memory. In fact, my favorite "T.V." verse is this:

"I will walk within my
house in the integrity
of my heart.
I will set no worthless
thing before my eyes…"

(Psalm 101:2b-3, NASB)

Test&Examine Everything

Remember to always be discriminating and "test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1, NASB). Be like the Bereans who "received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).

Don't Permit False Teachings in your Home

Don't even let false teachings enter into your home! That may mean we should be careful not to allow into our homes poor Christian programming, suggestive news reports, or lessons taught by false teachers who glorify prosperity/positive confession speakers through T.V. or radio programs.

2 John

2 John verses 7-10 give a startling warning. This is part of his warning:

Gnosticism

"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist" (v.7). (Those who deny Yeshua physically and bodily rose from the dead are part of the ancient heresy of Gnosticism).

Be Careful Not to Lose part of your Reward

"Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward" (v.8). (In other words, we can lose part of our reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ if we are not careful).

Turn-Off&Throw-Out Bad Programming

"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him a greeting. For the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds" (v. 10-11). (To bring poor programs and videos into our homes is the modern counterpart to "receiving a false teacher into our house." If we allow false teachings in our home we have become accomplices to evil).

Collection Hobby

Finally, make it a hobby to collect great teaching videos or DVDs from great authors and speakers, and acquire a library of good movies to teach and entertain your families. It doesn't hurt to turn off the T.V. from time to time, either.

Suggested programs/speakers (not in any particular order):

Greg Laurie (and most Calvary Chapel programs)

Dr. Carl Baugh (& creation science teachers)

Word Pictures

John Hagee

James Robison

Beth Moore

Dr. David Jeremiah

Dr. James Kennedy

Hugh Ross - Reasons to Believe

Adrian Rogers

Bayless Conley

Dr. Ed Hindson

Hal Lindsey Report

Dr. Charles Stanley

Billy Graham re-runs

Dr. Michael Youssef

Dr. Jack Hayford

Kirk Cameron

Jay Sekulow

Grant Jeffrey

Jack Van Impe

Robert Jeffress

John Ankerberg

David Reagan

Joyce Meyer (only programs concerning relationship issues - be careful)

30 Second Sound-Bite Culture

Don't overdo watching television. We have all been trained to think in 30 second sound-bites by watching too much T.V. We have been brainwashed and dumbed-down. Our concentration is "choppy" and limited because of it. We are like animals who dart from thing to thing because we can't think anymore.

30 Second Sound-Bite Sermons

Sadly, one of the frustrations many pastors voice is that their congregations complain when they preach more than 15 minutes on Sundays. Given that our people are subjected to the world the rest of the week - this is pathetic!

It certainly is a far cry from the days of Nehemiah when Ezra the scribe "faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand" (Nehemiah 8:3, NLT).

Did the people fuss and complain to Ezra when he gave these six-hour sermons? No. "All the people chanted, 'Amen! Amen!' as they lifted their hands toward heaven. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground" (Neh. 8:6).

To conclude, teach your families to be selective in their viewing habits and to turn-off the T.V. the rest of the time. Teach your children to read and to find alternate sources for news and entertainment.
__________________________

Author Valorie Emilio holds an M.A. in History from UCLA focusing upon early church history, and a V.O.M. Certificate in Persecuted Church Ministries from Oklahoma Wesleyan University.