he Christian Channel Europe, the first British-based Christian satellite TV channel, re-launched itself last December with the infusion of $3 million, mainly from US evangelical sponsors, including Benny Hinn.  For those that are still unaware of the burgeoning influence of this satellite channel it is now known by the title of the 'God' Channel. At the media launch in December even Rory Alec, with his wife Wendy, the main mover behind the station, pointed to one of their six key advertising posters which featured the words: 'God the Father, God the Son, god the TV channel'. Alec said, "While some might consider this close to blasphemy (close is not near enough, PG) the important thing was that the last section of the slogan did refer to god with a small 'G'" This, of course, he believed made all the difference. It still comes as a shock, however, the first time you tune in to see the silver 'God' logo spinning into view and spreading itself across the screen. At Christmas they even gave the 'God' logo a little red Santa hat and a smattering of snow for effect.
    Whilst the ITC have already had to chastise the channel twice for breaking its code, including Benny Hinn performing an on screen exorcism, the company has already been granted licences for  six channels in total. According to CCE's own literature these will include a dedicated Revival Channel and a Worship Channel. In April the main channel, which recently increased its broadcast hours to 7 (from 4am-11am) has won the right to extend its hours and to repeat the 7 hour broadcast three times throughout the day (i.e 21 hours). Should Christians believe this channel has a peripheral influence only they should know that it has big plans. Some church leaders may well believe that all this is irrelevant to them as they are poor and cannot afford satellite TV. I can assure them, even if they cannot members of their congregation and those they seek to evangelise, certainly can. They may not be able to afford it but they certainly cannot afford not to know about it.  The strangest thing, however, given the natur of this channel, if how all of this has taken place without a wimper from the rest of the church. Given the nature of the material daily appearing on screen one should be shocked by this disturbing lack of response.
    It recently took the BBC 1's Here & Now watchdog programme to expose some of the CCE's spurious healing and miracle claims. Needless to say, as much of the material is still 'Made in the US' (a situation the CCE has to remedy in accordance with its licence agreement) most of it is entirely unverifiable. The ITC code does not allow for on screen fundraising (as per the US TV evangelists) - which is why the money is raised by proxy in the US, neither does it allow claims of human supernatural power. This, of course, is the CCE's achilles heel. Whilst revocation of their licence is always a possibility the money that paid for the move from Maidstone to two spanking new Gateshead studios shows now signs of drying up.
    But why should we be so concerned about this Christian TV channel in our midst? Surely this is just the charismatic movement on the telly? But that would be wrong. While Colin Dye already has his Tuesday morning David Letterman-type show the bulk of it is still US TV evangelists - some of whom (including Benny Hinn) are already being investigated by the US media concerned with overblown claims and the raising and using of massive amounts of money. Indeed, the bulk of those appearing daily are not charismatics at all. They are in fact from the Word-Faith Movement itself. For those still unaware of the teachings of this movement, it involves the key believe that you can literally have anything you want (usually personal wealth and health) if you have 'faith'. Whilst the name Jesus is often touted Word-Faith does not, however, rely on faith in Christ at all, but on faith in faith itself. Its exponents are the main movers behind the 'health and wealth' gospel. These are individuals who believe in the Laws of Faith, steps to belief or the 'steps to the anointing' heresies of Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin - both of whom appear regularly (the former occasionally in his own Westerns). Their critical belief, around which much of their home-spun theology is formed, is that we are all slowly becoming 'little gods'. This, of course was the original sin in the Garden, the belief that through spiritual (Gnostic - secret) knowledge (the anointing)  we can become little gods. This is similar in tone to the belifs at the heart of Mormonism which preaches the same unbiblical lie. Should you need confirmation of this:

'You don't have a god in you. You are one!' (Kenneth Copeland, The Force of Love tape)
'Dogs beget dogs, and cats beget cats, and God begets gods. You are all little gods'. (Kenneth Copeland, Trinity Broadcast Network's Praise the Lord TV show)
and
'You are as much the incarnation of God as Jesus Christ was. Every man who has been born again is an incarnation and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth.' (Kenneth Hagin, Word of Faith p14).

These are just the merest taster of the heresies preached by these men. Their spiritual children are men like Benny Hinn. Hinn stated on the Trinity Broadcast Network TV that those who spoke against 'Word-Faith' teacher Kenneth Copeland were "attacking the very presence of God." (TV broadcast June 8, 1992). Lately the CCE has begun importing some of big US names not so well known here. John Avanzini for one. Avanzini is known as the end-time apostle of economics. Put another way 'listen to him, follow his 'biblical' rules and you will rid yourself of your debt and make lots of money'. Avanzini preaches that, 'Jesus had a nice house, a big house' (Trinity Broadcast Network TV 1991). He appeared recently preaching exactly the same message. That Jesus and the Apostles were far from being poor is central to his message and neither, if you faith, should you be.
    Neither does it stop there. Marilyn Hickey, Roberts Liardon, Ulf Ekman and Rodney Howard-Browne can all be found on CCE. And yet the church says nothing. Still more are to be imported.  One of the least well-known here has one of the most chilling messages for all Bible-believing Christians. US end-time prophet Rick Joyner is another due for broadcasting on CCE. Joyner is well-known in the US for his famous prophecies about the 'Blues & the Grays'.  His little end-time scenario is that just like the American Civil war there will be a war in the church - between the blues (federals) and the grays (confederates). In the prophecy a Grand Ball is held where both sides mix and dance until suddenly war breaks out and the blues and greys once again fight to the death. The blues will fight to free the church from slavery (in common with their 'blue' federal counterparts) against the 'gray' confederates, who will defend slavery. In the prophecy what Joyner means by slavery is slavery to God's Word (the Bible) wht he and his will be fighting for is the freedom 'in the spirit'. Joyner in common with Bob Jones and James Ryle (a director of Promise Keepers and mentor to Bill McCartney, PK's founder) all share this exact same prophetic belief.¹ On the one side there are those who will accept new revelation from God (the 'blues's) and on the other the 'grays' who will not. Joyner declares that 'the party' that God is currently 'throwing' (the current alleged global revival) will presently give way to a bloody civil war in the church when those who war with the 'blues' will 'either be converted or removed from their place of influence in the church.' Joyner believes that the 'grays' - effectively those who refuse to move from their belief in the Scriptures as the Word of God - will effectively be eliminated from the church.
    These then are the men and women who appear weekly on the CCE TV Channel. These are the messages and this is the nature of teaching that passes for Christian teaching under the noses of and unopposed by an apparently oblivious church. Worse, this is what individuals desperately in need of Christ and the true Gospel are being fed in the name of Christian truth. And yet the church, yet again, are silent and CCE continues to grow.

The Christian Research Network (CRN) will be publishing a more detailed report on the 'God' TV Channel and those who appear on it in the late spring/early summer.

¹ Hank Hanegraaff Counterfeit Revival pg. 95f.