TBN Founder Paul Crouch Dies

Dr. Paul F. Crouch passed into the presence of the Lord on November 30, 2013. He was 79. 

This is a major blow to the international faith-based community. Crouch is credited with bringing the Gospel to every major continent.  Even bringing faith-based content to areas where Christians are heavily persecuted for their beliefs.

On the TBN website it states, “We are grateful for the life of this amazing servant of God. Please pray for the Crouch family during this time.”

In October Crouch was hospitalization with heart problems. In 2011 Crouch was treated for congestive heart failure. The official cause of death for Crouch has not been released yet.

Paul F. Crouch was born on March 30, 1934, in St. Joseph, Missouri. He graduated from the Central Bible Institute and Seminary in Springfield, Missouri in1955 with a degree in Theology.

Dr. Crouch has also received three honorary doctorates: Doctor of Litterarum (D.Litt) on May 29, 1981, from the California Graduate School of Theology, Glendale, California; a Doctor of Divinity on May 29, 1983, from the American Christian Theological Seminary,Anaheim, California; and a Doctor of Laws degree on May 5, 1985, from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Dr. Crouch began his career in broadcasting by helping to build an educational AM station (KCBI-AM) on campus while a student at Central Bible Institute and Seminary. In 1957 he became a radio announcer at KRSD (AM), Rapid City, South Dakota and progressed rapidly to program director. Shortly thereafter he was promoted to manager of KRSD-TV, Channel 7, the NBC affiliate in Rapid City.

In 1961, Dr. Crouch was appointed by the General Council of the Assemblies of God to organize and operate their newly-formed Department of Television and Film Production in Burbank, California, a position he held for four years. Dr. Crouch was responsible for the ongoing production of films focusing largely on foreign missions and foreign missionary works, as well as the Assemblies of God’s large inventory of audiovisual materials and children’s teaching aids. From 1965 to 1970 Dr. Crouch was general manager of KREL-AM, Corona, California. In 1966, Dr. Crouch purchased a minority stock interest in KREL Radio. During his time at KREL, Dr. Crouch successfully completed the station’s application for an increase in power to 5,000 watts. The station also prospered financially under his leadership. After leaving KREL in 1970, Dr. Crouch was invited to serve as general manager for KHOF-FM and KHOF-TV, channel 30 in San Bernardino, California. During Dr. Crouch’s tenure, both stations moved from a deficit position into a profitable one with a $200,000 surplus after the end of the second year. Dr. Crouch left KHOF in 1973 and with his wife, Jan, founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). In 1974, TBN purchased its first TV station, KLXA-TV (now KTBN-TV 40) in Southern California. Since then, under the direction of Dr. Crouch, TBN, has become America’s most watched faith network and the seventh largest group owner of broadcast TV stations in the U.S. (source: Broadcast and Cable Magazine).

TBN reaches every major continent via 84 satellite channels and over 18,000 television and cable affiliates around the world.In addition to TBN, Dr. Crouch developed and oversees operations for TBN’s affiliated television networks which are broadcast worldwide: Smile of a Child children’s channel; JCTV youth network; The Church Channel; TBN Enlace USA, Spanish language network; Enlace Juvenil, Hispanic youth network; TBN Asia; TBN Europe; TBN Russia; Smile of a Child Russia; Juce Russian language youth network; TBN Africa; TBNE-Italia; Al-Horreya TV and Arabic language network; TBN Nejat TV, Farsi language channel; and TBN-HD, TBN’s new high definition network. Additionally, Dr. Crouch serves on the board of the Holy Land Experience, an inter-active Bible theme park in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Crouch and TBN have been the recipients of numerous awards and citations of appreciation by both local and national leaders including the Golden Angel award from the Excellence in Media organization and the Parents Television Council Entertainment Seal of Approval, given to both the TBN and Smile of a Child networks for producing and promoting positive, pro-family programming. Dr. Crouch was also appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the Private Sector Initiative Project.

Dr. Crouch is the author of several books: I Had No Father But God, Hello World, Omega Code, Megiddo, and The Shadow of the Apocalypse