University of Virginia Library

THE UNCONVENTIONAL

Ernest Angley

Ernest Angley has been called the "lunatic fringe" of religious broadcasting. He sees demons leaving the bodies of those he heals. He sees angels, too, standing by his side in healing services. And he sees God, who he says looks more or less like the pictures of Him.

Angley had his first visitation from God when he was only seven years old. It occurred while he lay in bed in the family farmhouse in North Carolina. God showed him millions of stars and told him that was how many souls he would win for Christ.

A typical program, videotaped in Angley's flashy Akron, Ohio, Grace Cathedral, features musical selections from the Grace Cathedral Singing Men, an Angley sermon, and a few healings videotaped at one of Angley's "Miracle and Salvation" crusades. If you can't get to a crusade, Angley may hold his hand up to the camera and invite you to put your hand on your TV screen. He then commands the demons to come out of you and yells, "Heal! Heal! HEEEEEAL-aaa!"

The visibility and success of the stars of the electronic church have caused a lot of preachers to want to emulate them. Every city that has a television station also has preachers who dream of becoming televangelists.

Some who have already made it onto local television are starting to branch out. It is a simple matter to ship video cassettes of a telecast to cable systems, and it is not difficult to find a time slot for program tapes on one of the religious satellite networks—PTL, CBN, and Trinity. With just a little financial support from network viewers, a TV preacher can think about negotiating for local station time and syndicating.

A recent issue of Religious Broadcasting contained full-page ads for two newcomers. Charles Stanley, pastor of Atlanta's First Baptist Church, has secured time on CBN and PTL and placed his program "In Touch" in several large markets. His advertisement sought additional stations for it. G. L. Johnson's "People's Church Worship Hour," which originates in California, was similarly being offered.

For each preacher who has successfully syndicated a program and achieved national recognition, there are many who would like to try. Some will do so; a few will succeed.