Trinity Broadcasting Network co-founder Paul Crouch dies at 79
November 30, 2013 -- Updated 2239 GMT (0639 HKT)
The Trinity Broadcasting Network announced that co-founder Paul Crouch died on November 30.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Paul Crouch dies at 79
- He was a familiar face on Trinity Broadcasting Network
- He worked in radio and TV for nearly 60 years
"We are grateful for the
life of this amazing servant of God. Please pray for the Crouch family
during this time," said the announcement.
No further details on the televangelist's death were immediately available.
On November 5, TBN said
Crouch fell ill and was hospitalized in Texas in late October. He
returned to California for treatment of "his heart and related health
issues," a network spokesman said. Crouch received a pacemaker in 2012.
TBN, based in Orange County, California, bills itself as the most-watched faith channel in the United States.
Kenneth Thomas, a
commenter on the TBN Facebook page, said of Crouch: "He was a great
blessing to the body of Christ and to the world!"
Crouch, a native of St.
Joseph, Missouri, began his broadcasting career in the 1950s, working at
commercial stations. The pastor worked for the Assemblies of God in
Burbank, California, during the early 1960s, operating its TV and film
production.
In 1973, he and his wife, Jan, founded TBN, according to his website biography.
Among the TBN programs they hosted is "Praise the Lord," known for its ornate sets and diverse programming.
The network has a substantial international following; Crouch appeared on the show from Madrid, Spain, in October.
A network tribute posted Saturday afternoon said Crouch was a "television visionary" committed to spreading the gospel.
TBN has 84 satellite channels and thousands of television and cable affiliates around the world, according to the website.
"In a world filled with
wars, disasters, plagues, and political turmoil TBN helps viewers
understand major world events," it says.
Crouch served on the board of The Holy Land Experience, a biblical museum and experience in Orlando, Florida.
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