Ministry of Greed: The Inside Story of the Televangelists and Their Holy Wars (Newsweek Book)
"Gospelgate," the scandal that rocked the PTL (Praise the Lord) empire of televangelists Jim and Tammy Bakker, is explored here in a collaborative narrative under the aegis of Martz, senior editor of Newsweek , and Carroll, chief reporter on the story. Drawing on the magazine's coverage of the media event of 1987, the book tracks the far-flung, nefarious activities of those involved in the headlined struggle for control of the $172 million PTL operation. As noted in the foreword, "It was a story of God, greed, sex and power." The drama precipitated inspection from government agencies as well as religious leaders, spotlighting the workings of the little-known world of televangelism. Disgraced preachers and scandals are not unknown in the history of evangelism, note the authors, but unique in this imbroglio is the manipulation of the technology of communication to dupe and mulct the vulnerable. This report pulls together many elements of the massive fraud.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.