Danny Shelton Marries....again, 3abn Options

[calvin]

This whole saga seems more like a bad soap opera. It's too sad that the focus on this ministry had radically shifted from it's true purpose, which is to spread the gospel and bring men and women to a full knowledge of Jesus Christ.

My mother was a big financial supporter of 3ABN. She died in February 2005, and our family made a big contribution to 3ABN in her memory. I wonder what she would have thought about this whole mess. My mother was very philosophical and she would have probably said, "God's work will go on, if not with 3ABN, with someone else" and it shall...

Press on, regardless...

Just because a few here are obsessed with Danny’s divorce and remarriage, I would not conclude that the 3ABN board, management, and general viewing audience are. I was speaking to my brother last night; he just came back from 3ABN this week. Curtis told me that they have sent out 4.5 million copies of their 10 Commandment Day book to anybody that wants them, free of charge. Some conferences are ordering them by the 100s of thousands. The demise of 3ABN is much premature IMO.

[summertime]

Just because a few here are obsessed with Danny’s divorce and remarriage, I would not conclude that the 3ABN board, management, and general viewing audience are. I was speaking to my brother last night; he just came back from 3ABN this week. Curtis told me that they have sent out 4.5 million copies of their 10 Commandment Day book to anybody that wants them, free of charge. Some conferences are ordering them by the 100s of thousands. The demise of 3ABN is much premature IMO.

Calvin, I really admire your brother and his wife. I believe that 3ABN has a lot of wonderful people working there. I believe in the Ten Commandment agenda that is being sent from many, many churches. I myself have been involved in sending these booklets. I want to thank you for letting us write on BLCK SDA. I would be willing to pay dues if it was necessary. But the Bible does say that 'By their fruits you shall know them,' I have been really shattered by what Danny has done---and I am not saying that Linda is w/o fault. Even she will tell you, according to her writings, that she feels that sometime we have to hit bottom before we climb back up again. But our church has always preached to me, in accordance with the Bible, that marrying without 'adultryl' being charged, and remarrying before Linda was even made aware of the fact that the Guam divorce had been made valid, is breaking the Ten Commandments. I have children who are watching 3ABN and what the church is condoning and they are quick to want to follow the same example. They are seeing 'Marriage does not count, if someone else is more pleasing. What can we say to our children if we don't stand up and be counted?

[Guest_statrei_*]

What can we say to our children if we don't stand up and be counted?

We can say, "Send us the money and we will count it."

[Panama_Pete]

Just because a few here are obsessed with Danny’s divorce and remarriage, I would not conclude that the 3ABN board, management, and general viewing audience are. I was speaking to my brother last night; he just came back from 3ABN this week. Curtis told me that they have sent out 4.5 million copies of their 10 Commandment Day book to anybody that wants them, free of charge. Some conferences are ordering them by the 100s of thousands. The demise of 3ABN is much premature IMO.

That item about the 4.5 million pamphlets was on a 3ABN "Newsbreak" item that aired. I, personally, have no idea how many pamphlets they sent out, nor does anyone else. No outside entity has access to any of the financial accounts at 3ABN. And they never will. It is a ministry that is completely lacking in transparency. They could tell me they sent out 5 billion and it would all be the same to me. I don't believe anything they say anymore.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that the people who author pamphlets are not being paid a profit for them. It is my understanding that privately published books are possibly being sold to the 3ABN ministry, by the authors themselves (at a profit), and then either sold by 3ABN or given away for free.

I first heard about this "publishing" concept in an unauthorized biography about an evangelist named Oral, a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma:

Here's how the system supposedly works:

You publish something using your own private company, set up for that purpose. Next, you sell the book or pamphlet (at a nice profit) to the nonprofit ministry. This transfers a nice, big chunk of ministry funds from the ministry to your own, personal bank account. What the nonprofit ministry does with the books or pamphets it bought no longer matters. The ministry can sell the books or give them away as free offers. It no longer matters because the author (you) has been paid. I understand that John Hagee, the preacher, earns substantial royalties. Personally, before you get all giddy over those free 3ABN Ten Commandment pamphlets, take a look at John Hagee's operation and learn something. The article mentions that Hagee's 2001 total compensation package amounted to more than $1.25 million.

John Hagee - The Profitable NonProfit

(Last, but not least, these ministries transmit the underlying theme that the ignorant followers are all too unsophisticated, superstitious, and financially backward, to see a private, money-making enterprise for what it is.)

This post has been edited by Panama_Pete: Apr 20 2006, 03:48 PM

[Prisca]

You know I like Pastor L when he and wife were pastoring here. They lived and pastored out by where my Mom lived at the time, and they visited our church many times, well as often as they had a week off. It is sad that he doesn't have the courage to stand up to this mess. They are really good people.

I wouldn't say that he doesn't have the courage, but that he might not want to. Good people are sometimes more tolerant of situation if the results are just and true. I have a similar problem when I see pastors that I know 'something about' preach their hearts out...people come to the Lord and churches are blessed by their ministry. I ask God to let me just enjoy seeing HIM draw the people, but it's hard.

priscilla

This whole saga seems more like a bad soap opera. It's too sad that the focus on this ministry had radically shifted from it's true purpose, which is to spread the gospel and bring men and women to a full knowledge of Jesus Christ.

My mother was a big financial supporter of 3ABN. She died in February 2005, and our family made a big contribution to 3ABN in her memory. I wonder what she would have thought about this whole mess. My mother was very philosophical and she would have probably said, "God's work will go on, if not with 3ABN, with someone else" and it shall...

Press on, regardless...

You know, I had a similar thought. My mother also now deceased, loved 3ABN, especially when she was homebound. We got the Dish and pulled up Sky Angel. It made the Sabbath hours so pleasant. There were some of the shows she didn't like though. I thought, what if she heard about it...what would she say?

Priscilla

[summertime]

We can say, "Send us the money and we will count it."

Hi--statrei, I just don't understand the comment. Explain, please. Thank you 'Summer'

[princessdi]

The pamphlet they sent out was passed out at my church last Sabbth it is authored by Danny Shelton and Shelley Quinn. So are you saying that They are charing 3ABN a fee?

That item about the 4.5 million pamphlets was on a 3ABN "Newsbreak" item that aired. I, personally, have no idea how many pamphlets they sent out, nor does anyone else. No outside entity has access to any of the financial accounts at 3ABN. And they never will. It is a ministry that is completely lacking in transparency. They could tell me they sent out 5 billion and it would all be the same to me. I don't believe anything they say anymore.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that the people who author pamphlets are not being paid a profit for them. It is my understanding that privately published books are possibly being sold to the 3ABN ministry, by the authors themselves (at a profit), and then either sold by 3ABN or given away for free.

I first heard about this "publishing" concept in an unauthorized biography about an evangelist named Oral, a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma:

Here's how the system supposedly works:

You publish something using your own private company, set up for that purpose. Next, you sell the book or pamphlet (at a nice profit) to the nonprofit ministry. This transfers a nice, big chunk of ministry funds from the ministry to your own, personal bank account. What the nonprofit ministry does with the books or pamphets it bought no longer matters. The ministry can sell the books or give them away as free offers. It no longer matters because the author (you) has been paid. I understand that John Hagee, the preacher, earns substantial royalties. Personally, before you get all giddy over those free 3ABN Ten Commandment pamphlets, take a look at John Hagee's operation and learn something. The article mentions that Hagee's 2001 total compensation package amounted to more than $1.25 million.

John Hagee - The Profitable NonProfit

(Last, but not least, these ministries transmit the underlying theme that the ignorant followers are all too unsophisticated, superstitious, and financially backward, to see a private, money-making enterprise for what it is.)

[Panama_Pete]

Hi--statrei, I just don't understand the comment. Explain, please. Thank you 'Summer'

It was a humorous play on words:



Some people stand up and are counted.


Some people count it ($), and then stand up.

[summertime]

I wouldn't say that he doesn't have the courage, but that he might not want to. Good people are sometimes more tolerant of situation if the results are just and true. I have a similar problem when I see pastors that I know 'something about' preach their hearts out...people come to the Lord and churches are blessed by their ministry. I ask God to let me just enjoy seeing HIM draw the people, but it's hard.

priscilla
You know, I had a similar thought. My mother also now deceased, loved 3ABN, especially when she was homebound. We got the Dish and pulled up Sky Angel. It made the Sabbath hours so pleasant. There were some of the shows she didn't like though. I thought, what if she heard about it...what would she say?

Priscilla

Priscilla, I don't think that we should discount the thousands of really good people who loved 3ABN and who would have given their last dollar to help them. I have told people in the past that my life has been changed by 3ABN. Again, I say, I do not know sister, where she is coming from, or where she has been. Like you, I would assume that she has been in full knowledge of what has gone on at 3ABN over all these years. Her story about 3ABN is cocmpletely new to me, but I believe every word of it. Only my discouragement started when he dismissed his wife so cruelly and even then I thought that Danny had been abandoned. Well, through much asking and answering I began to realize that she had not abandoned him and 3ABN---she just was a Mother who took time off to help her son. Then I watched while he sang his songs about being alone, and when I wrote to him to ask just what was going on, he wrote me a very mixed up letter complaining that Linda had not fixed his meals and she had never ironed a shirt for him. It was a pitiful tale, and then he started a barrage of accusations agaianst her and ended the letter with his wanting to celebrate with Linda. I began to believe that 3ABN, a channel that I believe God had asked him to build, had been used, not only to tell the story of Christ's love, but to make himself a man who could travel the world with his own private jet, and have horses and land, And he started out with nothing--a poor penniless carpenter. I still love the story that the SDA have to tell, about the love of Jesus. I don't want it tarnished with dishonesty and the breaking of the Ten Commandment--'Thou shalt not committ adultry' 'Summertime'

[Panama_Pete]

The pamphlet they sent out was passed out at my church last Sabbth it is authored by Danny Shelton and Shelley Quinn. So are you saying that They are charing 3ABN a fee?

I can't even tell you what I think, have been told, or understand along these lines without getting myself into deep water.

So, let me carefully and cautiously answer your question this way:

Generally, there is a lot of information sitting in the public libraries about television evangelists. Stories of jet planes, book royalties, big houses, and young women. Notice how the "boards of directors" of these businesses are set up - often close friends and family.

Since 3ABN, in my opinion, seems to be following in the path of other television evangelists, it is reasonable to look at that path and to where it leads.

3ABN shares little with the public, or the Adventist Church, regarding its finances, so you'll be forced to read about the other television evangelists if you wish to understand how the industry works.

I already posted a link to an article mentioning John Hagee. Read about another one, Joyce Meyer, from Christianity Today. It was published, January, 2004. These types of stories are a dime a dozen.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/103/13.0.html

The best I can do, right now, is support our own church-owned television network, Hope TV.

This post has been edited by Panama_Pete: Apr 20 2006, 08:04 PM

[calvin]

...and the problem is ? You publish/author a book, you entitled to get paid and make a profit? THEY ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS. Somebody has got to pay for the pamphets. Be thankful 3ABN provided a way that you did not have too pay.

That item about the 4.5 million pamphlets was on a 3ABN "Newsbreak" item that aired. I, personally, have no idea how many pamphlets they sent out, nor does anyone else. No outside entity has access to any of the financial accounts at 3ABN. And they never will. It is a ministry that is completely lacking in transparency. They could tell me they sent out 5 billion and it would all be the same to me. I don't believe anything they say anymore.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that the people who author pamphlets are not being paid a profit for them. It is my understanding that privately published books are possibly being sold to the 3ABN ministry, by the authors themselves (at a profit), and then either sold by 3ABN or given away for free.

I first heard about this "publishing" concept in an unauthorized biography about an evangelist named Oral, a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma:

Here's how the system supposedly works:

You publish something using your own private company, set up for that purpose. Next, you sell the book or pamphlet (at a nice profit) to the nonprofit ministry. This transfers a nice, big chunk of ministry funds from the ministry to your own, personal bank account. What the nonprofit ministry does with the books or pamphets it bought no longer matters. The ministry can sell the books or give them away as free offers. It no longer matters because the author (you) has been paid. I understand that John Hagee, the preacher, earns substantial royalties. Personally, before you get all giddy over those free 3ABN Ten Commandment pamphlets, take a look at John Hagee's operation and learn something. The article mentions that Hagee's 2001 total compensation package amounted to more than $1.25 million.

John Hagee - The Profitable NonProfit

(Last, but not least, these ministries transmit the underlying theme that the ignorant followers are all too unsophisticated, superstitious, and financially backward, to see a private, money-making enterprise for what it is.)

[beartrap]

I don't know what the business deal is with the book being given away for this event. Previously Danny self-published through Pacific Press, sold the books to 3ABN at a profit, recieved his royalties, and gave (or sold) the books from 3ABN. As Calvin said, there really is nothing wrong with making some money off of your work, but I suppose some people would question the ethics in a situation where the author is the seller and the buyer, and therefor controls profits and pricing in every aspect of the market (other than publishing) and the profits come from donor dollars. Under that business model, the author/buyer's decision to give away 4.5 million books could certainly be construed as a means of generating an enormous profit very quickly. I guess there are some aspects to this that would make interesting material for debate in a business ethics class.

[beartrap]

But then again, as has been previously pointed out, it is expected of televangelists and other religious characters of that caliber to operate on the model of using Christian ministry to generate significant personal (and family) wealth. So, IF that is happening in this 10C event, Danny would be operating well within the bounds established by his numerous colleagues in the other relgious television networks, and in many of the megachurches.

[awesumtenor]

But then again, as has been previously pointed out, it is expected of televangelists and other religious characters of that caliber to operate on the model of using Christian ministry to generate significant personal (and family) wealth. So, IF that is happening in this 10C event, Danny would be operating well within the bounds established by his numerous colleagues in the other relgious television networks, and in many of the megachurches.

Expected by the world perhaps... problem is, as Christians, we are told to "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. "

As Christians, we are told to conform ourselves not to this world but rather to 'be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. "

As Christians, we are told that friendship with the world is enmity with God.

The fact that the methods being used are successful in accruing wealth for those who use them does not make those methods approved of God.

In His service,
Mr. J

[Fran]

...and the problem is ? You publish/author a book, you entitled to get paid and make a profit? THEY ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS. Somebody has got to pay for the pamphets. Be thankful 3ABN provided a way that you did not have too pay.

Calvin;

There is no free lunch, ever!

Example (Not Fact):

Danny's publishing company prints the booklet for say $ 1.00 per copy (just numbers-not fact) They must give royalties to the authors. Danny gets say $ .30 for each one sold, and say Shelly gets $.20 per copy sold. Danny's company sells the booklet to 3ABN for say$ 5.00.

.....$ 6.75 Sales Price to Public (Real Amount from the 3ABN Website)

.....$ 5.00 Sales Price to 3ABN (Guess)
.....$- 1.50 Cost ($ 1.00 + $ .30 + $ .20 - Guess)
.....$ 3.50 Profit to Danny's though his Printing Shop

3ABN donors pick up the total tab. I would like to be given proof that there is no profit for anyone, but I know that is wrong, because Danny said he and Shelly would make money on the distribution of these booklets. Put your own figures in and multiply that by the millions of books sent out.

I agree 100 % with Lurker:

"Follow the money; Follow the money!"

As far as Sky Angel: Just my opinion, OK.

Sky Angel covered an oval over the United States. "Almost" to the Canadian border, the West Coast, the East Coast, and the Gulf of Mexico. This market is saturated and almost all of the people who could get coverage under Sky Angel have already purchased their dish and receiver. Could this be a marketing tool to increase sales of the AMC-4 dishes? Just a thought. This is where the sales come from. Gotta' get more and more and more money. Is it a pity party for dollars?