Dear Friend,
Can Christians condone war? In view of Matthew 5:40 (“give away your cloak”) and 5:44 (“love your enemies”), when is it reasonable to wage war? Our next Levitt Letter will have an article from Jeff Seif, which argues conclusively that Israel’s military actions are justified on the basis that she has legitimate authority, a just cause and a rightful intention.
This ministry is waging its own war of sorts—one of survival on America’s television screens. We have lost our battle to stay on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) because we remain steadfast in continuing to bless Israel. Some of our supporters will actually welcome this change. Over the years, there was frustration among some of those who favored a more open criticism of militant Islam—which TBN did not allow. Some had encouraged (even implored) us to leave the network rather than work within the restrictions placed on us. Zola and I believed, however, that we were heeding our calling to be a light unto the darkness (Romans 2:19).
We worked hard to get the message out to the rather significant TBN audience in a manner that was acceptable to the network, made increasingly nervous by the dramatic increases in violence aimed at both the U.S. and Israel. Now, however, as the forces aligned against Israel grow stronger and more blatant in their desire, as expressed by the leader of Hezbollah, to kill all the world’s Jews both inside and outside of Israel, the network’s decision to eliminate our voice will allow us to deal with rapidly accelerating developments. As the enclosed TV Airing Schedule shows, you can still see us on:
Ken Berg has been this ministry’s television producer since our very first broadcast in December, 1978. His worthy associate, Jerry Hodges (see my article, “The State of the Ministry” in our January Levitt Letter at www.levitt.com), has been in charge of contracting for TV airtime on stations and networks. Ken’s article, below, shares our history with TBN, during which that network and this ministry grew together.
Goodbye TBN
by Ken Berg, this ministry’s TV ProducerTrinity Broadcasting Network’s last airing of Zola Levitt Presents was on August 28.
If memory serves me correctly, it was nearly a quarter of a century ago that Zola Levitt Presents first appeared on TBN. The program was a fledgling outreach at the time, as was the network. Yet both were excited about sharing a vital message through television. We were offered a prime time slot and looked forward to being part of an ever-growing network that reached across America.
Both TBN and CBN (now ABC-Family) provided us an audience that became the very backbone of the viewership necessary to sustain an ongoing national ministry. That support base remains vital until this day. In time we were able to go to Israel and provide programming on location in the very footsteps of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and our Lord. What a blessing it has been to share with the countless millions who have watched our program on TBN these many years!
Along with TBN’s astounding growth came changes, and sadly they were not always good for Zola Levitt Ministries. They told us that our prime time slot would no longer be available to us. They were making changes, I believe, to accommodate a lineup with wider appeal, one that would accommodate their vision for further growth. They changed our time slot a number of times over the years and, with each change, we found ourselves with a less desirable time.
Politics were changing in Israel as well. Zola felt compelled to direct his message to the ever-growing threat of Islam. He spoke openly against the evil that was besieging Israel. Long before the Intifada occurred, Zola spoke about an Islamic onslaught on those nations that supported Israel’s biblical right to the land.
TBN took issue with this Zionist stand, telling us to pull back from any message that would be considered “degrading” to Arabs or Muslims. They said they were expanding into Arab nations and that they didn’t want to offend their new constituents. It is my opinion that, in our case, the message was all the more awkward for TBN because it was delivered by a Jewish host. “Just preach the Gospel message,” we were told. In the past few years, I had to stop Zola numerous times during our videotaping, reminding him that he had to abide by TBN’s rules. How frustrated he was in not being able to share all that was on his heart. Certainly the Muslims do need to hear about the life-changing message found in the Word but not at the expense of the whole truth.
One of my video editors told me that he recently watched TBN’s “Behind the Scenes” program, in which representatives for TBN’s ministry in the Middle East mentioned the network’s new opportunity to reach the Arab world via satellite. Viewers were encouraged to join TBN in reaching the Muslim “brothers” with the Gospel message. It could ultimately bring “peace” to “Palestine” and the war-torn Middle East. Furthermore, the TBN representative said the Jewish people had not been receptive to receiving their programming via TBN’s satellites but the Arab nations were.
When Zola passed away, TBN notified us that they would have to reconsider whether to continue broadcasting Zola Levitt Presents. I think we all saw the handwriting on the wall at the time, but we nevertheless stuck with our mission and made new programming with Sandra Levitt and Jeff Seif. We have, in fact, just completed a very timely three-part series that includes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Walid Shoebat—a former Palestinian terrorist who is now a Christian Zionist. The series, which is called Approaching Armageddon, clearly addresses the growing Islamic Holy War and Iran’s menacing support of the War. When we told TBN about this excellent series, they advised us, once again, not to send them programming of this nature. Further, they declared that our longrunning association with TBN was coming to a close. Our final program on TBN aired the last Monday of August.
Only months ago, TBN dropped Hal Lindsay from their lineup. He, too, was outspoken in his defense of Israel. He, too, warned about a growing Islamic threat. Now more than ever, I would like to encourage our viewers to be united as we share the truth as illuminated by God’s prophetic Word. “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee” (Gen. 12:3).
A line is being drawn in the sand. It is incumbent upon us to side with the Chosen People and come against every force that would say otherwise, including Islam.
I need to speak to those who Love the Lord, Love Israel, and Love America. Please bravely oppose Hezbollah and Hamas. Israel depends on tourists, and Israel’s enemies want to intimidate those who speak and act Christianity on behalf of Israel. Any TV station which airs Zola Levitt Presents receives letters, seemingly from private citizens, arguing why we should be put off the air. Those who feature our broadcasts need to know you are interested in seeing them continue. And Please recommend our TV program, newsletters and web site to your friends, family and family of God at your church.
As for supporting Israel, we are staying with our tour dates of October 24 and 29. If you would like to see the Holy Land, there is still room for you. Jeff Seif and Sandra Levitt are offering biblically-minded people an opportunity to see the Holy Land through Biblically-informed Jewish eyes. Sandra has been to Israel 31 times and capably heads up the trips with Tony Derrick, our Travel Manager. We will avoid risky areas and bring home testimonials from passengers who will attest to seeing nothing of the localized incidents.
Please call Tony at (214) 696-9760 during business hours or 1-800-WONDERS, anytime.
Sandra and Zola’s dear friend Harvey Zion will conduct our Holy Land Experience tour in Orlando, December 22 – 24. Harvey is a Messianic Jew who has been helping with our Orlando tours, and he has been to the real Israel. Among the many fascinating replicas at The Holy Land Experience, our group will carefully study a model of Jerusalem from the time of Jesus. This makes a great visual as you learn about the 4000-year history of the City of God—the only eternal city! Ask Tony for details at (214) 696-9760 during the workweek or anytime at 1-800-WONDERS (800-966-3377).
In closing, let me say that we are seeking out new airtimes for our viewers who depended on TBN. Please help us with this transition as we will lose support from some of our audience at the same time we are establishing ourselves with those who are new to our outreach. We have chosen to bless Israel with what this ministry has always offered—high caliber, on-location Bible teaching delivered by a well-informed, messianic Jewish Believer. By doing so, we also will bless those who hunger for insights and commentary that enable them to make sense of this increasingly crazy world. Those who read the Bible as a literal document are carefully following the events in the Middle East with an eye toward End Times warnings. Zola Levitt Presents is the only program that reports on the breaking news with that perspective.
Please join me in praying for the peace of Jerusalem.
In His Service,
Mark
P.S. To celebrate our newfound freedom from trying to stay meek and mild enough for TBN, we produced the power-packed Armageddon programs that began airing August 6.
