or the use of television in religion. Bakker claimed that television was an appropriate tool for spreading his message because he believed strongly in that message. According to Bakker: "I believe in it with every fiber of my being, and why shouldn't I use the most effective means of communication today?" (Shepard, 1989, p. 108). Despite the benefits of television, however, certain problems arise in mixing religion with the medium. These problems are due mostly to the fact that television is big business. It is very expensive to maintain a television program (much less a network), and as a result millions of dollars must be raised each year in order to keep a TV ministry going. The need for money in televangelism is made stronger by the fact that different ministries are in competition with one another for the same followers. In the words of Michael W. Hughey, the necessity for money in televangelism is given greater urgency by "the fact that televangelism is an intensely competitive field" (Hughey, 1990, p. 33). Peter G. Horsfield has likewise
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