Customer Reviews

The Last TV Evangelist: Why the Next Generation Couldn't Care Less About Religious Media

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this book and lost some sleep on the first night from turning pages and making notes.

If we really care about reaching beyond the present, and recent past, we have to be willing to change our means of communication.
This book is a clear, if blunt, call for needed change.

While not everyone has the freedom to make wholesale changes in the ministry where they are serving - this book should inspire any reader, regardless of their position in the organization's food chain, to begin to ask "why can't we do things differently?"!

To be honest this book is causing me to re-think several areas of ministry. The Word tells us that iron sharpens iron. This book is like flint - it's a hard pill to swallow but it should spark the imagination of anyone who's not dead from the neck up.

Did I agree with every premise, no, but did this book cause me to think, and think hard about future media ministry direction - YES!

Frankly I don't remember the last time I paid full price for a book but I would have paid more than they were asking for this one.

Yes, he takes us to task but in the end Cooke wants us to succeed in reaching the current, and next, generations for Christ.
It shows in every page.
Thanks for a great read, if not for a good night's sleep . . .

The author, Phil Cooke, in writing this book has "said outloud" what we have all been thinking for years. We are not satisfied, sometimes horrified and often bored silly with the some (not all) of the presentations and some (not all) of the program content of Christian television. Except for two excellently produced shows, I simply do not/cannot watch Christian television. I think this is the beginning of a much overdue, fresh wave of authenticity in Christian television. The author has a clever sense of humor which makes it a very entertaining read. I rated his book only 4 stars because there were instances in which his satirical statements on the church and ministries went a little too far and I felt it was more damaging to the body of Christ than helpful. Otherwise, I was happy to read that "The Emperor Has No Clothes" syndrome is being recognized and that maybe someday soon the original intent of the Gospel may be presented to those who are lost through Christian television.

I just finished reading The Last TV Evangelist by Phil Cooke and enjoyed it and in other ways feel burdened by it...or should I say burdened by the thought of what I know I need to do - change my thinking. It's burdensome because most of my 30 year background has been traditional Christian television - from the style of the programming, to trying to appeal the typical Christian viewer to the product and direct mail driven marketing. It has been tiresome to push and push and push to get measurable results in the dwindling Christian TV market.

As Phil Cooke discusses in his book, we are faced with the need to appeal to a younger generation - to have a paradigm shift - no longer trying to think "outside of the box," but realize "there is no box." It's a whole different mindset - from the content to the way it is shot to the way it is delivered to the end user. Phil states some things that may irritate the religious spirit in some of us or that we just plainly disagree with and that's okay. However, I would encourage the reader to have an open mind with an understanding that many non-Christians and Christians would agree with his statements. We are trying to reach the world with the Gospel aren't we?

Now comes the process of changing my thinking...hmm...I think I need to read his book several more times...

If you are involved in faith-based film and television or just interested in seeing "Christian" television & film improve and truly inspire then this book is a must read. I found it to be an honest modern-day assessment of faith-based content creation that shows respect but does not hold back. It may not be what you want to hear ... but is what you need to hear.

The only downside (and this is probably just me) is there are a couple of spots in which the narrative feels a bit like a text book, making the read for a postmodern gen'Xer slightly tedious. That approach is perhaps needed though, given the broad overview of faith-based television presented in the work and the author's desire to reach the next generation of content creators. That being said, the author makes up for it by incorporating interesting stories from his own work in faith-based media creation, insightful applications of scripture to modern media-esk situations, and solid thoughts on media trends occurring in the now. In particular, I enjoyed the last three chapters in which the author wrestles with the future of faith-based media creation. Here he finds a way to uniquely verbalize what many faith-based content creators (self included) struggle with ... how to, as he says, "embrace the ambiguity" of life while not compromising the Message.

A solid book full of insightful nuggets any faith-based content creator is sure to take away ... and a book that challenges to create better in order to effectively engage the culture for Christ.

Phil said everything that I have ever thought about religious preachers. I teach the Kingdom of God on Christian local station, and thought I was the only one that felt the way Phil does. We have become so religious & set in tradition, "making the Word of God of no effect". Every person in church/ministry leadership needs to read this book. Perhaps we can WAKE UP and become more effective in advancing the Kingdom of God - by relating to the culture where it is. We must GO out- so they can see the evidence (testimony) of being in the Kingdom & make disciples - for they sure arent flocking into the American churches & who can blame them?

I have now read all of Phil's books and follow him on twitter and read his RSS feed. He is a great inspiration and has lots of great points.

This book goes where he hasnt in previous books but covers the same topics that make his blog compelling. I love that he talks from both the inside and the outside the Christian TV industry. I think its great that he speaks with passion bred out of a genuine love for the media.

A great and challenging read.

This is my son's first book cover and I am so proud of him. This promises to be a good book.