For 15 years, Trinity Foundation, publisher of The Door, has been investigating televangelists and other religious organizations. Recently we assisted in major investigations of Benny Hinn for NBC's DateLine and the Trinity Broadcasting Network for the Los Angeles Times.

Some Christians have severely critized us for this, even accusing us of being agents of the devil. In the Q & A below, we explain again why these investigations are worth doing.

Why is Trinity trying to expose the abuses of TV evangelists? Doesn't that harm the cause of Christ?

No. Paul calls for us to "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil" (I Thessalonians. 5:21,22). The Christian message should be able to withstand any scrutiny. Believers are called to "try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). The TV evangelists have demanded attention, so we're giving it to them.

The Bible is full of these kinds of confrontations. Jesus denounced the Pharisees as hypocrites and expelled the moneychangers from the Temple.

Paul says of those who were perverting the gospel: "Let them be accursed." (Galatians 1:6).

Strong words. But how can we recognize a false gospel? Paul again warns against those who are "enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction and whose god is their belly" or their own appetites (Philippians 3:17-19).

False prophets will preach about Christ, but be an enemy of the cross.

Jesus said "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall save it."

The cross of Christ means the death of self. You abandon control of your life to God. A "prosperity gospel" message that panders to the sensual desire for gain is the opposite of the message of the cross.

The chief characteristic of false prophets given in Jeremiah 23 is that they will preach pleasing messages that people will like to hear: "They say still unto those who despise me, The Lord hath said, 'Ye shall have peace' and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, 'No evil shall come unto you'" (Jeremiah. 23:17).

In contrast, God's word is "like a fire" and "like a hammer that breaketh in pieces." It brings us to repentance (Jeremiah 23:29).

Didn't Jesus say "He who is without sin, cast the first stone?"

Any accusations we have made have been proven with the biblical standard of "two or three witnesses." The damning evidence of these TV evangelists' greed and callousness comes from their own words and actions and from the documents of their own organizations.

Aren't the TV evangelists' ministries doing some good, even though they themselves might be unethical or involved in scandal?

Many people are responding to God's Spirit under all kinds of conditions, and God is faithful to honor a response of faith. But James says "Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?" If they're honest with themselves, these believers will withdraw their support.

How can people continue to support these evangelists once they've been exposed as frauds?

Everyone has inherent greed, and when a spiritual leader justifies that for us, it's a powerful incentive to continue to listen.

But underneath that, everyone is looking for a sense of purpose, accomplishment and community. People want to give themselves to something bigger than they are, to have faith. The televangelists promise this, and it seems easy-just turn on the TV. But the viewers can only touch images on a screen. That doesn't fulfill them, so they give more money, they try harder.

Isn't lying to go "undercover" always unethical?

We always try to talk personally with any televangelist we receive a complaint about, but usually we get no response. If their operations were open to public scrutiny there would obviously be no need to go "undercover."

It is not unheard of for a believer to conceal his true intentions. The Bible is full of these stories. Consider Ehud (Judges 2), Rahab (Joshua 2:4,5), Jael (Judges 4:21), Judith (Judith 13:6-10) and David (I Samuel 21:10-15). Even Jesus gave evasive answers that flustered His enemies and refused to answer questions from those whose own motives were not honest.

We're certainly not immune from deception ourselves, of course, and we welcome comments and exhortation. The popular saying is that you can justify anything from scripture. God will be the final judge of everyone's motives.

Practically, what can be done to protect society from these abuses?

The FCC is charged with regulating these broadcasts in the public interest. England has a law that requires claims of healing and other supernatural phenomena to be verified before being broadcast. We have asked Congress to adopt a similar law for the United States.

Many cities have laws that require those who solicit more that 50 people to obtain a license from the city. TV and radio preachers, with massive direct mail campaigns, are routinely breaking those laws. Voters could urge their city government to tighten those restrictions.

Many of the televangelists say they're raising money for a certain project, then use the money for something else, like building multi-million dollar homes for themselves. People should urge their state comptrollers and the IRS to target these operations for tax violations.

What can be said to disillusioned followers of televangelists who have no place to turn now?

Christ said the Kingdom of God is within you. Believe that. Let go of your life, abandon yourself to Him. He will bring you together with others who you can lay your life down for in a real and honest way. Maybe if people all across America do this, we can rediscover the meaning of love and community.