It's been a wild ride since we first hung out our shingle and proclaimed that "TV is GOD!" Who would have thought we'd recieve anything but joyous acceptance? Well, we were wrong, there were some out there against us from the very beginning. After the Chicago Reader did an article on the church, many an anti-TV group came after us, most notably the White Dot - of course, most of these organizations have computers - which has hypocrisy written all over it, but that's the way it goes.

Since we began, we've published numerous newsletters and materials that have been sent to members spanning the globe. We have held a number of TV Ministry Nights in Chicago and Los Angeles, at the first of which we showed OJ Simpson's very first film, 'The Klansman'. It is a highly controversial movie, also starring Richard Burton, Lola Falana, Lee Marvin, Linda Evans, and based on a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. The event was greeted with protests and protesters, but in the end it was a huge success, and an inter-racial love connection was even made, between a lovely AfricanQueen and a lily-white Skinhead. Talk about World Peace via TV!

Around '98, we began seeing those yellow billboards from ABC with the pro-TV slogans on them, then the commercials began, and postcards were distributed around the cities, stating such things as "Before TV, two World Wars, after TV zero", and "Hello? It's free". We at the TV Ministry were honored that such a huge broadcasting entity would embrace us so openly and honestly, but then their fall season began with some of the worst shows ever made.

At that point, we went into deep cover until we could re-emerge ready to take on the world! Which brings us to today, and this website. Now we're back and bigger than ever. Follow our beliefs, read our articles, buy our merchandise, and support our sponsors, and together we shall take over the world!

• 1996 - The TV Ministry is offically founded after years of idle chatter.

• 1997 - Mark Hejnar commences work on "The TV Ministry' video sermon #1. To date, it has been shown all around the world at various film fests, special events, and as a regular course of study at a major university.

• 1997 - 'Culture Pub' show on CB News TV in France does a special feature on the rotting minds of Americans, it features The Pope, The General, The Pastor of D, Roxanne the Pitbull, and Fisto The Clown. (We've never seen it.)

• 1997 - The Chicago Reader 5/9/97 - Our first real press, mostly anti-TV, but included a nice photo. (Pic at the right, article to be linked soon.)

• 1997 - The first TVM event is held at a gallery in Chicago called Poop Studios. We show OJ Simpson's first film, 'The Klansman', as the trial is everywhere, it is a huge success, though a small protest is held outside. Several Public Access shows cover the event.

• 1998 - Swedish Documentary Filmmakers come to us for a piece on USA's obsession with TV, nice guys, even though they never sent the footage to us.

• 1998 - The TVM is featured in a book about unusual leisure activities.

• 1998 - ABC uses TV Ministry beliefs and ideals to propagate an awful season on television - Come on 'Fantasy Island'?, 'The Secret Lives of Men'? This leads to TVM's deep cover and seeming hiatus. (See at right.)

• 2001 - The TV Ministry's General Amy embarks on a three week roadshow of malcontents, includes appearances at Mondo Video A Go Go in LA, CA for a video show attended by members of White Zombie, Pigface and Prong. And, a special appearance at the San Antonio Underground Film Fest inTX.

•2002 - The TV Ministry Website is finally unveiled!

•2002 - The TV Ministry is threatened with a lawsuit by C-List actor David Spade, the hoopla gets us in newspapers nationwide, Spade's movie is pushed back, reshot and ultimately bombs at the boxoffice.

2004 - The TV Ministry releases it's new website, and opens it's world wide Button Gallery, full of one-of-a-kind designs available as wearable art on 1" buttons.

From our first event,
The Klansman. >>>

Below: Robbed by ABC 1997.