Ben Kinchlow Returns to Celebrate 55 Years of CBN

MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Ben Kinchlow is known throughout the world as the long time Co-host of The 700 Club and Host of the International Edition of The 700 Club. For twenty years, Ben worked with CBN.  He says, “Everyday on The 700 Club was memorable – it was just that kind of show.”  He remembers one of the best parts of being on the show was the interaction between the hosts.

He often talks with people who remember him from The 700 Club. “People will share how as children they watched the show with their parents and now they are in ministry.  From the healings, to the miracles, to the outreaches, The 700 Club has impacted so many lives; it is hard to separate one experience from the other. It is all a part of CBN,” shares Ben. Operation Blessing, the humanitarian relief agency of CBN's The 700 Club, was launched in 1978. During a live telecast, Ben recalls Pat read from Isaiah 58 and invited viewers with material needs to call. He also invited those with a surplus to donate something. Then Pat turned to Ben on the show and said, “You’re it.” Ben oversaw the network's Operation Blessing, which provides food, shelter and other necessities to low-income families. In time, Operation Blessing became a worldwide humanitarian outreach to those in need. “Whatever the Lord told Pat to do he was totally committed,” says Ben.

Ben says some of his most memorable moments with CBN include:

Funniest Moment
Ben says the funniest moment was when he found out he was the host of The 700 Club. He had been on the show as a guest. After 3 weeks, he received a phone call. Ruth asked, “Would you be willing to help Pat with The 700 Club?” During that time, The 700 Club had the phone counselors on set. In addition to the host, there was always someone standing with the phone counselors, reporting on the calls that were coming in.  Ben assumed he would be helping with the phones. “I can do that,” he thought. On his first day, Ben walked over to the phones and began shaking hands and chatting with the counselors. The producer walked over and told him “You have only a few minutes until air. Please take your seat.” Ben then thought, “Maybe I am on the show as a guest.” He walked over to the chair designated for guests and sat down. The show producer said, “Please, Mr. Kinchlow… you are scheduled to start in just 2 minutes. Please take your place.” Ben asked the producer, “Where am I supposed to sit?” The producer answered, “In the host chair! You are hosting!” Ben said that he was completely shocked. He had no idea he was the host of the show! However, with just over a minute left until the show was scheduled to start, he had no time to panic. He turned toward the camera and began hosting the first of many successful 700 Club episodes.

Most Fun Moment
Ben says the most fun moment was when he was invited to the White House for lunch with President Ronald Regan. There were about 12 people at the lunch. After they ate, President Regan walked around the table and shook everyone’s hand. When President Regan shook Ben’s hand, Ben said, “Hello Sir, my name is Ben Kinchlow.” President Regan replied, “I know who you are.” Ben was floored!

Moment that Touched Him Deeply
Ben says the moment that touched him the most happened when The 700 Club did a program at a maximum-security prison in Florida. The maximum-security prison is the prison where they send the prisoners who have problems because they are too violent for regular prison, they tried to escape, or kept getting in trouble while incarcerated. While at the prison, Ben and Pat were able to speak to the number-one killers in America at the time. Murf the Surf  was among the inmates. Ben said the prisoners listened to what he and Pat had to say. When Pat gave a sermon on Jesus and salvation, several of the men came down and confessed Christ. Ben says it was amazing to see some of the most hardened criminals decide to change their lives forever.  

Most Memorable Aspect of Being a Part of the 700 Club
Ben says the most memorable part of being with The 700 Club was sharing a set with Pat on the show for 2 hours, 5 days a week, then working with him behind the scenes. Ben was with Pat when traveling, preaching, and conducting 700 Club business. “During that time,” Ben said, “I learned that Pat lived what he preached. Pat was real. He lived what he talked. I got a chance to see him when he was tired, when people were bugging him out and even when we were short of money. That was real for me. He wasn’t just a TV personality.  He lives what he preaches.”

ON BENS HEART
Ben has had the privilege of travelling the world, to places like the Middle East, Africa, South America and Europe. He said, “I’m not sure that people are aware of the privilege of living in America. We are able to live here with biblical principles. If we forget that, we are in danger of loosing our freedom here in America.”  He said that we often take what we have for granted because we don’t know what it’s like to live in the rest of the world. Our poverty stricken areas would be considered upper middle class for two-thirds of the world. Ben says we need to pray for others, and have an attitude of gratefulness ourselves.

ON HIS OWN
“Nothing can replace the years I spent at CBN, but my mission is still the same… take the Good News to as many people as possible as soon as possible,” shares Ben. Today he is a minister, broadcaster, author and businessman. He travels domestically and internationally as a motivational and inspirational speaker. He is involved in an outreach for Israel which he founded called Americans for Israel for the purpose of reaching out, along with other ministries, to extend a hand of fellowship to God’s chosen people. The organization is dedicated to promoting mutual understanding of the ancient bonds that exist between Christians and Jews. In 2005, he joined Earl Cox (who served four Republican Presidents) as the co-host of Front Page Jerusalem, an unbiased, comprehensive news and commentary program of issues affecting Israel today. He is also a commentator with WorldNetDail.

Ben served 13 years in the United States Air Force. Kinchlow, the son of a Methodist minister, came to Christianity in the 1970s after a period as a Black Nationalist influenced by Malcolm X and the Black Muslims. After receiving Christ, he later directed a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program at “Christian Farms” in Killeen, Texas.  In 1971, Ben was ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and founded “His Place,” a ministry for teens. He was invited to speak on The 700 Club and share his testimony as well as share the mighty things God was doing through the center. Ben was asked back to host the show a second time while Pat was in Israel. He later came to CBN where he served as The 700 Club's Director of Counseling in 1975. He then became the Co-Host of The 700 Club and went on to produce and host several CBN specials such as “Straight Talk,” a daily 30-minute high-energy television show, and co-hosted “Taking It To The Streets,” a live daily one-hour radio talk show. In addition to his hosting responsibilities, Ben assumed the position of Vice President for Domestic Ministries in 1982, with oversight of the National Counseling Centers in major cities across the United States. In 1985, Ben was promoted to the Executive Vice President. After twenty years, Ben decided to leave CBN and pursue independent ministry.