NB native, televangelist dies

Janice Wendell Bethany Crouch, New Brockton native and co-founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), passed away on Tuesday, May 31, at the age of 78.

Crouch was born on March 14, 1938, in New Brockton and grew up in Georgia, according to a biography found on the TBN website.

Her parents, Reverend and Mrs. Edgar Bethany, held many positions in the Assemblies of God church family, according to retired Assembly of God Reverend Stevens Nolin.

Nolin said he knew the Bethanys. He said that Crouch's "flair," which he said was all her own, helped her reach people that may not have been reached otherwise.

"Jan and Paul (Crouch) began that ministry," Nolin said. "It soon reached a worldwide proportion. They reached every corner of the world."

According to the TBN biography, Crouch helped the network expand to 37 stations across the United States and create several foreign stations, such as TBN Asia, TBN Europe and TBN in Africa.

"(She was) one of the first to reach that wide of a range," Nolin said. "They were very flamboyant. Their style got them into many circles all over the world that some of the other, more restricted (people) did not.

"Jan was Jan. That got her before the public and in all circles, just that flair. That did open doors that just the ordinary person would not have done. They literally reached the world, all corners of the world."

Crouch helped the network develop the Bible-based theme park called Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Fla., and the Smile of a Child Foundation that provides humanitarian relief "to underprivileged children around the world," according to the TBN website.

The TBN biography states that Crouch received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma.

"Jan is also responsible for many awards and honors received by both TBN and Holy Land Experience," according to the TBN website.

On the day of her passing, her son Matthew and his family posted an announcement on the TBN website.

"Jan Crouch, known around the world as Momma Jan, has gone home."