John Ankerberg (born December 10, 1945) is an American Christian television host, author, and speaker. He is an ordained Baptist minister and has authored or coauthored more than 150 books and study guides.[1] He is the producer and host of the internationally televised weekly program The John Ankerberg Show.[2]
His ministry, the John Ankerberg Show, launched in 1980 on one network in Kansas City, Missouri.[5] His organization notes:
"While speaking at a Youth for Christ summer camp, he was first asked to host a Kansas City Christian television program. Structuring the program with a debate-format, the show quickly caught the attention of other networks. After moving to Chattanooga, Tennessee to serve another media ministry, The John Ankerberg Show was picked up on CBN, a new network that soon expanded nationwide. Within a short time, Dr. Ankerberg’s side project quickly became a full-time ministry in 1980, renting office space and studio time to produce additional programs."[6]
The television program airs on Daystar, God TV, and internationally in 10 languages with 4.5 billion potential viewers in virtually every nation.[7]
Influential among conservative evangelicals, John Ankerberg was a noted influence in the life of Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.[8] In 2018, Ankerberg met with a delegation of leaders regarding international Christian persecution with Vice President Mike Pence.[9]
Ankerberg is a member of the board of directors of the National Religious Broadcasters, a position he has held on multiple occasions. He was most recently noted as a member of the Board Class of 2020.[10]
In 1987, Ankerberg presented evidence that exposed the moral failings of televangelist Jim Bakker, which included solicitation for sex and homosexual relations.[11][12][13]
In 1995 Ankerberg and other evangelical leaders expressed opposition to the proposed Evangelicals and Catholics Together ecumenical document designed to foster a sense of unity and cooperation between Protestant evangelicals and Catholics. This opposition resulted in a meeting that drafted an amendment clarifying the beliefs of the evangelical signers, which stated that "cooperation with evangelically committed Roman Catholics, does not imply acceptance of Roman Catholic doctrinal distinctives or endorsement of the Roman Catholic Church system." Ankerberg stated that the meeting "heals the breach", but "failed to mollify the concerns of many evangelicals."[14]
