A Major Televangelist Debunks Himself
Founder of The Awakening Hour
Dr. William R. Crews is a native of Starke, Florida. In his early life he was a professional pool hustler who later became an alcoholic. After being saved out of a life of deep sin, the Lord called him to preach the Gospel and to teach the Word of God. He has pastored churches in Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, South Dakota, and South Carolina. He has taught on both the Bible College and Seminary level. He has served as Seminary President and interim Seminary President.
Dr. Crews shares the vision of a famous preacher of the 18th century who said, “The world is my parish”. In pursuit of the spirit and goal of this vision, he is constantly, aggressively, and prayerfully going forward attempting to obey the commission the Lord has given him to take the Gospel message to every part of the globe. The Bible tells us “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)
For thirty-two years he was the speaker on a national radio program “Bible Study Time”. He has published more than 60 Bible study booklets on religious subjects – materials that he presented on his national media outlets. He has been listed in “Outstanding Young Men of America” (1970 edition), “Outstanding Personalities of the South” (1973 edition), and “Who’s Who in Religion” (1985 edition). He has an extensive religious library of approximately 18,000 volumes, many of which are books by old Puritan writers. He has collected all the books available by Charles Haddon Spurgeon who perhaps has had the greatest impact and influence on Dr. Crews’ life and ministry. He is a pilot holding the private pilot’s rating, the twin engine rating, and the instrument rating. He and his wife currently reside in Spartanburg, SC.
Up Date on Dr. Crews from Last Night’s News
William Crews Arrested, Jailed on Criminal Domestic Violence Charges
Published: August 7, 2008
William Crews, 73, was arrested for criminal domestic violence on July 29, according to reports from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. He was released on July 30.
Spartanburg County Dispatchers received a 911 call from Freda Crews at 7:16 p.m. on the date.
Freda told a deputy who responded to the scene that William came to the house drunk while she was sleeping. Freda said she and William began to argue and she came to fear for her safety.
She became so frightened, she told officers, that she locked herself in a bathroom with a gun. She then called her daughter and told her to call 911.
Freda told the deputy that it wasn’t the first time William had been violent with her, but it was the first time she’d called. Sheriff’s Office reports stated there were no visible marks either Freda or William.
William admitted to officers that he’d been drinking and also admitted there was a gun in the dash of his car.
Here is an up date to the above post:
Embattled Evangelist Charged With DUI
Published: August 12, 2008
The Highway Patrol says evangelist Dr. William Crews put lives in danger on the interstate, two days before his arrest on domestic violence charges.
Crews is the pastor of Unity Baptist Church in Moore, but is better known as the host of the internationally broadcast religious program “The Awakening Hour”.
On Tuesday, News Channel 7 learned Crews faces charges of driving under the influence and violating state liquor laws. A spokesperson for Highway Patrol Troop 6 says Crews was arrested on I-95 in Dorchester County on July 27th. The spokesperson says motorists called 911, saying Crews’ car was swerving across lanes and “driving very fast” near mile marker 55. The spokesperson says a state trooper caught up with Crews at mile marker 72 and pulled him over. He says Crews “appeared to be intoxicated” and failed field sobriety tests. He also says there was an open liquor bottle in the pastor’s car.
73-year old Crews was booked into Dorchester County Detention Center and released the next day on $1250 bond. The spokesperson would not say what Crews’ blood-alcohol level was at the time of his arrest because it will be used as evidence in his prosecution.
Crews denies driving drunk, but admits that he drank wine before getting into his car that day.
“I have a heart condition called atrial fibrillation,” said Crews in a phone interview. “I have found that the only way I can control it is by drinking a little alcohol.”
Crews says he drank “less than a half a bottle” of wine and put the empty bottle in his car before getting behind the wheel.
“I wasn’t drunk,” says Crews. “I didn’t drink enough to make me drunk.” When asked why motorists reported him swerving across lanes of traffic, Crews says he was trying to dial a number on his cell phone and lost control of his vehicle. He claims he was not speeding. And he says he never took a field sobriety test.
“The trooper never made me take a test,” says Crews. He claims he was charged with DUI without proper cause and will fight the charges in court.
Two days after the DUI arrest, Crews was arrested at his Inman home on a charge of criminal domestic violence. An incident report from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office states that Crews came home intoxicated and got into an argument with his wife. In the report, his wife states that he became enraged and threatened her, making her “fear for her safety” so she grabbed a pistol and locked herself in a bathroom. She called a relative who called 911. Later she told the deputy that Crews has hit her in the past but she has never reported it.
When reached for comment, Dr. Freda Crews, the pastor’s wife, did not wish to comment on the domestic incident itself, but stated that the argument was the result of her husband’s recent DUI arrest. She says she and her husband have agreed to live apart for the time being. Crews tells News Channel 7 he is now attending classes for anger management and alcohol abuse.
The website for “The Awakening Hour” says the program is seen in 125 countries. It states that early in his life, Dr. Crews was a professional pool hustler who became an alcoholic before being saved and entering the ministry. He has pastored numerous churches throughout the south, including East Gaffney Baptist Church.
Dr. William R. Crews is a native of Starke, Florida. In his early life he was a professional pool hustler who later became an alcoholic. After being saved out of a life of deep sin, the Lord called him to preach the Gospel and to teach the Word of God. He has pastored churches in Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, South Dakota, and South Carolina. He has taught on both the Bible College and Seminary level. He has served as Seminary President and interim Seminary President.
Dr. Crews shares the vision of a famous preacher of the 18th century who said, “The world is my parish”. In pursuit of the spirit and goal of this vision, he is constantly, aggressively, and prayerfully going forward attempting to obey the commission the Lord has given him to take the Gospel message to every part of the globe. The Bible tells us “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)
For thirty-two years he was the speaker on a national radio program “Bible Study Time”. He has published more than 60 Bible study booklets on religious subjects – materials that he presented on his national media outlets. He has been listed in “Outstanding Young Men of America” (1970 edition), “Outstanding Personalities of the South” (1973 edition), and “Who’s Who in Religion” (1985 edition). He has an extensive religious library of approximately 18,000 volumes, many of which are books by old Puritan writers. He has collected all the books available by Charles Haddon Spurgeon who perhaps has had the greatest impact and influence on Dr. Crews’ life and ministry. He is a pilot holding the private pilot’s rating, the twin engine rating, and the instrument rating. He and his wife currently reside in Spartanburg, SC.
Up Date on Dr. Crews from Last Night’s News
William Crews Arrested, Jailed on Criminal Domestic Violence Charges
Published: August 7, 2008
William Crews, 73, was arrested for criminal domestic violence on July 29, according to reports from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. He was released on July 30.
Spartanburg County Dispatchers received a 911 call from Freda Crews at 7:16 p.m. on the date.
Freda told a deputy who responded to the scene that William came to the house drunk while she was sleeping. Freda said she and William began to argue and she came to fear for her safety.
She became so frightened, she told officers, that she locked herself in a bathroom with a gun. She then called her daughter and told her to call 911.
Freda told the deputy that it wasn’t the first time William had been violent with her, but it was the first time she’d called. Sheriff’s Office reports stated there were no visible marks either Freda or William.
William admitted to officers that he’d been drinking and also admitted there was a gun in the dash of his car.
Here is an up date to the above post:
Embattled Evangelist Charged With DUI
Published: August 12, 2008
The Highway Patrol says evangelist Dr. William Crews put lives in danger on the interstate, two days before his arrest on domestic violence charges.
Crews is the pastor of Unity Baptist Church in Moore, but is better known as the host of the internationally broadcast religious program “The Awakening Hour”.
On Tuesday, News Channel 7 learned Crews faces charges of driving under the influence and violating state liquor laws. A spokesperson for Highway Patrol Troop 6 says Crews was arrested on I-95 in Dorchester County on July 27th. The spokesperson says motorists called 911, saying Crews’ car was swerving across lanes and “driving very fast” near mile marker 55. The spokesperson says a state trooper caught up with Crews at mile marker 72 and pulled him over. He says Crews “appeared to be intoxicated” and failed field sobriety tests. He also says there was an open liquor bottle in the pastor’s car.
73-year old Crews was booked into Dorchester County Detention Center and released the next day on $1250 bond. The spokesperson would not say what Crews’ blood-alcohol level was at the time of his arrest because it will be used as evidence in his prosecution.
Crews denies driving drunk, but admits that he drank wine before getting into his car that day.
“I have a heart condition called atrial fibrillation,” said Crews in a phone interview. “I have found that the only way I can control it is by drinking a little alcohol.”
Crews says he drank “less than a half a bottle” of wine and put the empty bottle in his car before getting behind the wheel.
“I wasn’t drunk,” says Crews. “I didn’t drink enough to make me drunk.” When asked why motorists reported him swerving across lanes of traffic, Crews says he was trying to dial a number on his cell phone and lost control of his vehicle. He claims he was not speeding. And he says he never took a field sobriety test.
“The trooper never made me take a test,” says Crews. He claims he was charged with DUI without proper cause and will fight the charges in court.
Two days after the DUI arrest, Crews was arrested at his Inman home on a charge of criminal domestic violence. An incident report from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office states that Crews came home intoxicated and got into an argument with his wife. In the report, his wife states that he became enraged and threatened her, making her “fear for her safety” so she grabbed a pistol and locked herself in a bathroom. She called a relative who called 911. Later she told the deputy that Crews has hit her in the past but she has never reported it.
When reached for comment, Dr. Freda Crews, the pastor’s wife, did not wish to comment on the domestic incident itself, but stated that the argument was the result of her husband’s recent DUI arrest. She says she and her husband have agreed to live apart for the time being. Crews tells News Channel 7 he is now attending classes for anger management and alcohol abuse.
The website for “The Awakening Hour” says the program is seen in 125 countries. It states that early in his life, Dr. Crews was a professional pool hustler who became an alcoholic before being saved and entering the ministry. He has pastored numerous churches throughout the south, including East Gaffney Baptist Church.