David Mainse
Encyclopedia
David Mainse is a Canadian
televangelist and evangelical
Christian
leader.
Born in August 1936 in Campbell's Bay, Quebec
, and raised in a rural area near Ottawa, Ontario, Mainse was highly influenced by his father, Roy Lake Mainse (1896–1972) who worked as a missionary
in Egypt
, as well as a Holiness Movement Church pastor in both Ontario and Quebec.
Mainse determined to go into ministry while still a teenager. He studied theology at Eastern Pentecostal Bible College (now Master's College and Seminary) in Peterborough, Ontario
and was Ordained. He met and married Norma-Jean Rutledge in 1958. He pastored Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
churches in Brighton
, Deep River
, Sudbury and Hamilton
.
He began his communications ministry in 1962 with a 15-minute program following the late night news on affiliate CHOV
in Pembroke, Ontario
, while he pastored in Deep River. He later began a television program called Crossroads. The program expanded quietly to stations across the country but with minimal penetration into the American heartland.
In 1975 David left the pastorate to focus full time on television and evangelism projects. This was the beginning of the ministry known as Crossroads Christian Communications
.
The early seventies brought Circle Square
, a children's telecast that has been carried in over 50 countries and continues to be shown in some. David later made the fictional ranch a reality as the summer camp
, Circle Square Ranch. At its paramount there were 11 Circle Square Ranches across Canada.
In 1976, Mainse began a project to begin telecasting daily. Part of this lead took the initiative to create a studio at 100 Huntley Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario. The lead program of this new station took the studio's address as its name. On June 15, 1977, the first of broadcast of the interview/talk show 100 Huntley Street
(based on The 700 Club
in the United States) was launched.
This TV program has featured more than 14,000 guests including some famous evangelicals such as Billy Graham
and Charlton Heston
. Crossroads also produced a short-lived program for teenagers, Inside Track, in 1978.
In 1979 outside the Toronto mayor's office, David Mainse protested the gay publication, Body Politic, saying that "parents and all decent people are particularly disgusted by the perversity, which publishes and disseminates anti-child, anti-parent dehumanizing materials." During the rally, Mainse protested alongside Ken Campbell who equated gays with child molesters during an interview with the television media. In his statement to the press, Campbell said, "when a group advocates the molestation of children...one has to question the...social constructive nature of the whole cause they represent."
In 1998, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission granted Crossroads a licence to operate a Burlington, Ontario
based, 24-hour a day over-the-air commercial TV station on cable, covering North America on satellite. CITS-TV
has been broadcasting programming since September 1998.
Mainse, among others, served for several years at the request of mutual funds billionaire John Templeton
as a judge in the awarding of the Templeton Prize
. He has received numerous awards for excellence in television production from the National Religious Broadcasters
in the United States, and has several honorary doctorates from the US, the most recent being from Tyndale University College and Seminary
in Toronto in 2003.
Mainse stepped down as president of Crossroads and host of 100 Huntley Street in the summer of 2003. He passed the torch to his youngest son, Ron Mainse of Burlington, Ontario
. At this time he remained on the CTS board.
Following his retirement he has continued to be featured on 100 Huntley Street through various segments, acting as a Spokesman for Crossroads on various issues of social concern as well as wrote a book "SALT".
In 2009, David returned to regularly host 100 Huntley Street while Ron was taking some time away from the ministry. In January 2010, he launched a television programs "Really Good Medicine" geared towards seniors as host/creative producer as well as a new show "A Living Witness to Amazing Grace" which features 3 of the 1400+ interviews from his time at 100 Huntley Street. He is in the preparation stages of 150 city "Thank You Canada" tour set to take place during his 50th year of television ministry.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
televangelist and evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
leader.
Born in August 1936 in Campbell's Bay, Quebec
Campbell's Bay, Quebec
Campbell's Bay is a village in the Pontiac Regional County Municipality in western Quebec. Its population in 2001 was 766. It is the county seat and is home to most government offices for the county, including the Sûreté du Québec, and has French and English elementary schools. Campbell's Bay is in...
, and raised in a rural area near Ottawa, Ontario, Mainse was highly influenced by his father, Roy Lake Mainse (1896–1972) who worked as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, as well as a Holiness Movement Church pastor in both Ontario and Quebec.
Mainse determined to go into ministry while still a teenager. He studied theology at Eastern Pentecostal Bible College (now Master's College and Seminary) in Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
and was Ordained. He met and married Norma-Jean Rutledge in 1958. He pastored Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada is a Pentecostal Christian denomination and the largest evangelical church in Canada. It reports 234,385 adherents and 1,077 member congregations throughout Canada...
churches in Brighton
Brighton, Ontario
Brighton is a town in Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada, approximately east of Toronto and west of Kingston. It is intersected by both Highway 401 and the former Highway 2. It is on the West end of the Bay of Quinte on the entrance of the Murray Canal....
, Deep River
Deep River, Ontario
Deep River is a town in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Located along the Ottawa River, it lies about north-west of Ottawa on the Trans-Canada Highway...
, Sudbury and Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
.
He began his communications ministry in 1962 with a 15-minute program following the late night news on affiliate CHOV
CHRO-TV
CHRO-TV is a television station serving the National Capital and Ottawa Valley regions of Ontario, Canada. Owned by Bell Media, it is part of the CTV Two television system....
in Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley...
, while he pastored in Deep River. He later began a television program called Crossroads. The program expanded quietly to stations across the country but with minimal penetration into the American heartland.
In 1975 David left the pastorate to focus full time on television and evangelism projects. This was the beginning of the ministry known as Crossroads Christian Communications
Crossroads Christian Communications
Crossroads Christian Communications is a Canadian non-profit charitable corporation located in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. While it focuses on media development and production, it also has extensive involvement in Christian missions and aid and relief work....
.
The early seventies brought Circle Square
Circle Square
Circle Square was a Canadian children's television series that ran from 1974 to 1986. The series was produced by Crossroads Christian Communications in cooperation with the Circle Square network of summer camps for children of Christian parents...
, a children's telecast that has been carried in over 50 countries and continues to be shown in some. David later made the fictional ranch a reality as the summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
, Circle Square Ranch. At its paramount there were 11 Circle Square Ranches across Canada.
In 1976, Mainse began a project to begin telecasting daily. Part of this lead took the initiative to create a studio at 100 Huntley Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario. The lead program of this new station took the studio's address as its name. On June 15, 1977, the first of broadcast of the interview/talk show 100 Huntley Street
100 Huntley Street
100 Huntley Street is a Christian daily talk show and the flagship program of Crossroads Christian Communications based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Created in 1976 by Rev. David Mainse, it first aired on June 15, 1977 from its first studios located at 100 Huntley Street in the St...
(based on The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
in the United States) was launched.
This TV program has featured more than 14,000 guests including some famous evangelicals such as Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
and Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...
. Crossroads also produced a short-lived program for teenagers, Inside Track, in 1978.
In 1979 outside the Toronto mayor's office, David Mainse protested the gay publication, Body Politic, saying that "parents and all decent people are particularly disgusted by the perversity, which publishes and disseminates anti-child, anti-parent dehumanizing materials." During the rally, Mainse protested alongside Ken Campbell who equated gays with child molesters during an interview with the television media. In his statement to the press, Campbell said, "when a group advocates the molestation of children...one has to question the...social constructive nature of the whole cause they represent."
In 1998, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission granted Crossroads a licence to operate a Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
based, 24-hour a day over-the-air commercial TV station on cable, covering North America on satellite. CITS-TV
CITS-TV
CITS-DT is a Canadian English language religious broadcasting television station based in Ontario. It is licensed to the city of Hamilton, although its studios are located in Burlington. CITS uses the on-air brand of CTS...
has been broadcasting programming since September 1998.
Mainse, among others, served for several years at the request of mutual funds billionaire John Templeton
John Templeton
Sir John Marks Templeton was an American-born British stock investor, businessman and philanthropist.-Biography:...
as a judge in the awarding of the Templeton Prize
Templeton Prize
The Templeton Prize is an annual award presented by the Templeton Foundation. Established in 1972, it is awarded to a living person who, in the estimation of the judges, "has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical...
. He has received numerous awards for excellence in television production from the National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters is an American organization that represents Christian religious broadcasters on American television and radio, including several high-profile televangelists and Christian radio show hosts. It claims a membership of more than 1700 organizations...
in the United States, and has several honorary doctorates from the US, the most recent being from Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary is an accredited Christian institution of higher education in the Protestant Evangelical tradition located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tyndale students come from over 40 different Christian denominations and more than 30 different ethnic groups. Tyndale...
in Toronto in 2003.
Mainse stepped down as president of Crossroads and host of 100 Huntley Street in the summer of 2003. He passed the torch to his youngest son, Ron Mainse of Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
. At this time he remained on the CTS board.
Following his retirement he has continued to be featured on 100 Huntley Street through various segments, acting as a Spokesman for Crossroads on various issues of social concern as well as wrote a book "SALT".
In 2009, David returned to regularly host 100 Huntley Street while Ron was taking some time away from the ministry. In January 2010, he launched a television programs "Really Good Medicine" geared towards seniors as host/creative producer as well as a new show "A Living Witness to Amazing Grace" which features 3 of the 1400+ interviews from his time at 100 Huntley Street. He is in the preparation stages of 150 city "Thank You Canada" tour set to take place during his 50th year of television ministry.