bullypulpit
07-02-2008, 07:59 AM
I caught the tail end of a piece on BBC America's news broadcast this morning about the ongoing senate probe of the finances of televangelists...Six in particular: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Not seeing the whole story, I decided to dig a little deeper, and found some interesting information.
At the <a href=http://www.trinityfi.org/>Trinity Foundation's</a> website, I found several informative links, including this one, <a href=http://www.trinityfi.org/press/whites04.html>IN GOD'S HANDS OR THE PASTORS'?</a>
It would appear that, unlike other charities, churches don't have to account for the funds received as donations, thanks to their tax exempt status. This doesn't pose much of a problem with the larger denominations which are overseen by boards or trustees which oversee the finances. The mega-churches run by their charismatic pastors are another story entirely, as their financial reports are held as closely guarded secrets. Rod Parsley's "World Harvest Church" here in Columbus and his "Breakthrough" television ministry is a prime example. His ministries received a grade of "F" for financial transparency according to <a href=http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/F_SumRpt.asp?EIN=311053559>Ministry Watch</a>, as did Creflo Dollar's, Kenneth Copeland's and Benny Hinn's ministries.
Lavish mansions, Rolls Royces and Bentleys, private jets...All the trappings of wealth and power we are more accustomed to seeing in captains of industry, not pastors. Yet, predictably, they accuse those who look too closely at their finances of being in league with Satan, as <a href=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080525_13_A13_spancl31515 8>Kenneth Copeland did</a>. My question is simple. Do these corporate pastors worship God...? Or Mammon? They do, after all, preach that God is a jealous God which will brook no usurpation of His(Her?) authority.
At the <a href=http://www.trinityfi.org/>Trinity Foundation's</a> website, I found several informative links, including this one, <a href=http://www.trinityfi.org/press/whites04.html>IN GOD'S HANDS OR THE PASTORS'?</a>
It would appear that, unlike other charities, churches don't have to account for the funds received as donations, thanks to their tax exempt status. This doesn't pose much of a problem with the larger denominations which are overseen by boards or trustees which oversee the finances. The mega-churches run by their charismatic pastors are another story entirely, as their financial reports are held as closely guarded secrets. Rod Parsley's "World Harvest Church" here in Columbus and his "Breakthrough" television ministry is a prime example. His ministries received a grade of "F" for financial transparency according to <a href=http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/F_SumRpt.asp?EIN=311053559>Ministry Watch</a>, as did Creflo Dollar's, Kenneth Copeland's and Benny Hinn's ministries.
Lavish mansions, Rolls Royces and Bentleys, private jets...All the trappings of wealth and power we are more accustomed to seeing in captains of industry, not pastors. Yet, predictably, they accuse those who look too closely at their finances of being in league with Satan, as <a href=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080525_13_A13_spancl31515 8>Kenneth Copeland did</a>. My question is simple. Do these corporate pastors worship God...? Or Mammon? They do, after all, preach that God is a jealous God which will brook no usurpation of His(Her?) authority.