4 TV ministries won’t comply with probe
- Jul 25, 2008 - 5
Four television ministries still have refused to comply fully with a U.S. Senate committee’s probe into their financial records nearly nine months after first being asked.
The ministries of Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long and Randy and Paula White have provided only partial information or none at all, said Sen. Charles Grassley, R.-Iowa, who initiated the investigation by requesting information from six televangelists in early November.
The ministries of Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer, however, gave “extensive answers to all questions,” Grassley said.
Grassley’s questions of the televangelists were based on accounts of abuses from watchdog organizations and whistleblowers, as well as investigative news reports, he has said. Accusations of contributions being used to support lavish lifestyles have been leveled against at least some of the televangelists.
In a news release, the minority leader on the Senate Finance Committee said of the noncompliant televangelists:
- Copeland has provided partial answers to a majority of questions but nothing on inquiries about compensation. He has said he will not give further answers even if served a subpoena.
- Dollar has refused to provide any responses, and attorneys for his church said the televangelist has not changed his mind.
- Long has given only general information on his ministry.
- The Whites have submitted answers only on certain matters.
Finance Committee staff members are communicating with lawyers for the ministries in an attempt to gain responses, Grassley said. In Copeland’s case, the staff is seeking advice from Senate lawyers on what should be done next, Grassley said.
“The ministries that continue not to cooperate appear to be heeding the advice of attorneys who are not familiar with congressional oversight in general and specifically the Finance Committee’s oversight and legislative work in the area of tax-exempt organizations over the last seven years,” Grassley said in the July 7 release. “These attorneys who aren’t part of the ministries themselves have a natural incentive to prolong the process as long as possible.”
Grassley commended Meyer and Hinn, saying they had “provided information over and above what was requested.” Both televangelists have communicated they are “instituting reforms without waiting for the committee to complete its review,” he said.
In his initial request, Grassley asked the televangelists to provide personal and ministry-related financial records. Sen. Max Baucus, D.-Mont., the Finance Committee’s chairman, joined Grassley March 11 in calling for the ministries to cooperate. They set a March 31 deadline for compliance.
All the televangelists targeted by the committee are identified with the “word of faith” movement, Copeland has said on his ministry’s website. “Word of faith” teaching normally includes the “prosperity gospel,” which asserts that the Bible promises physical and financial blessings to followers of Christ. Evangelical critics of the teaching, however, say such doctrine mistakenly equates God’s promises of blessing with temporal, materialistic success.
The founder of a watchdog organization said the noncompliance of televangelists such as Copeland and Dollar appears to be prompting Grassley to consider further regulation of nonprofit ministries.
“Religious conservatives, like ourselves, believe this to be an unfortunate development, but if donors do not insist on even greater levels of ministry cooperation with donor advocate [organizations], unneeded government regulation is sure to follow,” Rusty Leonard of MinistryWatch.com said in a written statement.
“It has been donors’ willingness to ignore the clear warning signs from a relatively few questionable ministries that will partly cause any increased government oversight,” Leonard said. “The ministry community’s unwillingness to call out those who are simultaneously abusing donors, the Word of God and current government regulations through meaningful self-policing also [is] to blame for any burdensome new regulations.”
Letters on behalf of Copeland and Dollar were sent March 31 to inform members of the Senate Finance Committee of the noncompliance, saying it was based in part on the targeting of teachers from the “word of faith” movement. The lawyers said Copeland and Dollar not only objected to the investigation’s potential infringement of the First Amendment’s protection of free religious exercise but also the senators’ failure to operate through the current process provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Both ministries said they would comply with an examination by the IRS under the protections it provides.
The names of the televangelists and their ministries, plus the locations of their headquarters, are: Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Newark, Texas; Creflo Dollar, World Changers Church International, College Park, Ga.; Eddie Long, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Lithonia, Ga.; Joyce Meyer, Joyce Meyer Ministries, Fenton, Mo.; Benny Hinn, Benny Hinn Ministries, Grapevine, Texas; and Randy and Paula White, Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries, Tampa, Fla.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Faith, Ministry, Pastoral Integrity, Citizenship, Religious Liberty
5 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Jul 29th, 2008, at 3:52pm, Lynette Jefferson wrote:
I believe integrity is required of every believer. However I believe the devil has enough people helping him . We don’t need believers crucifying other believers. Has this same senate committe required this same info from Scientologists, Muslims or any other registerd non profit group. I’m guessing not.
2 On Jul 30th, 2008, at 10:17am, SANDRA SANDERSON wrote:
Bravho to them all who stand up to this injustice they file their taxes just like everyone else does this is nothing more than once again christians under attack!Just as Ms Jefferson wrote above I to wonder are they question the Scientologist community?or the Muslims?My guess would be a big fat NO!!It is always the christians who are under attack people wake up and I would also add that this is only the beginning of alot more to come.......Creflo Dollar and K Copeland I am sure have nothing to hide I would say they r more to standing for their rights!and let’s stand with them in prayer.Yes I like JMeyer and Hinn and ok they complied-that still doesn’t mean the others have anything to hide.Let’s start checking in on the other religions for awhile and give our christian faith a rest!Think that’s gonna happen?NO!its only gonna get worse like I said above....so lets pray for these mentioned who r standing in faith for what they are believing is their RIGHTS.
3 On Aug 1st, 2008, at 6:35am, Dee Ree wrote:
People who are working for Jesus should be more accountable than anyone else.
All these that they have requested info should provide it if they want the nonprofit tax status to continue. They are hurting other agencies who must report the same as they are required. Our country needs to keep tab to insure all are staying in the guidelines of such a special tax status.
These ministries need to clear up what the media is saying about their extravagant lifestyles which is totally contrary to the teachings of Jesus and His life.
Everyday on their programs they are asking for money for this and that; yet by what the media is reporting all their “need” money is being spent on their expensive toys. This is not right.
Where is the money that was ask for that was suppose to go to feed hungry people, kids, spread the gospel. I don’t think a luxury $170,000 car for a “Man Of God” is needed nor the million dollar real estates.
Read what The Bible says about these people.
4 On Aug 11th, 2008, at 4:40pm, Rev. Peter A Treadwell wrote:
If everything is on the up and up they should fully answer all questions and also turn over all records. The other two ministries named went far and above what was asked of them. Now although I don’t subcribe to their theology, I do however admire and applaude their co-operation with the investagators. They have proven they are not trying to scam or take anyone for granted by financial misgivings.
5 On Sep 27th, 2008, at 8:43am, Helen Johnson wrote:
Rsponse to #3.
I believe that a pastor or preacher, etc.can possess the luxuries of life after they have fulfilled the requirements of God. If they are obedient, they love God, they love their fellowman, they spread the gospel, and they are benevolent, God will bless them.
Jesus was rich; the cattle on am thousand hills are His.Even when He ministered here on earth, if He was poor, why did He need Julius to keep the purse? I believe God wants each of us to have"more than enough”. When we lack, it’s usually because we have not obeyed or disobeyed His Word. I think that our leaders do not teach this truth and the result is they are constantly under attack beacuse of their prosperity.