An investigation into possible misuse of donations has been launched against 6 nationally known ministries by the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finances – Senator Chuck Grassley R-Iowa.
TOB.com reports: Grassley, former chairman of the finance committee, said his requests for information came in response to complaints from the public and news coverage about practices at the six ministries. The allegations involve governing boards that aren’t independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances for church leaders, and amenities such as private jets and Rolls-Royces.
“I don’t want to conclude that there’s a problem, but I have an obligation to donors and taxpayers to find out more,” he wrote. “People who donated should have their money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code.”
The specific request made to the Kenneth Copeland Ministries is found here: http://media.tbo.com/tbo/pdfs/110507copeland.pdf
A good friend of mine said recently, “When you search for something, you’ll find something!” Grassley is searching – make no mistake. Knowing nothing about the ministry (and admitting that openly), I would easily bet that Kenneth Copeland Ministries employs teams of attorneys and accountants to make sure that the tax positions they take are squeaky clean. The issue for the government is tax revenue and tax exempt status. If the tax exempt status can be revoked or some of the income recharacterized, then more tax money for the government.
Keep in mind, however, Every Choice Has A Consequence!
Compare Kenneth Copeland Ministries to Billy Grahams Ministries and while both are extremely successful, the Copeland Ministries are targeted due to the more opulent lifestyle of the ministry head – Kenneth Copeland. There would be no doubt that Billy Graham Ministries is a well funded ministry, but Billy Graham chooses to live a more reserved lifestyle. I doubt he suffers for any need, but few would call his lifestyle lavish.
When Senator Grassley asks the tax exempt purpose for ministry jet layovers in Maui, the Fiji Islands and Honolulu…one might wonder if lavish choices have brought these negative consequences on the ministry or if Grassley is using his power and influence for a witch hunt.
As a motivational speaker who speaks to audiences nationwide on choices, ethics and consequences – I understand the impact that choices (whether intended or unintended) can have. Hopefully, the powerful things that the Kenneth Copeland Ministries does will not be overshadowed by the very public inquiry from the Federal Government.
More to come…and your comments are welcome!
Motivational Speaker - Chuck Gallagher Business Ethics and Choices Expert 
In Loving Memory Of Bonnie Parker,
I’m writing this in regards to the letter written to Kenneth and Gloria Copeland located at http://sis359.blogspot.com/ I wrote the letter with hopes of someone passing it along to the Copelands. Comments the letter has brought is overwhelming. My heart goes out to all who has suffered any type of a loss regarding Prosperity Gospel. Several times over the past few years, I felt that there was not anything I could do, or say that would make any difference in the way people see Prosperity Gospel. I was battling, and still am, a multimillion dollar organization for answers, I had never felt so alone. Now after receiving hundreds of supportive emails, I feel I have a army beside us. Some have requested a more detailed accounting of the last few months mom was with us, the following is merely a forth of the story. Our thanks go out to you all.
No words could describe just how I felt at that moment. I promised her she would not be left alone, yet here we was in the hospital emergency room lobby, and she was somewhere behind the locked double doors alone. Hour after hour passed , a nurse finally appeared motioning for us to follow her. Seeing the pain in her blue eyes assured me this was no dream, this was it, the moment she knew would come someday but hoped never would. The nurse carefully pulled moms gown back revealing a sight that would be with me the rest of my life. I could hear the doctor asking questions directed to me and my father such as “When did she have a Mastectomy”, and “How long has she been this way?”. My father replied” She hasn’t had any surgery” this answer brought looks of disbelief from the doctor and nurses surrounding us. I realized then exactly they were thinking, they actually thought we denied her medical attention. Their expressions were convicting us without any reasonable doubt. Her left breast was completely eaten away, leaving only a large whole where it used to be. Reality had hit me all at once, our fears were confirmed she was not going to be with us much longer, and we were being blamed for the condition she was in. Mom would not let us bath her even toward the end, she had led us to believe it was due to the weight loss, she didn’t want us seeing her frail body. Truth was she didn’t want us to see her chest. We were escorted back out to the lobby so they could resume their evaluation. Result of each test came back just as we had expected, It was to late nothing medically could be done. The following day’s brought more criticism from the hospital staff, finally I had endured all I could, it was time they knew the truth. I know it was hard to believe we knew nothing about the cancer that had consumed almost her entire body, but that was the truth. And they were going to hear me out no matter how long it would take. I felt most to blame, I was her daughter, I should have seen this coming. But my father, they was not going to direct this blame towards him any longer. Come shift change I walked down to the nurses station where one group were leaving and the other arriving. Asking for a moment of their time, proved easier than I thought. As they began to move closer, I began to take them back in time where I believed it all began. Starting with her right eye in which she had lost the ability to open. This was the first sign something was wrong. Mom insisting day after day it was merely a sinus infection and nothing more. The mention of a doctor was unacceptable, she made that clear. Her eye would remain this way a few day’s then become normal again. Twice more her eye would fail her before closing permanently, refusing medical attention each time. As time passed she began loosing weight rapidly, eating very little, and staying in bed mostly all day. We were fighting a loosing battle and there was no end in sight. She was dieing and there was nothing we could do. Why was she doing this to herself and us? The time came she could no longer stay alone, someone had to be there at her side at all times. My dad worked most every day so mom was with me most all the time. Each day she became weaker. I bought a baby monitor and put by her bed and mine so I could hear her during the night. I dreaded the night for I didn’t know what the morning would bring. I had to get up before my children because if she had passed on I wanted to be the one to find her not them. The fear of her dieing and us not having a clue of what from, or why, was the reality we faced each day. My concern had evolved into anger, she was refusing medical attention and putting us though a living hell, why? There was nothing legally we could do, but watch her die. Once we could legally step in and force her to get in the ambulance waiting outside my door, she was probably only hours away from death. Still refusing and begging not be taken they loaded her in and drove away. I believe she knew she wouldn’t return, deep down we all knew. But there was always that single ray of hope, and no one was going to put that out. We had spent the last few months surrounded by uncertainty, fear, and anger, maybe now at least we would know physically what was wrong. But why she made that fatal decision to refuse any type of medical help was still a mystery. In my eyes she committed suicide, I was going to have to live with that horrible fact. Nothing made since, would it ever? There was not a dry eye in that nurses station that evening after I concluded my memories of the last few months, but in their eyes we were no longer guilty of neglect. Once all the test results were back and we were faced with the fact there was nothing the hospital could do we had at make a decision regarding where to take her to live out what little time she had left. I could not take her back home with me, my kids had been through enough. Southern Oaks nursing home was only five miles from my house, the following two moths this would become our home. The staff took us in as if we were family. We owe the last few months of mom’s life to the staff of Southern Oaks, we will forever be grateful to them all. Mom from this point on had her good day’s and bad. October 19, 2004 she was finally called home. All day her blood pressure had continued to fall, her breathing had became labored, and she was totally unresponsive. Around ten o’clock that night dad told me to go home for a while, I didn’t want to but he and my husband insisted. She passed away a few minutes after I left.
For the rest of the story simply type , Kenneth Copeland, Bonnie Parker in your search engine.
Thank you,
The Family of Bonnie Parker
The attacks on KCM should be expected as noted by Jesus, that in this world you’ll have trouble but be of good cheer for l’ve overcome. My prayers are with them because they’e made a very significant impact on understanding of christianity.
I would like to take the time to thank all who have stood beside us during this trying time! We are all so very grateful. I have a link all can visit to view pages of mom’s diary, there is only a few now but I hope to post them all on this site. If you have any questions about these pages please let me know.
Thank you!
Kris
http://picasaweb.google.com/sis359
Also if you would like to share your story you can visit,
http://phillyflash.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/mrs-bonnie-parker/#comment-1742
Or
http://www.steves-space.info/televangelists-exposed-discussion-forums/index.php
The following is a great article referring to Prosperity Gospel
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hKP3-tVm-viy8t0ccGbs6IP_zfUAD8TQ080O0
I think people forget the lavish lifestyle God ordained for all his people in the Bible….. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and lets not forget Solomon…. The man God deemed as the richest man there ever will be. Solomon is more wealthier than anyone in our times. And let’s not forget Jesus. When the census had to be taken, His parents had to travel to a foreign land. Poor people don’t travel. They have no money too. Note the night Jesus was born, Joseph never said put us in a stable we have no money to pay. Jesus was born there because all the inns were filled. REmember Joseph was a carpenter. Everyone knows builders make tons. Remember this….. The soldier’s had an auction for Jesus’s clothes. Do you really think that people go to auctions and pay top dollar for wrags. Don’t forget the man he called to be disciples. They were all professionals with their own businesses. What types of businesses????? Taxmen, Fishermen, Doctors…… How did he take care of them and their families? Some of the disciples were married. Remember Jesus healed Peter’s Mother-in-law….. Isn’t it in Deuteronomy that says remember it is the Lord your God who gives you the power to get wealth to establish His covenant. The Grasslies of the World aren’t going to establish God’s kingdom. The prophet of God should be the one with the jet not the entertainers and athletes and real estate tycoons. The prophet of God should live in a nice big home. You ever read how Solomon’s house looked. If he were in our day he would be pursued by the Grassleys of the world too. Our Father God is rich so His kids should be too. Every wealth of heaven is reflected in this earth that God created. God lives lavishly. you think Bill Gates makes his kids live poorly. I would hope not. And he is a mere man. Surely you must admit that God is more thoughtful toward His kids
I thank you very much for your thoughtful analysis of the situation. Very refreshing. I am honored to be a part of all the ministry has accomplished around the world. I understand what you are saying about choices. But to me a jet in this day and age is a practical tool. I have not delivered messages on the scale of Pastor Copeland, but I have taught ladies bible studies, organized women’s conferences and they are exhausting. Even attending them is draining LOL. Have you flown on an airplane recently? AWFUL, uncomfortable and exhausting. If he can arrive ready to preach the gospel refreshed then PRAISE GOD!
As for their home. I think it is wonderful that Gloria (a woman of God) can entertain and offer godly hospitality. I have admired their choices through the years. Lets not condemn a man who has had an ear to hear God, and step into God’s timing not his own. I remember their struggle of going on daily television. Thank God they did, many churches today are dead, it is a struggle to follow God’s command about not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together 😦 It is refreshing to hear the word with correction instruction edification and to inspire us to press on toward the high calling of God, a walk of love. Another choice, he was an Evangelist and God called him to start a church. So he did, he started and Pastored EMIC. Well thank God he did, because now when we are snowed in I go to church there. When I need built up or need help stirring up my faith I can watch the daily broadcast or the church services online.
Thank God for the choice of a monthly partner letter, and the scriptures I know they pray for me a partner, thank God for the FREE Believers Voice of Victory. Lets not just look at the choices highlighted by the media but the small choices that has brought them to a point where our out of control congress with spending wants more money. Let them examine themselves!
Kristy Beach I am sorry for your loss. But please do not use your pain to attack another person. Let the Holy Spirit comfort you in your time of grief. I know individuals who have been helped a great deal from their ministry and my dear friend who is totally healed from cancer.
May the Holy Spirit provide the comfort you need.
God Bless,
Cheryl
Cheryl: Kristy,s response is not an attack..moreso an expose of these frauds 🙂
Surely anyone sending a letter to the Copelands know they have ministries all over the world and minister to millions. There is no way they or any other ministries so large can read every letter. I am impressed that they hire people to read and pray over them. If they are saying they read every one they should not say that but be honest. Keep in mind that Kenneth Copeland prays over those letters and can pray where ever he is. God hears his prayer whether his hands are on those letters or not. God knows what is in the letters, and he can ask God to meet every need. They have always loved their partners. These people have threats on their lives and are very public figures. I do think if celebrity is coming in the church it is not right and christians can be friendly and still be respected. I guess with 500 employees someone could always be coming up to them, and they have leaders who head up different departments. We have been to Eagle Mountain and the employees were very friendly and spoke highly of the copelands. That is when they had around 200 employees. I think they teach the uncompromised word. I know they are not perfect for only Jesus and the Father are, but look how much they have done in this world preaching the gospel. When you have employees they talk their problems to you. With 500 I am sure they would never get through the building. There are two sides to every story. Pilots with American airlines have lay overs to refuel. Hawaii is one of the refueling layovers. Listen to John thier son on utube. Very humble, professional and kind. I remember when the Copelands did not have a huge ministry. Someone talk about the stress they have stood through and believed God through to pay all those bills. Also did you consider they have ministers stay in their home instead of a hotel and have a huge wing for that. People should stop judgeing, and let God handle things in prayer. If they are wrong, they will admit it and change it. If not it is Gods business and not ours. The anointing is on their lives. you can bet they haven’t come this far by trying to cheat the government. The world fights christians. The religious leaders of Jesus’s day crucified him and said all kinds of lies against him. We love the Copelands, and praise God for the good they have done and their obedience to God. They have done so much more than most of us. Do you live close enough to God to discern when ministry employees are just mad? I had employees lie on me with my business. It happens, and who knows why people do the things they do, when we are good to them. I am sure the Copelands will search their hearts as true christians do, even if they know what is being said is wrong. We all just want to serve God and help other people. What a blessing the Copelands have been to our lives along with Joyce Meyer, and others. Let’s pray for them and not judge. If we study the bible we will not be deceived, but will know and be able to discern the word and works, and we can judge fruit. Good works and the love of God. These people have enough money they could stop preaching the gospel and live good forever. They have taken their salary and invested and made money. A servant is worthy of their hire. I do believe ministers can speak and be friendly to others. I heard of one woman who in a restuarant in our area would not speak to a group of women at a table after a convention. I know they hate to get stopped all the time, but Jesus did, and he got away and alone eventually, but I just can’t see him not speaking to the people. There is no excuse for not speaking. You can smile and wave and keep walking if you don’t want to stop. I pray if pride is coming on these people God will show them. I heard one man was invited to a ministers convention to speak and asked to just kind of mingle among the ministers and let them ask questions afterwards. The minister spoke and left out the back door and did not mingle. I don’t understand this and a haughty spirit comes before a fall. If this is true, I pray God will show ministers that they are to be a servant to others and become as a little child Jesus said if they want to enter the kingdom of heaven. He that is a servant and the least will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Riches can detour a person if not careful, but Abraham was rich and many others in the bible. Some of these ministers have given away jets to other ministries.
Here is another perspective you may want to consider. It is a blog entitled “Kenneth Copeland’s Jet” I’m not so sure that Senator Grassley has a right to do this, regardless of what you think about Copeland, this could open some doors we may not want to open. http://dougwead.wordpress.com/2008/04/12/kenneth-copelands-jet/
I have read the article about Kenneth Copeland Ministries and several of the comments registered and I wanted to add some more thoughts to the conversation. First of all, I want to say that it’s very easy to jump to conclusions based on very little actual facts. Many people see what certain people drive, the address where they live, etc. and because he is a minister as opposed to any other profession, his finances are suspect. Jesus said the widow gave more than all the wealthy, she gave all she had. It was percentage. If Kenneth Copeland is misusing the donations given him, then he should be corrected. If, on the other hand, he is prospering because he is a bestselling author, a recording artist, etc., than we have nothing to say about his income. And, if he gives more of his income away than he actually spends on his own living and is still able to live a very comfortable, even affluent lifestyle, than we again, have nothing to say about him. And, as a christian, if I am livng above my means, am seriously in credit card debt and am not being a good steward of what is entrusted into my care, than I have a beam in my eye and cannot see clearly to take the speck out of my brother’s eye. He who is without sin, cast the first stone. As for the healing ministry, Kenneth Copeland has never, to my knowledge, ever taught, to go without doctor’s care or medication. That is unscriptural. Luke, the author of Luke and Acts, was a medical doctor. One of God’s covenant names is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord Your Healer. We have lost loved ones who were misguided about healing. Let us be careful we do not cast blame where none belongs. I say this with fear and trembling. Let us make sure we are acting out of love. For those of us who name the name of Christ, Kenneth Copeland is still our brother.
Foolish babble, desperate wanderers & greed come to mind. The rich get richer & the poor get poorer. Hypocritical ministries are the downfall of religion & this blessed country. Open your eyes, do you not see what is going on in the USA let alone the world? If these are the blinders these KCM supporters wear – please stay in your homes, keep your heads in the ground & for GOD’s & the WORLD’s sake, DO NOT vote this year. Look what you did to us already.
Jesus shares & shared with the poorest of the poor – he didn’t keep it. “…lavish lifestyle God ordained for his people….?” & that’s your response? Your answer? This is what you tell the children? I will pray for you that God helps you get your priorities straight & correct you & lead you down the right path. Please, oh Lord please, to get your head out & open it up to reality. Of course ministries can help, & they do everyday. Does that mean that they can never hurt or do no wrong? Just because someone/something sticks the name God or Lord on a sign doesn’t mean they are holy or pure.
I cannot believe some of these people are literally comparing the Copelands to Jesus Christ.
Good, Bad, or Indifferent – that is UNBELIEVABLE!
May God continue to bless you as you continue to provide quality and informative substance to your posts. God Bless – Rev. Jim Wilson
http://www.jimwilsonministries.com
There is nothing wrong with Copeland standing up for what he believes is right. The IRS IS the agency that was created to take care of such investigations. The bigger concern to me is the implications for the future if the Senator is given this kind of power. Here is an interesting new read…
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/60222
That Beach/Parker thing is being shopped all over the web. It has obvious holes in it. Too much of a soap opera. If it is for real, I condole the loss, and hope that the bystanders will learn to take hold in situations lest disaster continue to fall them. Somewhere along the line someone should have taken the woman to a doctor and stopped the money flow. It’s too hard to believe that anyone would go along with all of that. What is the purpose of posting it on site after site, keeping it going? To warn other people? I seriously doubt if there’s a big danger of too many repeating their actions and responses.
The Copelands have told of going to doctors themselves, have a medical doctor on the program yearly and do not tell people not to go to doctors and do not represent healing as for sale. Only the very simplest could swallow all of that. That kind of abuse is as bad as things the Copelands are accused of. People are demonizing them, people who never knew them or watched their program or read any of their material until this all broke out and now it’s a feeding frenzy. Suddenly, they know all about everything. Give me a break.
Kristy, my sincere and deepest condolenses to you and your family. I, too, got caught up in the Prosperity-Healing Gospel for 12 years. Anyone who says that the Copelands and their ilk aren’t telling people NOT to seek medical attention either haven’t listened to this gospel out of the pit of hell or they’re deceived like I used to be. No, they don’t come right out and tell people not to seek medical treatment, because then they could be sued and lose all those hundreds of millions of dollars they’re raking in and would have to find real jobs. What they do is infer that if you do seek medical treatment then your faith just isn’t that strong and then they tell you that if your faith in God isn’t strong then you can expect very little from Him. They come across like they’re such giants in faith with stories of how God gave them mansions and luxury vehicles and made them rich. They never infer they themselves didn’t have strong faith when they get a mastectomy like Joyce Meyer did or surgery and chemo like Betty Price did for her stomach cancer. Why didn’t Jan Crouch just call Benny Hinn to pray for her when she had colon cancer rather than seeking the best medical care she could find in CA? Because the bottom line is these people are HYPOCRITES! THEY ARE WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING WHO ARE FLEECING THE FLOCK FOR EVERY SINGLE PENNY THEY CAN GET OUT OF THEM!
I know because I caused my dh and me to go bankrupt! Our dd was born severely disabled and unfortunately I ran across Kenneth Copeland on The Blasphemy Network (TBN) and believed his lies that God will heal everyone if you just have enough faith and give enough money. For 12 years I named it and claimed it, prayed, believed, made positive confessions, gave money to these WOF ministries rather than paying the bills that were piling up because of our child’s medical bills that insurance wasn’t paying. I bought all of their tapes, books, and lies for 12 years and what did I get at the end of it? Bankrupt with my dd STILL severely disabled! But you know what? I also got set free from the WOF CULT! And it is a CULT that has absolutely nothing to do with the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you think that Jesus and the disciples were rich like John Avanzini is so fond of “teaching” on, then not only are you deceived, you’re ignorant of social history. These local fisherman in Galilee were barely getting by and were by no means rich shipping tycoons like Ari Onassis!
The bottom lines is this, Kenneth Copeland and ALL the other WOF so-called preachers are nothing but teachers to those who have itching ears who want the feel good gospel of health and wealth over the true gospel of giving and sacrifice. These WOF con artists are only interested in material wealth – THEIR material wealth. Did you know that these ministries sell their books, DVDs, tapes, etc. to their own ministries and then re-sell them at their conferences? They take money that people give to them to preach the gospel and feed the hungry, etc. and they “sell” it to themselves. What about all those things that aren’t sold at their meetings? They’ve stolen that money because it hasn’t been paid back to their so-called ministry. And this practice is at the least immoral and at the worst illegal.
It is my hope that every single WOF preacher has to give up their non-profit status and they go out of business – and that’s ALL it is – a business!!!! I also sincerely hope that they all repent of their sins before it’s eternally too late and they hear Jesus say to them that He never knew them.
Whew – Tammy – perhaps thou shouldst take heed to thyself. That’s quite a load of unsubstantiated hatred. But that’s common in all of this “pool of ignorance” as one put it accompanied with much prejudice and bitterness. Unfortunately, those don’t spend well in this world or in the next. I’ve looked this over through the web and except for obvious anti-televangelist sites, there are more pros than con – and I mean people who have been with the Copelands and others for far longer than you and with far greater results. Sorry, you have to work harder than that to besmirch the record of these ministers of the Gospel. You wouldn’t do well in a court of law. They don’t allow hysteria and random assertions. I’d say to get a grip on yourself, lighten your load by dumping that poisonous cargo you’re carrying. Even if they did hurt you in some way, you are hurting yourself far more. Don’t shoot the messenger. There are appropriate responses required from the hearer. It’s not all up to the messenger, not even all up to God. Take responsibility for your own disqualifiers. Only you can change them.
It would certainly be interesting to see the tax-exempt status abolished for churches. Then the cream would really rise to the top. The solid givers and solid ministries would continue, likely grow even stronger. The Gospel happens to be real, folks, and those who actually live by it, rather than play with it as displayed above, enjoy genuine fruit – that means results, folks. Face it, Pentecost (including WOF) moved across the track some time ago and it would behoove those who don’t care to participate according to the book (which includes their part as well), the errant and ignorant to just get over it. Lead, follow or get out of the way.