I'm not sure if anyone else has heard, but it seems that two US senators are trying to obtain the financial records from six large Christian ministries:
- Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church
- Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International
- Benny Hinn
- Kenneth and Gloria Copeland
- Randy and Paula White
- Joyce Meyer
Apparently the "ministers' private jets, million-dollar homes, exotic cars and expensive gifts attracted" the attention of Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa. Sen. Grassley has a "record of pulling nonprofits before the committee to investigate their management and how they use their tax-exempt status."
All six ministers preach variations of the "prosperity gospel, which says God wants his followers to prosper financially as well as spiritually."
In a letter Monday to the Finance Committee, Dollar's lawyer, Owens, wrote that Grassley's focus on prosperity gospel preachers suggests Grassley's "distaste for, or disagreement with, these churches' theology and religious practices." Grassley has denied he is interested in theology, although in early statements he questioned why ministers would need a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce to spread the gospel.
Owens wrote that Grassley's inquiry into internal church operations amounted to an "unprecedented inquiry into the religious activities of a church.
Dollar wrote to the committee that donations to the church belong to God and should not be evaluated by the Senate, that giving should be private and church members should give to their spiritual teachers.
"As much as we would like to provide information to the Senator, we simply must do everything within our power to protect our Church and its members from public scrutiny and a Congressional evaluation of the validity of our beliefs," he wrote.
Copeland representatives delivered a letter Monday to Grassley reiterating its previous argument — that the IRS, and not a Senate committee, should be dealing with the questions Grassley raised, Gerber said.
Dollar has made the same argument. Baucus and Grassley argue otherwise, saying the Senate has jurisdiction over tax-exempt policy.
Source: AP
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My Thoughts:
I have different degrees of feelings… on one hand, I agree with Creflo Dollar in that people gave their money to the church and, therefore, it should be up to the church to spend that money as they will.
On the other side, if a non-profit is abusing their tax-exempt status…well, then I see where the government can step in and investigate.
As far as the ministers are concerned… well, that's a bit tricky. All six of them have done a lot to spread the grace and love of Christ to the world. As David once said, "the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed."
With that stated, I do have a problem with the whole "prosperity gospel" thing. Yes, the Lord does bless His people – sometimes with money. However, there are plenty of Biblical examples and statements that show that money is not the only nor the first blessing God gives to His people. Both Jesus and Paul, for example, were vagabond preachers without much money.
If a believer works hard and saves their money, great – buy a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce. Yet, I have a tough time when a church buys their pastor a Bentley….
That money should be going to feed the poor, house the homeless, preach the gospel, clothes the naked… This is the heart of Jesus. Not a Bentley.