The final report from a three year government investigation of six high profile televangilists, including two based in the Dallas area (Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland), was released Thursday. The investigation, led by Senator Chuck Grassley, probed into the finances and spending practices of these church ministries. At issue, was the question of using church donations to fund the lavish lifestyles of the ministry leaders while maintaining tax-exempt status from the IRS as church organizations.
Of the six ministries, only one, Joyce Meyer Ministries, fully responded to the inquiry and joined the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), an accreditation agency established to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. One other, Benny Hinn of World Healing Church, answered all questions, however has not joined the ECFA, but has pledged reform. The remaining four ministries either partially or completely refused to cooperate with the committee probe: Randy White of Without Walls International Church, Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church/Eddie L. Long Ministries, Kenneth Copeland Ministries and Creflo Dollar of World Changers Church International/Creflo Dollar Ministries.
The committee did not hand out penalties, nor did it recommend new rules or that any of the organizations be stripped of their tax-exempt status. Instead it called only for self regulation, greater transparency and open dialogue between church leaders and government. Senator Grassley has formally asked the ECFA to consider the issues raised by staff and spearhead a discussion about how to address those issues.
‘Self-correction can be more effective than government action’, Grassley stated in a press release. ‘The challenge is to encourage good governance and best practices and so preserve confidence in the tax-exempt sector without imposing regulations that inhibit religious freedom or are functionally ineffective. I look forward to working with the ECFA and other organizations in a productive way.’
In an article by Sarah Posner from Religion Dispatches, Ole Anthony, president of the Trinity Foundation, says that he is "disappointed" with Sen. Charles Grassley's recommendation that the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountabilty form a commission to study the issues raised by the probe. The ECFA, said Anthony, has no "teeth" to compel the televangelists into greater accountability and transparency.
Sarah Posner also points out, ‘The staff memo also recommends repeal of the IRS prohibition on electioneering by churches, long a target of the religious right, which deems it an unconstitutional restriction on free speech and religious freedom. The rule, it's true, is rarely enforced by the IRS, as the memo notes. But if it's repealed, and churches are free from the possibility of an IRS investigation for endorsing candidates, churches would become even more politicized, and free to use their tax-exempt status to do so.'
For additional resources on responsible giving you may also visit ministrywatch.com. For additional articles by Aaron Russell go to menofmind.com
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March 7, 2007 http://membership.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reports_earmarks
In the fiscal 2004 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) added $50 million in conference for an indoor rainforest in Coralville, Iowa. The project was the brainchild of Des Moines millionaire Ted Townsend (heir to the Townsend meat-packing fortune). To obtain federal funding for the project, Townsend’s nonprofit group hired John W. Conrad III, an Iowa native and former “special assistant” to Sen. Grassley. Mr. Conrad received $69,500 to lobby his former boss to earmark funds for the project. The Iowa rainforest has become one of the biggest pork boondoggles in recent memory. The nonprofit has failed to raise a dime of private funding to begin work on the estimated $150 million project, which is now being shopped around to other cities in Iowa. Sounds like someone's house is made of just a little too much glass for them to be throwing stones, Then again, why are churches that make and spend a lot of money bad; and elected officials expected to be that way. If this is an excerpt from an article dated March 7, 2007 it means that the hypocrite was re-elected by his Foolish constituents, now let's all get mad at God and the preachers for our government being broke, and by God the preachers should have to cover our debt to China so our congressmen can spend the money on what they damn well please!
See, I agree church leaders should speak their minds, but not about the candidates... just the issues. People assume too much when it comes to political preference. As the Body of Christ, we should vote according to God's precepts, not what some man says in a snazzy suit (politician, evangelist or otherwise).
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