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Christianity Today, June, 2008 |

Change of Address

Kenneth Copeland turns to IRS to avoid Senate inquiry into prosperity ministries.

Adelle M. Banks, RNS | posted 5/09/2008 08:48AM

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Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas, made the request on April 7. "We will provide answers to the IRS regarding questions that Senator Grassley has," said John Copeland, the ministry's CEO. ...

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Cole	Posted: May 21, 2008 9:05 AM


Copeland has every right to call for the proper IRS investigation, just as Grassley should have done from the beginning. I think it's also interesting and great to see other Christian leaders across denominations coming together behind Copeland's holdout.

rich	Posted: May 20, 2008 9:23 AM


where does it say that only the apostles spoke and understood the tongues on the day of Pentecost?....i believe my Bible says there were 120 people in the upper room and not all were apostles....God bless

TYlerZ

Posted: May 19, 2008 3:40 PM


Rich, I have to agree with you on this point. Many people are saying that Copeland must have something to hide, but as you say - he has asked for an IRS investigation. I think that he is just standing up for what he believes is right, and he realizes the implications this could have on the future.

cat	Posted: May 17, 2008 10:49 PM

Get educated about why Kenneth Copeland Ministries is taking this position. Don't believe the media spin. Or for that matter, don't believe speculation as fact. Go to believersstandunited.com. The organization has legitimate reasons for taking a stand against Grassley's unwarranted and unprecedented intrusion into the functioning of the church. Look at history. Know what you are talking about before you form your opinions.

Rich Mueller M.B.A.

Posted: May 17, 2008 9:29 PM

Really enjoying the pooled ignorance on this blog. I’m not a financial supporter of any of these ministries and never have been. However, I know when something is a total crock. Go back and do another look at the Copeland’s position. The Copelands are not saying that they are “above the law” nor are they “hiding” anything. They are simply requiring the good senator to go through the appropriate channels to get his information. Further, they are requiring that he stay in adherence to the very laws that he helped formulate. Such information is readily available to Grassley, but if he backs off of his position he will have a lot of egg on his face. The stringent and rigorous audit procedures of the IRS are such that if Copland et. al. were trying to “hide” anything, they would not doubt would have been caught years ago. I have assisted in many audits in the past and know exactly how the process works. If the IRS can’t find anything, neither will Grassley and friends.

David L

Posted: May 16, 2008 5:14 PM


Where in scripture does it say the church doesn't have to pay taxes? The LDS voluntarily pay taxes. I hope the Word Faith heretics get what they deserve.

Ronald Erickson

Posted: May 12, 2008 3:56 PM


I thought in the Gospels the Lord Jesus told his disciples/followers to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. What is wrong with our government taxing defacto for-profit evangelistic organizations when our government is often times doing the work of the church in caring for and feeding the the disadvantaged in a real way?

harrytruman

Posted: May 12, 2008 10:41 AM


I simply think the government should not be messing around in church matters. While I applaud accountability, I think Kenneth Copeland Ministries have it correct in asking the IRS to be the ones to do the audit, not some Senator McCarthy hearings that seem to be targeting only Pentecostals, no one else. It doesn't feel right; it doesn't feel fair.

xstar30

Posted: May 12, 2008 10:10 AM

Copeland has responded to Grassley with nearly 300 pages worth of documents. They also have said they would give Grassley everything he has asked for but they would do it through the IRS. If Grassley can get what he is after through the IRS, why won't he do that? What are his motives? He wants to make a media spectical out of this. He is not just seeking answers to his question, he has other motives. I think that Copeland going to the IRS shows that he has nothing to hide and wants to cooperate. He is standing up for the churches rights, I think that is noble.

Andrew D.

Posted: May 12, 2008 9:52 AM


Dear "The G", though I share your perplexity and doubts in regards to the words and actions of people like Benny Hinn and Mr. Copeland, I really do wonder what on earth Gordon Fee has to do with their tax evasion? If you would like to write to me at acd777@gmail.com with an explanation, I would be most grateful. Andrew D.

Jarred Haas

Posted: May 10, 2008 11:39 AM

The reason why our country was founded on principles that provided privacy for its citizens and for churches is to prevent what is happening in this investigation. By taking information from an organization and making it public, it can be taken out of context and used to destroy people of opposing view points. Just like this article does... by showing 28 mil in salaries... but ignoring that Billy Graham spent 30 mil. Just because we may disagree with the 6 ministries under investigation does not mean we should not stand up to defend the principles that allow for protection of churches. I am sure the IRS will find things if there are abuses, but the moment power is given to individuals there is nothing stopping a homosexual or Muslim senator from targeting those who speak truth.

Jerry Smith

Posted: May 09, 2008 11:27 PM


Just for the sake of the Christian church Pastor Copeland should devulge the church's finances. If the government wants to be involved in church matters the government should allow religious activities in the public education. Otherwise separation of church and state should apply to the government as well.

Rob Braun

Posted: May 09, 2008 5:50 PM


I have to agree with Alan Paul, "if any organization on earth should have absolutely nothing to hide and be more than willing to open its financial books-it should be the church." As I recall these words are almost a direct quote of Billy Graham's after the PTL Club scandal.

Phredone

Posted: May 09, 2008 4:00 PM

How is an audit by the IRS "deceptive and misleading," The current US tax law allows Churches to keep their financial private. If you do not like the law, work to have it changed do not accuse someone of wrongdoing because they are following the law. If you do not like any of the ministries do not give to them. And if you do not give to them why do you care anything about them at all? Where in the Bible is the scripture talking about or defining the office of "watchdog"?

The G

Posted: May 09, 2008 3:02 PM

Bonke claims to have raised people from the dead. He is a liar. I don't see people thirsting and hungering for righteousness. I see Hollywood paraded as the church. It's outrageous. The only thing I regret in this is that the state now is interfering with the church. We need to stay separate. If Gordon Fee can't see plainly that the gifts were given by the laying on of the Apostle's hands and that the languages spoken on the day of Pentecost were known and only spoken by the Apostles who were called "Galileans" and that the NEw Testament is the more sure Word, than he isn't much of a scholar.

False Teachers

Posted: May 09, 2008 1:51 PM


These ministries are all so far off base from the teachings of Jesus and the narratgive of Scritpture it is patehtic that CT even covered this. Pentecostal renowned biblical scholar Gordon Fee wrote a helpful small book called "The Disease of the Health and Wealth Gospels," and let me tell you he takes them head on.

Alan Paul

Posted: May 09, 2008 11:53 AM


If Copeland has nothing to hide, why hide? The solution: If he doesn't come clean, stop giving to his ministry. You shouldn't be giving to him anyways - he's a health and wealth "gospel" heretic.

Frank Dahl

Posted: May 09, 2008 10:49 AM

Who does this guy Rusty Leonard think he is. What I do know about the Copeland ministry is that they are one of the most generous ministries around. Go ask Rheinhard Bonke the [who has seen millions saved and healed in Africa];Go ask the 16 ministries that have received airplanes from the Copeland ministry.I can go on ;Examine the ramifictions for the precedent of having a senate committee snooping into every part of a ministry in the future.

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