Eric Casagrande (17 Nov 2007)
"Christianity Today"

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Hi John & All:

It always pains me when I hear the news that yet another christian evangelist is under suspicion for something. Now of course it doesn't necessarily mean they have done anything immoral, but as the familiar saying goes, perception is truly everything. Unfortunately, and sometimes not without reason, televangelists are clumped together with used car salesmen and lawyers. Do you remember that old joke?  What do you call 500 lawyers at the bottom of the Dead Sea?

Answer -- "A good start."

Six well-known evangelistic ministries are currently being investigated by the federal government, on the grounds of possible misuse of ministry donations and/or other ministry assets:

- Joyce Meyer Ministries
- Benny Hinn Ministries
- Kenneth Copeland Ministries
- Creflo Dollar
- Eddie L. Long
- Randy and Paula White

For the record and purposes of this writing, I do not financially support any of the above stated ministries, although years ago I was a partner of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, and have greatly enjoyed their work.

Now having read the letters sent by the Senate Finance Committee to each of these ministries, I would have to say that, in my opinion, the least problematic issues are with Joyce Meyer Ministries. Not by coincidence, Joyce Meyer has been the only one of the six mentioned to give a complete public disclosure of all the income received by her ministry from all sources, and a list of expenses for the previous three years (2004 - 2006), in the audited financial statements posted at her website. In addition to this, she also discloses the financial remuneration she receives from her ministry.

Again, none of the other ministries take such a step, as of this writing, to the best of my knowledge. Kudos to Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Of the remaining five ministries, the only member which gives some type of a public disclosure, is Kenneth Copeland Ministries. Now having said this, it is no more than an unaudited pie-chart percentage breakdown of expenses, for the year 2006. Unfortunately, without the actual numbers, or even a corresponding Statement of Income and Expenses, the data presented is rather superficial in terms of meaningful application for the average Joe Supporter.

In my personal opinion, these ministries would best serve themselves as well as their financial supporters, by simply coming out with clean disclosure. This type of investigation by the Senate Finance Committee may or may not be the usual procedure, but I cannot believe it serves the best interests of anyone to have your initial response be one of a craftily devised statement of defense and/or complaint. It's important to remember Whom we serve, and that one day soon we shall every one of us give an accounting unto Him.

See ya in the air,

Eric