Comments on: Televangelists Living Like Kings?

Senator Investigates Whether Prominent Ministers’ Churches Are Really Non-Profits

[kranberry-2009]

Trinity Foundation and Ole Anthony are a borderline cult themselves - a cult of personality. Read this investigative story about Ole Anthony and then decide if they have the spiritual authority to appoint themselves as watchmen of the offering plate.
Link here:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2006-08-03/news/the-cult-of-ole/

The IRS is certainly strong enough to investigate any company, person, or non-profit organization they deem questionable. They do it daily, even at the risk of death and armed standoffs.

The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
Money is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.

[bluespetal]

Actually, I have no issue at all with the churches being tax exempt. However, I think the salaries that the workers are receiving should be taxed just like the rest of us. It is critical for our economy, and will stop the questioninig of the weary public.
God Bless us all...

[startide-2009]

"prove me in this...and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Yes! But does it say "material blessings"? Through the following of God''s command to tithe, I feel that I''ve witnessed God in action, fulfilling this scripture. My life overflows with blessings, plain and simple. It has taught me SO much. I no longer worry about finances or my health, or where my next meal is going to come from. But... once again... I do not give in order to get. And my blessings have not all been "financial" in nature. Creflo Dollar''s entire ministry is based on "giving to get", and THAT is where I take issue with him. I tithe because God commands it and because putting God first in my finances is what God wants me to do. I make no demands on God because I''m only doing what He wants... but in His graciousness, He has blessed my family. If I used those blessings (financial or otherwise) to do wrong (say, buying something as ridiculous as a $24000 toilet), I think those blessings just might go away... and they should. Ministry of "bling", indeed. Test God in your giving and in His blessings. But do it for the right reasons. Read the whole of Malichi, and tell me more about the ATTITUDE God expects in giving and in recognizing His blessings in our lives. Malachi, speaking for God, doesn''t pull many punches about the right attitudes regarding giving/tithing.

[kbruner74]

claytonantho......

Please tell Pastor Dollar that Pittsburgh is standing and praying for them!!
We all know who is really behind this attack on the ministry...it is the enemy of our souls, Satan.

[qesther]

I think you have nothing better to do with your time.
Many lives have been change with the Words of the Gospel. LIVES ARE BEING CHANGED DELIVERED AND SET FREE FROM DISASTEROUS LIFE STYLE. WHAT IS YOU STAND WITH ABORTION,DEATH ROW AND PROMOTING EVERYTHING ELSE GOD SAYS HE IS AGAINST.What do you say to the young man who chooses to rob as a means of provIding for his child, no it not right but what resources to you offer to make him see this is not the way do you spend time with him and counsel him to a better way of life. I HAVE YET TO SEE THOSE WHO WANT TO ATTACK THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS MINISTER BE HELPFUL TO A HURTING, DESPERATE AND VIOLENT TIME SUCH AS WE FACE TODAY IN OUR WORLD. MAYBE IF YOU TOOK MORE TIME TRYING JESUS YOU JUST MIGHT GET A REVELATION.
tHE BIBLE TELLS YOU TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTING AND DO MY PROPHETS NO HARM.IT ALSO SAYS JUDGE NOT YET YOU BE JUDGE. I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY WHEN YOU HAVE TO FACE GOD ONE ON ONE. THESE MINISTERS ARE NOT PERFECT THEY WORK FOR GOD WHO DO YOU WORK FOR.

[kbruner74]

startide....

I understand your thoughts, however, I hope that it is backed with the Love of Christ. If you feel that you can judge them, then that is your right, but I will be praying for them. Yes - I agree that no one needs a toilet that costs that much for any reason, however, I love the teaching of Creflo Dollar. Many lives get saved and changed through that ministry along with the others that are in question. I just encourage you not to get a hard heart...thats when the enemy slips in and attacks. As Christians, lets stand together and pray and beleive that God knows what He is doing and will work everything together "in love." Remember, it only took one womans voice to get prayer out of school. God Bless.

[claytonantho]

startide:
I should tell you that I am a member of Creflo Dollars church (the world humorously calls him the Dollar man, but I am not offended nor would he be). First of all we have been taught that if you are not giving because YOU LOVE GOD-DON''T GIVE!! Keep your money because it will not profit you anything. I give cheerfully without expecting anything in return. But because of the nature of God, he doubles my blessing so that I can give more for HIS KINGDOM. Don''t blame my pastor or me for that, blame God. Also, for you who have never been to the church, he does not have an ATM machine in the building nor does he ask for your W2''s. He loves to joke on that. God Bless You in every area of your life.

[startide-2009]

KBruner74:
You really don''t see anything wrong with a $24,000 toilet? Or think such things should go unquestioned? I support ministries that help people. I don''t support ministries that LIE to people so that pastors can be fat and steal in the name of the Gospel. Pastors buying $24,000 toilets SHOULD be looked at more closely. (Again, I don''t know if this is Pastor Dollar''s $24,000 toilet, but...) But when Jesus says, "Do not build up earthly wealth for yourself, where the moth destroys and the thief steals," I think these Pastors could get more from THAT than the $24000 toilet. "You fool! Tonight, your soul is demanded from you! Now who will inherit your wealth?" Or the lawyer, "And he went away sad, for he had much wealth." Or, "You cannot serve both God and mamon." Ridiculous expenditures like these tell me a LOT about who these pastors are serving... and it isn''t the flock they are supposed to be shepherding. Judging rightly is the Christian''s call. Judging a greedy pastor who distorts the truth of the Gospel isn''t wrong... it''s what we SHOULD do.

[kbruner74]

claytonantho.....

I beleive that God is and has already blessed you! When we get to Heaven, when the Lord returns where we won''t have to worry about this stuff anymore, it will be wonderful! God bless you! That is my prayer for all who may read this - Have a personal relationship with Christ - it will change your life! God Bless.

[kbruner74]

I tithe too and beleive in it 100%. However, that tithe is based on my heart and what I give...not the church. Now, I beleive that I should be in a great bible believing church that has ethics. God does say, though, to "prove me in this...and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Just a thought. I do not beleive it is a "deal" either, however, I do beleive that God wants us to expect. If you look back through many biblical examples, many of the things that happened had a tithe (not always money) attached to it.