KPerspective November 25 2007
KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE
with Remi Akano
E-mail: remiakanosr@believeandrepent.com
Last week, I drew attention to an altercation between the Federal Ministry of Finance and The Christian Association of Nigeria. As we saw, one of the reasons the Yar’Adua government suspended and is currently reviewing the previous administration’s import duty waiver policy is its widespread abuse; and among those being fingered for the abuse is at least one church.
Unfortunately, because the finance minister is a Moslem, it is all too easy to read motives other than the public good to his public declaration of the church’s culpability. And that would seem to be what CAN, through National Secretary Salifu implied in the first reaction when the news broke. The minister’s subsequent response and at least one newspaper report would seem to suggest, however, that there might be something in it worth our collective attention as members of the body of Christ, the Church. Which is why, I see in it the first note in a clarion call on the church to do an integrity check; a clarion that is bound to increase several decibels per day this season of the flood of righteousness. To see it otherwise, in my humble view, is to miss the import of this call to integrity and that would be truly tragic.
This is particularly so because, as I intimated last week, it does seem that the call to integrity in the church is not limited to Nigeria. And we need to understand it for what it is - yet another evidence that these are the end-times and the Lord Jesus is determined to come back for a glorious church.
As you read this, six of the more prominent Pentecostal ministers in the United States of America would most probably be getting their acts together to send, as Charisma magazine editor, J. Lee Grady put it in a recent column, “a boatload of paperwork to prove they are in compliance with U.S. tax laws”. This would be in reply to a request by Senator Charles Chucks Grassley, described as “the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.” The Big Six who received Grassley’s letter are: Kenneth and Gloria Copeland; David and Joyce Meyer; Randy and Paula White; Creflo and Taffi Dollar; Eddie Long; and Benny Hinn.
Giving reasons for initiating this investigation, Grassley said in a media release: "I’m following up on complaints from the public and news coverage regarding certain practices at six ministries…The allegations involve governing boards that aren’t independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances and amenities such as private jets and Rolls Royces. I don’t want to conclude that there’s a problem, but I have an obligation to donors and the taxpayers to find out more. People who donated should have their money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code."
Towards achieving his objectives, Grassley asked the six ministries to send to him, within a month from November 6, which was when the letters were faxed to them, a long list of explanations, clarifications and documents.
For example, the letter to Joyce Meyer and her husband, David required of them the following in the words of a newspaper report:
• A "detailed accounting" of all her and her husband's expense-account items, including clothing and cosmetic surgery.
• Information about any overseas bank accounts and deposits made outside the U.S. after international evangelical crusades.
• The tax-exempt purpose of items purchased for her ministry's headquarters, such as a $23,000 marble-topped commode, a $30,000 conference table and an $11,219 French clock.
• A detailed accounting of total monthly expenses for upkeep on the Meyers' personal residence, and any vacation homes, from 2004 to the present.
• An explanation of any personal use of the ministries' tax-exempt assets, including "jets, employees, facilities," from 2004 to the present.
• An explanation for how personal gifts from donors, such as money or jewelry, are handled and reported to the IRS.
Randy and Paula White, divorced pastors of Without Walls Ministries were asked for:
• A detailed explanation of the compensation paid to them, as well as cash and noncash gifts, housing allowances and personal use of assets.
• A detailed list of any expenses paid for by their church or ministries toward the purchases and monthly maintenance of their residences on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa, and in New York, San Antonio and Malibu, Calif.
• Credit card statements for expenses paid by their tax-exempt entity, including a list of all expense account items such as clothing and cosmetic surgery.
• A list of all domestic and overseas bank accounts and investments belonging to their organizations.
• A list of all vehicles purchased, leased or maintained by their tax-exempt organizations.
• Copies of flight records of any aircraft leased or owned by their ministries, as well as flight itineraries for both of them.
• A copy of the bill of sale, type of payment used and an explanation of the reported tax-exempt purchase of a Bentley convertible as a gift for Bishop T.D. Jakes.
• A detailed accounting of $871,000 worth of items reportedly sold to the church since 2005 by two of the private businesses owned by them, and an explanation as to who determined that the church would purchase these items.
• An explanation of who determines how the funds of Without Walls and Paula White Ministries are spent, copies of all board minutes and whether any of the decisions, both operational and financial, are subject to oversight by an elected or appointed body.
Lee Grady summarized other key requirements listed in Grassley’s letters as follows:
• Information from Bible teacher Joyce Meyer about expensive furnishings in her Missouri headquarters—including a $30,000 malachite table, a $23,000 toilet with a marble lid and a $19,000 pair of Dresden vases
• Paperwork explaining how Benny Hinn’s ministry purchased his $3 million home in Dana Point, Calif.
• Receipts and other records explaining how Eddie Long paid for his $1.4 million estate on 20 acres in suburban Atlanta
• Records about vacation trips to Hawaii and Fiji that Kenneth and Gloria Copeland took using their ministry plane
• Clarification from Atlanta faith preacher Creflo Dollar about his role in raising a hefty portion of a $2 million gift donated to Kenneth Copeland.
Of course, reactions have been fast and furious with one of the most strident coming from Paul Crouch Jnr of Trinity Broadcasting Network who described Grassley’s effort as “an inquisition”.
Incidentally, Grassley is not a newcomer to this particular kind of exertion. In the words of Grady, “Grassley has been applauded in the past for blowing the whistle on financial abuses among secular nonprofit organizations including the American Red Cross.” So, it would be hard to make a tag of anti-Christianity on him stick. And as some commentators have already noted, any attempt to demonise the senator might rob the church of a wonderful opportunity to do an integrity check. That as I said earlier would be tragic indeed. (CONTINUES NEXT WEEK)
FROM MY IN-BOX
LET’S WALK OUR TALK
Lots of beautifully scripted words in your article, but I think for me, the 5th to the last paragraph in your commentary captures the essence of what's happening (or has already happened to our men & women of "character") - the human being you n I see and worship with in Church is the same human being we see and work with in our various offices. Where human BEINGS not "human robots" or "humanoid replicas"
cannot, refuse to or omit to STAND UP FOR the truth whether in Church, at work, at school or at play, the present situation we have will persist.
I recently met an elderly man on one of my marketing visits to a multinational company. He is neither an ordained Pastor nor a General Overseer of any Church.
He is presently a Departmental Head in his place of work. He told me that years ago (almost 2 decades now), he made a conscious decision to ensure the employment of qualified Christians. (He meets you, your CV is ok, he forwards it to his Human Resources Dept and follows through until you come in or they formally decline). Please note that he has never worked in the Human Resources Dept of the Company. He says that he realized then that many Christians never ever get the opportunity to "access" highly paid jobs in some "coveted" sectors of the economy. It may interest you to know that one pastor has worked in the Human Resource Dept of the same Company for years (and is still working) and no-one else in his Church has "made it in".
We speak a lot of English on these matters, but you and I can count how many of us "spiritual people" in Church really walk our talk. Do what you can, though. Maybe, God willing, some of the people who read y6our column or visit your site will be convicted by the Lord to do something more. Stay blessed!
CHERIE DIBIANA (Mrs)
Lagos, Nigeria
GOD IS MOVING AGAIN
I have taken time to go through the November Kingdom Perspective and I believe God is moving again in this country by using people like you to stir up hearts of men - after all, issues of life flow therefrom. It has certainly made good impact on me and made me do a re-think of what our life is worth without character? Someone once defined character of any man as '' what a man thinks, says and does in the closet''- i.e. a man is what he is when nobody else is watching him.
Once again, thank you for your labour of love and may the Lord reward you mightily in Jesus name. Blessings!!
SEGUN ASABA
Lagos, Nigeria.
First published in a Nigerian Daily, the Sunday Independent, published in Lagos Nigeria.
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