[El Scorcho]

AP Newsbreak: 2nd preacher spurns Senate

By ERIC GORSKI and RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writers
51 minutes ago

A second Christian ministry is refusing to meet a Thursday deadline for a Senate investigation into preachers' salaries, perks and travel, The Associated Press has learned.

Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas, said in a statement to the AP on Thursday that he will not respond to the inquiry until next year.

A lawyer for preacher Creflo Dollar of World Changers Church International in suburban Atlanta had said Wednesday that the investigation should be referred to the IRS or the Senate panel should get a subpoena for the documents.

Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent lengthy questionnaires a month ago to six ministries so he could review whether pastors were complying with IRS rules that bar excessive personal gain through tax-exempt work.

Only Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo., has provided the detailed financial and board oversight information sought by Grassley.

Full Story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071206/ap_ ... s_finances

[Hold My Own]

I guess he could have given us more money with all the cut he was taking!


Didnt his daughter come here for school? I know she visited

[El Scorcho]

Aside from Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer who were mentioned in the article, this was the list they gave of other ministries called out by the Senate...

The other ministries targeted in the inquiry are Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga.; Randy and Paula White of Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa, Fla.; and Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas.

Joyce Meyer Ministries is the only one to comply with them so far, which lead to this quote, which I think is pretty sad...

"Hopefully these organizations will work with us," said Grassley, who has been investigating nonprofit compliance with IRS rules for years. "I don't think I've had to issue a single subpoena in the five years that I've been trying to get cooperation from organizations."

Way to go, team Jesus.