(CNSNews.com) - Kenneth Copeland Ministries, one of six so-called mega-churches at the center of a U.S. Senate Finance Committee investigation, has informed the committee that it will not cooperate with the probe, citing its concerns about the government targeting certain Christian churches, as well as concerns about privacy and potential First Amendment violations.

"The church is deeply concerned that the information Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is seeking could be used to subject the church and its members to public stigma, scorn, and obloquy," Lawrence Swicegood, communications director for Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM), said in a letter responding to the committee's request for a range of financial data and other information, including the names and addresses of board members and the names and addresses of people responsible for the church's audio and video production.

"The church also has grave concerns with the conclusion that this inquiry 'does not infringe upon First Amendment rights,'" said Swicegood.

"The six ministries under investigation all share a common theology based on the sincerely held religious belief that prosperity in all areas of one's life is an outward sign of the fulfillment of God's promises contained in the Bible," he added.

The church also issued a press release on April 9 stating that it had requested a financial inspection by the Internal Revenue Service, saying the agency was better suited to review KCM's financial integrity while keeping the information private.

"We told the IRS in a letter that we welcome them to come and make inquiry of us and we will provide answers to the IRS regarding questions that Senator Grassley has," said John Copeland, CEO of Eagle Mountain International Church and KCM. "The Church desires to protect its and all other churches' First Amendment rights."

The committee, chaired by Max Baucus (D-Mont.) with Grassley as ranking member, sent the first letter to six churches (or ministries) in early November of last year and issued a second letter on March 11 to four ministries it said had failed to comply with the original request or, as in the case of KCM, had not answered sufficiently.

On March 31, the committee reported that Benny Hinn Ministries, the Randy and Paula White Ministries, Joyce Myer Ministries and Eddie Long Ministries had either complied or intended to comply. In addition to KCM, the committee said Creflo Dollar Ministries had not complied with the committee's request.

Grassley's office told Cybercast News Service that the investigation was sparked by "individuals who have identified concerns and made them public and/or brought them to the attention of the Finance Committee."

Press releases issued by the committee on March 12 and March 31, claim the investigation is less about uncovering violations by these ministries than it is to "gauge the effectiveness of certain tax-exempt policies."

"This ought to clear up any misunderstanding about our interest and the committee's role," Grassley said. "We have an obligation to oversee how the tax laws are working for both tax-exempt organizations and taxpayers. Just like with reviews of other tax-exempt organizations, I look forward to the cooperation of these ministries in the weeks and months ahead."

At least one Christian organization disagrees with KCM's refusal to cooperate with the Senate investigation.

"We don't think it's the best approach to wrap yourself in the First Amendment," Kenneth A. Behr, president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) told Cybercast News Service. "We believe that financial transparency is one of the cornerstones of financial integrity."

None of the six churches or ministries under investigation are members of the ECFA.

Swicegood said that churches are not like any other tax-exempt organizations, as implied by the committee.

"Churches are unique in that any inquiry into the financial affairs of a church raises the potential for excessive government entanglement with religious liberties," he said.

Swicegood also cited a noted religious scholar who said he was leery of a Senate investigation that focuses on "Word of Faith" churches, whose members believe individual prosperity is tangible evidence of God's blessings.

"It appears the inquiry is aimed at publicly questioning the religious beliefs of the targeted churches, their ministers, and their members while ignoring televangelists of other denominations," Vinson Synan, historian and dean emeritus of the School of Divinity at Regent University, said.

"This violates the fundamental tenet of the First Amendment that the government should not single out any religion because of its beliefs," Synan said.

"It also raises the question of religious bias against the Pentecostals and Charismatics who now number almost 70,000,000 Americans, according to a Pew Survey," Synan added.

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