Senate Probe Targets 'Prosperity' Christians, Church Says

Maybe they aren’t a member of the ECFA because they all have theological differences with ECFA?

That being said, if you look at Joyce Myers website she has given her partners more information that you could possibly get from being in the ECFA. I also believe Kenneth Copeland is a part of a different financial accountability group.

My question is: Why aren't any of these 6 organizations part of the EFCA? That's a big red flag!

I have a problem if these organizational leaders are living like kings, by the donations that they ask for. They obviously have a very strong interest in convincing others to believe in the "prosperity gospel" - so that they can live prosperous lives.

It also would seem that the "prosperity gospel" does not sell too well in third world countries.

I can understand Copeland's resistance... those "individuals" who sparked the investigation are doctrinal opponents of these ministries.

The whole investigation does seem a bit arbitrary... I mean why should a Senator decide it is ok for the Pope and his cardinals to have planes and helecopters but not these guys?

I really don't agree with all these guys doctrine, but I think this sets a precident that might backfire on us if we ever get a muslim senator who decides to do the same thing.

There is a difference between being protected by the First Amendment and having tax-exempt status. The Congress has every right to conduct an investigation to see if the laws about tax-exempt status for churches are adequate, being adequately enforced, or need to be changed.

One provision about that law is that the tax-exempt organization has limitations regarding how it spends the tax-deductible contributions it receives. For exampe, this is where the ban on certain political activities arises.

Another restriction is that the salaries and benefits paid to any employee must be reasonable based on comparable salaries and benefits for others of similar responsibilities. There are also restrictions on remuneration of board members of tax-exempt organizations.

It seems the committee is responding to complaints arising from the flaunting by these pastors of their high remuneration, including some extravagant benefits.

I think if the churches have nothing to hide, they should welcome the chance to show the sceptics that your church is above reproach,on the other hand if any church does not not want goverment to inquire about their finacial dealings they should remove themselves fome tax exempt status.

I applaud your balanced reporting on the senate probe. While I am a firm believer in good stewardship (and I am NOT making a judgment on these six ministries' use of abundance,) I am more concerned with constitutional protections. I believe our Pentecostal brothers and sisters have a right to be nervous; if all the churches under investigation were from my denomination, I would be enraged at the obvious targeting. Why, also, would it be necessary to have the names of all people who preached or performed music for these ministries? Does that mean they would be next targeted? The scope is too large. I recently saw somewhere a quote by Cardinal Richelieu: "Give me four lines written by any man and I can have him tried as a criminal." The whole constitutional thing is just too scary.