Inquiry of powerful televangelists is appropriate

By Angela Tuck

With memberships that exceed the size of small cities, thousands of people are touched by the ministries of Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia and the Rev. Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International in College Park.

This week's news that Sen. Charles Grassley (R) has asked several nationally known ministers, including Dollar and Long, for detailed financial documents has captivated many AJC readers and prompted hundreds of blog comments on ajc.com.

''There are so many reasons why people are fascinated by the issue,'' said John Blake, an AJC reporter who previously covered religion for 10 years. ''The debate revolves around a question of identity: What does it mean to be a Christian? People like Long and Dollar represent a collision between two powerful points of view one insists that wealth is a sign of God's favor and another that says that having more than one needs is actually a hindrance to being a Christian. You could see this debate reflected throughout Chrisitan history. On one hand, you had popes who were as wealthy and ostentatious as kings and then you had monastic orders whose leaders give up wordly possessions. Whether is it Rev. Ike from the old days or prosperity preachers today, this debate will always be around.''

Responding to complaints from the public and news coverage of the ministries, Grassley wants to know how much the preachers earn, how church issued credit cards are used and how many luxury cars, planes and foreign bank accounts they own. He is also asking for information on the ministries' boards, business relationships and associated organizations.

Dollar and Long have built enormously powerful ministries in suburban Atlanta, making this newspaper's scrutiny of their ministries appropriate, especially since nonprofits such as churches are exempt from federal income taxes as long as certain guidelines are met.

In 2005, Blake investigated a charity Long established as a nonprofit tax exempt organization in 1995 to help the needy and spread the word of God. According to tax records, the charity provided Long with at least $3 million in salary, benefits and property use between 1997 and 2000. That was as much as the charity gave to other recipients combined during the same time period.

Long said at the time his charity didn't solicit donations from church members. Its income included royalties, speaking fees and several large donations. Indeed, the cottage industries that spring up from these dynamic ministries bring in millions. Dollar and Long host seminars and generate revenue from books, tapes and other products.

Members of both churches are quick to proclaim the virtues of their charismatic preachers. Dollar and Long do great work in their congregations and communities, they say, but much of that work gets little attention in the media.

A quick check of the AJC's story archives shows that New Birth has been mentioned more than 500 times in this newspaper. New Birth gained worldwide attention when it hosted the funeral of Coretta Scott King last year. The AJC has written about the church's involvement in the community, with stories about a $100,000 donation to Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless Ministry and its work in assisting more than 5,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina. Reporters have also chronicled the expansion of Long's ministry, including the establishment of New Birth Latino.

World Changers has been mentioned more than 250 times in the AJC. One of Dollar's messages is that God rewards the faithful with wealth and a debt free lifestyle, making Christians more able to help others. Last year, the AJC ran a New York Times article about Dollar's establishment of World Changers Church New York. In previous years, the newspaper has written about his generous donations to Fulton County police officers and schools.It's important to note that Grassley's inquiry isn't just targeting powerful African-American pastors. The ministries of Randy and Paula White of Tampa and Benny Hinn of Texas are among those the senator is questioning.

As the newspaper focuses on this latest inquiry, reporters should work hard to paint a clearer picture of these ministries, examining their financial structures as well as what draws people to them.