- Kenneth Copeland
Articleissues
blpdispute = August 2008
criticisms = August 2008
refimprove = March 2008Infobox Person
name = Kenneth Copeland
residence =
caption =
birth_name =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1936|12|06 Fact|date=July 2008
birth_place =United States
death_date =
death_place =
death_cause =
known =
occupation =Author
Speaker
Televangelist
title =
salary =
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nationality = flagicon|USA American
predecessor =
successor =
party =
boards =
religion =Pentecostal
spouse = Gloria Copeland
partner =
children = John Copeland,Kellie Copeland , Terri Pearsons
relations =
website = [http://www.kcm.org www.kcm.org]
footnotes =
employer =
height =
weight =Kenneth Copeland (born
December 6 ,1936 Fact|date=July 2008 in Lubbock,Texas ) is aChristian author ,speaker , television evangelist, notedWord of Faith proponent, and the founder of Christian organization "Kenneth Copeland Ministries".Early life and education
Prior to his conversion to
Christianity in November, 1962, Copeland was a recording artist of Native American descent, having oneBillboard Top 40 hit ("Pledge of Love", which stayed in the Top 40 for eight weeks and peaked at #12) [The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, Joel Whitburn, 7th edition.] .Following his religious conversion, Copeland turned the rest of his life over to Christian ministry work. [Kenneth Copeland, "The Word in My life...," Kenneth Copeland Ministries Catalog (Fort Worth: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, n.d.), 3.] In the 1960s, he was a pilot and
chauffeur forOral Roberts . In the fall of 1967, when Copeland was thirty years old, he enrolled inOral Roberts University in Tulsa,Oklahoma . [ [http://www.oru.edu/alumni/excell/spring06/feature1.html ORU Excellence ] ] Later he studied underKenneth E. Hagin , founder ofRHEMA Bible Training Center and RHEMA Bible Church inBroken Arrow, Oklahoma .Fact|date=October 2007He was a member of the
Oral Roberts University Board of Regentshttp://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/oru-lawsuit/ORU_pdf_p10.pdf] until it was replaced in 2008 with a new board that promised to hold to higher standards of financial accountability. [cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/01/29/primarysource/entry3767306.shtml|title=Televangelists: Who’s Accountable?|date=2008-01-29|publisher=CBS News|last=Strickler|first=Laura] In October 2007 a lawsuit against the university was presented for financial and political wrong doing. [cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/15/oru.suit/ | title=University president's wife 'sickened' by allegations | publisher=CNN |date=October 15 ,2007 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-10-17] Copeland's oldest daughter, Terri, is married to pastorGeorge Pearsons , [cite news | url=http://www.emic.org/about/george_terri_bio.php | title=Our Pastors: Terri and George | publisher=Eagle Mountain International Church |date= October 2007 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-10-17] who served until January 2008 as the ORU Board chairman.Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Kenneth Copeland Ministries’ grew through the 1970s and in 1979, "
Believer's Voice of Victory " first appeared on television. Headquartered inNewark, Texas , it has international offices in Australia, Africa, Canada, Europe and the Ukraine. According to Kenneth Copeland Ministries, it is also actively involved in ministry to prison inmates in 23 countries. [ [http://www.kcm.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=124 Kenneth Copeland Ministries Europe - INTRODUCTION ] ]Kenneth and his wife,
Gloria Copeland , travel regularly, speaking at churches and conventions, including their own annual "Believers’ Conventions." This includes the Southwest Believers’ Convention, the West Coast Believers’ Convention, and the Great Lakes Believers' Convention. The couple have been married since 1963, and they have three children.Contributions
The Copelands have given away 24 airplanes to other ministries, as well as automobiles and motorcycles.Fact|date=March 2008 KCM also sends out a monthly magazine to all that ask without cost or obligation. Kenneth Copeland Ministries poured large sums of money and aid into New Orleans after Katrina, including a large amount of funding to birth and launch [http://www.angelflight44.com/af44book.html Angel Flight] (an airplane and crew specifically assigned to send in supplies to New Orleans when the roads were closed, and is still in operation today, standing ready to bring aid for any other catastrophic events). [
Glen Hyde andRich Vermillion , http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Flight-Dedicated-60-Year-Old-Hurricane/dp/product-description/1933141026 ]Controversies
Copeland has received criticism for his teaching about wealth in the "Word Faith Movement" ["Christianity, Cults and Mind Control Converge at Conference." "The Philadelphia Inquirer", September 24, 1994] ["Uganda: Money And the Church," "Africa News" August 21, 2005] , his claims about
faith healing , [" [http://www.rickross.com/reference/hinn/hinn35.html Churches want faith-healer's claims tested] ,"Courier Mail (Queensland, Australia), June 9, 2004] and his claim that Bible believers would receive the hundredfold return on their seed. cite web
url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/29/cbsnews_investigates/main3767305.shtml
title=Hard Questions For "Prosperity Gospel"
date=2008-01-29
publisher=CBS News]Jet and business controversy
Kenneth and Gloria were accused by former business associates of leaving tens of thousands of dollars of debt in their failed Affordable Homes Limited business partnership while spending money on other projects. However, the Copelands were limited partners of this company and as such, were not obliged to pay its debts or explain the withdrawal of their financing. [cite news
url=http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/bshipp/stories/wfaa060502_mo_copelands.3436519.html | title=Televangelist couple at center of debt controversy
publisher=WFAA-TV
date= May 3, 2006
first=
last=
accessdate =2007-10-17] In 2007 Copeland was accused of using his $20 millionCessna Citation jet for personal vacations and friends, however, these allegations have not been proven. [cite news | title=Jet flight records spur Copeland ministry questions news
url=http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa070228_mo_churchjet.87be631.html | title=Jet flight records spur Copeland ministry questions
publisher=WFAA-TV
date= February 28, 2007
first=
last=
accessdate =2007-10-17] In January John Copeland, son of Kenneth, published a video on the KCM website in which he stated the Citation X jet owned by the ministry was used for personal travel ten percent of the time in 2007, and the ratio for ten percent of the time for personal travel on a 20 million dollar jet would be equal to two million dollars. The Copeland's financial records are not publicly available and a list of the Board of Directors is not accessible. Responding to media questions, Copeland pointed to an accounting firm's declaration that all jet travel complies with federal tax laws. [cite news |url=http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa070228_mo_churchjet.87be631.html | title=Jet flight records spur Copeland ministry questions
publisher=WFAA-TV
date= February 28, 2007
first=
last=
accessdate =2007-10-17]Mike Huckabee
On Copeland's daily television program "
Believer's Voice of Victory ", 2008 Republican presidential candidateMike Huckabee made six appearances on the program from Sunday November 25, 2007 through Friday November 30, 2007, discussing "Integrity of Character". [ [http://download.kcmmedia.org/mp3_files/bvov_webcasts/071126.mp3 Webcast dated Nov 26, 2007] ] [ [http://download.kcmmedia.org/mp3_files/bvov_webcasts/071127.mp3 Webcast dated Nov 27, 2007] ] [ [http://download.kcmmedia.org/mp3_files/bvov_webcasts/071128.mp3 Webcast dated Nov 28, 2007] ] [ [http://download.kcmmedia.org/mp3_files/bvov_webcasts/071129.mp3 Webcast dated Nov 29, 2007] ] [ [http://download.kcmmedia.org/mp3_files/bvov_webcasts/071130.mp3 Webcast dated Nov 30, 2007] ]In January 2008, the Huckabee campaign paid for use of Kenneth Copeland Ministries' facilities for a fundraiser. However, as political analyst and commentator Mike Eberhart notes that Democrats also use tax exempt organizations such as churches to make speeches and promote their campaigns. [http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/jan/29/plate-passed-huckabee-ministry-site] Copeland also claimed that he had had a phone call with Huckabee in which Huckabee allegedly vowed to support Kenneth despite a pending investigation by the
U.S. Senate (see below) into Copeland's finances if he was elected.enate Investigation
On
November 6 ,2007 , United States senatorChuck Grassley , Republican ofIowa , announced an investigation of Copeland's ministry by theUnited States Senate Committee on Finance . The Associated Press reported that Grassley said the investigation was a response to complaints from the public and news media. Grassley stated, "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." [cite news | url= http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-11-07-televangelist-probe_N.htm |title=Sen. Grassley probes televangelists' finances | publisher=The Associated Press
date=November 7, 2007
first=
last=
accessdate =2008-07-07] IRS guidelines require that pastors' compensation be "reasonable" and net earnings may not benefit any private individual. [cite IRS | url=http://www.irs.gov/charities/churches/index.html] Grassley asked for the ministry to divulge financial information [cite news | url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16860611
title=Senator Probes Megachurches' Finances by Kathy Lohr
publisher=npr.org
date=December 4, 2007
first=
last=
accessdate =2007-12-10] (Grassley's letter) [cite news
url=http://media.npr.org/documents/2007/nov/grassley/copeland.pdf |title=Read Grassley's Letters
publisher=npr.org
date=December 4, 2007
first=
last=
accessdate =2007-12-10
format=PDF] to the committee to determine if Copeland made any personal profit from financial donations, and requested that Copeland's ministry make the information available byDecember 6 ,2007 . The Copelands responded with a "Financial report from Kenneth Copeland Ministries." [ [http://www.kcm.org/about/financial kcm.org :: Financial Accountability ] ] Senator Grassley's office issued a statement which said Copeland's response has fallen "far short," and that while lines of communications are open, "additional steps in the congressional review" also would be considered". However, at this point, Sen. Grassley has failed to reveal or identify any violation of IRS non-compliance whatsoever, spawning criticism from other conservative evangelical ministries against Grassley's motives and methods. The investigation also scrutinized five other televangelists:Benny Hinn ,Paula White ,Eddie Long ,Joyce Meyer , andCreflo Dollar .The inquiry has stirred considerable controversy in many Christian circles, as several groups that would normally not be considered in agreement with the Copelands and the other televangelists listed have questioned whether Senator Grassley used proper protocol. Also, KCM created a website, www.believersstandunited.comcite web
url=http://www.believersstandunited.com/
title=Believers Stand United
accessdate=2008-05-17
accessyear=2008
authorlink=http://www.kcm.org/] to help explain their side of the inquiry.ee also
*
Kellie Copeland , his daughterReferences
External links
* [http://www.kcm.org/ Kenneth Copeland Ministries]
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