Creflo Dollar Promises $10,000 Help for Community Groups in 6-City Tour
Megachurch prosperity preacher Creflo Dollar, pastor of World Changers Church International in Georgia, is bringing the gospel of change and a gift of $10,000 to one lucky community organization in each of the six new cities he will visit as a part of his 2013 Change experience.
According to a media release from the church, Dollar and his wife, Taffi, will embark on a six-city tour starting March 15 that will see them travelling from Connecticut to Florida, "preaching and teaching to those who are ready to take the first step toward living a life without worry."
The Dollars will be stopping in Hartford, Conn.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; Shreveport, La.; North Charleston, S.C.; and Orlando, Fla.
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Details of the tour are available on their website .
"As a part of the Change Experience, Dr. Dollar will also spotlight a local organization in every city and make a donation in support of its service and dedication to changing and strengthening the community," stated a media release from the church.
The Christian Post contacted liaisons for the church for further details on the donations and they responded in an e-mail that: "The charity is prayerfully decided and the donation is $10,000."
Dollar's name came to the attention of national, mainstream media several years ago when he was named as one of six televangelists investigated by the Senate. Other ministries investigated were Joyce Meyer Ministries ; Benny Hinn's World Healing Center Church, Eddie Long's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, and Without Walls International Church – formerly pastored by both Randy and Paula White, who are now divorced.
The Senate investigation, which concluded early 2011, noted that only Joyce Meyer Ministries and Benny Hinn's World Healing Center Church fully cooperated with the investigation and implemented financial reforms in some cases. The remainder, including Creflo Dollars' ministry, did not cooperate with the investigation.
Despite their refusal to cooperate, the televangelists faced no penalties. Much of the information detailed in the Senate review was obtained through public records and third parties. Little was confirmed about the televangelists' salaries and spending patterns.
The probe was launched in 2007 due to requests from members of the public to review the six ministries for alleged opulent spending and possible abuse of nonprofit status. The groups were also being questioned by ministry watchdogs and the media.
The Christian Post reported earlier that the Senate review cited questionable practices of each of the ministries, including family members holding all the key positions and occupying much of the board seats; generous housing allowances that allow the televangelists to live in multimillion dollar homes; personal use of church-owned airplanes; and compensation to relatives.
The review also stressed that tax exemption for religious institutions is a privilege and not a constitutional right. Though eliminating the church exception would most likely withstand constitutional scrutiny, the report stated, it would "unnecessarily burden the overwhelming majority of churches, particularly those that are already financially challenged," and also would be contrary to Congress' intent – that is, minimal interference in church operations from the IRS.
Creflo Dollar is founder and senior pastor of World Changers Church International (WCCI) in College Park, Ga., which serves over 30,000 members; World Changers Church-New York, which hosts over 6,000 worshippers each week; and many satellite churches located throughout the U.S.
