FaithWorld faithful stay loyal despite pastor’s lavish life

Worshippers who streamed into FaithWorld on Sunday said they remain loyal to its pastor, nationally known recording artist Clint Brown, despite allegations of financial mismanagement and Brown’s messy divorce proceedings that reveal a lavish lifestyle.

Those are irrelevant, said Maria Jimenez, 43, of Orlando. “We’re coming to see our God.”

Brown’s escalating legal troubles have captured local media attention during the past week and a half. On Sunday, Brown made brief mention of those troubles before starting a sermon on enduring tough times in life.

“You know this is a difficult time for us,” he said, after thanking people who have sent messages of support. The success of his ministry through the years, he said, “speaks for itself.”

In 1999, Brown purchased the 25-acre complex on Forest City Road from televangelist Benny Hinn by assuming the property’s $5.8 million debt. A lawsuit filed by Deborah Mitchell claims Brown and his ministry never repaid a $200,000 loan she made to help purchase that property.

Brown’s services, which regularly draw more than 2,000 worshippers, feature gospel, hip-hop, rock and contemporary Christian music.

Churchgoers on Sunday had little to say about the lawsuit. They also didn’t want to pass judgment on Brown’s personal finances. According to his divorce file, Brown’s income has grown from $224,342 in 2001 to $522,416 in 2003. About half of that came directly from FaithWorld, with the remainder from Brown’s music career. Divorce documents reveal a lavish lifestyle, including allegations from Brown’s wife, Angela, that in one year, her husband charged more than $70,000 in women’s clothes on the family’s congregation-financed credit card, with neither she nor her daughter receiving any of the clothing.

FaithWorld members said Brown would have to answer to God — not them — for how he used money from the church.

“Once I give my offering, that’s considered my offering to God. Where it goes . . . that’s none of my concern,” said Larry Brown, 23, of Orlando, no relation to the pastor. “He has to answer to God for what he does with it once it leaves my hands.”

Other churchgoers said Brown is no different than other successful preachers who live in expensive homes and drive nice cars. A woman who would not give her name said the pastor was worth the money he received from the congregation.

Larry Brown described FaithWorld’s flamboyant leader as “a very good man . . . a man of God” who has changed many lives for the better.

“He’s human. He’s a man,” Brown said. “He has to strengthen his walk every day with God.”

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