Skip to main content.
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
A Random Image


Related

More news articles & news archive on Kenneth Copeland, Living Word Christian Center, Mac Hammond


Translate



Advertisements *

What is a cult: Cult Definition
Simple steps to financial health and a good credit score


Elsewhere

Left Behind answered verse by verse


Kenneth Copeland, Living Word Christian Center, Mac Hammond:

Dealing with less prosperity, Living Word Christian Center cuts back

Star Tribune, USA
Feb. 17, 2008
Joey McLeister
www.startribune.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 20686 • Posted: Monday February 18, 2008  

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark

Is the “Prosperity Gospel” facing a recession? With donations dwindling, Mac Hammond, the high-flying pastor of Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, says his private jet is for sale.

This comes amid an investigation by the U.S. Senate into some of Hammond’s contemporaries — including one who leads a church where Hammond serves on the board — and allegations that some ministers may have improperly solicited funds for presidential candidate Mike Huckabee during a conference at which Hammond spoke.

The Love Of Money
“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, {4} he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions {5} and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. {6} But godliness with contentment is great gain. {7} For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. {8} But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. {9} People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. {10} For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
- The Bible, 1 Timothy 6:3-10 NIV

Living Word has also cut its hourlong TV show on Sunday mornings in half to save money, according to the Rev. Brian Sullivan, spokesman for the church.

Living Word has fallen $40,000 to $70,000 short of its weekly budget in recent months.

“We publicly acknowledge we are going through some financial challenges, and we’re just adjusting our budget to reflect that and to live within our means,” said Sullivan. “I think it’s going to be an austere budget year for us.

“Is that a product of recession, or is that a product of maybe some bad publicity in the church in general? We speculate it’s a combination of things,” he said.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R- Iowa, asked six churches late last year to submit financial documents because of complaints about the lavish lifestyles of their ministers. Hammond’s was not among them, but he serves on the board of the Rev. Kenneth Copeland’s Texas church, which was. Copeland’s son, John, serves on the board of Hammond’s church.

Kenneth Copeland aggressively rejected the Senate Finance Committee request for records. “It’s not yours, it’s God’s, and you’re not going to get it — and that’s something I’ll go to prison over,” Copeland said at a meeting of prosperity ministers he sponsored in January.

Copeland is coming to town

“Prosperity Gospel” churches are based on the notion that success in business or personal life is evidence of God’s love.

Copeland will be the keynote speaker at Living Word’s stewardship seminars this week. Sullivan said he doesn’t believe Copeland’s appearance will further erode support for the church.

“I don’t think we’ve been brazen, in your face, to spite what Sen. Grassley is doing,” said Sullivan, who added: “We had extended an invitation to [Copeland] a while ago, and we’re going to honor that invitation. Mac sees Kenneth Copeland as kind of a spiritual mentor, a spiritual father, someone ahead of him on the path who has been a sounding board and provided guidance.”

At the January conference, Copeland told ministers he had Huckabee’s support in refusing to hand over financial documents to the U.S. Senate.

During a break in that meetings, Copeland raised $110,000 for Huckabee, with pledges for $1 million more.

Pete Evans of the Trinity Foundation, a religious watchdog group, said the contributions may have violated IRS rules. While individuals may contribute, nonprofit groups are not allowed to raise money for political purposes.

Sullivan said Hammond did not contribute to Huckabee or attend the session where money and pledges were collected.

Last year, complaints were filed against Hammond for endorsing then-candidate Michele Bachmann, now a U.S. House member, from the pulpit. Hammond later acknowledged that he’d made a mistake.

“To be honest with you, with a little bit of the fallout relative to Michele Bachmann, we’re taking a little bit more careful road,” Sullivan said. “I don’t think we crossed the line, but it raised concerns and suspicions.”

‘Disillusionment sets in’

At Copeland’s conference, which was broadcast live on the Internet, Hammond told other ministers that people “gradually become disillusioned” when their prayers are not met promptly or when promised riches don’t come.

“They have needs to be met, and when they don’t get it they leave,” Hammond said. “They get their hands put on them, they don’t get cured, then the disillusionment sets in.”

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark


What You Can Do From Here

Read More Articles On These Topics
more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about
Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Follow Religion News Blog on Twitter


Read Another Article
Find Related Information
cult research search enginecountercult information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults
Find Related Books


Most Popular Today


Share This Article

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:





Counter Cult Search

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.


Apologetics Search

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.

Home
Latest Headlines
RSS news feed [?]
Headlines by Email
News Trackers
Free content for your site
About RNB
Privacy Policy
Contact RNB
Link to RNB
Advertise on RNB
Apologetics Index
Cult FAQ
Apologetics Search Engine
CounterCult Search Engine