Church Purchases $8.3 Million Mansion, Received Tax-Exempt Status After Complaints to IRS

(Photo: Mansion and guest house from Realtor.com)

It should surprise no one that televangelist David E. Taylor’s church purchased an $8.3 million mansion and guest house in Tampa, Florida. The church parsonage serves as a palace and Taylor is a king.

Taylor, a proponent of the prosperity gospel, teaches that Christians are supposed to be kings. This teaching is found in Taylor’s book The Kingdom of God – Part 1 which is promoted on Amazon with a fanciful description:

“In this royal revelation, given to David E. Taylor during multiple Face to Face Visitations and trips to Heaven, you will understand the need to reestablish God’s Kingdom order in your life, ministry, and destiny. When you realize your true identity as a king, you will gain all you need to reign!”

In his book Supernatural Marvels: Time Travel, Taylor also teaches that Christians can time travel.

According to the Hillsborough County Property Assessor website, zoning restrictions require Taylor’s church mansion be used as a single-family residence.

In 2018 and 2019, Trinity Foundation submitted reports to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) calling for the tax-exempt status of Taylor’s organizations Joshua Media Ministries International, Kingdom of God Global Church and Kingdom Family Church to be revoked.

Joshua Media Ministries International appears to have stopped filing the Form 990 which discloses total revenue, total expenses and compensation of highly compensated individuals.

In 2021, the IRS sent Kingdom of God Global Church a determination letter officially recognizing the church’s tax-exempt status.

In the United States, churches, mosques and synogogues are not required to obtain a tax-exemption from the government. Some religious organizations apply for exemption because determination letters are helpful for obtaining loans and grants.

There is also a long waiting period involved. When a church applies for exemption, it often takes five years to receive a determination letter.

Taylor’s TV program airs on The Word Network, another organization that Trinity Foundation has investigated. In 2013, the IRS revoked the tax-exempt status of The Word Network’s parent organization World Religious Relief.

Kevin Adell, president of the network, then created Church of the Word as The Word Network’s new parent organization and returned to business as usual.

Taylor and Adell are able to financially thrive because of a failure of government oversight. At best, they can expect a slap on the wrist from government regulatory agencies.