Trinity Foundation

Televangelist Kenneth Copeland lives northwest of Fort Worth, Texas, near the shore of Eagle Mountain Lake in a “church parsonage” that can easily be described as a mansion or palace. The extravagant home fits Copeland’s theology as he teaches his church and TV audiences “to live like a king.”

Eagle Mountain International Church (EMIC) owns the 18,279 square-foot home currently appraised for $10,825,462. A road connects the home to the Kenneth Copeland Airport. Continue reading “When the Church Parsonage Looks Like a Mansion”

               

Jim Bakker in his heyday (1980’s)              Jim Bakker on the Jim Bakker Show (from YouTube)

Televangelist Jim Bakker, a long-time target of investigations at Trinity Foundation, is recovering from a stroke. On May 8th, Bakker’s wife Lori posted the news on The Jim Bakker Show website:

“I wanted to share with you, our loving and caring partners, that Jim recently experienced a stroke. We are thankful that Jim is okay, and that he is now at home with our family. Under the guidance of medical professionals and our Board of Directors, Jim will be taking a sabbatical from the show. Jim will be back! He is still dreaming and hearing from the Lord, and he already has a powerful word to deliver when he returns to the air.” Continue reading “Jim Bakker Recovers From Stroke, His Comeback Dreams on Hold”

 

Televangelist Todd Coontz Loses Appeal in Tax Evasion Case

Televangelist Todd Coontz, a prosperity preacher and protégé of Mike Murdock, is one step closer to beginning a five-year prison sentence.

After a year of waiting for a new verdict, on Friday, April 17th a panel of judges upheld Coontz’s conviction for tax evasion.

According to WSOC-TV, “Coontz has to wait for the Board of Prisons to tell him when to report to prison.”

Coontz is required to pay $755,669 in restitution. Coontz has less than 90 days to file an appeal with the United States Supreme Court. However, such an appeal doesn’t stand a chance at being accepted.

During the appeal process Coontz continued fundraising while maintaining his residence in a luxury high-rise.

Trinity Foundation has requested the IRS revoke the tax-exempt status of Coontz’s organization RockWealth International Ministries. 

Last year an informant visited Trinity Foundation and told us stories about the apparent contradictions of a prominent televangelist. While promoting himself as a faith healer, the televangelist is secretly a germaphobe. He limited contact with his employees while preaching that we shouldn’t have fear.

In contrast, Italian Catholic priest Giuseppe Berardelli recently died from the coronavirus after voluntarily giving his respirator to a younger person struggling with same virus. Berardelli’s sacrificial life decision is a bold picture of John 15:13, which says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

As the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has grown, televangelists and so-called prophets have exploited the tragic health situation with false prophecies and fundraising appeals. The Apostle Paul urges believers to test prophecies in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21. Let’s take a look at some of them. Continue reading “Coronavirus + Televangelists = Deadly Mix”

In 2012, Carra Crouch, the granddaughter of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) founders Paul and Jan Crouch, sued the network for covering up her rape. When she was 13 years old, Carra was raped by a TBN employee. Her grandmother decided not to file criminal charges.

Recently, TBN decided not to file an appeal with the United States Supreme Court, bringing the litigation to an end (finally!!).  Carra’s victory in the California Courts of Appeal will stand. Since 2012 TBN has spent millions of dollars on litigation. The network sued Carra’s sister Brittany more than 20 times.

TV producers, radio broadcasters, filmmakers, and journalists are flocking to the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville for the biggest annual networking event showcasing Christian media professionals.

Attendees can choose from a plethora of workshops and speakers addressing topics ranging from first amendment issues to religious persecution and from marketing to production. Unfortunately, they will NOT hear about two topics the NRB should address:

• A growing number of broadcast ministries are rejecting financial transparency. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Grace to You and Ravi Zacharias International Ministries have stopped filing the Form 990 which discloses the pay of its top executives and provides a breakdown of other expenses.
• There are an astonishing number of wolves in religious broadcasting, preachers taking advantage of their congregations and viewers for financial gain.

Continue reading “The Big Failure at This Week’s NRB Convention”

Count Victor Lustig is one of the world’s most extraordinary conmen. Smithsonian Magazine reports, “He used 47 aliases and carried dozens of fake passports. He created a web of lies so thick that even today his true identity remains shrouded in mystery.”

In corporate filings and during trips some televangelists have also used aliases and misspelled names to hide their identity.

Lustig’s most famous crime was selling the Eiffel Tower in Paris to a junk metal dealer. Lustig falsely claimed to represent the government to pull off the con. Continue reading “How Criminals Target Wealthy Believers”

Trinity Foundation has become alarmed by the long-term trend of televangelists weaponizing the courts to attack whistleblowers and media.  Previously, Trinity Broadcasting Network sued Brittany Crouch Davidson more than 20 times. In a four-year period TBN spent $20 million on legal fees.  Trinity Foundation considers this litigation to be poor stewardship of donor funds.

Here are eight court cases we are monitoring in 2020. Continue reading “Televangelist Court Cases to Watch in 2020”

MinistryWatch, one of our allies in the battle for financial transparency in ministries, has compiled a list of highly paid ministry leaders.

Not surprising to us, executives at The Inspiration Networks and American Center for Law & Justice dominate the top of the list. The Inspiration Networks’ flagship TV channel INSP was previously Jim Bakker’s PTL Channel.

At least 16 ministry executives are compensated $300 per hour.

Excessive compensation is protected by an easily exploited loophole: By using “independent” compensation consultants recommending large salaries and then ministry officers recusing themselves from voting on the recommendations, non-profit religious organizations can legally pay large salaries.