Ken Behr and ECFA on the Financial probe of the churches

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/commentary/11560285/

It is interesting to note that, through the interview transcript of Ken Behr from ECFA (Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability) that NONE of these six ministries are part of ECFA.

Ken brought out some of the key pointers from the investigations that includes the available financial gain through the church and ministries should be first for the community in fulfilling the great commission and the Great Commandment to love God and each other. And why Grassley has decided to investigate these ministries is that many of these people got rich through perhaps illegal means via the tax exempted laws and maybe it is not illegal, but when called to the stand under oath, a $35,000 conference table and a $12,000 toilet would be hugely embarrassing to the ministers. In the eyes of the laws, they might be ‘clear’ but how will they account to God and to those who gave their money when they are struggling for a meal a day for their family when these ministers travel in private jet, live in a multi million dollar mansion, driving an expensive car, and dine in fine restaurants? I cannot see how these ministers now can preach about servanthood, or carrying their cross on the pulpit.

One more thing is that it is a tragedy that we need the secular government to ‘judge’ these ministers when the Church has failed on the whole to do it in the first place. Is the Church too dead to greed, monetary fixation to even recognize the yeast of the pharisees in these ministries?

Bishop Eddie Long speaks

As quoted

Bishop Eddie Long called the requests by Sen. Charles Grassley “unjust, intrusive, and an attack on our religious freedom and privacy rights.” as he addressed the congregation during the morning service.

A sense of disappointment that a Christian leader has to resolve to such methods to cover up their own financial irregularities in handling finances. As I see it, that there should be an inquiry into all prosperity gospel preachers including Eddie Long and it is nothing unjust about it, in fact, justice is served to audit Eddie Long finances when money are being used to further Eddie Long’s kingdom rather than God and especially so when such financial gains are solicited from poor people where Long’s promise of blessings when they gave to his ministry. Let God’s justice be done first within the Church and then the world, for Judgment will fall first on the Church and then the World.

Prosperity Gospel preachers under investigation

The consequences of iniquities will find us out, this is an eternal principle which governs the righteousness of God and His judgment is fair. For years, i have written against the message of prosperity gospel which the fruits of the preachers will be judged. As God used the wicked Babylonians to judge Judah and Israel, so God will use the system outside of the Church to judge them, if the Church is incapable to do so.

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa has commissioned a thorough investigation on six prominent prosperity gospel preachers.

• Kenneth and Gloria Copeland
• Creflo and Taffi Dollar
• Benny Hinn
• Bishop Eddie Long
• Joyce and David Meyer
• Randy and Paula White

The above six ministries are under investigation for irregular tax reports and various financial activities that don’t comply to the laws governing religious organisations in America.

In many cases, these preachers live an extravagant lifestyle above humility Christ shown us in his ministry on earth, these preachers are more concerned about building their own kingdom here on earth. Often to the expenses of poor communities in America and around the world. Many ministries involving these six and affiliated are under investigations, including Oral Robert University where Kenneth and Gloria Copeland are in the board of regents, is under investigation and involving a financial scandal on its own.

Just in Singapore for the last few weeks, after the NKF (National Kidney Foundation), a charitable organization which was investigated, the latest being Ren Ci Organization, a charitable buddhist organization is now being investigated for the huge amount of money they solicitation through TV charity shows, and irregularities in their investment and loans to companies.

The root of prosperity gospel is in the greed where these preachers, whether knowingly or not, has blinded them. Despite the potential reach of their ministries to tell the world about Christ, their testimonies are now a blight in light of Christ’s and has shown us, the Church, that we are all guilty for not being a watchman and to judge each other in love.

We need to watch each other’s lifestyle and doctrines that we remain accountable and blameless even before the world that we will not shame the name of Jesus. I can’t say the same with these super preachers of their own message of greed.