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DISCUSSWhy Creflo Dollar Needs His Dollars
| 11/08/2007Every time we write about Creflo Dollar we have to point out that this is not one of those fake news articles we've sometimes managed to foist onto the public, and that the name Creflo Dollar was not used by Charles Dickens to describe a wheezing barrister in a pub, nor was it invented by a heavy-handed satirist attempting to lampoon a greedy Ukrainian.
No, Creflo Dollar is a real person, one of the six televangelists who got letters from the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, asking them to send in detailed accounting statements proving that they're not converting church money to their personal use.
More specifically, Creflo Dollar is the pastor of World Changers Church International of College Park, Georgia. Presumably he chose that name himself, completely free of fear that it would be soon be better known as Money Changers Church International by the 30,000 members who weekly enrich its coffers and make it possible for Creflo to maintain the two jets—one Gulfstream 3 and one Lear—that he uses to shuttle back and forth between Madison Square Garden (where he does a Saturday night service for an audience of 6,000) and Atlanta (where he does a Sunday morning service), not to mention occasional visits to his offices in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and Nigeria.
Creflo's wife Taffi Dollar—and here we remind you once again that we are not lapsing into fiction at any point during the creation of this article—Taffi Dollar is responsible for the household budget at the $3 million Dollar mansion in Atlanta, and the more modest $2.44 million Dollar condo overlooking Central Park in Manhattan.
Asked about the Dollar dollars by CBS News yesterday, Dollar said it was untrue that he had two Rolls-Royces (we'd actually heard it was two Rolls-Royces and one Humvee, but who's keeping track?)—that he only had one Rolls and it was given to him by his congregation as a surprise. He also said he did not give $500,000 of church funds to fellow "prosperity gospel" evangelist Kenneth Copeland on the occasion of Copeland's 40th wedding anniversary—although he did not say how much he did give—so we want to be very careful when we say that the annual budget for Dollar's operation, his overhead dollars, is about $80 million. (Note to Creflo: Get back to us if we're a little off on that number.)
The interesting aspect of this story, however, is that so many of these prosperity-gospel guys do funnel money back to Copeland in so many ways that it almost looks like a pyramid scheme. Actually that's too harsh—what it really resembles is the marketing structure of Mary Kay Cosmetics, set up so that every time a salesperson recruits another salesperson, he or she gets a cut of the commission. And the reason that all roads lead to Copeland—see our summary of Copeland's organization in the investigative cartooning feature "Lifestyles of the Rich and Religious"—is that he's the granddaddy of what goes by many names—like "positive confession"—but is most commonly called "Word Faith."
If you look for the theological origins of "Word Faith," you end up in Tulsa, of course, and specifically at RHEMA Bible College in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, which was founded by Kenneth E. "Papa" Hagin (1917-2003), the man who pretty much created the American-style health-and-wealth preaching so familiar from late-night television. Copeland was a student there, as well as at Oral Roberts University, which veers close to RHEMA in its theology but is not always on the same page. (Truth be told, every prosperity preacher is his own theology school, since part of the basis for the teaching is direct special revelation from God, which makes all these guys the heirs of the original gnostics.) But if RHEMA had a creed, it would go something like this:
- God's covenant with Abraham means that God has to deliver on his part of the deal, so anything you ask for in the name of Jesus, God is required to give you. (Should we quote some Janis Joplin lyrics here?)
- Man is equal to God in every respect. Or, in the words of Copeland, "You don't have a God in you! You are one!" (Tom Cruise would like this one.)
- Jesus was not the son of God, he was a man empowered by God to be just like God, and everyone who knows this can do the same thing. (We're not sure we have this one exactly right, but it's basically "Be Jesus, go ahead, He won't mind, you're soulmates.")
- Jesus went down into hell where he took on Satan's nature, until he was born again, and re-emerged to start the church. (Presumably they preach this one on Halloween.)
- Anything you speak and believe, with understanding, will come true just as you want it. (Yes, this seems like it's the same as number one, but that one is about what God has to do, and this one is about what you have to do. It's the "positive confession" part, the idea that your thought processes can command God to act.)
- God promises in Isaiah 53 to heal every physical illness of anyone who has faith. (As our mentor Ole Anthony once said, "Then why aren't there thousands of 200-year-old billionaires in Tulsa?")
- Any Christian who believes in poverty is outside God's will. (Well, take that, you cloistered loser in the hairshirt.)
There are more, but these are the biggies. I would imagine that at this point you're starting to see why taking away Creflo Dollar's dollars could amount to more than just a little lifestyle adjustment. It pretty much goes to the heart of the whole Kahuna.
A lot of you, obviously, need to read the bible for yourselves and develop your own relationships with the Lord. I hate to tell you that it will cost you personal prayer and supplication for wisdom. It is indeed sad that so many are listening to others telling them to do or believe and trust God for things that they claim God told them. They kind of pass the buck at your financial expense, don't they? "God told ME to win a million souls, but I need YOUR help (money)." You've heard that before, haven't you? Sure you have. Step out on your own and invest a little time in finding your own relationship with God. Stop funding these greedy corporate 'wolves in sheep's clothing.' God is graciously and patiently waiting for you to seek HIS kingdom, with all it offers, so he can reveal His plans for you and your function as a member (or organ) of the body of Christ. Be about YOUR Father's business, not some 'televangelist's.'
CREFALO DOLLAR IS IN A LONG LINE OF FALSE PROPHETS ON "THE BLASPHEMY NETWORK"( TBN) HE INTO ONENESS PENTACOASTAL DENYING THE TRINITY, HE DENIES THE DIETY OF CHRIST, SAYING CHRIST SLEPT, BUT THE BIBLE SAYS GOD NEVER SLEEPS, OF COURSE HE DOSENT REALIZE IS JESUS WAS 100% HUMAN AND 100% GOD, OF COURSE JESUS SLEPT HE WAS HUMAN. I CANT BELIVE THAT PAUL AND JAN CROUCH CAN CALL THEIR NETWORK THE TRINTY BRODCAST NETWORK WHEN YOU HAVE CREFALO DOLLAR, TD JAKES AND ROD PARSLEY DENY THE TRINITY, AND YOU HAVE A GENTLEMAN LIKE BENNY HINN WHO BELIEVES THERE IS 9 MEMBERS OF THE TRINTY, AND ALSO PRACTICES A FORBIDDEN PRACTICE OF NECROMANCY TALIKING TO THE DEAD IE. KATHERINE KOULMAN AND AIMEE SEMPLE- MCPHERSON, NEED I SAY MORE! AND SOME OF THEIR HEREOS WILLIAM BRANNON SAYS THAT THE TRINITY IS THE WORK OF THE DEVIL!
I just think it is disguise of racism just in a new package this kind of message and fear tactics only work on the weak minded and spiritually weak too. All of this pseudo-religion is just more schism.
Not to point out a (slight) error here, but actually "Pa" Hagin stole almost all his theology (using the term very loosely) from EW Kenon.
Micheal
Creflo has changed my life.He has helped me understand the word of God clearly.God has blessed this man it's ok for his followers to put money in God's house they put money everywhere else y not God.Creflo is saving souls and that's what God wants him to do.He has taught me great and if u were in the spirit and understood the word u could relate...You dont kno Creflo like u think u do.......
Holy cow! This sounds like the crusades in here!
THIS WHOLE ENTIRE WEBSITE IS COMPLETELY STUPID. INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT WHAT CREFLO HAS, PEOPLE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THEMSELVES. THIS SITE MAKES ABSOLUTLY NO SENSE. STOP HATING ON SOMEONE BECAUSE HE HAS MORE THAN YOU. DO YOU HATE ON YOUR NEIGHBOR BECAUSE HIS HOUSE IS BIGGER OR CAR IS NICER. LEAVE CREFLO ALONE!
I hope You know God's mouth piece shall not be ridiculed. I hope for your sake, you look well into your accusations. i would rather play with a bee hive than play with Gods annointed. let not my words cause you play. i am merely letting you know, funny is funny and God is God. and God is not funny. ignorance is not funny. i feel bad for you, and the place you are at. so do pray for you now and just testify to your ignorance. not that these words mean anything to you, but i feel good giving my witness and testimony.
Wow I find it amazing that people find the time to critizize someone that take the time to study the word. If they ivested the time the would see truth. God isn't a dead beat dad. Jesus wasn't broke or homeless. But, I have notice that those who do belive that this isn't true. Just start off with a preconcede notion. Study the word for yourself an you will find that God has a order for everthing his does and said. Tell how many people in the bible that followed God was homeless, poor, inslave too...
tell you what everybody lets pray for each other and not worry whos rite because i could write all day on here and not change anyones mind everybody has their opinion.we all are gona be accountable and be in heaven together.i think if god wanted money to be good he would have made jesus rich lol...im so sick of this greedy world aruing over money when it should be about love and helping each other.maybe im wrong and your wrong but lets do our best to teach BIBLE the best we can and keep believing god. i love yal..
I started checking my Bible for myself on some of the things Dollar has said and found that he twisted the Scriptures on tithing. Gentiles were not included or called Gods chosen people neither were None Jews given the Oracles and the Laws of Moses. Jews were forbidden to marry them and in Jesus day they did not even walk through Samaria or eat from any cups or bowls of Gentiles. Gentiles were called dogs because of their savage behavior and many pagan Gods. They were only grafted in after the Cross and they were crafted into a New Covenant of Grace by Faith. For Creflo to use Melchizedek who only gave a one time voluntarily tithe is not the correct example of faithful tithing. If you are not a Jew then you were outside of the Old Covenant in the first place. Every Jew is laughing at how they twist the tithe law and make it for Gentiles who were outsiders until Jesus fulfilled the law in our place. Jesus is the New and Better Covenant. He said He came for the lost sheep of Israel until His death and Resurrection then and only then did He give His disciples the great commission to go into all of the world. So this tithing business is twisting and manipulating Scriptures. They cannot find any command of Jesus after the Cross for Gentiles to tithe. Colossians 2:14-15 said he abolished the law ordinances against us, took it out of the way and nailed it to the Cross. Hebrews calls Christ a better Covenant more than 12 times.
By the way I am not against tithing, just lying to mandate it as a law that was given to Gentiles when it was an Old Covenant law given to Jews only! There were more than 600 Mosaic Laws, why does Creflo and the Tithe Teachers only hold on to one? In Galatians Paul said to break one law of Moses means you are just as guilty as if you had broken them all. For instance in this day and age, how many crimes do you have to commit to be a law breaker? Just one. This is simple logic. Since no one could fulfill all of those hundreds of laws Jesus had to come and do it for us. We have no right standing with God apart from the finished work of Christ.
The Text you are Gods in Psalms and the Gospel of John that Jesus quoted when you go back to it's first mention applied to Judges who God gave power to rule and reign over His people for a specific purpose and time period. Mormons believe they are gods this is cult like thinking. No one is equal to God, He alone is self-existent, un-caused all powerful and present everywhere. Another thing I have heard Dollar say is to have the God kind of faith or faith like God. I pray Dollar reads this but this is the a stupid and ignorant thing to teach. God does not need to have faith. He created the universe from nothing. This did not take Faith but Power! God is the Author and Finisher of Faith. He needs nothing not even Faith! Get a clue Creflo clone like people!
Funny.
We live in a world where its okay for SOME to have, but not others.
Its okay for your fortune 500, movies stars, sports players, news casters, anyone else in the world - to "prosper" and have their prayers answered. But don't let it be someone claiming God, as their source (of all their needs).
Half the people who commented above, probably did so from their laptops or home computers, probably have iphones and digital cameras, microwaves and flat screens. They probably would accept a rolls royce or any luxury car if it was giving to them too. But don't let it be anyone else claiming God. (By the way, I'm curious why you didn't post the countless cars that he and the others like him gave away, the countless foreclosures saved, homes built or the remodeling abroad done - like in a settlement in Brazil - that's all out there too, but I'm sure that would be deemed at "suppose too" or not really being charitable, but for a good face, funny what is it called when stars do the same?)
I wonder, would you attend your Joel Olsteens, Creflo Dollar's, Mike Murdocks' and Joyce Meyers' and all the others around the world, and abroad like Ed Young, Hinn, Chin and Chang - if they were homeless on the street corner, and lived in a box, and ate from a can. And had no microphone but held service on street, every week, would you go?
Could they not be a prophet then too, but you wouldn't be there no because "you" would not see any "prophet" or "profit" in that.
I also read, FACT - not fiction with Dr. Dollar started out it was just to 8 people, 8 people... to now....
Why is that, whenever folks talk about the likes of these people, in the negative sense, its always about his car, his house, or his plane.
So?
It's "his" car, "his" house, and "his" plane.
If you didn't fund it, what do you care? I didn't fund it.
Is he the only one who has a plane? What are the others doing with there's, its okay then, for them to jet off to islands, but for him to fly and preach, its a problem, because false prophets shouldnt do that, they should be flying to the Caribbean right?
Why don't you go after the Paris Hilton's of the world, who can spend $3k, on a dog chain,.... oh wait, she's not claiming God, she's just in the world, so that's okay. But still yet she's successful, or should I say her reaping her "daddy's success."
He work hard at building up his hotel business, he sowed some seeds, that reap in a harvest within the hotel industry.
Same sowing, movie stars do in audition after audition, or play players do in practice and practice, singers in rehearsal after rehearsal - all prosperous in their own right, all reaping a harvest (and perfect) in God's sight. Let him judge, not you.
If Creflo Dollar is a hustler, than he's a successful one, because that's hell of a hustle to "sell God" to people day in an day out, I'm sure he'd rather be shopping with Paris Hilton.
Get your own plane, stay out of other people cockpit.
That's right there in your word too, find that in Proverbs.
The wisest man in the Bible was Solomon, he was rich beyond rich, then there was David, Saul, Abraham and Lot.... all were had riches. All remained humble.
I wonder if they were in this time, would they now have iphones (to reach the masses) too?
Hmmmm..... funny.
Wow so they preach Christians are equal or same as god. Creflo has yet to go to the Hospital in his local town and heal all of the sick, walk on water or walk thru walks. This teaching is false and dangerous. It is more similar to what the serpent told Eve she could become! When he and the other false teachings like Fred Price, Hagin Jr Duplantis, and Kenneth Copeland (although I like Copelands grandson and will watch him, comes on my TV I promptly turn it off with a quickness! This twisting of Scripture is pride and flesh (carnal)! Read your Bibles or be deceived is my best advice folks!
Yep, until they walk through walls and clear the hospital of all the sick in their cities they cannot boast to being even a fraction of the same as God Almighty!
This is the problem Paul clearly states that if any man preaches any other Gospel than Jesus did or Paul did let that man be accursed. Prosperity is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Filthy Lucre and covetousness are contrary to the word of God. Maybe many of you don't know but Creflo Dollar pulled out a gun on a person in his congregation during one of his teachings and pointed it at him because the congregant said that he does not pay tithes. Creflo then pulled out a knife and pointed it at him after his demonic demonstration with a gun. I am a Police Officer and if Creflo Dollar would had pulled out a gun on me during a service I would be within my rights to eliminate the threat in front of me. The word of God states in Genesis that if a prophet says something and it does not come to pass be not afraid of him. Study your word and don't close your eyes to the obvious when it comes to Leadership. Creflo also stated that he would like to shoot everyone who isnt a tither and drag their bodies into the street. youtube Art of manipulation Pt. 18 watch it and then you decide if what he said was of god for yourself. God Bless! Believe not every Spirit but try the spirit to see whether they are of God! That's why people need the indwelling of the HolyGhost. It will teach you what's right and what's wrong.
So very happy to see he is prosperous and his wife. That is nice to know how well managed his ministry is. God is so good! God blesses his people. I am grateful for such a loving and giving God.
One of the things, I am most happy for, is the ministry of Creflo Dollar. Not to be cruel, but this man's obedience to God, by fulfilling his destiny, has blessed me and my family tremendously.
I am encouraged by God's words in ways I can never describe. I am listening to his worship ministry as I type this, and just want to fall at my knees and worship God!..so beautiful!
Nothing this world has to offer can compare..nothing is like God's touch..Nothing...
you argue about stuff...material things, they are here one day, and gone tomorrow..The good news of Christ, proclaimed by Dollar, Meyers and the rest...we be here forever!!!!!
Who cares about STUFF....if you only knew what you were missing! :)
Gotta go...God's awesome LOVE is calling...
So very happy to see he is prosperous and his wife. That is nice to know how well managed his ministry is. God is so good! God blesses his people. I am grateful for such a loving and giving God.
One of the things, I am most happy for, is the ministry of Creflo Dollar. Not to be cruel, but this man's obedience to God, by fulfilling his destiny, has blessed me and my family tremendously.
I am encouraged by God's words in ways I can never describe. I am listening to his worship ministry as I type this, and just want to fall at my knees and worship God!..so beautiful!
Nothing this world has to offer can compare..nothing is like God's touch..Nothing...
you argue about stuff...material things, they are here one day, and gone tomorrow..The good news of Christ, proclaimed by Dollar, Meyers and the rest...we be here forever!!!!!
Who cares about STUFF....if you only knew what you were missing! :)
Gotta go...God's awesome LOVE is calling...
You folks are hilarious and jealous. Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Haggin, Joyce Meyer,
Fred Price...they are all awesome children of God. Thanks for giving God glory by letting the world know all that Jesus has given to Pastor Dollar, a faithful minister of the Word of God and his beautiful wife and children. Keep taking notes God's going to do even more for him. Watch my words! Don't forget to mention the people who have been healed, families restored, etc.... thru "Money Changers" as you call it. It's called building God's kingdom! God loves you guys too. -Be Blessed.
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