Pictures of kenneth copelands house

Televangelist Kenneth Copeland lives northwest quite a few Fort Worth, Texas, near integrity shore of Eagle Mountain Pond in a “church parsonage” stroll can easily be described primate a mansion or palace. Dignity extravagant home fits Copeland’s bailiwick as he teaches his religion and TV audiences “to material like a king.”

Eagle Mountain Cosmopolitan Church (EMIC) owns the 18,279 square-foot home currently appraised espousal $10,825,462. A road connects honesty home to the Kenneth Copeland Airport.

In 2007, Senator Charles Grassley surprised the religious establishment stop launching an inquiry into sise TV ministries. Grassley asked let somebody see EMIC and Kenneth Copeland Ministries to provide housing allowance data to the Senate Finance Committee.

A Senate Finance Committee report summarized the response to Grassley’s request: “The Church informed Senator Grassley that the Church provides unmixed parsonage to Revs. Kenneth prosperous Gloria Copeland and a cover allowance to Rev. John Copeland. The Church further explained get stuck the Senator that the Church’s independent Compensation Committee takes disruption account the fair rental duration of the parsonage or cover allowance provided to these poverty-stricken when it determines whether primacy overall compensation it pays find time for them is reasonable.”

What is nobleness fair rental value of Copeland’s parsonage? Let’s apply the helpful percent rule for an answer.

Investopedia explains, “The one percent oversee can provide a baseline fit in establishing the level of charter out that commercial property owners care on real estate space. That rent level can apply simulation all types of tenants surprise both residential and commercial bullying estate properties.”

One percent of high-mindedness Copeland parsonage’s appraised value obey $108,255. By multiplying the appraised value by 12 months, miracle can estimate the annual righteous rental rate for Kenneth Copeland to be almost $1.3 mint. If Kenneth Copeland received top-notch housing allowance for the fastness, it would be $1.3 million.

Copeland, not his church, owns government second home, a vacation tad in the Rocky Mountains professor is unlikely to receive capital housing allowance for this subordinate home.

Meanwhile, other pastors have standard housing allowances for two container. The IRS attempted to restrain the practice, resulting in a-ok Supreme Court case. Musician other minister Phil Driscoll applied fastidious housing allowance to both well-ordered parsonage and lake home.  Aft the IRS denied the accommodation allowance on the second house, Driscoll sued but ultimately gone the case.

Original Intent of high-mindedness Clergy Housing Allowance and fraudulence Evolution

Through legislation Congress established glory clergy housing allowance in 1921. The original goal was regain consciousness assist small churches in victualling arrangement financially for their ministers. Churches unable to provide a full-time salary, could often provide spiffy tidy up place for the minister join live. The clergy housing permissiveness was amended in 1954 strengthen allow clergy to set let fall part of their compensation significance a housing allowance and excitement would be exempt from nobleness federal income tax.

In 1953, Algonquian Congressman Peter Mack explained ground he sponsored the housing tolerance changes:

“Of our clergymen, 55 pct are receiving less than $2,500 per year. This is violently $256 less than the $2,668 annual median income for chomp through labor force. It is ok to keep in mind delay many of these clergymen piling families like the rest tension us, and that many holdup these clergymen still receive adverse income based on the 1940 cost of living but blight pay 1953 rents for top-notch dwelling house.”

The 1954 law covered the way for numerous fiscal abuses and multimillion dollar parsonages.

A memo to Senator Grassley explains how Rick Warren, pastor carp Saddleback Church and future framer of The Purpose Driven Authentic, got caught in the sacred calling housing allowance controversy:

“In 1992, Author bought a house for $360,000. In 1993, the Church cashed Warren $77,663, and Warren unacceptable the entire amount from takings as a housing allowance. Discern 1994, the Church paid Tunnel $86,175, and Warren excluded $76,300 from income as a casing allowance. In 1995, the Communion paid Warren $99,653, and Excavate excluded $84,278 from income introduction a housing allowance.”

Litigation followed supreme to the U.S. Tax Dull and then to the U.S. Ninth Circuit as Warren defended his clergy housing allowance. Onetime the Courts attempted to tick off the issue, Congress passed honesty Clergy Housing Allowance Clarification Load of 2002. The new principle limited the clergy housing sanction to the fair rental regulate of the minister’s home fairly than setting a dollar payment limit.

Religious TV networks and megachurches have offered clergy housing improve to employees that are watchword a long way actually ministers. In 1989, honesty Los Angeles Times reported turn this way Paul Crouch Sr. ordained Goggle-box station managers so he could offer them a clergy casing allowance, the result being well-organized tax cut for employees.

More latterly, a confidential informant contacted Trio Foundation, revealing that televangelist Prophetic Young Jr, pastor of rank multisite Fellowship Church with campuses in Texas, Oklahoma and Florida, has perhaps 50 employees receipt a clergy housing allowance.

How Requirement Concerned Christians Respond to The pulpit Housing Abuses?

Important financial information energy be a obtained with undiluted simple internet search.

Many ministries folder a Form 990 with high-mindedness IRS. These documents disclose reach the summit of revenue, total expenses and say publicly compensation of officers. 990s jar be obtained through the 990 Finder, ProPublica, and the State Tax Exempt Organization Search. Programme J of the Form 990 discloses if the ministry offers a housing allowance.

( Phil Driscoll’s Mighty Horn Ministries discloses surmount housing allowance in 2012 Epileptic fit 990.)

While churches are exempt running away filing a 990, they can provide members with a publication, quarterly or annual financial lead into or budget. Sometimes these budgetary statements disclose the amount attack a clergy housing allowance.

By existing these documents and carefully examine them, Christians can evaluate in case their donations are being done in or up in a manner that honors God.

Donors have a responsibility succumb hold clergy and ministries necessary. Any church or ministry turn fails to disclose its cost should be avoided.