Kenneth Copeland

Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland in 2011
Born	Kenneth Max Copeland (1936-12-06) December 6, 1936 Lubbock, Texas, USA
Residence	Fort Worth, Texas
Nationality	American
Occupation	Author Speaker Televangelist
Political party	Republican
Movement	Word of Faith
Religion	Christian
Spouse(s)	Ivy Bodiford (m. 1956–58) Gloria Neece (m. 1963)
Children	John Copeland Kellie Swisher Terri Pearsons
Website	www.kcm.org

Kenneth Max Copeland (born December 6, 1936) is one of the leaders of the Charismatic Movement and is an American author, musician, public speaker, and televangelist. Copeland has been strongly identified with preaching a prosperity and abundance message, commonly referred to as the prosperity gospel, which has been criticized by various denominations.^[1] His Tarrant County, Texas-based Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM) advocates daily application of the "Word of God", meaning the Bible.^[2] KCM is a teaching ministry that specializes in biblical teaching that focuses on faith, love, healing, prosperity and restoration through diverse media, such as television, books, CD and DVD.^[3] KCM's motto is Jesus is Lord based upon Romans 10:9.^[4][5]

Early life and education

Kenneth Max Copeland was born in Lubbock, Texas,^[6] and reared in West Texas near a United States Army Air Forces airfield, which inspired him to become a pilot.^[7] His parents were A. W. and Vinita Pearl (née Owens) Copeland, who were wed until his mother's death in 1988.^[8]

Prior to his conversion to Christianity in November 1962, Copeland was a recording artist on the Imperial Records label, having one Billboard Top 40 hit ("Pledge of Love", which charted in the Top 40 on April 20, 1957, stayed on the charts for 15 weeks, and peaked at #17).^[9]

Following his conversion, Copeland turned the rest of his life over to the gospel and ministry work.^[10] In the fall of 1967, he enrolled in Oral Roberts University, where he soon became the pilot and chauffeur for Oral Roberts.^[11]

Family

Since April 13, 1963, Kenneth has been married to the former Gloria Neece.^[12][13] They are the parents of: John Copeland, Kellie Copeland Swisher, and Terri Copeland Pearsons. Gloria and the Copeland children work for KCM. John is the ministry's chief operating officer. Kellie preaches at various meetings throughout the United States, as does Terri, who also preaches at Eagle Mountain International Church, pastored by her husband, George Pearsons.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Television and other programming

Kenneth and Gloria on The Believer's Voice of Victory

Historically, Copeland's ministry held a number of conventions across the United States which lasted anywhere from three to six days. The number of longer set conventions has waned in recent years, although KCM still holds an annual Believer's Convention in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, during the week of July 4. Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, along with ministry friends including some family members, also preach at other conventions and conferences throughout the world.^[14] These events stream live on Copeland's website, kcm.org, as well as being shown on Christian television stations such as God TV and the Daystar Television Network. Portions of recorded conferences are shown Sundays. The Monday through Friday television broadcasts feature a Copeland family member, either alone or with another minister, discussing subjects from The Holy Bible. Most of these episodes are available on BVOV.tv. In July 2015, KCM launched the Believer's Voice of Victory Network on channel 265 of Dish TV.^[15]

Filmography

• The Gunslinger
• Covenant Rider
• The Treasure of Eagle Mountain

Facilities

Kenneth Copeland Ministries is located at 14355 Morris Dido Road, Fort Worth, TX 76192 on 33 acres and was valued at $554,160 in 2008 by Tarrant Appraisal District. The site includes the Eagle Mountain International Church, television production and audio recording facilities, warehouse and distribution facilities, residences for the Copeland family, and Kenneth Copeland Airport.^[16] Approximately 500 people are employed by KCM.

KCM also owns a 1998 Cessna 550 Citation Bravo, which it received from a donor in October 2007 and is used for domestic flights, and a 2005 Cessna 750 Citation X, which it uses for international flights. It also is restoring a 1962 Beech H-18 Twin, which the ministry plans to use for disaster relief efforts.^[17][18]

In February 2007 Copeland was accused of using his ministry's Citation X for personal vacations and friends.^[19] The Copelands' financial records are not publicly available, and a list of the board of directors is not accessible as these details are protected but known confidentially by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).^[19] Responding to media questions, Copeland pointed to what he asserted was an accounting firm's declaration that all jet travel complies with federal tax laws.^[19] In December 2008, KCM's Citation Bravo was denied tax exemption after KCM refused to submit a standardized Texas Comptroller form that some county appraisal districts use to make determinations, which would have required making public the salary of all ministry staff.^[20][21] KCM subsequently filed suit with the Tarrant Appraisal District in January 2009 and its petition to have the aircraft's tax-exempt status restored was granted in March 2010.^[21][22][23]

Kenneth Copeland Ministries has taken advantage of a Federal Aviation Administration program that keeps flights private from tracking websites, and the ministry owns five such aircraft whose flights are kept private, including the Cessna 750 Citation X note above and a North American T-28 Trojan.^[24] United States Senator Chuck Grassley has questioned some of the flights taken by these aircraft, including layovers in Maui, Fiji, and Honolulu.^[24] The ministries say that the stopovers were for preaching or for allowing pilot rest.^[24]

According to the Washington Times, Kenneth Copeland (and another televangelist Jesse Duplantis), has defended his "use of private jets as a luxury means of travel, arguing that commercial planes are full of 'a bunch of demons' that will bog down their busy schedules with prayer requests".^[25]

Controversies

2008 Mike Huckabee controversy

In late November 2007, Mike Huckabee, a 2008 Republican presidential primary candidate, made six appearances on Copeland's daily television program Believer's Voice of Victory, discussing "Integrity of Character".^[26] Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, was appearing on Copeland's daily broadcast to promote his book, Character IS the Issue: How People with Integrity Can Revolutionize America. Through the years, Copeland has invited many church pastors and evangelists to appear on his daily program to discuss their respective books. Subsequently, in January 2008, the Huckabee campaign paid for use of Kenneth Copeland Ministries' facilities for a fundraiser.^[27] The fundraising at the church was criticized by the Trinity Foundation.^[27]

As a result of the Huckabee appearances, Kenneth Copeland Ministries was one of six approached by the United States Senate inquiry into the tax-exempt status of religious organizations, chaired by U.S. Senator Charles Grassley, a supporter of fellow Senator John McCain's failed 2008 Republican Party Presidential bid.^[28][29] The Copelands responded with a financial statement and created a website, Believers Stand United, to help explain their perspective.^[30][31]

Ministry Watch lists a top 30 donor alert for KCM because it does not post audited financial statements on its website nor does it provide them on request.^[32]

According to The Christian Post, Kenneth Copeland Ministries has been criticized in 2010 for failing to fly disaster relief missions to Haiti after allegedly promising an aviation relief assistance called Angel Flight 44.^[33] The Angel Flight 44 ministry was announced by Kenneth Copeland Ministries in 2006 and the ministry attempted to raise money to fund it.^[33] Richard Vermillion, co-author of a book on Angel Flight 44 commissioned by Kenneth Copeland Ministries, said that Copeland promised to form the aviation ministry but now believes it was never created.^[33] A spokesperson for Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Dr. Stephen Swisher, told The Christian Post, "This was not a specific promise with a time line attached", and said that the money was spent on airplane repairs, and that the airplane was "not in airworthy condition" and has "structural issues.".^[33]

2013 vaccination controversy

In 2013 a measles outbreak (20 confirmed cases as of August 26) in Tarrant County was attributed in the press to anti-vaccination sentiments expressed by members of the Copeland Ministries. The church denied making any such statements and urged members to get vaccinations, even offering free immunizations through the church itself.^[34] Pastor Terri Copeland Pearsons, who is Kenneth Copeland's daughter, offered free vaccination clinics and advised those who did not attend one of the clinics to quarantine themselves at home for two weeks. In a statement on the church website, Pearsons said she was not against immunizations, but also raised concerns about them.^[35]

"Some people think I am against immunizations, but that is not true," the statement said. "Vaccinations help cut the mortality rate enormously. I believe it is wrong to be against vaccinations. The concerns we have had are primarily with very young children who have family history of autism and with bundling too many immunizations at one time. There is no indication of the autism connection with vaccinations in older children. Furthermore, the new MMR vaccination is without thimerosal (mercury), which has also been a concern to many."^[36]

2015 Last Week Tonight criticism

Kenneth Copeland and his wife, Gloria Copeland, were featured in a 2015 episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver that gained media attention.^{[37][38][39][40]} Comedian John Oliver criticized the Copelands for using tax laws to live in a $6.3 million mansion as the parsonage allowance for their home is not subject to income taxes,^[41] for using church donations to buy a $20 million jet that was used for trips to a ski resort and a private game ranch,^[42] and for promotion of healing through faith and skepticism of medicine, which Oliver highlighted with a video of Gloria Copeland saying that doctors give patients "poison that will make you sicker" and that the church is an alternative to medical treatment: "Which do you want to do? Do you want to do that," Copeland asked of the doctor's "poison" treatment, "or do you want to sit here on a Saturday morning, hear the word of God, and let faith come into your heart and be healed?"

Partial list of KCM Publications and Recordings

• Load Up Pocket Devotional: 31 Devotions to Revolutionize Your Future (Harrison House, July 2004) ISBN 1-57794-399-6 ISBN 978-1577943990
• You Are Healed (Kenneth Copeland Publications, July 1999) ISBN 0-88114-733-8 ISBN 978-0881147339
• A Ceremony of Marriage (Kenneth Copeland Publications, December 1996) ISBN 0-938458-15-9 ISBN 978-0938458159
• Prayer: Your Foundation for Success (Kenneth Copeland Publications, June 1999) ISBN 1-57794-155-1 ISBN 978-1577941552
• Kenneth Copeland Reference Bible – Leather Bound (Kenneth Copeland Publications, December 1996) ISBN 0-88114-296-4 ISBN 978-0881142969
• Becoming Subject to the Authority of Jesus (Kenneth Copeland Publications, 2001) ISBN 0-88114-972-1 ISBN 978-0881149722
• How to Discipline Your Flesh (Kenneth Copeland Publications, June 1999) ISBN 1-57562-116-9 ISBN 978-1575621166
• From Faith to Faith: A Daily Guide to Victory (Harrison House, May 2000) ISBN 1-57794-225-6 ISBN 978-1577942252
• Pursuit of His Presence: Daily Devotional (Harrison House, September 1998) ISBN 1-57794-137-3 ISBN 978-1577941378
• The Wake-up Call (Kenneth Copeland Publications, 2002) ISBN 1-57562-792-2 ISBN 978-1575627922
• Classic Redemption (Kenneth Copeland Publications, 2001) ISBN 0-938458-58-2 ISBN 978-0938458586
• The Laws of Prosperity (Kenneth Copeland Publications, December 1995) ISBN 0-88114-952-7 ISBN 978-0881149524
• Prosperity: The Choice Is Yours (Kenneth Copeland Publications, June 1992) ISBN 0-88114-728-1 ISBN 978-0881147285
• Healing Promises (Kenneth Copeland Publications, August 1994) ISBN 0-88114-949-7 ISBN 978-0881149494
• Over the Edge: Youth Devotional (Harrison House, September 1998) ISBN 1-57794-138-1 ISBN 978-1577941385
• Big Band Gospel (KCP Records, 2003) ASIN B000A7WLEQ

See also

• Neo-charismatic churches
• Charismatic movement
• Word of Faith
• Prosperity Gospel
• Tony Palmer (bishop)
• Ulf Ekman

Notes and references

External links

• Kenneth Copeland Ministries official site
• Eagle Mountain International Church
• Believer's Voice of Victory streaming site
• Believers Stand United for Religious Freedom in America