Kenneth Copeland 5olv

Kenneth Copeland Kenneth Copeland (born December 6, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas[1]) is an American author, public speaker, and televangelist. He is the founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries.

[edit] Early life and education 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 eight weeks, and peaked at #12).[2] Following his religious conversion, Copeland turned the rest of his life over to the gospel and ministry work.[3] In the 1960s, he was a pilot and chauffeur for Oral Roberts. In the fall of 1967, he enrolled in Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[4] Kenneth is married to Gloria Copeland. His children are John Copeland, Kellie Copeland and Terri Pearsons. He was a member of the Oral Roberts University Board of Regents[5] until it was replaced in 2008 with a new board that promised to hold to higher standards of financial ability.[6] In October 2007 a lawsuit against the university was presented for financial and political wrong doing.[7] Copeland's oldest daughter, Terri, is married to pastor George Pearsons,[8] who served until January 2008 as the ORU Board chairman.[5]

[edit] Kenneth Copeland Ministries, programming and theology 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".[9] Subsequently, in January 2008, the Huckabee campaign paid for use of Kenneth Copeland Ministries' facilities for a fundraiser.[10] Copeland also claimed that he had had a phone call with Huckabee in which Huckabee allegedly vowed despite a pending investigation by the U.S. Senate into Copeland's finances if he was elected.[11] The fundraising at the church was criticized by the Trinity Foundation.[11] In September 2010, the Ten Network in Australia dropped the Believer's Voice of Victory program from their capital city stations after the network claimed that the 2 June 2010 broadcast contained material relating to homosexuals that breached the Australian Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice.[12][13]

[edit] Airport and ministry jets The Kenneth Copeland Airport is a private airport established by Kenneth Copeland Ministries to serve the area of Fort Worth, Texas.[14] In 2007 Copeland was accused of using his $20 million Cessna Citation X jet for personal vacations and friends.[15] The Copelands' financial records are not publicly available, and a

list of the Board of Directors is not accessible as these details are protected and known confidentially by the Internal Revenue Service.[16] Responding to media questions, Copeland pointed to an ing firm's declaration that all jet travel complies with federal tax laws.[16] In December 2008, Copeland's 1998 Cessna Bravo 550, his second jet, valued at $3.6 million, was denied tax exemption after Copeland refused to submit to disclosure laws for the state of Texas.[17]

[edit] Senate investigation On November 6, 2007, United States Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa, announced an investigation of Copeland's ministry by the United States Senate Committee on Finance. The Associated Press reported that Grassley said the investigation was a response to complaints from the public and news media. Grassley stated, "The allegations involve governing boards that aren't independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances and amenities such as private jets and Rolls Royces." [18] IRS guidelines require that pastors' compensation be "reasonable" and net earnings may not benefit any private individual.[19] Grassley asked for the ministry to divulge financial information [20] (Grassley's letter)[21] to the committee to determine if Copeland made any personal profit from financial donations, and requested that Copeland's ministry make the information available by December 6, 2007. The Copelands responded with a "Financial report from Kenneth Copeland Ministries."[22] KCM created a website to help explain their side of the inquiry.[23]

[edit] Publications            

Load Up Pocket Devotional: 31 Devotions to Revolutionize Your Future (Harrison House, July 2004) ISBN 1577943996 ISBN 978-1577943990 You Are Healed (Kenneth Copeland Publications, July 1999) ISBN 0881147338 ISBN 978-0881147339 A Ceremony of Marriage (Kenneth Copeland Publications, December 1996) ISBN 0938458159 ISBN 978-0938458159 Prayer: Your Foundation for Success (Kenneth Copeland Publications, June 1999) ISBN 1577941551 ISBN 978-1577941552 Kenneth Copeland Reference Bible – Leather Bound (Kenneth Copeland Publications, December 1996) ISBN 0881142964 ISBN 978-0881142969 Becoming Subject to the Authority of Jesus (Kenneth Copeland Publications, 2001) ISBN 0881149721 ISBN 978-0881149722 How to Discipline Your Flesh (Kenneth Copeland Publications, June 1999) ISBN 1575621169 ISBN 978-1575621166 From Faith to Faith: A Daily Guide to Victory (Harrison House, May 2000) ISBN 1577942256 ISBN 978-1577942252 Pursuit of His Presence: Daily Devotional (Harrison House, September 1998) ISBN 1577941373 ISBN 978-1577941378 The Wake-up Call (Kenneth Copeland Publications, 2002) ISBN 1575627922 ISBN 978-1575627922 Classic Redemption (Kenneth Copeland Publications, 2001) ISBN 0938458582 ISBN 978-0938458586 The Laws of Prosperity (Kenneth Copeland Publications, December 1995) ISBN 0881149527 ISBN 978-0881149524

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Prosperity: The Choice Is Yours (Kenneth Copeland Publications, June 1992) ISBN 0881147281 ISBN 978-0881147285 Healing Promises (Kenneth Copeland Publications, August 1994) ISBN 0881149497 ISBN 978-0881149494 Over the Edge: Youth Devotional (Harrison House, September 1998) ISBN 1577941381 ISBN 978-1577941385 Big Band Gospel (K Records, 2003) ASIN B000A7WLEQ