Rev. Pitts gets promotion?

I saw that Letter to the Editor, too, and also missed the original story. So, here it is: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100123/NEWS10/1230374

And yes, it is the same guy. Can't believe the Blade story didn't mention it. I don't remember anything about a baseball dugout but, yes, this is the guy you're thinking it is.

http://www.crabwalk.com/misc/pitts.php

uh what?

oh thanks for the link walteranthony

Oh, so there's the DUI too...

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061223/NEWS02/612230426/-1/NEWS

Looks like there is quite a bit of discussion on his transgressions @ Glass City Jungle

http://glasscityjungle.com/wordpress/?p=864

Can you imagine all the cash money in those collection
baskets he takes in every Sunday? Cha Ching.

Has he been keeping his clothes on lately?

Well, I suppose he can always strategically place his bishop's mitre when he is out....enjoying himself.

Matt 23:27-29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness..."

The blade missed the whole story (of course)all you have to do is research a little about the organization that made him a Bishop, to learn that their leadership has been deep in controversy, and from what I can tell make their money by selling Bishop titles.

One of the founding members of the ICCC is Bishop Earl Paulk, who was a major piece of work, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Paulk and who was involved in a number of sex scandals while leading one of the largest mega churches at the time. And who was appointed and supported during the allegations by David Huskins who is the Archbishop that appointed Pitts.

check out the photo from jmelong's link!

Lotta bling, and a MULLETT??

Seriously??

His mullett makes him look like the little girl that he is.

Pastor Pants is relying on the forgetful nature of humans as he makes his comeback.

He is back to separate the unsuspecting from their hard earned cash.

oh, look -
(cleans spectacles)

BIF must have gotten his Bishop's license too !

He's preaching to us now...

BIF might be one of rev.Pitts parishioners and donates 10% of his salary to Pitts so he can maintain the lifestyle he has grown accustomed to.

His church members sign a kind of promisory note and if you don't keep up your payments, you are thrown out of the church. Kind of like loan sharks for the lord.

I'll be the first to say that the Pitts worship the almighty dollar more than they do any religious God, and they have many more failings than are ever discussed here. But Michael43551 you statement of members signing a promisory note is flat out wrong, and I speak as an ex long term member of Cornerstone. They do strongly encourage tithing, and even going above that, but no one including myself were ever forced, additionally they would have no way of knowing how much I should tithe since my income was never disclosed or even requested. I can think of many reasons to avoid cornerstone church, however following the biblical principal of thithing is not one of them.

Pastor Pitts is good friends with Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House, in Dallas, Texas.

Pastor Pitts has preached to the congregation in Dalls, Texas. - T.D. Jakes has preached to the Cornerstone Church congregation in Maumee.

Here is a brief video 13-second clip of Pastor Pitts talking about his good friend Bishop T.D. Jakes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbjh103mIvI&feature=related

-

In the year 2009, the son of Bishop T.D. Jakes was arrested for (allegedly) exposing himself to undercover police officers in a PARK.

News clip of the story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAYD9XZyK_g&feature=related

hey Gary? that passage was for Rev Pitts, not you and your other screen name "ballhair" to troll and exploit. You'd think by now, after 4 years of stalking me that your focus on me would disturb a normal-thinking person, but it's clear that your brain is as mushed as the "Pitt's Lemmings".

you really should find something else to do with all your free time....

Actually I believe it was Jakes step son that was in trouble, (additionally I believe he is gay, which causes other problems amopngst conservative chriatians. But you should not judge Jakes by his son. I am not a Jakes fan by any means but I wouldn't want to be judged by someone else's behaviors. My main issue with Jakes is the large amounts of money that he charges to preach the word of God when he visits a church or group. I'm not against him earning a living preaching, or even having the church take up an offering for him. But from what I have read he gets $30,000 + to preach the word that he should be spreading for free. Now churches wll pay him what he asks because when he does preach somewhere the crowds are large and offering and tithing is way up, and attendence at the church usually grows as a result. Cornerstone added all kinds of ways to get your money when Jakes preached, they even put in ATM's so people who didn't bring money could give. They also charged to watch the Heaven on Earth Confrence on line which had always been free (after all the congregation paid for all the equipment that allows broadcasting.

Thanks for the info, roygbiv. It must have been a mind-boggling moment when you woke up from the dream of Pastor Pants.
Stay far from people that have their eyes on your wallet as they tell you how much they care about your heart.

Can you pray, along with me, for BIF ?
He seems to be delusional and paranoid about many things; tombrown, ballhair, el mahico, chief felker, gary, wade kapsukiewicz, etc.

roygbiv:

It sounds like you know a few things about Cornerstone church.

What ever happened to Pastor Larry Mack ?

How come he no longer runs a Cornerstone (brand) church up in Michigan ? Larry and Pastor Pitts were very, very close, many years ago. It seemed like Pastor Pitts took him (Larry) under his wing, for many years. Larry even lived in an apartment, above the Cornerstone-owned church (old renovated movie theater - previously an XXX theater) over in east Toledo.

Did they have a falling out ?

Did Larry just decide he didn't want to be a member of the Cornerstone family any more ?

Wait...let me get this straight...A religious organization (e.g. a church) that is full of corrupt leaders, and cares more about the amount of money you put in the pot each week more than about your 'soul'. Say it ain't so Charlie Brown...

They aren’t all like that, thank God. In fact the church I attend encourages people to seek out other churches if they so desire. Their goal is to get unchurched people to have a relationship with God. After that, if you feel like attending elsewhere they are more than happy for you.

I wonder if Pastor Pants will do my wedding for a small donation.
I plan to get married soon and will be headed to Sebastian, Florida for a honeymoon, etc.
I understand that the weather there is great this time of year.

Then, I will settle all family business. Only don't tell me you're innocent.
That makes me very angry.

Alvinlee, I was a long term member but I was never a sheep, I always had reservations about The Pitts brothers especially Robert. I will say that to Michael's credit he is one of the best preachers I've ever seen preach, and he continually reminded me that valid messages can come from flawed messengers. I will always wonder what type of force in the world he would have been if he actually lived the principals that he teaches. I don't blame a lot of the people who have stayed at Cornerstone for staying because they do gain something from being there, and there are a lot of positive things going on at the Church and through its membership, and many have tried going to other churches, but they can't find the same level of energy, the same powerfull message, as good a praise and worship service anywhere else, not to mention the level of diveristy that is present at cornerstone. The people there that bother me are the ones that Blindly follow and support and protect Michael like he some kind of messiah, these people are scarey, next are those who know there are failings but don't want to see them or acknowledge them. But the masses go because they hear a great message and get energized about God.

WalterAnthony I don't fully know what happened with Mack, I do know that he blinded sided Michael Pitts by setting up the foundation for his own churh while running cornerstone, and split suddenly and unexpectedly. And the Pitts brothers went into attack mode, and they have perserved Cornestone Metro, and Larry Mack has his own church. I heard lots of rumors as to why he left many of which were valid but I don't know if they are true, but I think its safe to say that he had some differences with the Pitts that sent him in another direction.

More disconcerting than Mack leaving was Minister Moss leaving (he headed up the childrens ministry and from what I have heard he was outstanding. Rumor is that he just approached Robert Pitts and indicated that he had a calling to start his own church, but that he didn't have any firm plans yet, and that he would stay and help wiith them finding a replacement for him, and wanted to make any transitions as easy as possible and that he was in no hurry but wanted to be up front about what was going on, and about where he felt he was headed, and Robert fired him on the spot, and pretty much black balled him with the inner circle of the church. (I wasn't there so I don't know if this is accurate, but my source is very well connected).

Strangely I am not overly bothered by hypocrisy in the church, because I see that as a human failing and see it everywhere. I have seen both those who advocate for and against any church or god, acting as hypocroites, and found that their message can still true and valid, (although I have seen toxic and wrong messages from both as well). I have found that if I am consistent in my own beliefs and actions I can listen to messages from saints or sinners, and take what I need and leave the rest behind. The misunderstanding that most people have is that they must accept the whole message someone gives you or reject the whole message, or that the message and the messenger are forever linked and that if the messenger is flawed that means his message is flawed, but often times powerful nessages come from unlikely sources, even in the bible, God/Jesus use ungodly/ or unworthy people to teach their message.

roygbiv:

Very interesting comments..

I really agree with your thoughts and sentiments, about Pastor Pitts and his church, as expressed in your first and last paragraphs.

I initially went there for the 1st time, when former Dallas Cowboy's football player Deion Sanders was there, speaking during a weekday service. I was really intriged by the church and Pastor Pitts. The guy sure is a gifted preacher.

I started to think about "those stories" I had heard before, in the news, about him (allegedly) doing some things in a park. I read some old articles from The Blade archives. I came to the conclusion, that he probably wasn't being completely honest about all of that. But like you suggested, people have their failings.

Another good service I attended, was when the former L.A. Lakers basketball player A.C. Green was in the house. It was interesting hearing him speak too.

But some things at that church just struck me as odd... I remember Pastor Pitts trying to be funny, as he was talking about something. He made some comments about something, and then mentioned the name Charles Manson...and then started to laugh. A kind of sadistic laugh... I just thought that was very odd. How could anyone in a church setting, find anything funny about Charles Manson ?

Another time, if I remember this correctly, there was another minister there - named Martinez - I think. I remember Pastor Pitts trying to crack a joke about the mustache and goatee Martinez was sporting - AND how he looked like the Devil. -- And Pitt's followed his comments, with a big laugh. Again, that just seemed a little odd.

The last time I attended a service, Pastor Pitts said there were evil spirits and demonic spirits in the church. At some point, everyone was instructed to walk around between the isles, so they could cast the spirits and demons out of the place. People everywhere were walking around, with their arms in the air, chanting different things / praying.....whatever. It was like the people were in a trance or under some kind of spell.

I walked out and never went back after that. I wasn't a regular parishioner to begin with, but I'd attend a service, here and there, once in a while. I probably went to about 10 services there, all together.

Another thing, I thought it was rather unusual, that they didn't hold a service on Christmas Day.

Do they even conduct funeral services ? I don't recall ever reading an obituary in the paper, with a note about a service being held at Cornerstone Church.

I think I remember Minister Moss. Was he there around 2002 - 2003 ? Tall guy, well spoken ?

Maybe Robert Pitts viewed Minister Moss as some sort of threat, once he announced his desire to start his own church. Maybe they didn't want to see (some) Cornerstone parishioners follow Minister Moss to a new church.

I was just surprised to learn that Larry Mack was no longer associated with the Cornerstone family. Myself and some other people used to say, that "Pastor Pitts raised him from a pup." Larry had come a long way, over the course of many years. I knew Pastor Pitts was a big influence in his life.

" I knew Pastor Pants was a big influence in his life".
That settles it....

If PP was a "big influence",
then it is a good bet to think
that his understudy is
shuckin' and jivin'
SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE
out of their hard earned cash.

Walteranthony- Not sure when moss started but he was not overly tall, and although he was on the diaz most weekends and maybe led prayer or opening comments once or twice that I recall, he never led the full service that I recall. And I don't have kids so I never used the childrens Ministry, but from what I have told it was very well ran, and was even modeled by other churches, and that was solely due to Minister Mosses direction.

Pastor Martinez that you mention in fairness did have sort of a devilish look about him, but was one of the Pastors that I liked the best, he was a good preacher, although not as good as Michael, but I always felt that his beliefs and actions were congruent. And although I do not know the reasons behind his leaving (and it certainly wasn't on bad terms, and was talked about for sometime before he actually left), I can't help but think he left do to being aware of things he did not agree with.

it's because you signed both of your screen names up on the same day, genius. Too stupid to just walk away and move on, you just keep coming back and harassing me over and over.

I will say this, at least Pastor Pitts had the good sense of buying his way out of his problems instead of digging his hole deeper...

WalterAnthony - thanks for your comments.

I am glad to see that you were able to break free from a soul-sucking money leech.

I will say that to Michael's credit he is one of the best preachers I've ever seen preach

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I never met a con man I didn't like.

I wonder if he received his 'Bishop's License' from the same
place that Karyn McConnell Hancock's husband received his ?

Reverend(ha-ha) Pitts should get castrated.

I remember Denny Shaffer ripping on Pastor Pants when all that went down. How ironic Denny is now a bible thumper.

Pastor Pants is rumored to be starring in a new film,
an autobiography -

it is called "Take the Money and RUN" !

I am interested in how people thinks he rips people off. He asks for money, people willing give it to him, in fact serious tithers will give money whether it is asked for or not. He makes no promises as to what the money is for (except for specific requests which almost always come to fruition). Now granted part of my philosophical diffrences with him and cornerstone involve money, and the lack of transparency, but it doesn't bother me if someone else wants to give him money.

Of course I am always amazed how worked up people get over what other people do and believe when in reality it has no effect on them what so ever.

Do you think he would collect what he does if the church financials were open to the public?

That was rhetorical, btw.

Ryan: do you have inside information regarding the finances to believe that they wouldn't keep giving, or are you just blowing smoke, because you assume that something is wrong. Your talking about a preacher who has two DUI's and numerous other charges against him (but never convicted) and people still give him money because they get something out of going to his church. Is he over paid probably but so are many people. What I can't figure out is why people who have never went to his church never gave him any money, (probably have never tithed to any church) get all worked up because someone else tithes to his church.

What I can't figure out is why people who have never went to his church never gave him any money, (probably have never tithed to any church) get all worked up because someone else tithes to his church.

posted by roygbiv on Feb 04, 2010 at 04:47:18 pm #

Same reason people get worked up when they see an underdog
being taken advantage of. He is a smooth-as-silk conman that is
very experienced in his game. He constantly needs fresh wallets
in the congregation to keep his supply of cash full.

The point is I find it hard to beleive that the people who attend and give are being told the exact truth as to where the money is going. If they know that it is lining his pockets and they want to still give him money, thats their problem. But I just don't think that is the case.

And I never understood why someone on a chat board gets worked up about someone elses opinion when it does not effect them. See how that works?

Ryanchild - please define your use of the term "worked up".

Merely posting about a conman does not mean someone is "worked up".

I was talking to roygbiv. How can you not tell that?

By the simple fact that you did not preface your comment
with the roygbiv moniker that would mean it is directed to roygbiv.

How hard is that ?

Learn critical thinking. Do you even READ?

Nevermind, I have seen enough of your posts I know why you are here.

Carry on.

what is the connection to critical thinking ?

Ryan: I don't know how I'm being worked up, I haven't called anyone names, haven't indicated that people are stupid for their beliefs. All I did was question why people get worked up and call people stupid, or make comments that are patently untrue, or are misinformed. I have no problem with anyone saying from my standpoint pastor pitts is shady, your entititled to your own opinion. What bothers me is people saying that anyone who gives money to Pitts or cornerstone is stupid, or gullable without knowing where they are and what the church or pitts has done for them. Pitts doesn't hide that he makes good money, but he also oversees over 40 churches, has writen several popular books. Like I said I personally have some issues with the financial goings on but I don't feel any great need to push my opinion and reasons on anyone else.

Not everyone involved in religion is crooked. I'm sure pastor pants is not involved in anything like I found and listed below. Well, maybe not:

Aimee Semple McPherson, 1920s–40s
Main article: Aimee Semple McPherson
One of the most famous evangelist scandals involved Canadian-born Aimee Semple McPherson in the 1920s, who allegedly had an extramarital relationship and faked her own death as a cover. She later claimed that she had been kidnapped, but a grand jury could neither prove that a kidnapping occurred, nor that she had faked it. Roberta Semple Salter, her daughter from her first marriage, became estranged from Semple McPherson and successfully sued her mother's attorney for slander during the 1930s. As a result of this she was cut out of her mother's will. Aimee Semple McPherson died in 1944 from an accidental overdose of barbiturates.

[edit] Lonnie Frisbee, 1970s–1980s
Main article: Lonnie Frisbee
Lonnie Frisbee was an American closeted gay Pentecostal evangelist and self-described "seeing prophet" and mystic in the late 1960s and 1970s who despite his "hippie" appearance had notable success as a minister and evangelist. Frisbee was a key figure in the Jesus Movement and was involved in the rise of two worldwide denominations (Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard Movement). Both churches later disowned him because of his active homosexuality, removing him first from leadership positions, then ultimately firing him. He eventually died from AIDS in 1993.

[edit] Billy James Hargis, early 1970s
Main article: Billy James Hargis
Hargis was a prolific author and radio evangelist. Hargis formed American Christian College in 1971 in order to teach fundamentalist Christian principles. However, a sex scandal erupted at the College, involving claims that Hargis had had sex with male and female students. Hargis was forced out of American Christian College's presidency as a result. Further scandals erupted when members of Hargis' youth choir, the "All American Kids", accused Hargis of sexual misconduct as well. The college eventually closed down in the mid-1970s. Hargis denied the allegations publicly.

[edit] Marjoe Gortner, early 1970s
Main article: Marjoe Gortner
Gortner rose to fame in the late 1940s as a child preacher, but he had simply been trained to do this by his parents and he had no personal faith. He was able to perform "miracles" and received large amounts of money in donations. After suffering a crisis of conscience, he invited a film crew to accompany him on a final preaching tour. The resulting film, Marjoe, mixes footage of revival meetings with Gortner's explanations of how evangelists manipulate their audiences. It won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, but was never screened in the Southern United States due to fears that it would cause outrage in the Bible Belt.¹

[edit] Jim and Tammy Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart, 1986 and 1991
Main articles: Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker

Swaggart's confession where he declared to his congregation on television, "I have sinned against you, my Lord", became an iconic image of the 1980s²In 1986, evangelist Jimmy Swaggart began on-screen attacks against fellow televangelists Marvin Gorman and Jim Bakker. He uncovered Gorman's affair with a member of Gorman's congregation, and also helped expose Bakker's infidelity (which was arranged by a colleague while on an out-of-state trip).³ These exposures received widespread media coverage. Gorman retaliated in kind by hiring a private investigator to uncover Swaggart's own adulterous indiscretions with a prostitute.⁴ Swaggart was subsequently forced to step down from his pulpit for a year and made a tearful televised apology in February 1988 to his congregation, saying "I have sinned against you, my Lord, and I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God's forgiveness."⁵[6]

Swaggart was caught again by California police three years later in 1991 with another prostitute, Rosemary Garcia, who was riding with him in his car when he was stopped for driving on the wrong side of the road. When asked why she was with Swaggart, she replied, "He asked me for sex. I mean, that's why he stopped me. That's what I do. I'm a prostitute."⁷

[edit] Peter Popoff, 1987
Main article: Peter Popoff
A self-proclaimed prophet and faith healer in the 1980s, Popoff's ministry went bankrupt in 1987 after magician and skeptic James Randi and Steve Shaw debunked his methods by showing that instead of receiving information about audience members from supernatural sources, he received it through an in-ear receiver.⁸

[edit] Morris Cerullo, 1990s
Main article: Morris Cerullo
A number of incidents involving California-based televangelist Morris Cerullo caused outrage in the United Kingdom during the 1990s. Cerullo's claims of faith healing were the focus of particular concern. At a London crusade in 1992, he pronounced a child cancer sufferer to be healed, yet the girl died two months later. Multiple complaints were upheld against satellite television channels transmitting Cerullo's claims of faith-healing, and a panel of doctors concluded that Cerullo's claims of miraculous healing powers could not be substantiated. Cerullo also produced fund-raising material which was condemned as unethical by a number of religious leaders as it implied that giving money to his organisation would result in family members becoming Christians.⁹

[edit] Mike Warnke, 1991
Main article: Mike Warnke
Warnke was a popular Christian evangelist and comedian during the 1970s and 1980s. He claimed in his autobiography, The Satan Seller (1973), that he had once been deeply involved in a Satanic cult and was a Satanic priest before converting to Christianity. In 1991, Cornerstone magazine launched an investigation into Warnke's life and testimony. It investigated Warnke's life, from interviews with over one hundred personal friends and acquaintances, to his ministry's tax receipts. Its investigation turned up damaging evidence of fraud and deceit. The investigation also revealed the unflattering circumstances surrounding Warnke's multiple marriages, affairs, and divorces. Most critically, however, the investigation showed how Warnke could not possibly have done the many things he claimed to have done throughout his nine-month tenure as a Satanist, much less become a drug-addicted dealer or become a Satanic high priest.

[edit] Robert Tilton, 1991
Main article: Robert Tilton
Tilton is an American televangelist who achieved notoriety in the 1980s and early 1990s through his paid television program Success-N-Life. At its peak it aired in all 235 American TV markets. In 1991, Diane Sawyer and ABC News conducted an investigation of Tilton. The investigation, broadcast on ABC's Primetime Live on November 21, 1991, found that Tilton's ministry threw away prayer requests without reading them, keeping only the money or valuables sent to them by viewers, garnering his ministry an estimated $80 million USD a year. In the original investigation, one of Tilton's former prayer hotline operators claimed that the ministry cared little for desperate followers who called for prayer, saying that Tilton had a computer installed in July 1989 to make sure that the phone operators were off the line in seven minutes. Tilton sued ABC for libel in 1992, but the case was dismissed in 1993, and Tilton's show was off the air by October 30, 1993.

[edit] W. V. Grant, 1996 and 2003
Main article: W. V. Grant
Grant is an evangelist who was imprisoned for tax evasion in 1996. After restarting his ministry upon release, a TV investigation found that claims of healing he made at a 2003 revival in Atlanta were false.

[edit] Roy Clements, 1999
Main article: Roy Clements
Clements was a prominent figure within British evangelical christianity. In 1999, he revealed he was in a homosexual relationship with another man, resigned his pastorship, and separated from his wife. He had written a number of well-received books which were withdrawn from sale when the news broke.¹⁰

[edit] John Paulk, 2000
Main article: John Paulk
John Paulk (no relation to Earl Paulk) is a former leader of Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference and former chairman of the board for Exodus International North America. His claimed shedding of homosexuality is also the subject of his autobiography Not Afraid to Change. In September 2000, Paulk was found and photographed in a Washington, D.C. gay bar, and accused by opponents of flirting with male patrons at the bar. Later questioned by gay rights activist Wayne Besen, Paulk denied being in the bar despite photographic proof to the contrary. Initially, FoF's Dr. James Dobson sided with Paulk and supported his claims. Subsequently, Paulk, who himself had written about his habit of lying while he openly lived as a homosexual, confessed to being in the bar, but claimed he entered the establishment for reasons other than sexual pursuits. Paulk retained his Board seat for Exodus, however he did so while on probation. Paulk did not run again for chairman of the board of Exodus when his term expired.

[edit] Paul Crouch, 2004
Main article: Paul Crouch
Paul Crouch is the founder and president of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, or TBN, the world's largest evangelical Christian television network, as well as the former host of TBN's flagship variety show, Praise the Lord. In September 2004, the Los Angeles Times published a series of articles raising questions about the fundraising practices and financial transparency of TBN, as well as the allegations of a former ministry employee, Enoch Lonnie Ford, that he had a homosexual affair with Crouch during the 1990s. The Times spoke with several sources that claimed that other evangelists such as Benny Hinn, Jack Hayford, and Paul's son Matthew were aware that an affair had taken place. TBN denied the allegations, claiming that Ford's claims were part of an extortion scheme and that the Times was a "left-wing and anti-Christian newspaper" for publishing the articles. In 2005, Ford submitted to and passed a lie detector test on the ION Television program Lie Detector (TV series).

[edit] Douglas Goodman, 2004
Douglas Goodman, an evangelical preacher, and his wife Erica were pastors of Victory Christian Centre in London, England. The church was one of the largest in the United Kingdom. He came into notoriety when he was jailed for three and a half years for the sexual assault of four members of his congregation in 2004. VCC was closed by the Charity Commission but his wife Erica started a new church Victory to Victory in Wembley. Douglas has upon his release resumed full pastoral ministry alongside his wife.¹¹[12]¹³[14]¹⁵

[edit] Kent Hovind, 2006
Main article: Kent Hovind
Kent Hovind is an American Baptist minister and Young Earth creationist. He is most famous for creation science seminars, in which he argues for Young Earth creationism, using his self-formulated "Hovind Theory." He has been criticized by both the mainstream scientific community and other creationists. In 2006, Hovind who also has a reputation as a tax protestor had been charged with falsely declaring bankruptcy, making threats against federal officials, filing false complaints, failing to get necessary building permits, and various tax-related charges. He was convicted of 58 federal tax offenses and related charges, for which he is currently serving a ten-year sentence.¹⁶

[edit] Ted Haggard, 2006
Main article: Ted Haggard
Ted Haggard was the pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado and was the president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) from 2003 until November 2006. Haggard's position allowed him occasional access to President George W. Bush. In 2006 it was alleged that Haggard had been regularly visiting a male prostitute who also provided him with methamphetamine. Haggard admitted his wrongdoing and resigned as pastor of New Life church and as president of the NAE. The high-profile case was significant also because it immediately preceded the 2006 mid-term elections and may have even affected national voting patterns[citation needed]. In January 2009, Haggard admitted to a second homosexual relationship with a male church member on CNN-TV and other national media, and when asked, would not directly answer a question about his other possible homosexual relationships.¹⁷

[edit] Paul Barnes, 2006
Main article: Paul Barnes
Paul Barnes is the founder and former senior minister of the evangelical church Grace Chapel in Douglas County, Colorado. He confessed his homosexual activity to the church board, and his resignation was accepted on December 7, 2006.¹⁸ He started the church in his basement and watched it reach a membership of 2,100 in his 28 years of leadership. This scandal was notable because it was similar to Ted Haggard's (above), it occurred in the same state (Colorado) and around the same time (late 2006).

[edit] Lonnie Latham, 2006
Main article: Lonnie Latham
In 2006, Latham, the senior pastor of South Tulsa Baptist Church and a member of the powerful Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, was arrested for "offering to engage in an act of lewdness" with a male undercover police officer.¹⁹

[edit] Gilbert Deya, 2006
Main article: Gilbert Deya
Kenyan-born Deya moved to the United Kingdom in the 1990s and started a number of churches. He claims to have supernatural powers that allow him to make infertile women become pregnant and give birth. However, police investigations in the UK and Kenya concluded that Deya and his wife were stealing Kenyan babies. Deya was arrested in London during December 2006 and as of January 2010 he is currently fighting extradition to Kenya.²⁰

[edit] Richard Roberts, 2007
Main article: Richard Roberts
In October 2007, televangelist Richard Roberts (son of the late tevevangelist Oral Roberts), was president of Oral Roberts University until his forced resignation on November 23, 2007. Roberts was named as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging improper use of university funds for political and personal purposes and improper use of university resources.

[edit] Earl Paulk, 2007
Main article: Earl Paulk
Earl Paulk (no relation to John Paulk) was the founder and head pastor of Chapel Hill Harvester Church in Decatur, Georgia from 1960 until the 1990s. A number of women from the congregation came forward during the 1990s claiming that Paulk had sexual relations with them. Some of these claims have subsequently been proven correct. Moreover, Donnie Earl Paulk, the current senior pastor of the church and nephew of Earl Paulk, had a court-ordered DNA test in 2007 which showed that he was Earl's son, not his nephew, which means that Earl and his sister-in-law had had a sexual relationship which led to Donnie's birth.²¹

[edit] Coy Privette, 2007
Main article: Coy Privette
Privette is a Baptist pastor, conservative activist, and politician in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Privette was president of the Christian Action League and a prominent figure in North Carolina moral battles. In 2007, Privette resigned as president of North Carolina's Christian Action League and from the Board of Directors of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, following revelations on July 19 that he had been charged with six counts of aiding and abetting prostitution.²²

[edit] Thomas Wesley Weeks, III, 2007
Main article: Thomas Wesley Weeks, III
Weeks married fellow evanglist Juanita Bynum in 2002, but they separated in May 2007. In August 2007, Weeks physically assaulted Bynum in a hotel parking lot and was convicted of the crime in March 2008. The couple divorced in June 2008 and Weeks remarried in October 2009.

[edit] Michael Reid, 2008
Main article: Michael Reid
Bishop Michael Reid (born 1944) is a Christian evangelist in Essex, England and founder of Michael Reid Ministries who resigned from the role of pastor at Peniel Church in April 2008, after admitting to an eight-year extra-marital sexual relationship. The scandal was widely reported online²³[24]²⁵ and in UK newspapers.²⁶[27] He has since re-developed an itinerant evangelistic ministry and has been speaking at a number of churches in the UK and overseas.

[edit] Joe Barron, 2008
Joe Barron, one of the 40 ministers at Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the largest churches in the United States with 26,000 members, was arrested on May 15, 2008 for solicitation of a minor after driving from the Dallas area to Bryan, Texas, in order to allegedly engage in sexual relations with what he thought to be a 13 year-old girl he had met online. The "girl" turned out to be an undercover law enforcement official.²⁸[29]³⁰

[edit] Todd Bentley, 2008
Main article: Todd Bentley
Canadian Todd Bentley rose to prominence as the evangelist at the Lakeland Revival in Florida, which began in April 2008. Bentley claimed that tens of thousands of people were healed at the revival, but a June 2008 investigation by ABC Nightline could not find a single confirmed case. Bentley took a short break after the program was broadcast, but returned to leading the meetings. However, in August 2008 he stepped down permanently when it was revealed he was separating from his wife, Shonnah, and was in a relationship with Jessa Hasbrook, a member of his staff.³¹

[edit] Tony Alamo, 2008
Main article: Tony Alamo
On September 20, 2008, FBI agents raided Tony Alamo Christian Ministries headquarters as part of a child pornography investigation.³²[33]. This investigation involved allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse and allegations of polygamy and underage marriage. According to Terry Purvis, mayor of Fouke, Arkansas, his office has received complaints from former ministry members about allegations of child abuse, sexual abuse and polygamy since the ministry established itself in the area, and in turn, Purvis turned over information about the allegations to the FBI.³⁴ Investigators at the scene plan to conduct a search of ministry headquarters and the home of Alamo and interview children present on the compound. In late July 2009, Alamo (who had a previous conviction for tax evasion in the 1990s) was convicted on ten counts of transporting minors across state lines for sexual purposes, sexual assault and other crimes. On November 13, 2009, he was sentenced to the maximum punishment of 175 years in prison.³⁵[36]

[edit] Senate probe
In 2007, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) opened a probe into the finances of six televangelists who preach a "prosperity gospel".³⁷ The probe investigates reports of lavish lifestyles by televangelists including: fleets of Rolls Royces, palatial mansions, private jets and other expensive items. These luxuries are purportedly paid for by television viewers who donate due to the ministry's requests for tithes. The six under investigation are Kenneth Copeland and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas; Creflo Dollar and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Ga; Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas; Eddie L. Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga; Joyce Meyer and David Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo; Randy White and ex-wife Paula White of the multiracial Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa [3

Yellow all. When you think about it, "religion" is all about believing in a entity that no one has really seen. Faith is believing these things really exist and are good. I guess what I'm saying is if those people out there that go to cornerstone church and listen to Rev. Pitts preach, then when they walk out of that place they feel better about themselves and treat other people right, whats the harm? If they pay the rev. for this service who cares? Its their business. I don't know much about the rev. Pitts. I don't know if he tries to portray himself as the second coming of Christ or just a humble preacher. It appears to me he is a con man,
but the way other people perceive him is not my business.