Atlanta Megachurches Probed By Senate

The Senate Finance Committee, at the urging of GOP Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, is looking at World Changers Ministries in College Park and New Birth Missionary Baptist in Lithonia for alleged financial misconduct.

Senators want to know why the ministries appear to be fabulously wealthy, despite their non-profit mandates.

Sen. Grassley sent letters to the megachurch pastors, demanding a thorough accounting of their finances, including salaries, travel expenses, credit card statements, gifts, properties, cars, jets, and anything else that involves money from the ministries.

?This church is a very, very, very profitable church,? acknowledged Dr. Phyllis Parker. ?I believe this church is impacting not only the College Park area but also the nation. It truly has impacted my life and the life of my family members."

Dr. Parker was a member at World Changers for 10 years and said its pastor Creflo Dollar has nothing to hide.

"I think everything he owns and possesses are his personal possessions,? she adds. ?He has truly worked hard many hours many nights all over the world building the kingdom of God."

New Birth's Bishop Eddie Long is also being investigated by the Senate Finance committee. The two churches are bigger than Philips Arena, preaching the tenet that prosperity is neither a sin nor about wealth alone.

?You're talking about family relationship,? said Maurice Blackmon, a member of WCM. ?All of those things account for prosperity. I think we're just getting a misinterpretation because people always related prosperity to finances only."

While the committee wants to know if the Good Book has been cooked, the faithful say the allegations are unfair.

"I don't think it's fair, but knowing our man of God and what he does and how he does everything in order,? said Dr. Parker. ?I feel like if they want to go ahead and do it, they'll find out that he's right in order and lined up with God."

The committee wants documentation by December 6. But while the churches said they intend to comply with the investigation, they also intend to defend their rights to privacy and freedoms under the U.S. Constitution.

Creflo Dollar released the following statement late Tuesday: ?For well over a decade, World Changers Church International has had a history of compliance with the Internal Revenue Service. So in this same manner, we will, of course, comply with any valid request from the United States Senate. The letter we received would, for example, allow the U.S. Senate to ask for the names of high donors from the Catholic Church, names of donors that support Episcopal Church schools, and also ask for the salary of any Pastor in America. Because of this fact, we feel it is prudent to consult well-respected legal professors and scholars to see what their thoughts are. At the end of it all, a public discussion of these issues is very appropriate for the benefit of the many donors who support churches, and for the communities served by churches. The questions at hand are much bigger than World Changers as it could affect the privacy of every community church in America. My life and my ministry have always been an open book, and that won?t change now.?