Hillsong article
For those that inquired about the Hillsong article which appeared in the Weekend Australian, the Australian (or more particularly the copyright owner) has agreed to permit us to publish the article on this site for everyone to access, for a fee about the cost of a pair of sneakers. This is unfortunately outside of our (non-existent) budget for this site. Could people either comment here or drop me an email if you would be willing to chuck in some money to make this available, or alternatively if you don’t think that it is worth it to do. Ta.
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:03 pm
This punch up.
http://www.signposts.org.au/2006/07/04/hillsong-conference-2006/comment-page-2/#comment-142270
Interesting the remark about ‘too busy doing stuff and putting on a show’…because I’m noticing around the net that more and more church people are referring to their church service as a ’show’… (we’ve moved a long way from the gathering of the faithful for mutual edification and encouragement).
As far as the net talk about Hill$ong goes…when you google ‘Brian Houston’ …Signposts comes up on page 4 of the search results with this now legendary remark “I remember listening with horror as Brian Houston suggested we should look in our neighbour’s wallets to see if they had given enough to the offering plate “.
Hopefully..with a few more mentions of Brian Houston, Hillsong, Brian Houston, Brian Houston, Bobbie Houston, Hillsong, Hillsong United, Brian Houston, Geoff Bullock, Brian Houston, Hillsongs, Hillsong and Hillsongs, Signposts should move up the google rankings even further when people search for Brian Houston, Brian Houston, Hillsong, Geoff Bullock, Hillsongs, Brian Houston….or even if they search for Brian Houston, then they should arrive at Signposts’ many postings on Brian Houston, Hillsong and Brian Houston.
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:20 pm
Did you say seomthing about Brian Houston and Hillsong?
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Yeah, I think he said something about Brian houston and Hillsong!!
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:24 pm
if only google worked that way.. if you have your own website link to signposts …. the amount of links will get it up the list
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:26 pm
I think he meant to say brian Houston of Hillsong, not Brian Houston the city in Texas on a hillsong. Brian Houston is connected to Hillsong United and as brian Houston is th Pastor of hillsong, then that would make him pastor Brian houston of hillsong. Brian Houston is maried to Bobbie Houston the wife of Brian Houston, that makes her Mrs brian Houston, and together with Darlene zschech the make up Hillsongs.
August 3rd, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Cult$ong and its cloned networked affiliates all seem too busy involved in churchtainment to actually have any meaningful input in building relationships with audience/patrons/moshpitites or encouraging their card carrying ticket holders to grow their spiritual lives. Unless of course its to get more money out of them - they wrote the book on that check out the book on abtruth’s site.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:26 pm
I’m sure there are more interesting contracts between churches and visiting speakers/performers floating around out there….but here’s a sample of what churches are up for..when they host a visiting speaker from out of town.
http://www.jasonupton.com/keyofdavid/booking/booking%20inq%20doc.pdf
“Church Meeting/Services
Jason and band: sum of love offerings taken at each meeting/service** ____ (minimum guarantee of $4350) ** Sunday Tithes excluded
Conferences/Festivals/ Ticketed Events/Retreats /Camps
Honorarium set based on the economics of the event (with a minimum range of $4350 - $6000)____ Agreed upon amount $__________
——————————————————————————–
A non-refundable deposit of $750 made out to Key of David Ministries shall accompany this signed Agreement. The remaining balance of the minimum guarantee (plus the love offerings to the extent they are in excess of the guarantee), shall be payable to Key of David Ministries and given to Jason on the last day of ministry.
Expenses
Sponsor agrees to provide and pay for all round-trip airfares, ground transportation/rental cars, equipment transportation and rental charges, meals, hotel accommodations, and any other expenses occasioned by the ministry time, for all ministry participants, including Rachel Upton if she accompanies Jason.
We consider it very important that appropriate hotel accommodations be provided such that all ministry participants have an environment that is conducive to proper rest.
As such we ask that Sponsor provide a hotel comparable to Hampton Inn or Courtyards or better.”
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:15 pm
The requirements for volunteers at Joyce Meyer’s conferences makes interesting reading.
http://www.joycemeyer.org/projects/church_relations/helps_form.pdf
Resource table volunteer/greeter/usher
Benefits.
- Each volunteer will be given the opportunity to reserve 2 seats for each session - one for you and a guest.
- Each volunteer will receive a $50 gift certificate on Saturday morning that must be used that day
- You will have the opportunity to establish new Christian friendships
- God will bless you in return for the time and energy you sow.
“He who sows generously [so that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings” 2 Corinthians 9:6
So many of those women mobbing the ‘resources tables’…..are volunteers who are not spending real money, but cashing in gift vouchers….creating the illusion that the books, CD’s and DVD’s are popular…to those unaware that real money is not being spent.
Smart.
Kind of like the directive in Hill$ong and its clone churches to its staff to sit down the front and ‘be an example’ by putting $5 notes in the offering…to ‘encourage’ others.
Where I come from..it’s called ‘misleading and deceptive conduct’.
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:03 pm
Lance you’d be interested to know that this week I was speaking to a music industry “insider”. He was telling me that ARIA are really cracking down on Hillsong this year.
I don’t know how many know this but whenever a CD is sold the retail outlet keeps a record of how many and what artist they have sold. This enables record companies to know who has had platinum sales or conversly who is not selling albums.
Well with Hillsong CD’s the retail outlet reporting all the sales is the store located at the church… How convenient for Hillsong…
And so when Hillsong won an ARIA for X amount of sales (can’t recall how many they sold) last year, or the year before a lot of the major CD retail chains thought to themselves”shit, we’d better get some Hillsong product on the shelves, this stuff is hot to sell”
Well, the Hillsong product just sat on the shelves and hardly moved, if at all. So it was obvious that the only people buying this stuff are the hearts on fire brains on ice masses at Hillsong.
WIGGY
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Sorry, amendment to above post should read *reporting the majority of the sales* rather than *reporting all the sales*.
WIGGY
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:25 pm
When I looked a couple of weeks ago..the new Hillsong CD had debuted at number 27 in the album chart…..and I’ve had a look just now..and it’s not on the Take 40 chart.
It just shows you how ‘flexible’ the chart compilation is..
“And so when Hillsong won an ARIA for X amount of sales (can’t recall how many they sold) last year, or the year before a lot of the major CD retail chains thought to themselves”shit, we’d better get some Hillsong product on the shelves, this stuff is hot to sell”
Well, the Hillsong product just sat on the shelves and hardly moved, if at all.”
Which is proof that the entire strategy of the Christian worship clique/culture to ‘reach the world through music’ is fatally flawed….
Christian music rarely …with few exceptions… crosses over to the general population…
Enough Christians buy the stuff to keep them performing…but it’s about time this myth of Christian music as ‘evangelism’..is busted.
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:02 pm
That’s exactly how Ron L. Hubbards book “Dianetics” endedup on the Best Sellers list in the States.
August 4th, 2006 at 2:37 am
Christian music as evangelism… a myth needing to be busted. As a former jail and prison minister i have seen a few guys come to christ as a result of Christian music. It was a few years ago and the music was of all people - TBN’s used up sex symbol actor/musician/dancer… Carman. however his music did turn a few inmates that I know of. To say that it never works is not acurate. To say that it will reach the world is not accurate either. But hey, blogging ain’t changing anyone’s life either. hillsong uses music to say they are changing the world - Emerging uses Blog sites to say they are changing the world…
August 4th, 2006 at 4:10 am
“… however his music did turn a few inmates that I know of.”
I don’t buy that…
At some point…there must have been someone explaining the Christian story, providing someone a bible, or them having a pre-existing knowledge of Christianity through a childhood in church or Sunday school….and the music segued with that other knowledge/learning about Christianity.
No more than I could become a Scientologist just by watching Risky Business or listening to Kate Ceberano singing…’just be brave and stay-ay-ay…’
August 4th, 2006 at 11:00 am
As a former inmate I can vouch for the fact that it’s the relationships with other Christian inmates and with Chaplains and Christian groups that come in that is the primary mode for God to draw inmates to herself (that ones for you bec)
August 4th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
No answer from Joel A’bell yet!
Perhaps he is busy….perhaps he is waiting for a Tuesday staff meeting to ask Brian what he should think…
August 4th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Just made this up. Any thoughts are welcome. Perhaps we can get it listed in the DSM1V?
;o)
——————————————————————————-
“Post Adolescent Second Chance at Popularity Syndrome” (PASCPS)
Loosely defined as individuals over the age of say, 21, whom enjoyed very little popularity during their High School years & whom seek to reinvent themselves in young-to-middle adulthood by attaching themselves to “attractive & cool” people in a large, pentecostal church.
By becoming say, Youth Leaders, or attending Bible College at said church such individuals endeavour to reconnect with & relive their youth by surrounding themselves with perky, hyper-positive & exceptionally well-dressed youth & older, wealthier people whom must have been cool all their lives.
They even get to relive the bands & dancing their social dysfunction prevented them from experiencing back at the appropriate time.
This is all done under the belief system that “these guys surely won’t reject me the way those cruel high school students did, years ago, they’re Christians!, it will be different now, this is where i belong!”
Ivariably, PASCPS sufferers realise that they never left the school sandpit & that Mega-Church Christians are in fact in may ways worse than the schoolyard bully. But now they are stuck in an approval-seeking vortex that they feel they can’t escape.
PROGNOSIS & EXPECTED OUTCOME:
If the individual can be emancipated, via rejection or intentional extraction, a period of grieving will occur roughly matching the time of involvement. This will soon turn to anger, & anger turns to online blogging.
Once contact is made with an online community of like-minded spiritual refugees, recovery is assured.
Anybody want to add anything to this new classification?
& i’ll leave you with this question.. How many Senior Pastors or Christian Powerbrokers do you know that you can imagine being popular in High School? & if you agree with me that it’s none, how would you think they would take their revenge in adulthood?
Quirky Post i know, but……..thoughts?
August 4th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
When I was in gaol, we (the inmates) used to make ourselves feel a little better by refering to the screws (prison officers) as the people we used top bash up at school…that theory fell down when I remeered that I used to get a couple of beatings myslef until i realised I could fight back and win!!! Funny the bashings stopped soon after…go figure!
I’m not so certain I recognise the syndrome rev, but no doubt it does exist and i think it would exist predominantly in the large hyper-wonderfu-gee it’s-good-to-be-a-child-of-God-my-dad’s-an-elder-and-your’s-isn’t-but-you can-hang-around-anyway type churches
August 4th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
One thing that’s come out time and time again in transcribing Brian Houston’s sermons..is that the bullying he experienced when he was young in New Zealand …still affects him today.
He often tries to elicit sympathy from the congregation for his experiences…and part of his coping mechanism is to make sure that no-one ever bullies him again… whether that be the media…or by someone in the congregation….even going to the extreme or establishing a church structure where he cannot be questioned…let alone bullied.
(That’s not Godly leadership by the way….that’s being a scared little boy)
To Phil Baker’s credit..he did once say that he gets worried by some of the sycophantic accolades bestowed on him (even though in each service..he drops some remark in an attempt to elicit the aren’t-you-wonderful-Phil response from the congregation)….. but I get the strong impression…all the airheads on stage at Hill$ong are lapping up the adulation.
Is this the face of someone not enjoying being in the spotlight?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a0/Hillsong.jpg
August 4th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Neil re post 526 - It’s unlikely Joel A’Bell will respond to you.
Experience has shown me that these ministers do not take kindly to being questioned or challenged in any way, shape or form. My background is ex CCC but they are all the same. It’s your money they’re after and not much else. When you begin to question their motives you soon see how much “love” they have.
They will simply ignore any comments or legitimate concerns and feelings you have. They know that for every person that leaves 2 or 3 more will come in the door… Sad to say but the reality is that you won’t be missed Neil.
If Joel was really interested in your spiritual condition he would have looked up your number in the church office database and asked to meet with you. But no, all he can muster is some kind of territorial spray on your blog site… By their fruits you will know them…
WIGGY
August 4th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
reve-you are a very naughty boy!
I thought that was a cut and paste from a real site …!.
Some truth in it for some, i guess. Though, I think young people are attracted to mega-churches for a number of reasons:
1) Old Church is boring - these Churches offer a sensual/appeal alternative
2) Larger social group - increased chance of finding ‘mr’ or ‘mrs’ right
3) Charismatic Leadership - admittedly these people are great communicator. Phil Baker is one of the best communicators / speakers I have heard.
4) Great people. Despite my issues with financials, dodgy theology/fundraising, there are some really exceptional people in these Churches.
Like Lance, I still believe in the megachurch concept. It has its strengths. It (especially the WOF/AOG) network just has a ‘dark under belly’.
August 5th, 2006 at 4:01 am
Here is a summary of an email conversation I’ve had this week with Mario Ieroianni, Hillsong’s media officer.
Lance:”I have been watching the ‘media responses’ section of the Hillsong website….and for some reason…a response is yet to be made by Hillsong to the allegations raised in the Weekend Australian article of April 29, 2006…’The High Cost of Faith’. (apart from Brian Houston posting a rebuttal of blog talk about his views on depression, which the original Weekend Australian article accurately attributed to the Hillsong website, not Mr. Houston personally.)
Will Hillsong be publishing a more detailed response to the issues raised in the article, particularly about how the church treats former members?
Or, if not a published response, are you able to provide to me the church’s response to the allegations by email (and for the record, all responses from you [Maria] or Hillsong are ‘on the record’…and may be published or broadcast.)”
Maria:”In terms of our media response, all of the responses we make are placed on
our website, but not all articles warrant a public response.
I am fascinated to know what your motivation here is Lance? You have alluded
to a ’story’ several times.”
Lance:”Thank you for your reply (although I obviously disagree that the “High Cost
Of Faith” story is not an article that warrants a public response.)
Personally, my main interest is in the theology of Hillsong and how that
influences the beliefs and actions of the wider church in Australia,
including in churches that would not traditionally theologically align
themselves with the AOG or charismatic/pentecostal theology. (eg.
Baptist/Churches of Christ..etc)
Hillsong, and more recently, Christian City Church have partially succeeded
in their mission to ‘change mindsets’, and so far the reality of that
mindset change within the church in Australia and beyond hasn’t been
adequately documented.
I’m a journalist - I’m meant to be on top of shifting trends.
Unfortunately, along the way, in discussions with former senior Hillsong
people, a raft of as-yet unpublished horror stories have emerged that can’t
be ignored.
However, I’m of the view that reporting on isolated instances of wrong-doing
is fairly pointless, without an understanding of the systemic dysfunction
and belief system that allows these incidents to keep happening.
That Hillsong believes it is worth responding to articles on financial
matters, but not on the emotional health and well-being of its (former)
members and staff, tells me something in itself about Hillsong’s priorities
that I didn’t know yesterday.”
August 5th, 2006 at 4:30 am
LIVE REPORT FROM NASHVILLE TENNESSEE……..
August 5th, 2006 at 4:38 am
LIVE REPORT FROM NASHVILLE TENNESSEE
Brian Houston preached a message about being aware of the enemies devices - ways in which he attacks you 1. thoughts 2. outside sources - relayed a story about the disappointment of the situation of his fathers wrongdoings - and how painful it was for him to do what he had to do and yet - still live his dad. - gave instances on how to fight the enemy (STAND) - overall a VERY good message - at the end about +/-300 people came forward to receive Christ. ABSOLUTELY NO HARD PLEA FOR MONEY BY JOYCE OR HIM. The offeriong message was about 1-2 minutes long. I was there and kept time on it for you P folks. Darlene was awsome -(now how about that for a word) The new songs were incredible. I don’t care WHO sang them - they were powerful and downright scriptural - for time sake I will go - But Really , a good moment in time. This is not to discount anyone who has had bad experiences - this is the way it was last night from here in the USA - God blees you all - now go and prosper!
August 5th, 2006 at 11:34 am
AKevin and Lance. Both posts give us insight into the mind of Brian and Hillsong.
They believe in their own mind that they are doing the right thing.
All ‘criticisim’, questioning or critique of their modus operandi will be classified as an “attack of the enemy”.
They obviously believe that they are doing God’s work.
If they were doing the work of Truth - then they would be able to answer our questions Truthfully.
“People in cults, do not know that they are in cults”.
August 5th, 2006 at 3:59 pm
absolutely unbelievable - joyce meyer was so down right on spot tonight. Spoke about dying to self - selfishness and how it holds back our potential to see more of God operating His plan in our life. Their was a man who spoke about the arab network for broadcasting the gospel into Turkey - there was NO offering sermon - she just said - just take up the offering ushers and let’s get into it.
Lionfish - the pharisees said to Jesus - If you were of God we would know it, for we are of OUR father Moses. If I quote Brian Houston, Joyce meyer etc you would say I am in a cult. Yet you follow and quote Rick Ross as your guru about cult stuff. Rick Ross is forming his own cult of cult watchers. As you say - people in cults do not know they are in cults. I know HS has it’s major probs - but again -NOT A CULT. A Church that preaches the blodd of Jesus - Who is Rick Ross to judge? Who am I to judge? This is a very slippery slope, all this cult accusation.
At any rate +/- 500 people came fwd tonight during a call for salvation. And it was so cool the way she did it, she just said if you want jesus in your life to forgive your sins please stand up and come forward. No bowing your head and closing your eyes - becasue if you can’t stand for Jesus in here, you sure can’t stand for him out side of here.
Oh and Lionfish - I do not mean this as harsh as it sounds, and I don’t want to discount your experiences - REALLY I DO NOT, You are a very sincere and well spoken and well read man, and I find your posts mosts interesting. But most of the stuff about prosperity doctrine (WOF) is so 20 years ago to me. I have not seen your take on what God’s view of prosperity really is - and I am not wof PD - What is your view on it?
August 5th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
Lionfish - in case I didn’t make it plain enough - I highly respect you and your posts.
August 5th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
recieved in the mail yesterday a letter from Hillsong showing me how to fill out the census form when it comes to the religion section. Do they really think their members are that stupid and can’t fill it out for themselves. Another attempt at controlling the congregation. Brian was again whinging that Australia wasn’t taking them seriously as a religion that they wanted their own box with Pentecostal to be able to tick. The reason they dont have one is because they are a cult not a religion. What a show poney. How about sending out a letter to get people to help out in their community instead. I only shudder to think how much it cost. Their data base probably holds 20,000-30,000 names that comes to a cost of around $15,000. mmmmmmmmmmm . Get a life its not about getting a name for yourself if you haven’t noticed already.
August 5th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Good News John!
I didn’t receive it! Therefore, I must be off their mailing list! Woo Hoo!
August 5th, 2006 at 5:52 pm
*akevin*, you said this -
Joyce Meyer…spoke about dying to self - selfishness and how it holds back our potential to see more of God operating His plan in our life
So… Dying to self for Joyce Meyer involves living in an opulent house akevin. That is dying to self? Can you expalin how this is dying to self?
JOYCE MEYER -
The ministry’s headquarters is a three-story jewel of red brick and emerald-color glass that, from the outside, has the look and feel of a luxury resort hotel. Built two years ago for $20 million, the building and grounds are postcard perfect, from manicured flower beds and walkways to a five-story lighted cross.
The driveway to the office complex is lined on both sides with the flags of dozens of nations reached by the ministry. A large bronze sculpture of the Earth sits atop an open Bible near the parking lot. Just outside the main entrance, a sculpture of an American eagle landing on a tree branch stands near a man-made waterfall. A message in gold letters greets employees and visitors over the front entryway: “Look what the Lord Has Done.”
The building is decorated with religious paintings and sculptures, and quality furniture. Much of it, Meyer says, she selected herself.
A Jefferson County assessor’s list offers a glimpse into the value of many of the items: a $19,000 pair of Dresden vases, six French crystal vases bought for $18,500, an $8,000 Dresden porcelain depicting the Nativity, two $5,800 curio cabinets, a $5,700 porcelain of the Crucifixion, a pair of German porcelain vases bought for $5,200.
The decor includes a $30,000 malachite round table, a $23,000 marble-topped antique commode, a $14,000 custom office bookcase, a $7,000 Stations of the Cross in Dresden porcelain, a $6,300 eagle sculpture on a pedestal, another eagle made of silver bought for $5,000, and numerous paintings purchased for $1,000 to $4,000 each.
Inside Meyer’s private office suite sit a conference table and 18 chairs bought for $49,000. The woodwork in the offices of Meyer and her husband cost the ministry $44,000.
In all, assessor’s records of the ministry’s personal property show that nearly $5.7 million worth of furniture, artwork, glassware, and the latest equipment and machinery fill the 158,000-square-foot building.
As of this summer, the ministry also owned a fleet of vehicles with an estimated value of $440,000. The Jefferson County assessor has been trying to get the complex and its contents added to the tax rolls but has failed. {INDEX}
Stylish sports cars and a plane
Meyer drives the ministry’s 2002 Lexus SC sports car with a retractable top, valued at $53,000. Her son Dan, 25, drives the ministry’s 2001 Lexus sedan, with a value of $46,000. Meyer’s husband drives his Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG sedan. “My husband just likes cars,” Meyer said.
The Meyers keep the ministry’s Canadair CL-600 Challenger jet, which Joyce Meyer says is worth $10 million, at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield. The ministry employs two full-time pilots to fly the Meyers to conferences around the world.
Meyer calls the plane a “lifesaver” for her and her family. “It enabled us, at our age, to travel literally all over the world and preach the gospel” with better security than that offered on commercial flights, she said.
Security is important to Meyer, who says she has received death threats. She has a division of the ministry dedicated to her safety. Her officers wear pistols; they guard the headquarters’ front gate, keeping out anyone but employees and invited guests. The ministry bought a $145,000 house where the security chief lives rent-free to keep him close to the ministry’s headquarters. {INDEX}
The family compound
The ministry has also bought homes for other key employees.
Since 1999, the ministry has spent at least $4 million on five homes for Meyer and her four children near Interstate 270 and Gravois Road, St. Louis County records show.
Meyer’s house, the largest of the five, is a 10,000-square-foot Cape Cod style estate home with a guest house and a garage that can be independently heated and cooled and can hold up to eight cars. The three-acre property has a large fountain, a gazebo, a private putting green, a pool and a poolhouse where the ministry recently added a $10,000 bathroom. See Aerial View of All Five Houses
The ministry pays for utilities, maintenance and landscaping costs at all five homes. It also pays for renovations. The Meyers ordered major rehab work at the ministry’s expense right after the ministry bought three of the homes. For example, the ministry bought one home, leveled it and then built a new home on the site to the specifications of Meyer’s daughter Sandra and her husband, county records show.
Even the property taxes, $15, 629 this year, are paid by the ministry.
Meyer called the homes a “good investment” for the ministry and said the ministry bears the cost of upkeep and maintenance because the family is too busy to take care of such tasks. “It’s just too hard to keep up with something like that when you travel as much as we do,” Meyer said.
She said that federal tax law allows ministries to buy parsonages for their employees, so the arrangement does not violate any prohibitions against personal benefit. Meyer also said the decision to cluster the families together was a way to build a buffer to better ensure privacy and security.
“We put good people all around us,” she said. “Obviously, if I was trying to hide anything or thought I was doing anything wrong, I wouldn’t live on the corner of Gravois and 270.” {INDEX}
The irrevocable trust
Meyer says she expects the best, from where she lives to how she looks. Much of her clothing is custom-tailored at an upscale West County dress shop. At her conferences, she usually wears flashy jewelry. She sports an impressive diamond ring that she said she got from one of her followers. Meyer has a private hairdresser. And, a few years ago, Meyer told her employees she was getting a face-lift.
Not everything is paid directly by the ministry.
Last year, the Meyers bought a $500,000 atrium ranch lakefront home in Porto Cima, a private-quarters club at Lake of the Ozarks. A few weeks later, they bought two watercrafts similar to Jet Skis and a $105,000 Crownline boat painted red, white and blue that they named the Patriot.
In 2000, the Meyers also bought her parents a $130,000 home just a few minutes from where the Meyers live.
The Meyers have put the Mercedes, the lake house, the boat and her parents’ home into an irrevocable trust, an arrangement that tax experts say would help protect them from any financial problems at the minisry.
Meyer says she should not have to defend how she spends the ministry’s money. “We teach and preach and believe biblically that God wants to bless people who serve Him,” Meyer said. “So there’s no need for us to apologize for being blessed.” {INDEX}
Meyer’s “trusted” board
For the most part, Meyer can spend the ministry’s money any way she sees fit because her board of directors is handpicked. It consists of Meyer, her husband and all four of her children — all paid workers — as well as six of Meyer’s closest friends. (Ministry officials said that daughter Laura Holtzmann has now resigned; state records still list her on the board.) “Our family is a huge help to us,” Meyer said. “We couldn’t do this if we didn’t have somebody we trusted.”
Board members Roxane and Paul Schermann are such close friends that for more than a decade they lived in the Meyers’ home. The ministry employed both of them as high-level managers and in 2001 bought them a $334,000 home. Roxane Schermann no longer works at the ministry; her husband continues as a paid division manager. The Schermanns bought the house at the same price from the ministry in January. Delanie Trusty, the ministry’s certified public accountant, also serves as the ministry board’s secretary.
The board decides how the ministry’s money is spent. The salaries of Meyer and her family are set by those board members who are not family members and are not employed by the ministry, Meyer’s lawyer said. The arrangement meets IRS regulations, the lawyer said.
“We certainly wouldn’t have enemies and people we don’t know” on the board, Meyer said. “That wouldn’t make any sense. Anybody who has a board is going to have people in favor of you.”
Meyer and her ministry refuse to tell how much the ministry pays Meyer, her husband, her children and her children’s spouses. “I don’t make any more than I’m worth,” Meyer said. “We’re definitely within IRS guidelines.”
Such an overlap between top administrators and board members concerns the IRS because “the opportunity to manipulate and control the organization is easier to accomplish,” said Bruce Philipson of St. Paul, Minn., the IRS group manager of tax-exempt organizations for this region. (Carolyn Tuft and Bill Smith St. Louis Post-Dispatch 11/15/2003)
taken from http://www.inplainsite.org/html/tele-evangelist_lifestyles.html#JM