Being a Televangelist Pays Off

Does your minister drive a big nice car, live in a big fancy house, have diamond rings on his fingers, what about his wife, does the same apply to her?

What about you, do you drive a nice car, live in a nice home, have diamond rings or is all your money going towards the upkeep of your minister and the church?
Does your minister receive a salary, you throw church anniversaries and raise more money to give to the pastor. Do you find that more and more of his sermons or discussions are centered around people not paying their tithes on time?

Twenty years ago when the Jim Bakker scandal was uncovered, Senator Byron Dorgan said, "People need to know what their money is being used for, is it being used for the Lord's work or is it being used to buy a million dollar house?"

Following a scandal back in the late eighties where Bakker staff members paid Jessica Hahn 279,000 for hush money, there were allegations floating around that PTL Leader Jim Bakker had raped Jessica Hahn. Bakker denied raping her but he did admit meeting her in a hotel room.

After this scandal, The Charlotte Observer did an investigation of the PTL fund raising activities between 1984-1987. It was discovered that between 1984 to 1987, Baker and PTL associates sold "lifetime memberships" for $1000 or more which entitled buyers to a three night stay annually at a luxury hotel in Heritage, USA, located near Charlotte, North Carolina. It was later discovered that this was fraud because ten of thousands of memberships had been sold, but only one 500 room hotel was ever completed. Baker sold more exclusive partnerships than he could ever accommodate. Once this spectacle went on trial it was discovered Jim and Tammy Bakker lived opulent life styles, that included spectacular dog houses for their dogs.

For televangelist media ministry has become a billion dollar industry, it has continued to grow and operate with little interference from the government.

Senator Charles Grassley, says, "The IRS hasn't been doing their job with non profits. We have a responsibility to review the laws and make a determination," about whether the rules are being properly followed and enforced."

Twenty years after the rise and fall and Jim Bakker who (by the way continues to be a minister after being released from jail) is a booming enterprise.

Scott Thumma, a professor at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research and author of "Beyond Mega church Myths," says "the size of the congregations continues to grow, and so does the income and the scope of the ministries."

Thumma said there are "1,250 mega churches in the United States, up from 310 in 1990. In 2005, such churches had an average income of $6 million a year."

"The growth of such ministries had been fueled in part by religious cable networks. And they don't limit themselves to TV. They now have publishing companies, they have movie companies, they have recording studios that maybe 20 years ago," were not part of a televangelists portfolio."

Heck they even have a portfolio, does your money contributions help these Fat Cats along with their wives get fatter?