Mac Hammond's Miracle: Who Will Stand Against the Devils?

Televangelist Kenneth Copeland had worries greater than Mac Hammond's finances.

Selected as one of the "Grassley Six" megaministries being investigated by the Senate Finance Committee, Kenneth Copeland Ministries faced the prospect of having its finances exposed to the public — or being branded for using his ministry to get around tax laws and to live an exalted lifestyle.

Would the publicity stem the flow of contributions? He had to put on a good show of confidence for his franchisees.

At his Minister's Conference this week, a swaggering Copeland proclaimed the investigation as the work of the forces of darkness intent on bringing him down.

He said the Senate inquiry was announced to the media first. Only after the media reported on it did he receive a faxed copy of the letter.

"Everything they listed in there that they published as a grievance against us had an element of truth — but what they said was a lie, because they don't know what the truth is, and I'm not gonna tell 'em."

Copeland said the information he was required to provide went to the IRS, where it would remain private. He would not give it to the Senate, he said and, in his reply, provided Grassley's committee the IRS address. According to Copeland, his response to the inquiry was "a several page lesson in 'no'."

Throughout the conference, speakers referred to the investigation and the need for the Copeland Family to resist the attack. Jesse Duplantis, who serves on Copeland's and Hammond's boards, urged the assembled ministers to stand for each other against  devils in Washington, and said: "Never make an excuse for the blessing of God in your life."

Anyone who presumed to question his prosperity, Duplantis said, must have a problem and not be in the good graces of God.

Copeland gave an inspiring account of how presidential candidate Mike Huckabee — who Copeland, on the Lord's instruction, had featured on five successive broadcasts of his syndicated show — had given him unequivocal support when the Grassley investigation was announced.

He hollered at me: "Why should I stand with them and not stand with you! They only got an 11% approval rating. I'll stand with you any time, anywhere, on any issue. You're trying to get prosperity to the people and they're trying to take it away from 'em."

Huckabee's support of Copeland earned him $111,000 in campaign contributions from the assembled. But the question I was truly interested in was this: What would happen to Mac Hammond's jet?

Copeland, as he introduced Hammond, told the audience how the Lord had instructed the Hammonds to sell the ministry's Citation 3, and the Lord must be obeyed, but that "he'd like to see it stay in the ministry." So Copeland told Hammond, "Why don't you bring it down to the Minister's Conference."

And glory be, "There's a man coming down here tomorrow to test fly the airplane with money in his pocket... If it's in the plan of God to keep it in the kingdom of God, we want to see that happen... It wouldn't surprise me a bit if God hadn't been dealing with somebody to do something about it."

So Wednesday morning, Mac Hammond began to preach to the ministers with Copeland's prediction ringing in his ears:

That airplane will go exactly where Jesus says it will go.

Comments

[Jill]

Thanks for telling us Copeland refused to answer Senate questions. Hopefully, the Senator will issue subpoenas. They are wrong if they think people are not very concerned about the lavish lifestyles these preachers are leading.