Grassley to write to ministries not cooperating with him

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is planning to send additional letters to the evangelical ministries that have not fully responded to his inquiry into their finances.

Grassley, who is the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, has asked six prominent ministries for financial details to determine if they are following rules for tax-exempt organizations.

“Sen. Grassley is preparing follow-up letters to send to the ministries that have raised concerns or not responded to his inquiries so far,” said Jill Gerber, press secretary for Grassley’s committee.

“It’s been extremely rare for tax-exempt groups to decline to cooperate with his requests for information.”

His office reported that it has received materials from just two of the six ministries: Joyce Meyer Ministries in Fenton, Mo., and Kenneth Copeland Ministries in Newark, Texas.

Creflo Dollar Ministries in College Park, Ga., and Bishop Eddie Long’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., have refused to submit financial records, which Grassley first requested last November.

Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Fla., has sought additional time to respond. And Benny Hinn Ministries in Grapevine, Texas, exchanged messages with the office in December but had not been in further contact.

Rusty Leonard, the CEO of MinistryWatch.com, dismissed criticism that Grassley’s inquiry could lead to additional government regulation of ministries as “absolutely spurious” and urged cooperation.

— RNS