Taxes for Televangelists?

Ranking Senate Finance Committee member Charles Grassley (R-IA)has written to six "media-based" ministries (Paula White Ministries, Benny Hinn Ministries, Joyce Meyer Ministries, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Bishop Eddie Long Ministries and World Changers Church International (Creflo and Taffi Dollar)) regarding executive compensation and "perks" and certain expenditures. Grassley said that the inquiries resulted from news reports and public complaints, saying that taxpayers as well as donors have the right to make sure that expenses fell within "ordinary and necessary" guidelines. Specific items questioned included "love offering" compensation, extravagant office facilities, long-term loans and lavish gifts.

A tricky issue this is: on the one hand, the tax-exempt status of these ministries provides opportunities for abuse and some televangelists are not popular with even fundamentalist and evangelical Christians. On the other hand, without exercise of considerable care, such investigations can become persecution of legitimate ministries.