Creflo Dollar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Creflo Dollar
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Dollar with wife Taffi Dollar
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| Born | January 28, 1962 College Park, Georgia, U.S.
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| Alma mater | West Georgia College |
| Occupation | Televangelist |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) | Taffi Dollar |
| Children | 5 |
Creflo Augustus Dollar Jr. was born on January 28, 1962. He is an American pastor and a televangelist, which means he shares religious messages through television. He is the founder of World Changers Church International, a Christian church located in College Park, Georgia, near Atlanta. Mr. Dollar also leads other organizations like the Creflo Dollar Ministerial Association and Creflo Dollar Ministries. He has received some criticism for his way of life.
Contents
Creflo Dollar's Journey in Ministry
Starting a Church Community
Creflo Dollar began his ministry, World Changers Ministries Christian Center, in 1986. The very first church service was held in a school cafeteria in College Park. Only eight people attended this first meeting.
Growing the Church and Reaching Many
As the church grew, it was renamed World Changers Church International (WCCI). The congregation moved from the cafeteria to its own special building. Soon, they were holding four services every Sunday. Mr. Dollar also started a weekly radio show and a television program called Changing Your World to share his message with more people.
Building the World Dome
On December 24, 1995, WCCI moved into its current main building, known as the World Dome. This large facility can seat 8,500 people. The church shared that the World Dome, which cost nearly $20 million, was built without needing any bank loans. By 2007, the church reported having about 30,000 members and earned $70 million in 2006.
Expanding to New York
In October 2012, Creflo Dollar Ministries rented the Loews Paradise Theater in The Bronx, New York. This became a new location for their church in New York City. By November 2018, CBS News listed WCCI as one of the largest churches in the United States, with around 15,000 visitors each week.
Sharing Teachings on Success
Mr. Dollar also travels to speak at conferences. He writes books about his teachings, which often focus on the idea of "gospel of wealth." This teaching suggests that faith can lead to financial success and well-being. He continues to be involved in televangelism, reaching a wide audience through television.
Creflo Dollar's Family Life
Creflo Dollar and his wife, Taffi Dollar, have five children. They live in Atlanta, Georgia.
Understanding Finances and Teachings
Discussions About Lifestyle
Creflo Dollar is known for his teachings about prosperity, which have sometimes led to discussions. He has often been criticized for living a very comfortable lifestyle. For example, he owns two Rolls-Royces, a private jet, and expensive homes. These homes include a million-dollar house in Atlanta, a $2.5 million home in Demarest, New Jersey, and a home in Manhattan that he bought for $2.5 million in 2006 and later sold for $3.75 million in 2012. Mr. Dollar has chosen not to share details about his personal salary.
Questions About Church Finances
Because Creflo Dollar Ministries did not share financial information for an independent review, an organization called Ministry Watch gave them a low grade for not being open about their money.
In 2007, a United States Senator named Chuck Grassley looked into the finances of several religious organizations, including Creflo Dollar's ministry. The Senator wanted to understand how these organizations used the money they received from donations. He asked for financial details to see if Mr. Dollar personally benefited from the donations. Mr. Dollar disagreed with this investigation, saying that the IRS (the tax agency) was the right group to look into religious organizations, not the Senate Committee. The investigation ended in 2011 without any charges.
The Jet Incident
In May 2015, Mr. Dollar asked his church members to help buy him a new private jet, a Gulfstream G-650, which cost $65 million. This request caused a lot of discussion. In response to those who criticized him, Mr. Dollar said in a sermon, "If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me. You can't stop me from dreaming, I'm going to dream until Jesus comes." This request came after his previous Gulfstream aircraft had an incident on November 24, 2014, when it went off the runway during takeoff at London Biggin Hill Airport. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Investigators later found that the pilot had mistaken some lights on the runway.
Changing Views on Tithing
For many years, Creflo Dollar wrote books and made videos about the idea that Christians should pay a tithe, which is giving a tenth of their income to the church. However, in July 2022, he publicly changed his mind about these teachings. He admitted that he had previously given people wrong information about tithing. He stated that paying a tithe is not a rule from the Bible, but instead, people should give what they feel in their heart and what they are able to give. Mr. Dollar received both praise and criticism for these new statements.
