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. (born January 28, 1962) is an American pastor and televangelist. He is the founder of World Changers Church International. This Christian church is based in College Park, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Dollar also leads the Creflo Dollar Ministerial Association and Creflo Dollar Ministries.
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Creflo Dollar's Career Journey
Dollar started World Changers Ministries Christian Center in 1986. The first church service was held in a school cafeteria. Only eight people attended this first meeting. Later, he renamed it World Changers Church International (WCCI). The church moved from the cafeteria to its own chapel.
The church grew quickly. They held four services every Sunday. Dollar also started a weekly radio show. He launched a television show called Changing Your World. On December 24, 1995, WCCI moved into its current building. This large building is called the World Dome. It has 8,500 seats. The church stated that the World Dome cost nearly $20 million. They built it without any bank loans. By 2007, the church reported about 30,000 members. They had $70 million in income for 2006.
In October 2012, Creflo Dollar Ministries leased a theater in The Bronx, New York. This became a new church location in New York City. In November 2018, WCCI was listed as a very large church. It had about 15,000 visitors each week. Dollar also speaks at conferences. He writes about his beliefs on wealth and his work as a televangelist.
Personal Life of Creflo Dollar
Creflo Dollar and his wife Taffi have five children. They live in Atlanta, Georgia.
Understanding Dollar's Teachings and Finances
Creflo Dollar is known for his teachings on prosperity theology. This belief suggests that God wants people to be wealthy. He has faced criticism for his lifestyle. Dollar owns expensive cars and a private jet. He also owns several valuable homes. For example, he has homes in Atlanta and New Jersey.
Dollar has not shared information about his salary. An organization called Ministry Watch reviewed Creflo Dollar Ministries. They gave it a low grade for not being open about its finances.
In 2007, a U.S. Senator named Chuck Grassley looked into several televangelists. He wanted to understand their financial practices. Dollar was one of six televangelists in this inquiry. Grassley asked for financial details. He wanted to know if Dollar personally benefited from church donations. Dollar argued that the IRS should examine religious groups, not the Senate. Dollar and three others did not fully cooperate. The inquiry ended in 2011 without any charges.
In May 2015, Dollar asked his church members for money. He wanted them to help buy a $65 million private jet. This request caused a lot of discussion. Dollar responded to critics in a sermon. He said, "If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me." He added, "You can't stop me from dreaming."
Views on Tithing
For many years, Dollar wrote books and made videos about tithing. Tithing is the practice of giving a tenth of one's income to the church. He taught that Christians were required to tithe.
However, in July 2022, Dollar changed his public views on tithing. He said he had misled people with his past teachings. He stated that tithing was not a biblical requirement. Instead, he said people should give based on their heart and ability. Dollar received both praise and criticism for these new statements.
