Joyce Meyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joyce Meyer
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Meyer speaking in 2015
|
|
| Born | Pauline Joyce Hutchison June 4, 1943 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Occupation | Bible teacher, author, speaker |
| Spouse |
Dave Meyer (m. 1967)
|
Pauline Joyce Meyer (born Hutchison; June 4, 1943) is an American Christian author and speaker. She is also the president of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Joyce and her husband, Dave, have four grown children. They live near St. Louis, Missouri, where her ministry is based.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Joyce Meyer was born Pauline Joyce Hutchison in south St. Louis in 1943. Her father joined the army to fight in World War II soon after she was born. She still speaks with a St. Louis accent today.
She graduated from O'Fallon Technical High School in St. Louis. After high school, she married a car salesman, but their marriage ended after five years. Later, Meyer met Dave Meyer, who worked as an engineering draftsman. They were married on January 7, 1967.
Starting Her Ministry
Meyer says that in 1976, while driving to work, she felt God speak to her. She had become a Christian at age nine, but this experience deepened her faith.
She was briefly a member of a Lutheran church in St. Louis. She started leading a morning Bible class in a local cafeteria. She also became very involved with Life Christian Center, a church in Fenton. Because she was a popular Bible teacher, the church grew. She also began a short daily radio show in St. Louis.
In 1985, Meyer left her role as associate pastor. She then started her own ministry, which she first called "Life in the Word." Her radio show soon began airing on six more stations in different cities.
In 1993, her husband, Dave, suggested they start a television ministry. The show, also called "Life in the Word," first aired on channels like WGN-TV and Black Entertainment Television (BET). Her program is now called Enjoying Everyday Life and is still on TV today.
In 2002, a major publisher, Hachette Book Group, paid Meyer a large amount of money for the rights to her older books. In 2005, Time magazine named her one of the "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America."
Ministry Finances
Joyce Meyer has been criticized for her lifestyle, which includes owning several homes and traveling in a private jet. She has said that she does not need to apologize for being "blessed." She believes that if someone is a successful businessperson, people often see it as good, but if they are a preacher, it can become a problem.
In 2003, a newspaper reported details about the ministry's spending. This led to a Christian watchdog group asking the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to look into Meyer and her family's finances.
After this, Meyer announced in 2004 that she would reduce her salary from the ministry. Instead, she would keep more of the money from her book sales outside the ministry. This meant she would earn more personally, and the ministry would receive less from those specific book sales. Joyce Meyer Ministries states it is committed to being open about its finances. They publish annual reports and have a board where most members are not related to Meyer.
In 2007, Senator Chuck Grassley launched an inquiry into the tax-exempt status of several religious organizations, including Joyce Meyer Ministries. The inquiry aimed to see if Meyer was personally profiting from donations. Joyce Meyer Ministries cooperated fully with the Senate's requests for financial information. The IRS also confirmed in 2007 that the ministry continued to qualify as a tax-exempt organization.
Financial Accreditation
In 2009, Joyce Meyer Ministries received accreditation from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). This organization ensures that ministries manage their money responsibly. The ECFA stated that Joyce Meyer Ministries met their standards for financial accountability, openness, and fundraising practices.
See also
In Spanish: Joyce Meyer para niños
- Prosperity theology
- Word of Faith
