"The Rev. James Eugene Ewing built a direct-mail empire from his mansion in Los Angeles that brings millions of dollars flowing into a Tulsa post office box. The approach reaped Ewing and his organization more than $100 million since 1993, including $26 million in 1999, the last year Saint Matthew's made its tax records public."Special Report: Reaping From Faith
By ZIVA BRANSTETTER World Projects Editor 4/27/2003
Lucrative 'seed faith' mail ministry has Tulsa tiesOnce a traveling tent-revival preacher, the Rev. James Eugene Ewing built a direct-mail empire from his mansion in Los Angeles that brings millions of dollars flowing into a Tulsa post office box.
Ewing's computerized mailing operation, Saint Matthew's Churches, mails more than 1 million letters per month, many to poor, uneducated people, while Ewing lives in a mansion and drives luxury cars.
The letters contain an alluring promise of "seed faith": send Saint Matthew's your money and God will reward you with cash, a cure to your illness, a new home and other blessings. They often contain items such as prayer cloths, a "Jesus eyes handkerchief," golden coins, communion wafers and "sackcloth billfolds." Recipients are often warned to open the letters in private and not discuss them with others.
The approach reaped Ewing and his organization a gross income of more than $100 million since 1993, including $26 million in 1999, the last year Saint Matthew's made its tax records public. And while much of the money is spent on postage and salaries, Ewing's company receives nonprofit status and pays no federal taxes.
Though Ewing claims it is a church, Saint Matthew's Churches, once called St. Matthew Publishing Inc., has no address other than a Tulsa post office box. It has two listed phone numbers in Tulsa and both are answered by a recorded religious message.
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The following information below is from Ole Anthony's website and has been posted here in order to try to get you to go to Ole Anthony's Trinity Foundation website. Ole Anthony has helped the Body of Christ tremendously in that he has taken the time to do what most refuse to do...expose money preachers who 'FLEECE THE FLOCK in the name of Christ'.
We commend him and recommend his research expose' / Investigative Reports.
READ SELECTED INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS
at Ole Anthony's Trinity Foundation
T.D. Jakes (Investigative Reports)
With Gifts From God, Washington Post, 3/25/2001
Paul Crouch and TBN (Investigative Reports)
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet, Los Angeles Times, 9/12/2004
Pastor's Empire Built on Acts of Faith, and Cash, Los Angeles Times, 9/19/2004
TBN's Promise: Send Money and See Riches, Los Angeles Times, 9/20/2004
Ex-Worker Accusing TBN Pastor Says He Had Sex to Keep His Job, Los Angeles Times, 9/22/2004
Will Paul Crouch Earn Reward in Heaven?, Los Angeles Times, 10/8/2004
Live TBN Fund Drive Axed, Los Angeles Times, 10/27/2004
Christian TV giant woos Phila. as it faces legal tiff, Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/14/2004
Trouble At Trinity (video). Investigative report by Richard Ray, of Fox Television Dallas, 11/29/04
TBN Accuser Has Charge Dismissed, Los Angeles Times, 3/1/2005
Documentation of the alleged sexual misconduct of Paul Crouch
Benny Hinn (Investigative Reports)
The Price of Healing, Los Angeles Times, 7/27/2003
The Heretic, D Magazine, 8/2003
10 minutes of excerpts from Dateline's Benny Hinn investigation, NBC Dateline, 3/6/2003
Judge blocks KTRK report on evangelist and Judge says KTRK can air information on televangelist, Houston Chronicle, 3/2&3/2005Benny Hinn Ministries' Notice of Dismissal of it's suit against NBC and Final Judgement, March 8, 2005
IRS questions Hinn's tax-exempt status, Dallas Morning News, 7/6/2005
Tax exemption under review, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8/13/2005
See Also:Trinity Foundation's Documentation of Benny Hinn's Financial Practices
Robert Tilton (Investigative Reports)
The Resurrection of Robert Tilton, Miami New Times, 1/1/1998
Oh God, you devil, Salon.com, 10/21/2000
Robert Tilton: From downfall to windfall, Tulsa World, 5/4/2003
Bob's back, and more entertaining than ever, Dallas Morning News, 9/25/2004
Robert Tilton returns, and his hand is out again, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2/5/2005
Mike Murdock (Investigative Reports)
Profit in the pulpit, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/02/2003
Blurring the Line, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/03/2003
Behind the Hype, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/04/2003
Murdock uses 'love bonding' to reach donors, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/04/2003
Finding Sanctuary, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12/5/2004
Joyce Meyer (Investigative Reports)
From Fenton to fortune in the name of God, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/15/2003
Money pitch is a hit with followers, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/17/2003
Meyer's charity work begins at home, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/17/2003
TV evangelists call signals from the same playbook, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/18/2003
Joyce Meyer ministry is selling posh homes, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4/17/2005
Meyer received millions, records show, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4/30/2005
Joyce Meyer Ministries: The big squeeze, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 5/07/2005
Saint Matthew's Churches / Rev. James Ewing (Investigative Reports)
Reaping From Faith, Tulsa World, 4/27/2003
Prayer rug to riches, Charitywatch.org, 2/26/2005
WOWK-TV Investigative Report: Reverend Ewing's magical prayer rug. (video)
Don Stewart (Investigative Reports)
Finances, Fraud and False Teaching, Personal Freedom Outreach, 2002
Word of Faith Fellowship (Investigative Reports)
Spindale, North Carolina: Word of Faith Fellowship, watchman.org (Watchman Fellowship, Inc.), 2000
Jim Bakker (Investigative Reports)
Bakker's role in fund raising questioned, Dallas Morning News, 11/17/1996
Joel Osteen (Investigative Reports)
Uplifted: Critics say he's too easygoing, but televangelist Joel Osteen is winning a devoted following with his positive approach, The Boston Globe, 07/10/2005
Pat Robertson (Investigative Reports)
Is Anything Wrong With Pat Robertson Making a Killing?, The Virginian-Pilot, 8/26/2005
