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Copeland’s Haitian Deception

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An advocate of our KennethCopelandBlog.com redemptive project emailed me the other day to ask if we consider Copeland’s latest Haitian aid effort to be a sign of true biblical repentance. Our answer is an unequivocal, but regrettable, “NO,” though we yet remain hopeful that repentance will eventually occur. To further explain our view of these issues, let’s  begin by reviewing the text of our latest press release:

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Did Kenneth Copeland Just Commit Another Aid Fraud?

(February 18, 2010)

NEWARK, TEXAS:  KennethCopelandBlog.com recently exposed televangelist Kenneth Copeland’s probable fraud regarding the formation of the Angel Flight 44 ministry. Christian Today later reported on the controversy, quoting Copeland’s newest son-in-law saying that a freshly organized Haitian aid flight was “imminent.” The ministry’s subsequent February 4th mission detail, however, raises MORE questions about KCM’s integrity:

“…Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM) announced today that it has partnered with several ministries to send a flight to Haiti with $2.7 million of medical supplies, and 7,000 pounds of much-needed antibiotics.”

The only thing KCM actually stated above that they were doing was “sending a flight to Haiti.” They did NOT explicitly state WHO supplied these medical supplies, or even WHO paid for them. These missing elements seem to actually be tacit admissions of yet another probable humanitarian aid fraud.

I wrote the book about KCM’s Hurricane Katrina disaster missions: “Angel Flight 44” (which is now off the market, except for used copies). It details how Glen Hyde’s Douglas Super-DC3 airplane was often loaded with medical supplies furnished by McKesson Pharmaceutical. While it is true that the original “AF44” aid missions flew tens of millions of dollars worth of medical supplies to Louisiana, it is also true that NEITHER Kenneth Copeland NOR his ministry paid for ANY of those supplies.

After that, according to my information, Glen Hyde’s airplane sat on the tarmac of Denton Airport in Texas gathering bird poop from August of 2006 until February 2010—it was not helping anyone (as Copeland had pledged). Once we openly documented Copeland’s broken promises, however, Copeland apparently found new “motivation” to get that airplane flying again; and the required FAA C-check and maintenance was recently performed to permit this Haitian flight.

Actual costs? Mr. Hyde indicated back in 2007 that it would take about $20,000 to get the airplane legal and mechanically able to fly; we can add to that another $20-30k for fuel and flight expenses. Thus, we can safely estimate that KCM’s share of this Haitian flight’s costs was likely NO MORE than what they typically spend on jet fuel for the Copeland family vacations (using one of the jets from KCM’s fleet.)

Nevertheless, we now see KCM issuing a press release that is worded in such a way as to IMPLY that they (along with the five partners named) funded a multi-million dollar aid mission, when in fact the omitted details seem to reveal otherwise. In short, it would appear that KCM is merely trying to get $2.7 million worth of “humanitarian aid credit” through a publicity stunt, while actually spending a minuscule fraction of that amount to merely send the aid to the desperate Haitians.

Of course, Kenneth Copeland could PROVE what they actually spent on this mission by ordering his staff to publicly release copies of verifiable receipts, bank statements, (and etc)…but don’t hold your breath. MinistryWatch.com, a Christian financial integrity ministry, has been trying to encourage KCM to demonstrate biblical transparency in their finances FOR YEARS without any success. If the Copelands start providing financials to the public now, it might create a precedent for transparency…and they cannot have that!

On the other hand, compare KCM’s lack of financial accountability with biblical examples (e.g. Ezra and Nehemiah’s handling of funds donated to rebuild Jerusalem, and Paul’s financial transparency with the offering being sent by the churches to the poor saints in Jerusalem). Why does KCM not follow the Bible’s clear protocol? Simple. Jesus said it is because, “their deeds are evil” (note John 3:19-21). Consider for example…

In 2006 KCM paid $13.3 million to its executive staff (who are mostly family members), out of a $100 million budget. This was reported by CBS based upon Tarrant County documents filed by KCM. In short, KCM paid about a dozen executives OVER 13% of their ministry budget. This is considerably MORE than the highly publicized 10% that KCM claims is being divided up among the MANY ministries they support.

Since Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” can we safely assume the Copeland family’s “heart” is in their own compensation MORE than in giving to those truly in need? It certainly seems so…fraudulent publicity stunts, notwithstanding.

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A Few Additional Thoughts:

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Again, the KCM release above describes things in such a way that it gives one the impression that KCM and the listed partners provided millions of dollars for the people of Haiti.

The only thing their quote really claims is that KCM (in partnership with the others they listed) sent the airplane to Haiti, loaded with the supplies. Again, it does NOT say:

• Who actually paid for the medical supplies themselves (KCM makes no direct claim that it was them).
• Where the supplies came from (McKesson Pharmesueticals?)…
• What the actual cost for the supplies were. (The figure given is probably merely the retail value and not the much smaller wholesale price…or if a manufacturer supplied them, the even smaller manufacturer’s cost.)
• What KCM’s actual financial contribution to the mission was.

Now, the KCM release mentioned FOUR partners in the mission, plus Glen Hyde as coordinator and pilot for the mission. How much did each contribute to the estimated flight expenses we listed in the press release above? We are not told.

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Am I Wrong?:

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Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Copeland Ministries are probably going to get real upset when they learn about our analysis and press release above. However, we would like to respectfully remind them that we have already documented several of THEIR lies and probable frauds here on KennethCopelandBlog.com (and we still have more to reveal and document). Thus, we would like to politely request the following items to accompany any public claims that the Copelands may attempt to make—should they decide to dispute our figures above:

• Actual copies of receipts and/or bank records, which can be verified directly with the other parties.
• Specific designations of contribution amounts by EACH party of the Haiti relief effort, and not just in aggregate.
• Third-party independent audited financials of KCM, along with documents which detail and certify KCM’s contributions toward the Haitian relief missions specifically, and especially their Angel Flight 44 ministry efforts since 2006.

In other words, we are VERY tired of “smoke and mirrors” and would like to see hard documents and verifiable facts. If KCM cannot (or will not) provide them, then the information we have above is likely sufficient to establish the probability that Kenneth Copeland and his ministry are trying to perpetuate another humanitarian aid fraud, coupled with a publicity stunt.

Again, it seems KCM is trying to play with the numbers and facts in such a way as to make themselves looks like (belated) heroes in the Haitian earthquake crisis, while in fact they are throwing “pennies” of what their total resources could provide:

• CBS News reported that KCM had an annual budget of about $100 million per year.
• It is commonly known and reported that KCM receives millions of dollars quarterly from natural gas wells dotting their Eagle Mountain property (and I heard this personally from KCM staff).
• The website, WittenburgDoor.com, has video of Kenneth Copeland claiming to be a “billionaire” in front of his minister buddies (entitled, “Copeland – I’m a Billionaire” and about 11 videos down from the top).

So can we safely assume that Kenneth Copeland and KCM is fully able to provide MUCH MORE to help Haitian victims? We, along with our growing army of advocates, certainly believe that is the case. We also believe a major cover-up has been perpetrated by the Copelands and their nefarious organization regarding their past humanitarian aid failures and other probable frauds.

Remember that it was about a MONTH after the earthquake before KCM’s new “aid” mission occurred, and then only after KennethCopelandBlog.com issued TWO international press releases exposing them.

Consequently, we and our advocates are still calling on Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry, to simply repent.

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Always in Christ,

-Rich Vermillion

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The Miraculous ‘Reappearance’ of AF44

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Advocates of our KennethCopelandBlog.com redemptive project will be thrilled to read this latest update regarding the “Angel Flight 44 ministry” fiasco (AF44):

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Poof! Kenneth Reappears!:

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About two days after our online analysis of Kenneth Copeland’s lack of public appearance and the missing use of the term “Angel Flight 44″ within Kenneth Copeland Ministries’ (KCM) sudden Haitian humanitarian publicity efforts, KCM suddenly announced a TBN “Praise the Lord” taping at TBN’s Irving, TX studios. It seems that Copeland decided that it was not good if he looked like he was hiding from the public limelight.

So Kenneth and his (third) wife, Gloria, hosted the program, which featured primarily their own family as guests, including:

• Their daughter, Kellie Copeland Swisher, along with her (third) husband, Stephen.
• Kenneth’s grandson, Jeremy Pearsons, son of George and Terry Copeland Pearsons (Kenneth’s eldest daughter by his first wife) along with Jeremy’s (second) wife, Sarah.

ApostasyWatch.com’s own Steve Lumbley attended the live taping, and published his own report about KCM’s public relations countermeasures in his article, Kenneth Copeland Thinks You’re Stupid.

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The Once Forbidden “Name”:

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Moreover, now KCM has taken the extra step of openly using the name “Angel Flight 44″ and its abbreviation “AF44″ once again in its public relations efforts. On this update page about their recent Haitian flight, we see these two names pasted under nearly every photograph in their gallery, and elsewhere. Moreover, viewers to that web page are warmly greeted by Kenneth Copeland himself when that page is opened, right next to his latest commitment for humanitarian aid.

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Points to Remember:

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We here at KennethCopelandBlog.com are very happy about these developments. Nevertheless, we encourage our viewers to keep in mind several things as you review all of these issues yourself:

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• KCM made absolutely no mention of flights to Haiti, until AFTER our press releases drew attention to their broken promises concerning Angel Flight 44 and its probable impact in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake disaster. In fact, numerous natural disasters occurred over the years since Kenneth Copeland’s promises were made, and there were NO further post-Hurricane Rita AF44 humanitarian flights EVER until our two press releases brought the issue into the public eye.
• KCM’s first Haitian flight was about a month after the disaster. However, it would have likely been within 24-96 hours after the quake hit, had they maintained their disaster preparedness as promised. (Note: The main airport in Haiti was severely damaged, but they were receiving humanitarian flights so long as they had the capability of leaving again without requiring fuel. The Douglas Super-DC3 is a transoceanic aircraft, and would have qualified.)
• If KCM had added the new capabilities that Kenneth Copeland had pledged, they would have also been able to service the population from beaches through the promised amphibious aircraft.
• KCM has not fully accounted for the probable millions of dollars taken into their general fund as a result of their AF44 promises.
• KCM has not accounted for “which” aircraft their former AF44-designated funds went to repair.
• NONE of KCM’s financial claims above are independently verifiable, because they are not certified by any independent accountability group (such as the Evangelical Counsel for Financial Accountability) and they have a transparency grade of “F” at MinistryWatch.com.
• Neither Kenneth Copeland nor KCM has EVER fully come forward with an honest explanation why they previously failed in their AF44 promise performance, NOR why they ignored Rich Vermillion (the writer of the book, Angel Flight 44) for nearly three years before his two press releases suddenly “motivated” them to help disaster victims as they had pledged. In short, they have NEVER apologized for their obvious failures.

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Nevertheless, we here at KennethCopelandBlog.com, along with our growing multitude of advocates, are thrilled that KCM finally found “compassion” somewhere within their hearts and decided to at least provide a good “window dressing” for public consumption. We are pleased that we have their attention; we are especially pleased that some needy Haitians are at least getting a little aid from them (although it comes about a month late and falls way short of Copeland’s original promises).

Of course, we are not in the least bit fooled by their sudden acts of “humanitarian aid” because it is nothing more than a public relations countermeasure...and not signs of true biblical repentance. One could even say that their current efforts are actually a sign of cowardice, given their continued deceptive practices and obvious self-serving motives.

So in short, though he claims to be a “billionaire” himself, it would seem that Kenneth Copeland is still “a day late, and a dollar short” in fulfilling his promises to help disaster victims.

Consequently, we and our advocates are still calling on Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry, to simply repent.

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Always in Christ,

-Rich Vermillion

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Analysis: Where is Kenneth Copeland?

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Advocates of our KennethCopelandBlog.com redemptive project have been wondering with us why Kenneth Copeland has not yet appeared publicly to comment regarding this entire “Angel Flight 44 ministry” fiasco (AF44). Furthermore, we have all noticed that Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM) seems to be going to great lengths to avoid even using the name “Angel Flight 44″ within their public statements. In this short post, I want to analyze these two facts briefly to bring these to everyone’s attention.

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Where’s Copeland?

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It would appear at this time that Kenneth Copeland is avoiding making any further public statements regarding these matters. He is ONLY “talking publicly” about Angel Flight 44 here on KennethCopelandBlog.com within the abundant videos, BVOV magazine articles, and other citations we have provided for public scrutiny. MOREOVER: Within  KCM’s public behavior and statements, KCM seems to be trying to distance Kenneth Copeland personally from these issues.

In KCM’s January, 26, 2010 public statement, James Tito, the Executive Director of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, did all the “talking” on behalf of both KCM and the Copeland family. I have never personally met James Tito (to my knowledge). I am also fairly certain that he had little to nothing to do with the original AF44 missions, or the Angel Flight 44 book project, or the public promises Kenneth Copeland made repeatedly concerning the new AF44 ministry that he proclaimed “is born” and “is here to stay.” Thus, Mr. Tito would seem to be a strange choice for making KCM’s public statements in any effort to “correct” the “misleading” information they claimed was being “spread in the media.” (Of course, we dissect their public statement, including KCM’s notable errors and glaring omissions, in the above linked article.)

In Christian Today’s article Televangelist Kenneth Copeland blasted for ‘unfulfilled promises’ posted February 2, 2010 on their website, reporter Lillian Kwon of the Christian Post quotes Stephen Swisher as KCM’s spokesman. Again, Mr. Swisher was not even around KCM during the events I mentioned above; he is a rather new addition to the Copeland family and ministry staff. Since he has no firsthand knowledge of these things, it seems similarly strange to pick him as a spokesperson. (We examine this excellent Christian Today article and dissect KCM’s public statements therein here in this previous KennethCopelandBlog.com post.)

So we have two different spokespersons, neither of which seem to have had any firsthand knowledge of these events and issues. However, there has been NO public comment—or any attempt at a rebuttal of our allegations—by Kenneth Copeland himself.

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Where’s Mention of AF44?

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Then there is this interesting fact than within none of KCM’s statements to date do they EVER mention the name “Angel Flight 44″ specifically. In fact, they seem to go out of their way to avoid using that name entirely. As I also elaborated further within our newly-updated post AF44’s Status in 2010 and the aforementioned two articles above, KCM’s omission of any specific reference to AF44 by name is VERY revealing:

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• It reveals that KCM and the Copeland family all seem to know that the AF44 issue is one in which they are extremely culpable for their previous lack of performance regarding Copeland’s AF44 promises.
• It reveals that KCM is very wary of drawing attention to the writer of the book, Angel Flight 44 (i.e. Rich Vermillion) and what I might have to say about these issues (and others concerning them).
• It reveals that KCM is very wary of drawing any further attention to KennethCopelandBlog.com as well, and the many issues that we are clearly documenting here.
• It reveals that KCM’s sudden public reversal on some issues is NOT sign of true repentance, as their behavior to date in the light of the following Scripture makes clear:

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The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved. But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are–wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence upon Him]. (Jesus speaking, as recorded in John 3:19-21, AMP, emphasis added)

First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. (The apostle Paul speaking, as recorded in Acts 26:20, NIV, emphasis added)

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It would appear by the facts at hand—and in the light of Scripture—that we can ONLY conclude that KCM’s actions and statements to date are evidence of vehement “damage control.” They are backpedaling on various issues and dancing around our allegations as they try to form some sort of public relations countermeasure against the well-documented allegations here on KennethCopelandBlog.com.

Nevertheless, from the very launch of this website, we have clearly stated and demonstrated that we are calling on Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry…to simply repent. So unless they ALL come to a place of “godly sorrow that leads to repentance” as I mentioned in our previous post, then KennethCopelandBlog.com will have to remain an ongoing redemptive project.

In closing, my family and I would like to express once again our heartfelt gratitude to the growing multitude of  our advocates: You all share our concerns for the Copelands and for those they influence…as well as our biblical vision for calling the Copeland family and KCM to repentance. Thank you for your Christian friendship and encouragement. You are all such a blessing to us.

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Always in Christ,

-Rich Vermillion

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Christian Today Reports on AF44 Controversy

(Last updated 02/05/2010)

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Advocates of our KennethCopelandBlog.com redemptive project will be thrilled to know (as we are) that we are making tremendous progress in holding the Copeland family and ministry to a biblical standard of conduct and financial integrity. Here is the latest…

Christian Today, an online Christian news service, has posted a report concerning the AF44 controversy today on their website. Though I was never contacted personally, the reporter, Lillian Kwon of the Christian Post, obviously spent some time investigating the content of KennethCopelandBlog.com and has taken our allegations quite seriously. She also obtained new statements from KCM representatives—statements which have radically altered in some regards since their January 26th rebuttal to our charges. Most notable are:

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• KCM has finally reported actual figures “received” as earmarked specifically for the AF44 project. Two notes:
  • Their paltry $7,788.43 figure cannot be independently verified since KCM is not accountable to any third-party financial integrity organization such as the Evangelical Counsel for Financial Accountability; the Christian ministry of Wall Watcher’s Ministrywatch.com has given them a transparency grade of “F” for their deplorable fiscal secrecy.
  • KCM’s public statement did NOT address the issues we raised within our post Angel Flight 44, The Money, regarding the FACT that their many AF44-ministry announcements were tied to offerings and donor (“partner”) recruitment, and that their Angel Flight 44 book give away project netted them a financial return several times larger than their “gift” expenditures. Thus, they do NOT in any way address the KCM’s general fund financial windfalls that resulted from Copeland’s AF44 promises (which could be upwards of $1.24 million, and probably much more).
    
• KCM finally gave an answer as to what they did with the designated money. Two more notes:
  • KCM did NOT specify “which” plane those funds were directed towards for repairs. Was it an Angel Flight 44 designated aircraft, or one of KCM’s own fleet, or some other airplane? If the money was NOT applied to repairs for an AF44-designated aircraft, then that would qualify as a misappropriation of donor funds.
  • Again, KCM’s explanation is not only very questionable but also cannot be independently verified. Nevertheless, KCM’s public statement is very significant considering their nearly four-year silence regarding those funds since the 2006 SWBC AF44 announcements.
• Stephen Swisher, KCM’s spokesperson, spoke a “quarter-truth” in the article (at best) when he is quoted as saying, “This was not a specific promise with a time line attached.” That is very misleading.
  • There was no “time line attached” because Kenneth Copeland said in both 2006 and 2007 that the ministry had already been “birthed” and was “growing.” Swisher’s comment seems to imply that nobody said “when” they would START the ministry, as if to say, “So we’re a bit late…Hey, nobody promised anything specific!” Swisher’s statement  is either a deliberate deception, a misquote, or evidence that Swisher (who is new to KCM) is not qualified to address these issues.
  • Further, there really WERE very specific promises given by Kenneth Copeland (and which are also documented on this website by multiple videos, BVOV magazine downloads, & etc.) that included very specific characteristics: A new aviation hangar, acquisition of new airplanes and helicopters (including even amphibious aircraft), an expanded mechanics team, stored water and foodstuffs, (& etc). Apart from the remote possibility of a misquote, for this excellent article to quote Mr. Swisher as even suggesting that no “specific promise” was given is for the reporter to also document for our benefit one or more of the following:
    • A deliberate KCM deception,
    • or again, that Mr. Swisher is not qualified to address these issues due to his demonstrable ignorance of the facts involved.
  • An additional fact: KCM did NOT even maintain the original capabilities of Angel Flight 44. They allowed Glen Hyde’s Douglas Super-DC3 to become inoperable once gain (due to  inadequate maintenance and resulting FAA regulatory disqualifications); and they allowed the previously airworthy Beechcraft-18 (mentioned below) to also become inoperable due to unrepaired “structural issues” (which Swisher’s own statement in the article admits). Thus, after numerous hurricanes and natural disasters struck, wreaking havoc upon their victims—there were NO Angel Flight 44 airplanes flying as Copeland had promised to relieve their misery.
• KCM seemed to mention the Beechcraft-18 aircraft they accidentally ended up with, after an effort to give it to an African missionary went sour. Note their statement, “KCM has purchased an aircraft but it ‘currently has structural issues’ and is still ‘not in airworthy condition.’” They give the impression, however, that this aircraft was purchased specifically for AF44 which—if it is the Beech-18 I show below—would not really be the case. Note pilot Glen Hyde standing on the right side of the men posing for the picture, which I took prior to its delivery to KCM:

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(Click to enlarge within a new browser window)

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• KCM now says that they are once again wanting to get back into the humanitarian aviation ministry. Note Swisher’s comment, “…it is our desire to have an aircraft to fly assistance during disaster relief efforts… We are believing God for the finances to have a fleet of aircraft to use during such instances.” Compare that stated position with KCM’s from January 26th when they seemed to imply a complete abandonment of the project: “[KCM] investigated the possibility of providing such assistance for future disasters. The ministry decided that the best use of resources would be to start a disaster relief fund, and to determine the best course of action on a case by case basis.” (i.e. Were they lying then…or now…or both?)
• KCM suddenly announces that Glen Hyde is gearing up for Haiti flight missions—about a month AFTER the earthquake hit. The article states that KCM informed the reporter that “Glenn [sic] Hyde, who is preparing an ‘imminent flight to Haiti.’ They also have plans to help fly medical supplies and food into Haiti, but ‘it is difficult with the current backlog of flights at this time.’ Let me make four additional notes:
  • If the AF44 ministry had been at least maintained at the level of readiness it possessed at the end of the hurricanes Katrina and Rita missions, they would have likely been able to have AF44 relief flights in process in as little as 24-hours after the earthquake struck (and certainly within a few days).
  • If the AF44 ministry had been developed as Kenneth Copeland had promised, there would have also been an amphibious aircraft capable of providing humanitarian aid along the ocean front, and they would not have been restricted to the limitations of Haiti’s heavily damaged airport.
  • There was absolutely NO MENTION of any aviation relief efforts to be made by Glen Hyde or KCM until after our KennethCopelandBlog.com project brought this issue out so strongly into the public forum.
  • KCM seems to be trying to avoid mentioning the name “Angel Flight 44″ in all their public statements to date, showing obvious preference for simply generic terms only. A very interesting behavior, which I discuss more fully in my new post, Analysis: Where is Kenneth Copeland?, here on this website.

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Thus, unfortunately, we cannot say with confidence that these statements and reversals by KCM are yet evidence of true biblical repentance on their part. Given the errors and omissions within their January 26 statement, and their seemingly reluctant public reversals on several key points, it would seem that their efforts are geared mainly toward counteracting their public embarrassment regarding these issues. Until today’s Christian Today article, the overwhelming evidence presented here on KennethCopelandBlog.com—and even that which was coming out of KCM—indicated that they had done NOTHING regarding Copeland’s promised Angel Flight 44 ministry.

Nevertheless, we are excited that we are having an effect on KCM’s behavior. If nothing else, they seem to be taking these issues seriously now rather than simply ignoring our many pleas, as we have made to them over nearly three years.

Keep in mind also: If Kenneth Copeland and Glen Hyde—or at least a representative of KCM’s executive team—had taken the time to work with us to clear these matters up back years ago, we would NOT have had to launch this public “loving rebuke” effort with regard to these particular allegations. Even today, they have never made any attempt to contact us, though we have stated many times on this site and elsewhere that we would alter this site’s content to reflect any verifiable information that they could provide that showed KCM in a better light.

Thus, we and our advocates have concluded what the evidence here on KennethCopelandBlog.com already clearly indicates…that Copeland, his family, and KCM, actually WERE being fraudulent in some way. If they were not, would they not have tried to quickly clear this matter up with us before now? (As you can probably tell from this website, we would have insisted on receiving documentable explanations, and not mere appeasement. It would seem that our previous 31-page document that they received in early 2008 gave them that impression of us already…)

In closing, let us note again that the Angel Flight 44 issue is not the ONLY sin of which we are aware. There are others already documented here on this site and elsewhere (e.g. Copeland’s refusal to accept Kenneth E. Hagin’s correction towards him for his errant “prosperity” doctrines, Copeland’s and KCM’s blatant distortions of facts and unchristian behavior concerning the Senate Finance Committee investigation of the six televangelists, KCM’s lack of financial integrity and biblical transparency, & etc.). There are also others that we might eventually have to document on KennethCopelandBlog.com as well, if the Copelands fail to repent beforehand (but we are hoping it will not come to that).

However, the AF44 issue is certainly one of the most clear examples of the Copeland family’s and ministry’s blatant arrogance and dearth of biblical integrity that can be easily documented before the public (though certainly not the most glaring example of their doctrinal errors). Thus, we are thrilled that our redemptive project has already caused the Copelands to re-evaluate their conduct on at least a few issues; we yet remain hopeful that this biblical shame and public embarrassment will eventually result in the godly sorrow that “leads to repentance”:

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Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. (2 Corinthians 7:9-11, NKJV)

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If it eventually does (and KCM’s willingness to talk with us about our concerns would certainly help toward that objective) then we will be able to alter KennethCopelandBlog.com to become a testimony of God’s grace as manifested through their proven repentance. Thus, my family and I, and our growing numbers of advocates in this redemptive cause, are still calling on Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry…to simply repent.

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Click here to view the first page of the Christian Today report regarding our AF44 allegations and KCM’s response.

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Always in Christ,

-Rich Vermillion

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Kenneth Copeland Ministries RESPONDS!

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My family and I, and the growing multitude of like-minded concerned Christians, have to say that it is somewhat gratifying that after nearly four years of broken promises made by Kenneth Copeland—and nearly three years of our private and public efforts to get an answer out of him regarding those broken promises—to finally have some sort of response out of Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM). In a way, this is a small victory on behalf of truth in our eyes…though it took two recent press releases to get them to finally cough up some sort of answer.

Of course, their response was not exactly ideal. It is FULL of significant errors and glaring omissions. Nevertheless, they finally gave us a response…and even publicly! We rejoice that our many, many, hours of labor and prayer have not been completely in vain.

Let me first give you the entire text of their Christian Newswire press release, and then I will begin to point out the aforementioned problems with their FIRST EVER comment on these topics. I have also bolded a few things within their text for emphasis which we will discuss further below:

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Kenneth Copeland Ministries Aids in Relief Efforts

Contact: James Tito, Executive Director, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 817-252-2807, media@kcm.org

NEWARK, Tx., Jan. 26 /Christian Newswire/ — Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM) announced today that it has become aware of misleading and potentially damaging misinformation that has been circulated through various media outlets. The misinformation falsely suggests that Kenneth Copeland, and the leadership at Kenneth Copeland Ministries, have broken a promise to provide humanitarian aircraft services for all natural disasters on a worldwide basis, and therefore were instrumental in causing people of Haiti additional harm by not having aircraft immediately available. Furthermore, the claim suggests that there has been a misuse of donated funds related to developing humanitarian aircraft services.

Because KCM cares deeply for its Partners and Friends, the ministry and its leadership would like to clarify any confusion that may result from these allegations. In 2006 KCM did, in fact, make one of its aircraft available to provide support during the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and also investigated the possibility of providing such assistance for future disasters. The ministry decided that the best use of resources would be to start a disaster relief fund, and to determine the best course of action on a case by case basis. All monies that are donated to this fund are used for appropriate disaster relief efforts, and not used for any of the day to day operations at KCM. Specifically, with regard to Haiti, because of the magnitude of the disaster, the geographic location, the poor conditions for flights in and out, and the vast involvement of the US military and other government agencies, KCM believed that the best course of action was to send targeted funds to disaster relief ministries and organizations that had better access to Haiti on the ground than did KCM. In addition, KCM also sent relief aid to a Haitian orphanage that the ministry has supported for many years. KCM continues to financially support ongoing relief efforts.

Although KCM is primarily a media based teaching ministry, it invests millions of dollars every year into helping people throughout the world. KCM pours resources into more than 100 ministries in more than 120 countries. The ministry gives to churches, evangelistic outreaches, orphanages, youth programs, and rehabilitation centers. KCM is feeding the hungry, meeting needs of men, women, and children, setting captive hearts free, and ministering faith, hope, and love across the globe. KCM helps supply over 50,000 inmates with devotional and other products to encourage them every month, answers almost 1,000,000 prayer calls per year, and answers over 1,000,000 pieces of mail. Furthermore, KCM mails over 500,000 magazines at no cost to the recipients and reaches a potential TV audience of 965 million people worldwide with the life changing message of Jesus Christ. These are just a few of the outreaches and ministries of KCM. For a complete list, please go to www.kcm.org. KCM’s general counsel David Middlebrook of Anthony and Middlebrook, P.C. states: “Kenneth Copeland Ministries is one of the premier Christian Ministries in the world today and is run with the utmost integrity. The Church has an annual independent audit and there are no funds that have been misused or unaccounted for.”

The above release can be seen on Christian Newswire by clicking here.

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Now, let’s get into an examination of their public statement:

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Significant Errors:

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Again, while it is gratifying to finally have SOME kind of answer out of KCM, their answer comes quite short of what we had hoped. Let me begin by pointing out some errors included within their text:
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• “In 2006…” While some might consider this a minor issue, the fact is that Hurricane Katrina occurred in August of 2005. Moreover, the sentence completely omitted mention of Hurricane Rita that soon followed in September of 2005, after which the Angel Flight 44 (AF44) missions continued for a few flights.
• “…one of its aircraft…” To my knowledge, not a single airplane within the Kenneth Copeland Ministries’ actual fleet participated in the disaster relief missions themselves. (If so, then it would be good for them to elaborate which one they are referring to, and what its alleged role was in those missions.) The primary aircraft of the AF44 missions was Glen Hyde’s corporately-owned Douglas Super DC3 (tail number, N44GH), which is actually owned by one of his Nevada corporations. One other small private aircraft also flew during the Katrina mission, but again, it was not a part of KCM’s actual fleet.  The way this KCM press release is worded, it gives the impression that they are saying that it was one of their own aircraft that provided humanitarian support. This would NOT be true. However, if they meant something else they should clarify their statement.
• “…and also investigated the possibility of providing such assistance for future disasters…” This is a bold-faced lie, as the three videos, three KCM BVOV magazines, and quotes from the book, Angel Flight 44, here on KennethCopelandBlog.com clearly document (though Mr. James Tito might not be aware of the deception, Kenneth Copeland surely knows better). Kenneth Copeland said publicly that the new humanitarian aviation support ministry of Angel Flight 44 already existed. To suggest within their release that they were merely kicking the idea around is to misrepresent the facts in a most devious manner. Here are ONLY A FEW examples of what Kenneth Copeland said publicly, which are provided here on KennethCopelandBlog.com:
  • From video 1 in our post, The AF44 Miracle and Kenneth Copeland’s Promises, “Um…a major ministry…MAJOR ministry…has been born out of Hurricane Katrina. It is literally born out of the heart of the Spirit of God. But it took that hurricane to wake a lot of us up that should have been awake to this a long time before.” (Watch the footage in that video between time codes 06:21 and 06:39 to hear Copeland say these things himself.)
  • From the March, 2007 “Special Partner Edition” of KCM’s Believer’s Voice of Victory magazine (posted within that same article above), on page 9 Kenneth Copeland himself wrote, “You need several million dollars to build an airplane hangar and buy helicopters, airplanes, food and supplies for Angel Flight 44, your international aviation outreach that helps the needy in times of disaster… Those aren’t just outreaches of Kenneth Copeland Ministries. If you’re a Partner, they’re your outreaches too.” (Emphasis added. You can download the entire magazine off the above linked KennethCopelandBlog.com article.)
  • On our post, Angel Flight 44, The Book, we have excerpted Copeland where he had said during my interview of him (and he approved his quotes before the book was published): “And out of this, a new and different form of ministry has been born: Angel Flight 44. It is growing right now. It is still a baby, but it is growing. Right now, it is in its infancy, but we will never again get caught partially prepared for such a disaster. Angel Flight 44 is a ministry that is here to stay, and I will tell you why…Katrina is not the last catastrophe that will occur. We are going to see more of those kinds of things.” (Emphasis added)

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Another very obvious error within their rebuttal was their statement in reference to our allegations here on KennethCopelandBlog.com. Therein they said:
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“…The misinformation falsely suggests that Kenneth Copeland, and the leadership at Kenneth Copeland Ministries, have broken a promise to provide humanitarian aircraft services for all natural disasters on a worldwide basis, and therefore were instrumental in causing people of Haiti additional harm by not having aircraft immediately available. Furthermore, the claim suggests that there has been a misuse of donated funds related to developing humanitarian aircraft services.”

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KennethCopelandBlog.com has not merely SUGGESTED that Kenneth Copeland and KCM have broken their promises, we have DOCUMENTED it. Further, our belief that the earthquake victims of Haiti are suffering additional harm due to the LACK of promised aviation disaster relief from KCM is founded upon Kenneth Copeland’s own statements regarding how important such disaster relief is, such as:

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That is our mission in the future: we will help churches help people. And from this time on, we are still building, we are still gathering, and we are still preparing as if there is a storm on the way—because there is. We just do not know where it is going to hit, but the storm is coming. Jesus said so in His Word.

So, we are preparing for it. We are preparing equipment. We have plans for more airplanes as the Lord provides funds for them—and He will. Great big things that fly into places, and little bitty things that fly into other places. We need airplanes that haul a lot of stuff, and airplanes that haul a little stuff. We need airplanes that land on the ground, and airplanes that land on the water. We are also believing for helicopters. Now, I have not seen any use for a balloon yet, but I am not ruling that out!

We have plans for acquiring other types of equipment. We have hangars on the drawing board right now in order to be equipped in all areas of flight.

So, that is where we are now. A ministry has been born, and we are going to nurse it and build it and grow it and do our part.

Yes, there is a new baby in town, and her name is Angel Flight 44. And she is coming on strong because…the storm is coming. I do not know whether it is a hurricane or a bunch more tornadoes, or what. But we are going to be ready next time. (see the full quote on our page Angel Flight 44, The Book)

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Consider also these statements made within the book about the effect of the original Angel Flight 44 disaster relief missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (which statements were also reviewed and approved by Kenneth Copeland too…for I still have his review copy of that book in my possession, with his original notes inside):
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In this case, one such man is simply obeying his personal “word” from the Savior…and is repairing an airplane; a seemingly trivial act that will soon spare the lives of thousands. It seems quite fitting that the Savior would direct one of His men to do something that will ultimately save a multitude. After all,…is that not what His love is all about? (page 13, emphasis added)

Consequently, if God had not connected McKesson Pharmaceutical with Glen, Denny, and that Super DC-3 just a few days before—thousands would have died in hospitals all over that area from lack of treatment. (page 53, emphasis added)

Over time, Kenneth Copeland Ministries ships massive quantities of food and bottled water, baby supplies, hygiene products, clothes, hundreds of generators, four to five hundred chainsaws—you name it, they ship it. And not to leave the vast spiritual needs of the devastated community unmet, KCM ships cases upon cases of Bibles and other Christian reading materials for Pastor Larry’s church, Joy Fellowship Church, to dispense to the thousands of people they feed. (page 77, emphasis added)

Glen explains, “They won’t give them to them because they say that the Marines are not the hospital’s responsibility. But you ask the head nurse there this, ‘Is it Glen Hyde’s responsibility to furnish free air transportation to keep that hospital open without receiving compensation for all those thousands of people that are being served there?’ We’re furnishing our own airplane, our own fuel—so the Church is essentially furnishing all these medical supplies. Furthermore, we’re loading and unloading this stuff through these Marines over here. They wouldn’t have anything at that hospital if it wasn’t for my DC-3 and these Marines.” (page 150, emphasis added)

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The quotes above (again, ALL reviewed and approved by Kenneth Copeland) ALL reinforce the idea that the promised Angel Flight 44 ministry was capable of affecting thousands of lives—even within just its “infancy” stage as Copeland claimed already existed. How many MORE lives could be helped today in Haiti if they had actually developed that pledged ministry as Copeland had promised?

In short, it is very evident that Kenneth Copeland Ministries does NOT have a problem taking credit for saving thousands of lives back when they were actively providing aviation services for relief…but they REFUSE to shoulder ANY blame when their lack of action may be costing thousands of lives.

And remember, as we detailed on the page AF44’s Status in 2010, (which we just updated 02/02/2010) there were MANY natural disasters that preceded the earthquake in Haiti and yet those disaster victims were likewise without the aviation support that Copeland repeatedly promised to provide.

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Glaring Omissions:

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There were also some VERY noticeable omissions from KCM’s response to the allegations here on KennethCopelandBlog.com. Information that is missing, can often be information that is very revealing due to its very absence:

1. KCM’s response did NOT even mention the NAME of the ministry in question, Angel Flight 44. It would seem that they considered even the acknowledgment of AF44’s name to be a possible acknowledgment of Copeland’s promises.
2. KCM’s response did NOT mention “who” was spreading the alleged “misinformation” in the media. It would seem that by referencing KennethCopelandBlog.com they would be creating additional burdens of proof for themselves, since our website actually documents our allegations. Which brings us to…
3. KCM’s response did NOT provide any verifiable documentation to support their claims against our allegations, NOR did it provide ANY verifiable documentation/information that would refute what we have alleged. In short, they simply said, “No we did not promise all of that…and please do NOT ask us to prove our honesty in this matter.”
4. KCM never explained why it took almost three years of our efforts—including private contacts, launching this website in October, 2008, and finally TWO press releases in January, 2010—before they would even acknowledge that they abandoned plans to start their promised humanitarian aviation ministry. I guess for the same reasons it took a Senate Fiance Committee investigation to get them to acknowledge that they had abandoned their twenty-five-year-old promises of a Wisdom Heights retirement community, Kingdom Park theme park, and resort hotel. (Some people are just a bit stubborn, are they not?)
5. KCM never explained “why” after “GOD” supposedly told Kenneth Copeland to form the Angel Flight 44 ministry, that now they have abandoned it. (Was he disobeying God then, or is he disobeying God now…or just lying about all of it?)

This last item bears some emphasis: If God told Copeland to start the AF44 ministry, and the building programs he abandoned twenty-five-years ago after promoting them so heavily, why did he later drop them like a rock so quietly? There are two main reasons that I can identify:

1. If Kenneth Copeland publicly admits he changed his mind or made a mistake, it would undermine his “prophet” reputation that he has spent so many years to propagate (and thus, probably his partner base as well). After all, what kind of prophet promotes new projects so earnestly, raises funds by telling people the “vision God gave” him, and then changes his mind AFTER the money is donated? (Good question, indeed.)
2. If Copeland publicly admits he changed his mind or that KCM abandoned the project after raising funds, it creates potential problems for them with the donors who gave (e.g. possibly wanting their money back, or perhaps wanting to designate where the funds might then go, i.e. rather than leaving it to KCM’s discretion).

It would appear that, in the Copelands’ minds, it might be better to just quietly drop such matters and hope people forget about them—rather than stir up potential problems by being “honest” or living by some other inconvenient biblical virtue.

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KCM’s Good, Bad, and Ugly:

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KCM’s response in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti is wonderful (insofar as they have actually been good stewards of the Disaster Relief Funds entrusted to them by donors). WE HAVE NOT questioned whether they sent money to Haiti or relief groups working in Haiti. In fact, we are absolutely sure they DID because we know their track record with sending disaster relief money to Operation Blessing International.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE is draw attention to the fact that they did NOT promise money for disaster victims back in 2006-2007; KCM promised AIRCRAFT flying in humanitarian aid. There is a huge difference.

Additionally, we have drawn attention to the fact that the AF44-designated contributions have not been accounted for either. With all due respect to any attorneys reading this,  let me point out that U.S. lawyers do NOT have a good reputation for honesty around the world. They are known for semantic plays on words such as “it depends on what the definition of ‘is’ is” (e.g. as former U.S. president and former lawyer, Bill Clinton, once said in the wake of his Monica Lewinsky scandal). In short, I am NOT comforted by KCM’s general counsel “David Middlebrook of Anthony and Middlebrook, P.C.” when he states: “Kenneth Copeland Ministries is one of the premier Christian Ministries in the world today and is run with the utmost integrity. The Church has an annual independent audit and there are no funds that have been misused or unaccounted for.”

On the other hand, I propose that:

1. KCM upgrades their MinisryWatch.com transparency rating from an appalling “F” to a “C” or higher and…
2. …earn certification by the Evangelical Counsel for Financial Integrity (ECFI)…
3. …as Joyce Meyer’s ministry recently did both of these…
4. and, of course, explain what REALLY happened with the abandonment of their promised AF44 ministry.

Then and ONLY THEN we might all begin to consider them a ministry of financial integrity (though errant and heretical doctrine and the Copelands’ other personal sins would still remain issues in need of repentance).

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Concluding Remarks:

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So, again, while we consider it a small victory that Kenneth Copeland Ministries finally made a public statement, it falls way short of what they should have done. Furthermore, their errors and omissions within their public statement actually serve to REINFORCE our allegations here at KennethCopelandBlog.com. Though we appreciate their help in that regard, we would have preferred repentance since it seems they are now confirming their guilt inadvertently. Jesus put it this way:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:19-21, NKJV, emphasis added)

Jesus said that those practicing evil LOVE the darkness, and do everything they can to avoid any light that might expose their nefarious deeds. On the other hand, Jesus said that those who practice truth (i.e. are operating by biblical standards of integrity) will readily come to the light so that everyone will see that their deeds are done in God.

Copeland and his representatives do a wonderful job of “proclaiming” that they practice good deeds, while working hard to hide many things about Kenneth Copeland Ministries. For example:

• Executive salaries and other compensations (which might show how little “faith” the Copelands actually live by, since high salaries reveal trust in paychecks not God…and an abuse of donor funds when done within a ministry).
• Actual audited financial statements (which should go to third-party groups like ECFI and Ministrywatch.com for verification…which would prove transparency and integrity).
• Reasons behind the abandonment of publicized projects (which Copeland generally says “God” told him to do…but he has had somewhat of a habit of abandoning quietly after the funds are raised).
• And more…

Considering all the evidence that we have shared here on the KennethCopelandBlog.com—including over 1 and a quarter hours of video of Kenneth Copeland, three KCM BVOV magazines, quotes from the Angel Flight 44 book, and many other links and documents—it seems to me that KCM could have come up with a more transparent and honest response than what is indicated within their erroneous and weak public statement above.

Thus, in the light of their failure to “come into the light” on this and many other issues, we at KennethCopelandBlog.com have to conclude that they “refuse to come to the light because their deeds are evil” as Jesus said. Consequently, my family and I, along with the growing multitude of like-minded and concerned brethren in the Lord, are calling on Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry, to simply repent.

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• Click here if you would like to return to the Table of Contents page •

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Note: This blog does not allow comments. Please review our Commentary Policy page for more information.

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Integrity Check Two:

Is there something you are leaving out?

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Again, because of the enormity of the information being presented here on KennethCopelandBlog.com, it is not surprising that some people may be missing some key points of information regarding my own integrity in bringing these things out publicly.

Here is another common question, which is now relevant at this point within the AF44 discussion to address:

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You keep mentioning that Copeland broke his promises, but was there something you were supposed to do but did not? (Or some question similar.)

• Nope. My sole responsibilities were to research and write the book, Angel Flight 44: The True Story of Two Dedicated Pilots, a 60-Year-Old Airplane, and the Amazing Hurricane Katrina Mission That Birthed a New Aviation Ministry, and in conjunction with the publisher, to see that the book was published and marketed.
  • This was certainly done, as nearly 80,000 copies of all edition being in-print does clearly attest.
• The responsibility (and pledge) of Kenneth Copeland and his aviation friend, Glen Hyde, was to start the ministry that the book said already existed and was being developed.
• The fact that these two did NOT fulfill their obligations DID hinder the publisher and me in our ability to fulfill our marketing objectives, however:
  • It is extremely difficult to market a book that says “a ministry has been born” when there is actually NO tangible ministry…because that would be marketing a lie.
  • I could not, with a clear conscience, market a lie.
• These facts above are verified by the mere fact that Kenneth Copeland and KCM would NOT address these issues with me privately during my private efforts to address them.
  • i.e. If I was negligent on some point, would not Kenneth Copeland or somebody from KCM have at least informed me when I brought my complaints to them about their failure to form the AF44 ministry?

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Thank you for taking the time to review this website. Moreover, I hope this little post serves to clarify at least the above issues “at a glance.” Please continue reading the details of The Mysterious Disappearance of Angel Flight 44 section for more information.

Always in Jesus,

-Rich Vermillion

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• Click here if you would like to return to the Table of Contents page •

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Note: This blog does not allow comments. Please review our Commentary Policy page for more information.

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Integrity Check One:

Did you talk to KC about this?

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Because of the enormity of the information being presented here on KennethCopelandBlog.com, it is not surprising that some people may be missing some key points of information regarding my own integrity in bringing these things out publicly. The following questions below are linked to the pages on this website where more detailed answers can be obtained.

Here are a few common questions, relevant at this point in the AF44 discussion:

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Did you try talking to Kenneth Copeland or KCM about all of these issues before going public? (This is sometimes asked with a reference to Matthew 18:15-17.)

• Yes, and you can read about my three-year long effort to get answers from them briefly within the first two posts on the FAQ page.
• And you can read about how Copeland has been confronted before at the following articles:
  • Will Kenneth Copeland Listen Now? (op-ed)
  • Reverend Hagin’s Previous Rebuke of Kenneth Copeland

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What Biblical basis do you have for rebuking the Copelands publicly? (This is sometimes asked in conjunction with, “Why do you not walk in love?” or something similar.)

• In short, I am a minister, rebuking another errant minister, just like Paul did with Peter in Galatians chapter 2:11-21.

• I have also addressed this question in much greater detail within the following introductory posts:
  • The Biblical Basis for this Public Rebuke
  • The “Convenient Doctrines” of Preachers in Sin

• And the following posts on the FAQ page:
  • Aren’t you doing the prophet harm?
  • Why don’t you walk in love?
  • Who are you to judge?

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Why are you doing this website? (Or something similar.)

• I am a former partner with KCM for about seventeen years, and am thus concerned for the souls and well-being of Kenneth Copeland and his family, and their followers.
• In short, this is a redemptive project that is “calling on the man, his family, and his ministry, to simply repent” as it says on the header image of EVERY page of this website.
• I further detail our intentions and motivations:
  • On the About page of this blog
  • Within the AF44 Section Introduction
  • And within the text of many of the articles herein.

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I hope this page serves to clarify everything “at a glance” while providing our readers other references for further information.

Always in Jesus,

-Rich Vermillion

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• Click here if you would prefer to return to the Table of Contents page •

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Note: This blog does not allow comments. Please review our Commentary Policy page for more information.

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Angel Flight 44, The Book

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We have referred often within the AF44 section of KennethCopelandBlog.com to the book which I wrote entitled, Angel Flight 44: The True Story of Two Dedicated Pilots, a 60-Year-Old Airplane, and the Amazing Hurricane Katrina Mission That Birthed a New Aviation Ministry. Consequently, I consider it is necessary for me to elaborate on a few points related to that topic.

In this section we will let Kenneth Copeland do most of the talking through excerpts from the book. We will then discuss briefly the nearly 78,000 copies KCM gave away to partners and ministers.

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Providing Things Honest:

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Let me begin by stating at the onset that I am NOT taking ANY of these quotes out of context in any sort of effort to make Kenneth Copeland “look bad.” In fact, in two cases below I have excerpted almost the entire chapters! (Which, due to my exclusive copyrights for these sections and almost the entire book, is certainly my prerogative to do.)

Furthermore, anybody who has already been reviewing the videos and BVOV magazines here on KennethCopelandBlog.com should readily recognized these citations as being completely congruent with what he has said publicly in other settings. The BVOV magazines provided for download on this website are in their entirety as originally provided by the KCM archives, and the videos embedded hereon have all provided full context as well. Thus, I have already demonstrated painstaking efforts to provide things “honest in the sight of all men” as Romans 12:17 and 2 Corinthians 8:21  admonish me to do.

Lastly, let me also mention that though the book is no longer on the market through the original publisher, there were tens of thousands of copies distributed by KCM to its partners worldwide. Thus, there are plenty of people out there able to double-check my quotations for accuracy and context—and at the time I am writing this, there are also numerous USED copies of Angel Flight 44 in the ORIGINAL paperback edition available on Amazon.com for others to obtain and check if they so desire.

SPECIAL NOTE 1: There was later an abridged edition called, Angel Flight 44: A True Story, which won a 2008 Silver Angel Award from Excellence in Media. However, the publisher removed that streamlined edition from the market too soon for the available used copies to accumulate significantly on the used book market, and that edition does NOT have the “Copeland” chapters included.

SPECIAL NOTE 2: Although this should be obvious, I will state it anyway: Neither I, nor Kenneth Copeland, nor Glen Hyde, make ANY money off of used copies purchased—just as Ford Motor Company does not make any money if you buy your cousin’s used Ford car.

Now with all that said, let us begin examining quotes…

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Kenneth Copeland Said:

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This first quote is actually most of the text of chapter 33, found on pages 207-209. I wanted to give you a fairly exhaustive excerpt so that the key portions emphasized by BOLD text will make proper sense. Wherever you see an ellipses in brackets “[...]” in any of the quotes below, that indicates where I am jumping from one citation to another to skip over non-related text.

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Not too long before Katrina hit, our ministry experienced a major upsurge in finances. Miraculously, we had money to put into relief efforts immediately upon landfall of that storm. The Lord had already provided much of the extra capital we needed in advance to begin helping people down there.

Because of the timing of the financial increase, it was obvious where much of the overflow was to be directed. This was a move of God. This pre-storm provision happened within hours of the need’s manifestation. As we were praying for the people and praying against that storm, I knew that the Lord had already moved for us. We took that upsurge of finances and poured it into purchasing water, food and everything else we could think of that people would need.

A few days later, we went on the Internet, and a lot of our partners began responding. Thanks to our partners’ obedience to the Holy Spirit in this matter of giving, we were able to not only start off on the right foot, but we were also able to continue the efforts for as long as was needed.

It is one thing to find out about a disastrous situation and then, out of desperation, try to respond to it—which is like trying to build a house in the middle of a flood. It is another thing entirely to hear and obey God-directed “unctions” in advance so that, when the situation comes, the preparations have already been made for immediate action. Thank God, Glen Hyde was sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings to do something at a certain time, without even knowing why he was doing it. [...]

And out of this, a new and different form of ministry has been born: Angel Flight 44. It is growing right now. It is still a baby, but it is growing. Right now, it is in its infancy, but we will never again get caught partially prepared for such a disaster. Angel Flight 44 is a ministry that is here to stay, and I will tell you why…

Katrina is not the last catastrophe that will occur. We are going to see more of those kinds of things. There are other places around the world where sin has become so heavy that the atmosphere will not be able to withstand it. And when that happens, it will explode. In those instances, the earth just breaks. It groans and travails and buckles under the pressure that sin has put upon it. In those times, you cannot fix things with a few prayers and some half-hearted hallelujahs.

Certainly, there are ways to pray effectively in times like these, and I am learning more and more about it; but being prepared for it is just as important as praying after it has happened. We must have certain arrangements already set in place. Some preparations are based on experience from previous incidents, and some are simply Holy Spirit-directed instructions that may seem strange, but are actually critical steps that will make perfect sense later on—either when you see the catastrophe coming, or just after it has happened.

We are not going to be caught like that again, having to scramble to meet people’s needs and learning how to meet those needs in the process. We found out in Katrina, and later in Rita, what people needed. So, we are preparing. Angel Flight 44 is alive and growing rapidly.

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Again, let me now excerpt the majority of a chapter, this time from from chapter 34 (pages 211-214). Note: The subtitle included below appears within the book’s actual text:
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We also learned from this experience that the government could not handle it. I am not saying that in order to criticize the government. The truth of the matter is that they are not supposed to handle stuff like this. It is not their job. The government can help, but it is actually the job of churches all over this country to help meet the needs of people. The proper order of things would be for the government to help the church help the people—which is why the church is there.

Throughout the relief efforts, the Body of Christ worked together to make things happen. And I have noticed we are all still working together to meet the needs of people. We have noticed it locally, around our local area. There are now over thirty different churches working with our church in helping to feed this county and the county right north of us. We make food deliveries to them and they distribute. There are Presbyterian churches, Baptist churches, and all kinds of churches. They all come together because people need help. [...]

The Ongoing Mission of Angel Flight 44

The government is a welfare organization, whereas the church has a heart of love for people. And when Katrina hit, the churches went into action. All the churches needed were some supplies—and that is where we came in. We felt that was our job—to help supply those churches who in turn supply the people in need. Therein was born the ministry of Angel Flight 44.

That is our mission in the future: we will help churches help people. And from this time on, we are still building, we are still gathering, and we are still preparing as if there is a storm on the way—because there is. We just do not know where it is going to hit, but the storm is coming. Jesus said so in His Word.

So, we are preparing for it. We are preparing equipment. We have plans for more airplanes as the Lord provides funds for them—and He will. Great big things that fly into places, and little bitty things that fl y into other places. We need airplanes that haul a lot of stuff, and airplanes that haul a little stuff. We need airplanes that land on the ground, and airplanes that land on the water. We are also believing for helicopters. Now, I have not seen any use for a balloon yet, but I am not ruling that out!

We have plans for acquiring other types of equipment. We have hangars on the drawing board right now in order to be equipped in all areas of flight.

So, that is where we are now. A ministry has been born, and we are going to nurse it and build it and grow it and do our part.

Yes, there is a new baby in town, and her name is Angel Flight 44. And she is coming on strong because…the storm is coming. I do not know whether it is a hurricane or a bunch more tornadoes, or what. But we are going to be ready next time. [...]

All of this taught us and trained us. You know, God does miracles, but He does not plan on your trying to live your life depending on them. A miracle is a divine intervention on the normal course of nature to get you back on His track. You are then, however, supposed to stay on track by living on the power of His Word. We are supposed to live by the Word, not just by miracles.

Now, in this situation we had to have the miracles because “the bridge was out,” so to speak. Something had to happen to get us from one place to the other, and He did the miracles that we needed. The next time something like this happens, we will be way ahead. Even though we will still have the miracles, we will also get better at helping the people. Moreover, the whole Church will get better at it. That is the way it ought to be.

The same thing was happening with other ministries, too, such as Operation Blessing and our close friend and partner, Buddy Shipp of American Samaritan. Those guys, thank God, were ahead of us because they had been in that ministry for a long time. They had a lot of things prepared that we didn’t. But they didn’t have any wings. The idea of there not being any highways available was never much of an issue before Katrina.

Let’s say, for instance, there was an earthquake someplace and the highways were wiped out. Your ability to get in and out would be lost. I was thinking about certain parts of the country where they have gotten away from their ferryboats; they have gotten away from any public transportation except for the highway-type. Even with the trains, in most cities if you ask somebody, “What would you do if you had to ride a train?” They wouldn’t even know where one was. They would not know how to get on the thing.

If an earthquake were to tear the highways up, what would you do? That is when we need to have airplanes flying in. But what if it also tears up all the runways? That is when you must have helicopters—or flying boats. You are not going to get rid of the ocean! It will be there no matter what. That is the way God has us praying and thinking now. He had to bring us up to a higher level in our mentalities—He jerked us up there through Hurricane Katrina.

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Now a few smaller excerpts from chapter 35 to finish up the Copeland quotes:
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[...] I am spiritually wise enough, with what little I have learned, to recognize certain places that are earmarked for this kind of thing. I mean, my goodness, you do not have to be a spiritual “rocket scientist” to figure out that there are certain places that, in the natural, are set up for disasters.

There are whole cities built on huge faults. There are whole cities built in the shadow of volcanoes, and that kind of thing. Well, we need to be spending more time praying and listening to God concerning these things because God went to Abraham before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. That fact let me know that it is God’s will to reveal to His people where these things are going to happen, and to direct us to get into prayer and change what we can. Then when one does actually happen…we fix what we can after it takes place.

So we are learning. Big things have been born out of Hurricane Katrina. We will never be that ‘dumb’ again. (Page 217)

[...] Well, New York City listened—and God spared them when disaster struck. On the other hand, New Orleans did not—and God could not help them any more than He did to stop that storm because they were used to not listening to Him. If people will not listen to God in their everyday lives, and reject His counsel just to keep their sin, then they will not be able to hear Him when He tries to warn them of pending disaster. Really, that is why He tells them not to sin in the first place…it brings disaster.

But thank God, He had a whole bunch of us willing to go down there when it was all over. He knew full well those people’s hearts would finally be open to receive His Word…and many of them have repented and turned to God since then as a result. One Word from God can change your life forever.

All of this was because His Church would listen to Him, get ready when He said to—and then work together to help those people when they were in need. (Page 221)

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Okay, I have let Kenneth Copeland do his own talking above. Added to the videos and BVOV magazines also provided here on KennethCopelandBlog.com, these quotes conclusively reveal to any impartial person that the aviation ministry of Angel Flight 44 was indicated by Copeland to be already existing, and developing further for the future natural disasters Copeland knew would occur.

Now, let’s see how many of these copies of Angel Flight 44 are circulating out there….
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AF44 Book Giveaways:

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The book, Angel Flight 44: The True Story of Two Dedicated Pilots, a 60-Year-Old Airplane, and the Amazing Hurricane Katrina Mission That Birthed a New Aviation Ministry, was given away to the ministers attending the 2007 KCM Minister’s Conference in January, 2007, as the third video in the article The AF44 Miracle and Kenneth Copeland’s Promises has already shown. Exactly 1,300 copies were ordered and expedited to KCM, and the video shows how the giveaway was conducted.

Additionally, the book was also offered to the Partners of KCM in their April, 2007 “Partner Letter” mailing.  The following image is a scanned copy of the mailer insert included within my own received copy of the specially marked “Free Offer Enclosed!” envelope:

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Click image to enlarge:

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The following image is a scanned copy of the donor card also included within that mailer, where partners could check, “Yes, please rush me my free gift copy of Angel Flight 44” right above the place where the offering amount is entered on the card (Note: I redacted, or “blacked out,” my personal information from the address field):

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Click image to enlarge:

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You can download a scanned copy of the entire April, 2007 four-page partner letter I personally received in the mail. The two scanned items above are combined onto a fifth page and are included. Download by clicking on the Adobe PDF image below (English only):

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(2.8 mb)

Note: Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader 7.0 or higher is required to view the above PDF

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KCM ordered from the publisher 75,000 copies, but a printer overrun resulted in a total of 76,400 being delivered. (The publisher did not charge KCM for the extra copies.)

Of these, most were delivered to the KCM fulfillment facilities on the grounds of Kenneth Copeland Ministries. However, KCM’s foreign offices in Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia, each received 5,000 copies to giveaway to the English-speaking partners who requested them in those countries those offices serve.

Thus, altogether, almost exactly 77,700 copies of Angel Flight 44 were delivered to KCM, and the MAJORITY of these were sent to partners according to the early and mid-term reports I received from the various managers involved. (I never received a final count from KCM, however, so the exact figures are not available to me to share here.)

So in conclusion:

• KCM ordered and gave away 1,300 copies of the ORIGINAL edition of Angel Flight 44 (i.e. with the “Copeland” chapters included) to ministers attending the 2007 KCM Minister’s Conference.
• KCM received about 76,400 copies of this same edition, and gave away most of them, to those partners around the world who requested them.
• Thus, up to 77,700 partners of KCM read the same commitments made by Kenneth Copeland that have been excerpted on this web page above.

I think it is safe to say, then, that Kenneth Copeland needs to be very forthcoming with some answers as to why these statements and pledges have not come to pass.

Next, we will talk about Angel Flight 44, The Money…

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AF44 Executive Summary (Synopsis)

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Within The Mysterious Disappearance of Angel Flight 44 section you will first discover the miracle of the original Angel Flight 44 (AF44) humanitarian relief flights—along with the pledges made by Kenneth Copeland that this would be an ongoing aviation mission of Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM). However, you will also discover herein the ignoble reality that this promised aviation ministry has never actually manifested beyond those original missions.

Kenneth Copeland promised that he and KCM would “be ready” to provide aviation support for humanitarian relief the next time a natural disaster occurs. This fact is documented within this section of KennethCopelandBlog.com through videos, KCM Believer’s Voice of Victory magazines downloads, my own testimony before the Lord, and other documents such as I deem appropriate to post.

The sheer volume of public statements made by Kenneth Copeland among the aforementioned evidence definitively establishes his pledges regarding the Angel Flight 44 ministry as historical fact and not mere speculation.

Unfortunately, another horrific fact is that many hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other catastrophes, have occurred since his promises were made—without any air support from KCM/AF44 being provided to the relief organizations in desperate need. The most recent event, of course, is the Haitian earthquake disaster; however, that is not the only such event wherein aviation support may have been needed.

When we consider the unimaginable cost of the lives which may have been tragically cut short due to a lack of aviation resources being available to the relief workers, then Copeland’s failure to perform as promised becomes even more ominous as it seems to display a severe dereliction of duty—and an amazing indifference regarding the additional human suffering that has resulted.

In this section we will also discuss the book Angel Flight 44: The True Story of Two Dedicated Pilots, a 60-Year-Old Airplane, and the Amazing Hurricane Katrina Mission That Birthed a New Aviation Ministry, which I wrote. There were many other interesting statements made by Kenneth Copeland and the “Commandant” of this new Angel Flight 44 ministry, Mr. Glen Hyde, within its pages.

We will discuss the unaccounted for money donated to KCM specifically for starting the new ministry, and other such related issues as I deem necessary.

Once this section is completed, I will summarize what has been presented herein and share my own conclusions concerning these matters. Readers will be encouraged to consider these facts and form their own conclusions, and to give these matters much prayer as they consider how to take appropriate action regarding this apparent AF44 fraud.

Thank you again for your time in reviewing these pages.

Always in Jesus,

-Rich Vermillion

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AF44 Section Introduction

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This section, The Mysterious Disappearance of Angel Flight 44 (AF44), is the one in which my saddest obligations are realized. However, the tragic earthquake crisis now unfolding in Haiti infused me with the motivation necessary to populate this area of KennethCopelandBlog.com immediately…and without regret.

I received an email contact on Thursday, January 14th, 2010 from a Christian man who asked, “Hello Rich, Is Angel Flight 44 alive and well and running disaster response teams/relief? And is there a way to work with Angel Flight 44 in response to the earthquake in Haiti?” My soul was pierced by his sincere desire to help—and the knowledge that Copeland’s promised ministry was not a reality. After replying to him with the sad news, I gave this matter much prayer, and came to the decision that enough was enough. Consequently, I have been working feverishly over an entire weekend and into the following week in order to populate this section of KennethCopelandBlog.com with the shameful details.

Of course, I was the one who researched and wrote the book entitled Angel Flight 44, in which was told the story of those original missions and Copeland’s subsequent commitments. Now I have the distasteful task of setting the record straight about what appears to me to be an outright lie and a fraud. I have three clear purposes in mind as I do so:

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1. To hold Kenneth Copeland, his family, and Kenneth Copeland Ministries, accountable to a biblical standard of conduct. It is my sincere desire that public exposure of this unconscionable fiasco might result in their biblical repentance (i.e not merely an apology or counter-offensive public relations campaign, but true heartfelt repentance that results in appropriate good deeds).
2. To warn the Body of Christ regarding the actual sinister character of that family and “ministry.” In so doing, I hope to insulate them from the Copelands’ errant influence while informing the partners of KCM regarding the probable abuse of their AF44-designated funds.
3. To publicly clear my name from any culpability with regard to Copeland’s apparent lie and fraud. Proverbs 22:1 admonishes us that, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” It is my biblical right and responsibility to ensure that my name and reputation as a minister are not tainted by their apparent hypocrisy and deceit.

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With these three purposes above serving as my guiding principles to this section, I will  also endeavor to  be faithful regarding my testimony. I am well aware of the fact that the ninth commandment of God’s Ten Commandments clearly states, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (see Exodus chapter 20). I am also very aware of the sober and grave warning of Revelation 21:8 that, “…all liars [will have] their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” (Of course, these same Scriptures are what cause me to have grave concern regarding the eternal destiny of the Copeland family.)

Thus, I am making every effort to be painstakingly fair and honest with my testimony within this entire blog . I am also providing copious resources (videos, documents, etc.) that confirm the truthfulness of my testimony. As the apostle Paul himself exhorted:

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Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone. (Romans 12:17, Amplified)

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I have biblical grounds for conducting such a public rebuke (as the opening section of this blog details), so I am not repaying Copeland “evil for evil” but confronting him in accordance with scriptural guidelines and examples. Of course, those same Bible precepts require me to be “…honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone” as I fulfill my biblical mandate; and towards that end I shall make every possible effort.

So in conclusion: this blog has been created out of an honest heart that truly desires to see the Copelands repent and to see the Body of Christ unsullied by that family’s error, along with a heartfelt compulsion to act upon my own integrity regarding these matters and to preserve my good name.

Now, with the above introduction in mind, please proceed to the AF44 Executive Summary for an overview, and then proceed from there as your time and curiosity permit.

Thank you for your time in reviewing these pages, and giving these serious issues much prayer and consideration.

Always in Jesus,

-Rich Vermillion

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