Kenneth Copeland, a highly affluent televangelist, is facing criticism for not delivering disaster relief supplies to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, despite having made such a promise. His ministry is also under investigation by the Senate Finance Committee for potential misuse of its nonprofit status. Detractors argue that they have made unfulfilled commitments and have not properly accounted for donations received.
Rich Vermillion, co-author of Angel Flight 44, remarked at the time, “In light of the significant crisis currently affecting Haiti, Kenneth Copeland’s promised Angel Flight 44 ministry appears to be absent, and the funds he raised to establish this initiative remain unaccounted for.” Angel Flight 44 was initiated by Glen Hyde and Kenneth Copeland during the Southwest Believer’s Convention, intended as a new disaster relief ministry through which Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM) would offer ongoing aviation support. This initiative was announced following a summary of KCM’s relief efforts in 2006 after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Much of the discourse surrounding this matter has been driven by Vermillion, who established kennethcopelandblog.com as a platform for holding errant ministers accountable.
He asserts that while Copeland solicited donations, he never actually established the charity. Vermillion stated, “It is as if Kenneth Copeland had never claimed that such a ministry was already in existence, nor had he consistently promised that an aviation support ministry would be developed and ready for emergencies, such as the recent disaster in Haiti.”
Kenneth Copeland, whose net worth is estimated at $760 million and who possesses a fleet of private jets, has labeled the allegations as “misleading” and “potentially damaging misinformation.” In a recent statement, his ministry asserted that Kenneth Copeland Ministries is among the leading Christian ministries globally and operates with the highest level of integrity. They further noted, “The Church undergoes an annual independent audit, and there are no funds that have been misused or left unaccounted for.”
KCM asserts that it made “one of its aircraft available” during the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2006 and has “also explored the possibility of providing such assistance for future disasters.” However, when asked for further details, KCM spokesperson Dr. Stephen Swisher acknowledged, “This was not a specific promise with a timeline attached.”
Swisher indicated that Angel Flight 44 has raised only $7,788.43, which has been allocated for aircraft repairs. Although KCM acquired an airplane, it currently faces “structural issues” and is not “in airworthy condition.” The spokesperson stated that the ministry lacks the funds to purchase another aircraft and is in need of additional donations. “Nonetheless, we aspire to have an aircraft available for disaster relief efforts,” Swisher remarked. “We are trusting God for the financial resources to establish a fleet of aircraft for such situations.”
Since 2005, KCM has garnered over $2.4 million in disaster-related donations. “We believe that rather than duplicating efforts or reinventing the wheel, we should support other ministries that possess the capability and resources to respond swiftly and effectively to assist the people of Haiti,” Swisher concluded.
Rich Vermillion expressed skepticism, stating, “A generic relief fund is a far cry from a fully operational disaster-relief aviation ministry.” He added, “My experiences with Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry have led me to the unfortunate conclusion that they may be nothing more than religious frauds. That is why we are urging them to simply repent.”
