Gospel entrepreneurs: Jesus is good for business

Jakes and Bush

The similarity between the relationship of Jakes with Bush, and Howard and the gospel entrepreneurs is interesting.

The president led the groundbreaking ceremony of Jakes’ million dollar “business incubator”. Howard opens Phil Pringle's church.

Bush under attack over his handling of the response to hurricane Katrina turned to Jakes to get him out of trouble. As black American leaders vented their anger with the Bush administration, Jakes was co-opted, toured Louisiana with the president, and delivered the sermon on the national day of prayer for the victims. Getting ready for an election, Howard launches his campaigns in the heart of the Pentecostal movement and the gospel entrepreneurs.

In response to criticism, Jakes said he made a number of recommendations to Bush, particularly on the housing issue. Bush later “awarded no-bid construction contracts to Halliburton”.

Australia

Jakes is not the first and he will not be the last of the gospel entrepreneurs to hit Australia. Joyce Meyer, (Enjoying Everyday Life), Creflo Dollar, Garner Ted Armstrong and James Robinson (Life Today) appear on daily and weekly Australian commercial television, all soliciting cash without being registered, as required by Victorian law. Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn (This is your day) have just registered. Meanwhile Hinn is under investigation by the US Inland Revenue Service.

Hillsong is the focus of parliamentary and press scrutiny with regard to cash following complaints by an Aboriginal community organisation. Currently the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority is reportedly targeting the commercial operations of churches, including, “the more entrepreneurial evangelical churches” (The Australian October 28, 2005). And within mainline denominations and the Australian Taxation Office there is continuing concern on how gospel entrepreneurs “package” everything from their salary packages to minimising taxation on their commercial activities.

The ethical, moral and legal issues of how cash is handled are significant and there needs to be a greater accountability and transparency. However it is the broader right-wing political agenda of the gospel entrepreneurs which is unnoticed and ignored. It is the gospel entrepreneurs, whether imported or Australian bred, which through a wide ranging network of individuals, organisations and para-churches which provide an active underpinning of the political agenda for both Howard and Bush.