John Davies
Morris Cerullo is an ordained Assembly of God Minister and Healing
Evangelist. His personal ministry mansion and two-story home
is over 12,000 sq ft. It is behind two secured gates in the richest
neighbourhood in America and has been estimated at over $12 million.
Mr Cerullo and his wife are the only two that live there, and
report that they are on the foreign field 70% of the time...
what a waste of God's money!
Morris Cerullo's sky limousine, a Gulstream G4, is estimated
to be worth $50 million. He has two full-time pilots and a stewardess
who said in recent depositions that the plane has a gold-plated
interior. He has had three similar private jets since.
Morris Cerullo claims to be a miracle maker, but he is under
investigation for being a money taker. John Paul Warren, a former
Senior Executive with Morris Cerullo World Evangelism (MCWE)
has filed a lawsuit claiming he was ousted from the MCWE organization
after confronting Cerullo about "unethical and fraudulent
fund-raising techniques."
This is the second such lawsuit against Cerullo. Warren, who
is a highly respected, third-generation, ordained Assemblies
of God Minister, filed his suit in May of 2000 in San Diego County
Superior Court. He is represented by attorneys Dean Broyles and
Tim Rutherford of San Diego, and Hunter Lundy, based in Lake
Charles, Louisiana. Lundy successfully represented Marvin Gorman
in his suit against televangelist Jimmy Swaggart in 1991, which
resulted in a large verdict against Swaggart."
Cerullo refers to himself as `Dr. Cerullo,' although he does
not have any degree earning him this title," says Lundy.
"He runs MCWE from offices in San Diego, which he calls
`mission control,' but he does not serve as the minister of any
physical church or congregation." Cerullo raised millions
of dollars and bought the defunct PTL Network, theme park and
conference grounds from bankruptcy court after Televangelist
Jim Bakker's career ended when he was convicted and sent to federal
prison for fraud."
Cerullo purports to have first met God at the age of eight. Since
then, his life has apparently been one unbelievable experience
after another," says Lundy. "He says he was led out
of a Jewish orphanage by two angelic beings; transported to heaven
for a face- to-face meeting with God; has the ability to predict
the future; can heal the sick; and has told audiences when they
look at him they `are looking at God.' He also asks them to `give
me your pocket books.' "
According to Broyles, Cerullo's primary focus is raising millions
of dollars in the name of God to support his own personal lavish
lifestyle both overseas and in the United States. He says, "The
victims of Cerullo's tactics and the source of his millions are
the elderly, widows and poor here in the United States as well
as in distressed third world nations." Broyles says Cerullo's
fundraising tactics include direct solicitations, prayer rallies,
the sale of videotapes, prayer networks, television marketing
and mail campaigns, among others, all of which are based upon
misrepresentations and false promises.
Warren, who has first-hand knowledge of MCWE operations, says,
"Cerullo made countless promises to his donors he never
intended to keep. He would raise money for popular projects that
would generate extraordinary donor support, then never do the
project, but keep the money." Warren says shortly after
moving to San Diego to assume the leadership of MCWE he discovered
that Cerullo used the charitable status of MCWE to personally
profit. "Cerullo merchandises the gospel for his own personal
wealth," says Warren. Warren has asked Cerullo to repent
for his deceptive fundraising practices and to return millions
to his donors, but Cerullo refused.
Cerullo's son, David Cerullo, runs the former PTL Network, now
known as the Inspiration (INSP) Network based in North Carolina,
which serves as a primary medium for disseminating Cerullo's
solicitation programs and generating names for future fundraising
efforts. "Neither Cerullo's MCWE nor his Inspiration Network
are financially accountable to any group," says Rutherford.
"In fact, Cerullo, his son David and his wife Theresa are
all members of MCWE's board of directors."
Warren's attorneys say their sources report 70% of Cerullo's
income comes from profit-oriented business activities as opposed
to the non-profit activities dictated by his tax- exempt status.
"Cerullo lives in plush comfort in a multi-million dollar
mansion behind two security gates on a luxurious estate in the
exclusive Ranch Sante Fe neighbourhood, purported to be the richest
neighbourhood in the country. MCWE owns and controls numerous
business properties, several luxury automobiles and a gold-plated
private jet. He is reported to have personally estimated his
net worth at 100 million dollars. Does this sound like the lifestyle
of a minister of the gospel?" asks Lundy.
Attorneys say trouble seems to be following Cerullo and his MCWE
ministry. Numerous former employees have reported possible criminal
violations to the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs and
the U.S. Postal Inspector. Cerullo has been banned from television
in Great Britain unless he can authenticate the miracles he supposedly
performs, and the Jewish community has protested what they call
his underhanded attempts to convert practising Jews to Christianity.
In addition, many established, respected religious organizations
have distanced themselves from Cerullo and MCWE.Attorneys in
this case are deeply concerned that Cerullo's fundraising practices
are harmful, especially to the elderly.
Previously Superior Court Judge Linda B. Quinn denied a motion
by Cerullo to dismiss Warren's claims. Cerullo appealed Judge
Quinn's ruling. He sought immunity from litigation under the
First Amendment to the Constitution. The appeal was to be heard
in the Superior Court of Appeals of the State of California at
the San Diego County Courthouse at 9am on November 14.
By all accounts, the hearing went well for Cerullo's opponents.
Cerullo himself was present with his wife to witness the proceedings.
Rather than answer the charges, Cerullo is trying to hide behind
the first amendment that states that ministers cannot go to court
against one another. The Appeals court will give a ruling within
the next 90 days.
John Paul Warren, Cerullo's antagonist, is determined that Cerullo
be exposed to the Christian community for his actions. He says
he tried for nearly two years to get Cerullo to submit to Church
leadership for correction, but predictably Cerullo refused. He
says he travelled with Cerullo throughout the world and witnessed
his actions first hand. He asked Cerullo to return millions of
dollars to the donors, but predictably Cerullo refused. So Warren
felt he had no other choice but to take him to court.
Warren's suit also claims that an AG church in Oregon reversed
its decision to hire him after learning of his lawsuit against
Cerullo. Warren alleges that MCWE officials' interference damaged
his relationship with the AG and affected his future job prospects.
The MCWE board statement said that prior to filing his lawsuit,
Warren had demanded $2.2 million not to sue. He had been asked
to submit his grievances to binding Christian arbitration, but
refused. Warren said he would go to nonbinding arbitration if
MCWE paid all expenses, the board said.
Another suit against Cerullo was recently settled out of court.
Harry Turner, a MCWE vice president who resigned in November
1999, said that the agreement prevented him from revealing the
amount of the settlement. According to a letter on court file,
Turner's attorney had asked for $800,000 to settle "short
of litigation." Turner's list of grievances against Cerullo
included allegations of lies and fraud by Cerullo to his donors.
Davis Frast, a public information officer and postal inspector
with the Postal Inspection Service, said that his agency had
received complaints about Cerullo's ministry and that it was
in the first stages of an investigation.
Back in the 90's Assembly of God Evangelist Morris Cerullo had
a telethon on national telethon with a special guest Robert Tilton.
The purpose was to collect money to buy back Jim Bakker's Heritage
USA, the Christian theme park in Fort Mill, South Carolina,
founded by Jim Bakker. In the 1980s, Heritage USA attracted 6
million visitors annually and employed more than 2,000 people.
Evangelist Cerullo was successful in his undertaking and the
park stayed opened for a few years but nevertheless closed its
door closed November 30, 1997. But unknown to most people was
the fact that Morris Cerullo undertook this venture because
the number one boss of the Assembly of God denomination Thomas
E. Trask asked him to do it. The Assembly of God denomination
through its different superintendents was a driving and controlling
force behind Jim Bakker's PTL Club.
Jeffrey K. Hadden, professor of sociology at the University of
Virginia at Charlottesville reported that 'A little-known clause
in the Heritage USA charter bequeaths the entire kingdom to the
Assemblies of God in the event that Jim and Tammy were not able
to reign?"
Karl Strader has gone on record to state that I was one of those
who helped him build PTL,", "and I never did know
what he did wrong, frankly. And if he did do something wrong,
I forgive him, and I know everybody else here forgives him,"
said After getting out from prison Baker once spoke at Carpenter's
Home church and said Strader's wife, Joyce, wrote him a letter
once a week while he was in prison.
What was significant was the Robert Tilton was never part of
the Assembly of God or PTL Club crowd. He was an independent
"faith' evangelist who saw the value of television and
the buy back of Heritage USA included its state of the art Television
facilities and dishes. (Oral Roberts also competed in this venture
against Morris Cerullo and lost!)
The secular news media reported that in the Brownsville Assembly
of God revival four pastors involved in the revival each set
up personally owned non profit corporations to profit from the
revival. Unfortunately for the sheep it's very common in America
for TV Evangelists and even pastors and preachers to be con
artists and thieves.
Although it's an American Federal law that all non profit corporations,
including universities and Evangelical ministries, must release
to the public their five top salaries few of the Religious ones
do it
A former Pentecostal pastor sentenced to prison recently for
fleecing his Colorado congregation admitted doing "some
horrible, horrible, things," as a handful of church members
sat in court.
According to "The Colorado Springs Gazette," John Harris,
who previously led the First Assembly of God church in Canon
City, received a 21-month federal prison term Tuesday for embezzling
more than $350,000 from the congregation, based near Denver.
"I am sorry for the deep wounds inflicted by the crimes
of fraud, deceit and lies I have committed," Harris, 41,
said in court. Without authorization, he opened an account in
the church's name and took loans using forged authorization from
church leaders. Harris spent the cash on a spa, a golf course
membership and stocks.
"He let his desires to be successful blind him to the folly
of what he was doing," said Harris' attorney, Warren Williamson,
who sought leniency, citing his client's family, children and
history of good works.
Judge Walker Miller said the pastor pursued "the altar of
the material god." "It is not my job to forgive you,"
Miller said, the "Gazette" reported. "It is my
job to punish you." Harris' wife, Linda, will be sentenced
next week for her role in the scheme.
John Harris, Morris Cerullo, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and Karl
Strader are only the tip of the iceberg of many scoundrels in
the Assembly of God denomination who use the sheep for their
own gain. Then we have others like Dr. Henry J. Lyons, Billy,
Ned and Franklin Graham, Robert Tilton, Jim Bakker to name a
few.
References
http://www.christian-witness.org/archives/cetf2002/cerullo02.html
- http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/9te/9te026.html
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/graham.html
http://www.webprowire.com/summaries/32914.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/alexgraham.html
http://www.maranathaprophecypage.com/Prophetic_Signs/Great%20Apostasy/Ghostwriting.htm
http://cnt10.tripod.com/graham.htm
http://www.worldmag.com/world/issue/11-06-99/national_1.asp
http://www.cephasministry.com/news_evangelical_news.html
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/111/32.0.html
http://www.maclaurin.org/article_detail.php?a_id=31
http://www.herbertwarmstrong.com/god_is_good.htm
http://cnt10.tripod.com/bakker.htm
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