Creflo Dollar
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Creflo Augustus Dollar, Jr. (born on January 15, 1962, College Park, Georgia) is a televangelist, Word of Faith teacher, pastor, and the founder of the non-denominational Christian World Changers Ministries based in College Park, Georgia, which is the parent organization for World Changers Church International, International Covenant Ministries, Creflo Dollar Ministries, and Arrow Records. Each of these enterprises is overseen by Dollar and his wife, Taffi Dollar.
Dollar received a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s degree in counseling, and a doctorate in counseling from the University of West Georgia. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Oral Roberts University in 1998.
Dollar started his ministry in 1986 with eight people and as of 2005 had a congregation of nearly 25,000, with regular services held at the church's 8,500-seat "World Dome."
His "Changing Your World" television program is seen both in the United States and internationally. In 2004, a satellite church was started in New York. It has a membership of about 6,000. The church holds conventions around the world.
[edit] Controversy
A Word of Faith teacher, Dollar is sometimes criticized for advocating a prosperity-oriented teaching held by most Christians to be a misreading of Christian theology[citation needed]. Many of Dollar's followers believe that his Rolls-Royce automobiles, which he claims were given to him by the church, his private jets, and million-dollar Atlanta home and multimillion-dollar Manhattan apartment confirm the validity of his prosperity gospel teachings[citation needed].
His congregation has been known to whisper "That nigga is straight BALLLLLLIN'!"
Critics, however, believe his lifestyle is proof of nothing more than the generosity of his parishoners. Dollar has explained that prosperity primarily involves improved relationships with God, family, friends.
Dollar's church has amassed a fortune in real estate, mostly in College Park. Like other Word of Faith preachers, Dollar is often accompanied by bodyguards in public, and has stated, "I'm a part of the God class." [verification needed]
During the divorce of former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, Dollar played a role in the transfer of a portion of the champion's assets. Some believe the action was designed to hide those assets.[citation needed]
Creflo has also appeared in front of the World Dome in the 2001 rap video Welcome to Atlanta with rappers Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri.
On another occasion, Dollar made cash payments as a show of appreciation to law enforcement officers in Fulton County, Georgia[citation needed].
Many of his critics claim he was born with the name Michael Smith; however, his actual birth name is Creflo A. Dollar, Jr. after his father, Creflo A. Dollar Senior. A man by the name of Michael Smith held a few high-ranking titles during his 12 years of membership/service at World Changers Church, but they are, in fact, two separate people.
