Kenneth Copeland

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Kenneth Copeland (born December 6, 1936 in Lubbock, TX) is a Word of Faith preacher and televangelist.

Following his conversion to christianity in November, 1962, Copeland turned his life over to ministry work.^[1] In the 1960s, he was a pilot for faith healer Oral Roberts. Copeland attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but left to become a full-time minister before graduating. Later he studied under Kenneth E. Hagin, founder of Rhema Bible College and Rhema Bible Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. His ministry grew through the 1970s, and in 1979, "Believer's Voice of Victory" first appeared on television.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries has its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas but this is a trading name only, with corporate records being in the name of Eagle Mountain International Church Inc. Eagle Mountain is a tax exempt corporation with Copeland listed as president, along with his wife, Gloria, as one of several directors.^[2]

Since 1978, Copeland and his wife, Gloria, have been holding annual week-long "Believers' Conventions" in both California and Texas. His recent regular preaching partners at these events have been Creflo A. Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, and Jerry Savelle.

[edit] Teachings & Controversy

Copeland is considered one of the most prominent teachers of the Word of Faith teaching.^{[citation needed]} Word of Faith is a set of beliefs within the charismatic churches worldwide. The central doctrine is that health and prosperity are promised to all believers, and are available through faith. Other names, reflecting major aspects of the movement, include Name it and claim it, The Prosperity Gospel, and Positive Confession.

Copeland's teachings incorporate both "Classical Pentecostalism", with its emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, including [speaking in tongues], as well as elements of Faith theology.

He teaches that prosperity and riches are promised to every believer, and can be gained by faith. He also teaches that faith is a "force", activated by "confession", i.e. speaking the words of God. He often teaches Mark 11:22-24 as an example, where Jesus told His disciples the believer could cast a mountain into the sea if he would only speak it and then believe, without doubting, what he spoke.

Following E.W. Kenyon and Kenneth Hagin, Copeland has taught that Jesus had to suffer in Hell for three days and three nights in order to atone for sin.

[edit] References

^ Kenneth Copeland, "The Word in My life...," Kenneth Copeland Ministries Catalog (Fort Worth: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, n.d.), 3.
^ Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.[1]