W. V. Grant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
W.V. Grant, whose real name is Walter V Grant Jr., is an American televangelist whose ministry has been based in and around the Dallas, Texas area.
In 1983 Walter V Grant Senior died and Wv Grant took over Soul's Harbor Church and he expanded its ministry later renaming the church as "Eagles Nest Cathedral".[1] In l987, Grant purchased 28 acres and built the "Eagle's Nest Family Church," and continued pastoring the 5000 seat church until 1996.[1]
Grant was involved in faith healing, and was investigated often for "faking" supposed healings. James Randi explained that Grant had notes of ailments of auidence members before the show, a "sleight of hand" trick to make a leg appear to grow, put members of the audience who walked in in wheel chairs before the event (then asking them to stand and walk) hot reading and cold reading techinques.[2] Randi also exposed that Grant's wife had gathered information about members of the audience, and the information as relayed to WV via slips of paper in a Bible he read during his presentations.[2]
Randi explored Grant in The Faith Healers explaining both his claimed miracles and biography. Randi noted, "even Grant's college degree is phony. He claims that he obtained it from "Midstates Bible College" in Des Moines in 1972. He displays the diploma on his office wall. But Midstates wasn't then and isn't now accredited with the Iowa Department of Public Instruction, as all parochial and public schools are required to be. It wasn't recorded with the secretary of state's office in Iowa as a corporation; nor was it listed in the county recorder's office. It didn't even show up in the telephone drectory.[2]
Grant was investigated by Trinity Foundation for misusing ministry funds for personal gain, including building a lavish house in DeSoto, Texas with nine bathrooms.[citation needed]
In 1996, an Internal Revenue Service investigation into Grant's ministry resulted in Grant's imprisonment for tax evasion.[3] Grant sold the Eagles Nest Cathedral facility to T. D. Jakes who renamed it "The Potter's House". (Grant has not been, nor is now, affiliated with Jakes or his ministry.)
Upon release from prison, in 1997, Grant restarted his ministry, again under the name Eagles Nest Cathedral, in the eastern part of Dallas. However, he has not regained the fame he had prior to his imprisonment.
He is married to Brenda Gayle Hayes (daughter of Alton and Maxine Hayes), and has three adult children Misty, Barry and Mark.[1]
In 2006, he held faith healing services at the Richmond Christian Center in Richmond, Virginia five nights a week, at the behest of the RCC's pastor, Steve Parson. This provoked a two-part news investigation by WWBT-TV, Richmond's NBC affiliate.[citation needed] He has since left Richmond for New Jersey, though his TV show can still be seen on CW affiliate WUPV.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Who is W. V. Grant", Wvgrant.com, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-18. (This official biography fails to mention his conviction and prison term.)
- ^ a b c Randi, James (1989). The Faith Healers. Prometheus Books. ISBN 0-87975-535-0 pages 99-139.
- ^ Tearsa Smith. Rev. W.V. Grant served 16 months in a federal prison for his 1996 conviction. WATE.com March 22, 2004
[edit] External links
- Official Site NOTE: The website mentions nothing about Grant's tenure in prison; it purports that "God led" Grant to walk away from the original Eagles Nest Cathedral.
