A couple of weeks ago I posted about Creflo Dollar, the mega-church preacher who wanted his congregation to fund a $65 million Gulfstream G650 for him. Because if each of his 200,000 members donated “just” $300-and-some-odd-dollars, he’d already be there — it’s that easy!
Here’s the fundraising video he made explaining why he needs a new G650 (I’m not kidding, that’s actually the fundraising video, and not a parody):
Now, while I’m no stranger to trying to crowd source air travel, I don’t do it in the name of the “prosperity gospel.” 😉
Not surprisingly, the “Gulfstream G650 Project” was taken down in a matter of days, not because Mr. Dollar saw anything wrong with it, but rather because he was misunderstood.
Via The Christian Post, it seems the real reason Mr. Dollar wanted a G650 is so he could carry food and provisions around the world with them — it’s not so he can just fly alone:
When asked why the televangelist could not take commercial flights instead to carry out his work as suggested by many critics, Juda Engelmayer of 5W Public Relations in New York, which represents Creflo Dollar Ministries, said their significant cargo made the jet necessary.
“You’re missing the point. The plane is not so Creflo Dollar can get on by himself and fly. They take a ministry team of 10 to 15 people with them. They take thousands of pounds of food and provisions with them when they go around the world. If he’s coming to the New York church, he’ll hop on a Delta flight; if he’s taking 12 people plus 100,000 pounds of food, it’s not that simple,” Engelmayer explained.
Given that the maximum takeoff weight of the G650 is less than 100,000 pounds, something tells me they won’t be carrying 100,000 pounds of food on the plane.
But overall I am inclined to believe him when he says he’s not intending to fly it alone. When his wife and daughters went on a shopping trip to London and the plane had an issue (which was the “final straw” which caused him to need a new plane), I’m sure they were carrying plenty of “cargo” back from London with them!
(Tip of the hat to Daryl)
Hello. I watched the video, and I want to know where in the ad that he asked to use the plane to carry food.
the apostle Thomas went all the from Jerusalem to tamil nadu India on a mule . Imagine what he could have done on a Lear 60
This is a man who speaks truth about Jesus Christ The Lord and Savior. If he is doing something corrupt then God will handle it. Its not for is to talk about a shepherd of a church. Ive seen God do a lot stranger things than aks for a jet. Worry about your household and your understanding of The Lord and stop occupying yourself with a pastor's.
What a *^**. Unbeliavable... And he got it ! People love to be screwed
He is getting what he wants.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/06/03/pastor-creflo-dollar-might-get-his-65-million-private-jet-after-all/
@ Wayne -- Oh my! Thanks for the heads up.
I saw a pic of one of the daughters and "person of size" comes to mind. Perhaps a C-130 could be better.
Such hypocrites that whole family is.
Those of you going on about payloads, you are missing the point. You are forgetting the story of the loaves and the fishes. All he has to do is bring one loaf of pumpernickel and some lox, and he will be able to feed 100,000 starving Africans. But he can't do that if he has a crummy old plane that keeps breaking down. Just think how terrible it would be if 100,000 starving people were...
Those of you going on about payloads, you are missing the point. You are forgetting the story of the loaves and the fishes. All he has to do is bring one loaf of pumpernickel and some lox, and he will be able to feed 100,000 starving Africans. But he can't do that if he has a crummy old plane that keeps breaking down. Just think how terrible it would be if 100,000 starving people were counting on him to show up with their dinner, and he had to delay for a day or two while his left aileron was in the shop. Disaster. People could DIE.
OK? So back off.
Creflo is one of the reasons I'm not religious, but I think it is funny that he's scamming so many people. I tried to support of your kickstarter, however!
"Dollar," huh? Well, I've been to a few of his stores, and they're probably about as high-class as are his efforts to buy off and destroy millenia-old cultures via his missionary raids.
I'm sure if your God wants you to have a new plane, Crespo, he'll single you out at Christmas time. Be patient
Is his last name really Dollar?!? Would love to see his kickstarter ;)
Ok. Let's get the facts:
The G650 maximum payload is exactly 1800 lbs with full fuel.
The G650 maimum payload is exactly 6500 lbs with zero fuel
With 10 to 15 persons as they quote, the remaining payload available for cargo is exactly:
- Negative 1050 lbs with full fuel and 15 pax
- Negative 100 lbs with full fuel and 10 pax
- 3650 lbs available with zero fuel...
Ok. Let's get the facts:
The G650 maximum payload is exactly 1800 lbs with full fuel.
The G650 maimum payload is exactly 6500 lbs with zero fuel
With 10 to 15 persons as they quote, the remaining payload available for cargo is exactly:
- Negative 1050 lbs with full fuel and 15 pax
- Negative 100 lbs with full fuel and 10 pax
- 3650 lbs available with zero fuel and 15 pax
- 4600 lbs avilable with zero fuel and 10 pax
And this discards any other potential issue with runway length, temperatures...
For 100,000 lbs of cargo, he might want to contact BNSF or Maersk.
Having the fastest or the second fastest bizjet on Earth, capable of cruising at Mach 0.925 which is significantly faster than a 747, is indeed very valuable for container of lettuce... Let's now speak about the extra fuel consumption for this Mach 0.925 perk...
By the way, they do not have food in supermarkets in New York City?
@Dani - I know a lot of cynical NGO workers who would quite dislike this food bombing style of "missions" for that reason alone (chicken can't survive selling chickens that year, then they back out and they've lost the chicken guy and the chickens). But I'm pretty sure we should all sleep easy, as I doubt he's using very little of his money on feeding the poor. There seems to be more evidence of the Dollar family (hehe) helping out the London mall economy.
@Drew, I second your comment. He'll just distort the local economy if you bring food from the outside coming like a white knight on a G650.
The G650 has only a 6500lb payload which includes the 12+ people he's bringing. At 39 million he could buy a 737 based Boeing Business Jet and carry a lot more cargo.
Let me be the first to say, hallelujah!
Ben, OBVIOUSLY the most economical way of getting food to third world countries is a 65 million dollar jet.
Personally, I hate the idea of his church using that money to support local food economies in Africa when we need to be supporting the airplane industry right hur!