it was incorporated as a non-profit by Ron back in 1996. So I would bet he still controls it and perhaps appoints the directors and officers.
I know I read that his friend Furticks "church" is controlled by fellow ministers that I believe he appoints. The local paper there at least expressed mild interest in this unusual religious organization in a series of articles including
http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/I-Team-Pastors-salary-set-by-board-not-congregation-229010291.html?ref=prev
I have to admit I am fascinated/repulsed by this whole inter-related set of schemers. I have never seen a "megachurch". Here in my small New England college town churches are primarily small, historic and benign.
So, overall, this seems like a, well, scam using as a foundation, religion, God and their newly discovered Prosperity Gospel". The ministers preach similar messages and prop each other up. Any failings are due to the "enemy" striking the godly minister who is scaring the devil.
They seem to target the less educated in the bible belt. Tithing is an essential part of their message and stressed as a mandate for success, happiness, heaven etc. Thus ensuring a steady stream of income no matter how poor the congregation.
So, 40 fellow ministers show up and his wife disappears. Something is threatening the income stream....oh, I mean "church". How big is it?
Does it threaten only Ron or the others too or do they just show as a kind of pact of support that they will all prop each other up no matter what to ensure they can all continue?
The wife. She was obviously a willing participant for many years. Personally, not taken in by her "preaching".
But I find nothing spiritual in this type of performance. These people aren't ministering, they're hawking. They are marketers with a product they've fine tuned for their particular marks/audience. Music, hair gel, makeup, God wants you to make money and have a big house, give ME money and God will bless you with wealth. They've cornered that, hopefully small, market.
I'm really torn on this one. He went too far in his reputation smearing to make me think she's in on it. So, is she really ill in some way? Which means he's basically being honest about what's going on. But why would he then need to besmirch her to the extent he did if she was not a threat? It doesn't seem that simple. Why would she allow him to have her locked up? What he says in that regard is not believable in any way.
What treatment center first tells you that you need a one-year rehabilitation and only then evaluates you to see what's wrong but after already telling you that you have the worst case they've ever seen?
So, on that one specific day she suddenly and completely became a different person and remained that way for the next 10 YEARS but they are only now seeking help?
Again, so for 10 years he has been living a lie while building his empire and deceiving his "flock" about their perfect marriage and holding seminars on how to have a perfect marriage like them?
Nice linguistic skills. Again, since 2010 he knew about affairs and kept pretending? And, he could only "take it" cause he was so special.
Seriously? She had affairs. OK, not recommended but hardly unique or unusual or a sign of mental illness. Could also be a sign of deep loneliness, lack of connection, revenge for betrayal by him? Or maybe she just liked sex. Whatever. Who cares why an adult has an affair. Women can't be locked up these days for having one or ten or 20 lovers.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-ron-carpenter-reveals-wifes-mental-illness-adultery-in-heart-wrenching-sunday-confession-106594/
He has alleged NOTHING that substantiates illness of any kind. There is no reason to believe she has any actual illness. There is a chance he and the other 40 ministers could have convinced her she had one. Or was she taken to a religious facility where she could be kept on the say so of ministers? Like when they take rebellious teens and send them to those boot camps by snatching them in the middle of the night.
Maybe it's me, but I get a total gay vibe from this guy. Similar to that Haggard or Haggert one a few years back. There is a lot of repressed homosexuality in these circles where gayness is condemned. Maybe it's unfair bias but I think many of those religious figures most crazed about homosexuality and almost always focused on gay men not women, have some sexual preference confusion issues themselves.
Did she find out he was gay or that he was still acting out his gay impulses after an agreement to stop? I just feel like he wouldn't be hiding his wife and publicly airing her infidelities and indiscretions and problems if he didn't want to hide and deflect some personal truths.
I did first think she was dead. And she still could be. But if he and his fellow preachers are powerful enough and have the right connections there are other ways to get rid of someone who presents a threat. Even if they can't keep her away forever, they can destroy her image, reputation and credibility so she presents no threat if she escapes or gets released.
But I honestly have no clue. This is such a bizarre world I have no way to evaluate the behavior according to norms I know. I will be curiously following this strange saga.
