W.V. Grant
Encyclopedia
Walter Vinson Grant, Jr., who goes by W. V. Grant, (born May 1945) is an American televangelist
whose ministry has been based in the Dallas, Texas, area. He was convicted in 1996 of tax evasion
, and since his release from prison he has restarted his ministry.
area of Cincinnati before relocating to the suburbs of St Bernard
until the early 1980s. The son of minister Walter Vinson Grant, Sr., in 1983 Grant took over Soul's Harbor Church (located in the Oak Cliff
section of Dallas) and expanded its ministry, later renaming the church as "Eagles Nest Cathedral". In 1987, Grant purchased 28 acres (11.3 ha) in the southwest section of Dallas (near Dallas Baptist University
) and built the "Eagle's Nest Family Church", and continued pastoring the 5000-seat church until 1996.
He is married to Brenda Gayle Hayes, and has three adult children, Misty, Barry and Mark. Brenda is the daughter of Alton Hayes (1929–2002) and his wife, Maxine; they were ministers affiliated with The Voice of Healing
.
Paranormal investigator James Randi
examined Grant's practices in his 1987 book, The Faith Healers
. About Grant's degrees, Randi wrote:
Grant told a reporter in 1986 that he did not graduate from a seminary
but, in Grant's words, had "more or less an honorary D.D. (doctor of divinity
) degree" from Mid-States Bible College in Des Moines, Iowa, which later changed its name to Kingsway Christian College. "They take a formula of how many books you've written, how long you've been in the ministry, maybe how many times you've been on radio and TV," he said.
. Whatever healing there is, he told a reporter in 1986, is "a gift from God", and for which he is merely "a mortal conduit". He said: "I couldn't heal a fly with a headache. Jesus is the healer."
reported that Grant had been supplied with notes concerning the ailments of audience members before the show, that he used a "sleight of hand
" trick to make a person's leg appear to grow, and that he had members of the audience who walked into the event placed into wheelchairs beforehand, then, during the service, he asked them to stand and walk. Randi also claimed that Grant's wife first gathered information about members of the audience, which she relayed to her husband via slips of paper in a Bible he displayed during his presentations. "They're agnostics," Grant said of his critics in 1986, "Or even atheists."
investigation into Grant's ministry resulted in Grant's imprisonment for tax evasion
. He was found guilty of failing to report $375,000 in taxable income in the purchase of two homes, including his $1 million residence. An undercover video tape was alleged to show Grant admitting that he used $100,000 in 1988 from church members as a down payment on a $1.2 million home overlooking a Desoto, Texas
, country club and not reporting it as income. Judge Joe Kendall criticized Grant for attempting to withdraw his plea, asking Grant, "Did you watch the same videotape I watched?" He continued, "He's all over it admitting he's guilty. He swore to God under oath he is guilty". The judge sentenced Grant to 16 months in prison and a $30,000 fine, to be paid after his release, when he would also serve an additional year of probation
. Kendall also ordered Grant to "perform 100 hours of community service, publish details of his arrest and sentence for everyone on his mailing list and provide complete, continuing financial reports to the court."
His wife was indicted on charges of blocking the IRS and evading taxes.
Though she initially pleaded guilty, the judge allowed her to withdraw the plea and she was later acquitted. Following the conviction, Grant transferred the Eagles Nest Cathedral facility to T. D. Jakes
, also a televangelist, who renamed it "The Potter's House
".
and Trinity Foundation
for an exposé
report on Primetime Live
(with Larry Lea
and Robert Tilton
). Trinity discovered naked photos of Grant in a trashcan outside his home and published one. It was also reported that one of Grant's fundraising letters was apparently written by Gene Ewing
, who heads a multi-million dollar marketing empire, writing donation letters for other evangelicals like Don Stewart
and Robert Tilton
.
Members of the Trinity Foundation
investigating team later admitted to a personal vendetta. Additionally, court documents examined deceptive journalistic techniques utilized by ABC News
, stating that key elements of the televised report were "bogus".
2003: Atlanta
television station WAGA-TV
conducted an investigation on Grant and found that
The report concluded that of three people Grant claimed to heal, two were in worse condition after, and one assisted Grant with the setup with no sign of the condition he claimed during the service. In addition, "healing the short leg" was a magic trick
demonstrated on a reporter by magician James Randi
.
2010: Free Inquiry
, the magazine of the Council for Secular Humanism
, discussed how Grant's act had changed little in the preceding twenty years and detailed his "miracles" at a venue.
Televangelism
Televangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
whose ministry has been based in the Dallas, Texas, area. He was convicted in 1996 of tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
, and since his release from prison he has restarted his ministry.
Career
Grant began his early pastoral career in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the mid-1970s with the "Cathedral of Compassion" in the poor Over-the-RhineOver-the-Rhine
Over-the-Rhine, sometimes shortened to OTR, is a neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is believed to be the largest, most intact urban historic district in the United States. Over-the-Rhine was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 with 943 contributing buildings...
area of Cincinnati before relocating to the suburbs of St Bernard
St. Bernard, Ohio
St. Bernard is a small city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,924 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St. Bernard is located at , and along with Norwood and Elmwood Place, is an enclave surrounded by the city of Cincinnati.According to the United States Census Bureau, the...
until the early 1980s. The son of minister Walter Vinson Grant, Sr., in 1983 Grant took over Soul's Harbor Church (located in the Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff is a community in Dallas, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate town located in Dallas County; Dallas annexed Oak Cliff in 1903...
section of Dallas) and expanded its ministry, later renaming the church as "Eagles Nest Cathedral". In 1987, Grant purchased 28 acres (11.3 ha) in the southwest section of Dallas (near Dallas Baptist University
Dallas Baptist University
Dallas Baptist University , formerly known as Dallas Baptist College, is a Christian liberal arts university located in Dallas, Texas. The main campus is located approximately fifteen miles southwest of downtown Dallas overlooking Mountain Creek Lake...
) and built the "Eagle's Nest Family Church", and continued pastoring the 5000-seat church until 1996.
He is married to Brenda Gayle Hayes, and has three adult children, Misty, Barry and Mark. Brenda is the daughter of Alton Hayes (1929–2002) and his wife, Maxine; they were ministers affiliated with The Voice of Healing
William M. Branham
William Marrion Branham was a Christian minister, usually credited with founding the post World War II faith healing movement...
.
Education and degrees
As of August 2011, Grant's website said about the minister's education and honorary degrees:After attending Southwestern Assemblies of God Bible UniversitySouthwestern Assemblies of God UniversitySouthwestern Assemblies of God University is a private Christian University located in Waxahachie, Texas, USA, near Dallas and Fort Worth. SAGU is regionally-accredited with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and officially endorsed by the Assemblies of...
, he started in the full-time ministry. He received his undergraduate degrees in English Literature and Religion, as well as his Master's Degree in History from Dallas Baptist UniversityDallas Baptist UniversityDallas Baptist University , formerly known as Dallas Baptist College, is a Christian liberal arts university located in Dallas, Texas. The main campus is located approximately fifteen miles southwest of downtown Dallas overlooking Mountain Creek Lake...
. He has two honorary degrees from Kingsway Bible University (Des Moines, Iowa) and the Colonial Academy (Chicago).
Paranormal investigator James Randi
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
examined Grant's practices in his 1987 book, The Faith Healers
The Faith Healers
The Faith Healers is a 1987 book by magician and skeptic James Randi with a foreword by Carl Sagan, that documents Randi's exploration of the world of faith healing, and his exposing the sleight of hand trickery and deceit by its practitioners....
. About Grant's degrees, Randi wrote:
. . . even Grant's college degree is phony. He claims that he obtained it from "Midstates Bible College" in Des MoinesDes Moines, IowaDes Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
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 InstructionIowa Department of EducationThe Iowa Department of Education sets the standards for all public institutions of education and accredits private as well as public schools. It is headquartered in Des Moines....
, 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 directory.
Grant told a reporter in 1986 that he did not graduate from a seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
but, in Grant's words, had "more or less an honorary D.D. (doctor of divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
) degree" from Mid-States Bible College in Des Moines, Iowa, which later changed its name to Kingsway Christian College. "They take a formula of how many books you've written, how long you've been in the ministry, maybe how many times you've been on radio and TV," he said.
Faith healing
Grant has denied being a faith healerFaith Healer
Faith Healer is a play by Brian Friel about the life of faith healer Francis Hardy as monologued through the shifting memories of Hardy, his wife, Grace, and stage manager, Teddy.-Synopsis:...
. Whatever healing there is, he told a reporter in 1986, is "a gift from God", and for which he is merely "a mortal conduit". He said: "I couldn't heal a fly with a headache. Jesus is the healer."
Detractors
Scientific skeptic and professional stage magician James RandiJames Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
reported that Grant had been supplied with notes concerning the ailments of audience members before the show, that he used a "sleight of hand
Sleight of hand
Sleight of hand, also known as prestidigitation or legerdemain, is the set of techniques used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly....
" trick to make a person's leg appear to grow, and that he had members of the audience who walked into the event placed into wheelchairs beforehand, then, during the service, he asked them to stand and walk. Randi also claimed that Grant's wife first gathered information about members of the audience, which she relayed to her husband via slips of paper in a Bible he displayed during his presentations. "They're agnostics," Grant said of his critics in 1986, "Or even atheists."
Tax problems
In 1996, an Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
investigation into Grant's ministry resulted in Grant's imprisonment for tax evasion
Tax avoidance and tax evasion
Tax noncompliance describes a range of activities that are unfavorable to a state's tax system. These include tax avoidance, which refers to reducing taxes by legal means, and tax evasion which refers to the criminal non-payment of tax liabilities....
. He was found guilty of failing to report $375,000 in taxable income in the purchase of two homes, including his $1 million residence. An undercover video tape was alleged to show Grant admitting that he used $100,000 in 1988 from church members as a down payment on a $1.2 million home overlooking a Desoto, Texas
DeSoto, Texas
DeSoto is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Over the past eleven years since the 2000 U.S. Census Report, the City of DeSoto has grown in population from 37,646 to 49,047....
, country club and not reporting it as income. Judge Joe Kendall criticized Grant for attempting to withdraw his plea, asking Grant, "Did you watch the same videotape I watched?" He continued, "He's all over it admitting he's guilty. He swore to God under oath he is guilty". The judge sentenced Grant to 16 months in prison and a $30,000 fine, to be paid after his release, when he would also serve an additional year of probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
. Kendall also ordered Grant to "perform 100 hours of community service, publish details of his arrest and sentence for everyone on his mailing list and provide complete, continuing financial reports to the court."
His wife was indicted on charges of blocking the IRS and evading taxes.
Though she initially pleaded guilty, the judge allowed her to withdraw the plea and she was later acquitted. Following the conviction, Grant transferred the Eagles Nest Cathedral facility to T. D. Jakes
T. D. Jakes
Thomas Dexter "T. D." Jakes Sr. is the chief pastor of The Potter's House, a non-denominational American megachurch, with 30,000 members, located in Dallas, Texas.T.D...
, also a televangelist, who renamed it "The Potter's House
The Potter's House Church, Dallas
The Potter's House is a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, USA founded by Bishop T. D. Jakes.Outreach Magazine ranked it the 10th largest in the USA as of 2008 based on attendance of 17,000.-History:...
".
Eagles Nest Cathedral
Grant was released from prison on September 18, 1997, and has since restarted his ministry, again under the name Eagles Nest Cathedral, in the eastern part of Dallas on Interstate 30.Television coverage
1987: Grant was investigated by ABC NewsABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
and Trinity Foundation
Trinity Foundation (Dallas)
The Trinity Foundation is a watchdog ministry founded by Ole Anthony in 1972 and based in Dallas, Texas .Trinity has primarily investigated televangelists such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Paula White, Robert Tilton, W.V. Grant, pastor Edwin Barry Young, and the Trinity...
for an exposé
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
report on Primetime Live
Primetime (TV series)
Primetime is an American news magazine show which debuted on ABC in 1989 with co-hosts Sam Donaldson and Diane Sawyer and originally had the title Primetime Live.-Early history:...
(with Larry Lea
Larry Lea
-Early years:He attended and graduated from Dallas Baptist University where he met his first wife, Melva. He completed his graduate work at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. Larry and Melva married in 1972, and together they have 3 children. He became the youth pastor of...
and Robert Tilton
Robert Tilton
Robert Tilton is an American televangelist who achieved notoriety in the 1980s and early 1990s through his infomercial-styled religious television program Success-N-Life, which at its peak in 1991 aired in all 235 American TV markets , brought in nearly $80 million per year, and was described as...
). Trinity discovered naked photos of Grant in a trashcan outside his home and published one. It was also reported that one of Grant's fundraising letters was apparently written by Gene Ewing
St. Matthew's Churches
St. Matthew's Churches, formally St. Matthew Publishing Inc., is an evangelical "Christian ministry". It is primarily a mail-based "ministry" with an address in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with churches in New York and Houston. In 1999 St. Matthew Publishing Inc. reported $26.8 million in revenue...
, who heads a multi-million dollar marketing empire, writing donation letters for other evangelicals like Don Stewart
Don Stewart (preacher)
Don Stewart is a Pentecostal minister and faith healer. He is a televangelist who hosts "Power and Mercy" on Black Entertainment Television, The Word Network, and other television channels...
and Robert Tilton
Robert Tilton
Robert Tilton is an American televangelist who achieved notoriety in the 1980s and early 1990s through his infomercial-styled religious television program Success-N-Life, which at its peak in 1991 aired in all 235 American TV markets , brought in nearly $80 million per year, and was described as...
.
Members of the Trinity Foundation
Trinity Foundation (Dallas)
The Trinity Foundation is a watchdog ministry founded by Ole Anthony in 1972 and based in Dallas, Texas .Trinity has primarily investigated televangelists such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Paula White, Robert Tilton, W.V. Grant, pastor Edwin Barry Young, and the Trinity...
investigating team later admitted to a personal vendetta. Additionally, court documents examined deceptive journalistic techniques utilized by ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, stating that key elements of the televised report were "bogus".
2003: Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
television station WAGA-TV
WAGA-TV
WAGA-TV, virtual channel 5.1 is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Television Network and based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
conducted an investigation on Grant and found that
Rev. Grant liked to arrive at his revivals early, hours before they were supposed to begin. So we showed up early, too, with hidden cameras, and watched the preacher talk to several people already in the church. As it turned out, many of them were people W.V. Grant would later pick out of the crowd and "miraculously" announce their name and their disease."
The report concluded that of three people Grant claimed to heal, two were in worse condition after, and one assisted Grant with the setup with no sign of the condition he claimed during the service. In addition, "healing the short leg" was a magic trick
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
demonstrated on a reporter by magician James Randi
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
.
2010: Free Inquiry
Free Inquiry
Free Inquiry is a bi-monthly journal of secular humanist opinion and commentary published by the Council for Secular Humanism, which is part of the Center for Inquiry. Philosopher Paul Kurtz is the editor-in-chief and Thomas W. Flynn the editor. Feature articles cover a wide range of topics from a...
, the magazine of the Council for Secular Humanism
Council for Secular Humanism
The Council for Secular Humanism is a secular humanist organization headquartered in Amherst, New York. In 1980 CODESH issued A Secular Humanist Declaration, an argument for and statement of belief in Democratic Secular Humanism...
, discussed how Grant's act had changed little in the preceding twenty years and detailed his "miracles" at a venue.