American televangelist and author associated with the charismatic movement, well-known for his extravagant lifestyle and for making controversial comments on various issues. Copeland and his third wife Gloria run Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM), based in Tarrant County, Texas. He has claimed that the ministry has “brought over 122 million people to the Lord Jesus Christ”.
He has been identified as preaching the prosperity gospel. As part of his evangelism, he calls for donations to his church, with the suggestion that parishioners will get a “hundredfold” return on their investment. He has stirred controversy over his use of donations to finance mansions, private jets, an airport and other lavish purchases.
During the pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020, Copeland gained national attention for his comments and actions in response to the outbreak. He repeatedly claimed that the pandemic had ended or would soon end, that he could heal followers of it, and that his followers should continue paying tithes if they lost their jobs in the economic crisis that the pandemic caused. He later made claims to have destroyed the virus and to have ended the still-ongoing pandemic.
He was raised in West Texas near a United States Army Air Forces airfield, which inspired him to become a pilot.
After becoming a born again Christian in November 1962, Copeland devoted his life to the gospel and ministry work. In the fall of 1967, he enrolled in Oral Roberts University, where he soon became pilot and chauffeur to Oral Roberts.
Copeland sat on the evangelical executive advisory board that Donald Trump assembled during his campaign for the presidency.
Copeland has amassed significant wealth during his career, and has referred to himself as a “very wealthy man”. News media have cited different numbers of his net worth, from $300 million to $760 million.
Link to Wikipedia biography