Preachers in Jets Getting Java

With apologies to Jerry Seinfeld and his show 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee'

In our innovative new series, 'Preachers in Jets Getting Java,' The Door calls on some of America's top televangelists in each episode, boarding one of their expensive business jets, and engaging in fellowship and conversation over coffee at 20,000 feet.

It's a chance for the audience to get a peek into the private lives of the spiritual giants they admire and support in a relaxed setting. In such an informal and laid back atmosphere we often find that they're just like you and me, no different from the common man except for their luxurious lifestyles, multi-million dollar playthings and sense of entitlement.

Today we're meeting televangelist Kenneth Copeland at Alliance Airport near his 33-acre headquarters on Eagle Mountain Lake north of Fort Worth, Texas.

For our conversation, Copeland has chosen his Gulfstream G5 jet, worth about $54 million.

Why choose the Gulfstream instead of one of his other jets - like the cute Cessna 750 Citation X?

"Well, the Holy Spirit told us to buy this one from Tyler Perry back in 2018. It really came in handy to avoid the pandemic travel bans, and of course we also avoid all the demons you can pick up if you fly commercial. And it's a little more comfortable for chatting with media jackals like yourself," Copeland explained.

As my video crew and I boarded the plane we were greeted by Copeland's wife Gloria, already on board, and shown to a comfortable seating area.

"I hope you don't mind," Copeland told me as I took my seat. "We're flying to New Jersey for a Trump rally and then we'll stop over in New Orleans on the way back to play golf with Jesse Duplantis. I'm sure you can find something to do there until we get back to the plane."

He settled into his seat. "Once we're airborne I'll show you our mansion and related buildings out the window. They say you can even see our headquarters from space."

"How do you like your coffee?" Gloria asked me from across the aisle, "Kenneth wants his black, the way Jesus used to take it."

"Yes," Copeland said, "I like to glorify God every morning with a shot of caffeine. You know the verse: 'Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk at the hand of the Lord, the cup of trembling, and drained it out' (Isaiah 51:17). Now that's my idea of being 'woke'!"

"Uh, OK. I like mine with a bit of half-and-half, if you have it," I said.

“Gloria, “ Copeland interjected. “Go with the powdered artificial creamer that we reserve for journalists.”

The ceramic cup they gave me was large and white with a decorative motif emblazoned with "World's Best Apostolic Prophet." It was almost too heavy to hold, but the aroma of the coffee was amazing. Copeland’s mug had “Name it and Claim it!” on the side in large, red Bodoni Bold type.

“The coffee, by the way, is Kopi Luwak from Indonesia,” Copeland said. “Partially digested by the palm civet and then excreted. Very rare, and very aromatic.”

"Oh. Uh… wow. Now, concerning your ministry, Kenneth... may I call you Kenneth? "

"No" he said,"But please continue."

"Rev. Copeland, I understand you list these jets for IRS non-profit purposes as being 'necessary for ministry.' What's the ministry aspect of flying with me for an episode of 'Preachers in Jets Getting Java' and then on to a political rally and a game of golf?"

Copeland set his cup down, and stared at me with his penetrating 'Old Testament Prophet' look. It would have been intimidating if his eyes were not positioned slightly too close together.

"Is this the kind of 'conversation' you had in mind for your program? If so, it's gonna be a short trip. In fact we may just drop you off over the nearest large body of water."

His security team, which I had not noticed previously, had stepped forward, scowling with hands inside their jackets. Did they have weapons?

'You know," I said, choking on my coffee,"I think we need to get one last wide shot of the plane from outside on the tarmac before we take off."

My crew and I scrambled down the clamshell-style airstairs just before the door closed, the jet engines revved and the plane started rolling toward the runway. The interview apparently was over.

"Well, I guess that's a wrap. As you can see, folks, the Copelands are just like any other mom-and-pop ministry couple, toiling in the fields of the Lord, drinking their cup of java in the morning and flying across the country in style, paid for by the hard-earned donations of thousands of their struggling followers."

"Luckily I did manage to come away with a souvenir. This 'World's Best Apostolic Prophet' coffee cup will look great hanging from my kitchen mug tree."

(Cue our theme music: “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” - a Cole Porter tune sung by Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holme in the 1956 film High Society).

Lyrics: “Who wants to wallow in champagne? I don't!
Who wants a supersonic plane? I don't!…
And I don't 'cause all I want is you!”

Join us next week as we sit down with Matthew Crouch of TBN in his Bombardier BD-700, a long-range business jet designed to seat up to 19 passengers and worth about $40 million.