Local

Megachurch minister asks for $60 million to buy a jet

ATLANTA — A local megachurch is asking its congregation to dig deep in their pockets and donate so their church can purchase a $65 million jet.

A spokesman for Creflo Dollar's World Changers Church International told Channel 2's Dave Huddleston they are serious about buying the luxury plane.

In a video on the church website, Creflo Dollar asks 200,000 parishioners to donate $300 each to purchase the jet.

The Gulfstream G650 would replace the ministry's current plane purchased in 1999, according to their website.

The current plane, made in 1984, reportedly had an engine fail during a recent trip to Australia.

The donation website says the plane would allow "Pastors Creflo and Taffi to blanket the globe with the gospel of your grace."

"Our ministry is international. We travel to areas of the world others won't go to spread the gospel," spokesman Juda Engelmayer said.

Engelmayer made clear the plane would belong to the ministry, not Dollar.

Leonardo Blair, a reporter for the Christian Post, told Huddleston the jet request is one of the most talked about stories he's covered.

"Most people think the appeal is very extreme, and they basically believe that they are sending the wrong message to the world about Christianity."