True Crime with Kimbyr - A Family Torn Apart: The Chilling Story of the Coleman Murders

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

A violent stalker, a secret affair, and a family torn apart—this is the chilling true story of the Coleman family. What seemed like a perfect life was hiding a darkness that would end in unthinkable tragedy. In this deep-dive episode of True Crime with Kimbyr, we uncover the sinister events leading to one of the most shocking crimes in recent history. Who was behind the terror that destroyed a family’s dreams? Watch now for the full story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A violent stalker, an affair, a bodyguard, and a televangelist. It could be a tagline of a blockbuster movie or the beginning of a joke. But nothing about this tale is make-believe or funny. This is the true story of the Coleman family and the ultimate evil, which destroyed every good thing they had ever dreamed of. Hi, everyone, welcome back to my channel. I'm Kimberlea. If you've never been here before, nice to finally meet you. So before we get into this video, I just want to let you know if you have a

not been here before and you're not used to a deep dive. This is an ultimate deep dive. This is the deep dives of deep dives. I am sure you can find this case elsewhere where they do not go into these details and they just kind of tell you what happened. That's not going to be this case. So if you have been waiting for a case to listen to while, I don't know, you're on a road trip or you're getting your house ready for July 4th or whatever the case may be, I know a lot of you have told me that you save my long videos for when you have things to do like that. This would be the video. Okay, now let's get into this video. Today we are talking about another beautiful family, the Coleman family, consisting of husband and wife Sherry and Chris Coleman and their two young

sons, Garrett and Gavin. But before I go into talking about them as a family, I'd like to introduce you to Sherry and Chris before they were married. Sherry and Weiss was born July 3, 1977 to high school sweethearts Angela DeSico and Don Weiss. She was their second child. They had a son Mario two years earlier and they were excited that they would be growing up together. Angela and Dawn started dating when Angela was a sophomore and Don was a senior in high school. They were living in Berwyn, Illinois at the time. And Angela came from a big Italian family. She was one of eight and Dawn was the youngest of three boys. They fell in love. Angela got pregnant just a few months later after meeting Don. And she wasn't even done with her second year of high school, but the young couple of

were determined to make it work. Don quickly got a job at a paint supply company where he was making under $5 an hour, but back then, it was pretty normal, and that wasn't bad pay at all. They believed that getting married was the right thing to do, so they tied the knot on September 7th, 1974.

Mario was born five months later in February, and then Sherry came along thereafter. Over the next few years, Angela devoted her time to her kids, and Don worked hard to support their family, and eventually they moved to a township in a suburb of Chicago. They loved it there. Sherry and Mario went to Woodrow Wilson Elementary School,

and Angela was on the PTA. She was very involved in her children's lives. They were always doing something, and she really didn't want them just sitting at home, doing nothing, so she believed in being active. Sherry was part of Girl Scouts, and Mario was in the Boy Scouts. Both of them played instruments as well, Mario with the trumpet, and Sherry on the drums,

and they were also involved in sports. When Mario was just about to go into high school, and Sherry was entering middle school. Don landed a job out in Largo, Florida. He'd be working at a data communications company, so the family had to pick up and move. And Angela was worried about the kids. She thought it would be hard for them to adapt.

But the move ended up being a pretty smooth transition. But it was still a transition, and it was harder on Mario than Sherry, who was outgoing and seemed to make friends easily. Sherry was about 10, and Mario was 12. So it makes sense it would be easier for Sherry. Sherry. On the other hand, Mario missed his friends. He wanted to be back home. He was a bit quieter and kept more to himself than his sister. But once Mario began classes at Largo High School,

he found a best friend. And then they started doing everything together. And that really helped Florida feel like home to him. Meanwhile, Sherry was a different story. And once she got to high school, she really began to bloom as a person. She was on the cheerleading squad for Largo High School Packers football team and just outgoing, a great softball player. And also something I found interesting is that she was actually ambidextrous, which meant she was very unique. She could throw with her right hand, but swing the bat with her left. And she had a lot of admirers as well. Boys, of course, she had these piercing green eyes, ones that I don't think I've ever witnessed in person in my entire life.

They're just out of this world beautiful. She was petite. She had dark hair, all of skin, and she actually considered going into modeling. But Sherry was a tiny thing. She wasn't even five foot tall. Same for me. So that idea took about. Besides, she had a lot to keep her busy as it was.

Like chasing down her favorite sports star, Michael Jordan. Her favorite basketball team back then was the Chicago Bulls from back in her home state, and MJ was her everything. She collected Bulls jerseys with the number 23 on them, which was Michael Jordan's number. She loved him. And as a matter of fact, maybe even idolized him. I don't know who else would drive three hours for a preseason game if they didn't. But Sherry did.

It was back in 1994. And this is a time when Michael Jordan was trying out. for baseball for a moment, and he had signed with the Birmingham Barrens. Sherry brought him some flowers and told one of the people working at the event to deliver them to Michael well. She got the surprise of her life when he drove by in his Corvette, and he stopped to personally thank her for the flowers. That was definitely a core memory being formed. If Sherry could get the attention of Michael Jordan, even for a mere thank you, I can only imagine how many many heads she turned. But Sherry's focus wasn't on getting into a relationship with anyone.

Her focus was on someone else's relationship. Her parents. They weren't doing well. Her father wanted a divorce. He and Angela were arguing all the time. And the environment was hard to be a part of, but Sherry had to push through. It was the summer before her senior year of high school. She was working as a waitress at a Thai restaurant and threw herself into her work and her friends. Sherry and her best friend at the time, Tara Lince. They would get away by watching Bulls games on TV, spending time tanning at the beach, and Tara and Sherry just clicked. Tara, just like Sherry, had moved to Florida when she was younger.

She was originally from New Jersey. They were like sisters, and they kind of looked like they could be twins. They met in the drama club. Tara really wanted to be an actress, and Sherry was one of her biggest fans. They were inseparable that summer and into Sherry's senior year, when she would need more support than ever. It was finally happening. Her parents were separating.

She needed all the support that she could get. Of course, she could still rely on Mario. He and her were very close. He would always protect his little sister and make sure that she was taking care of. As a matter of fact, he even bought Sherry her very first car. That's right. And that's actually a pretty big deal and funny too. He being a couple years older, he started driving before her, and he was a really hard worker, always had a job doing something to make money.

He eventually got a brand new, 1992, Camaro. And once Sherry could drive, she would borrow it, borrow sometimes. And that really annoyed her older brother because it was happening so often that he decided that he was going to purchase her a car and he got her a 10-year-old Chrysler K car. Granted, it was a 1982 and not even $1,000. But for teenagers, like I said, that was kind of a big deal, was very generous. And for Sherry only being 17, it was more than a nice gesture. It showed Mario's character and the way they were raised.

You do things for others. And speaking of which, Sherry just like her mother and brother, she was very caring, she was a good friend, always wanted other people to be happy. Some people called her people-pleaser. But as long as it isn't hurting you, I think it's perfectly fine to care about others

and want to see them happy. Mario just wanted to make sure that no one was going to take advantage of his little sister. He would tell guys, if they put their hands on his sister, there would be hell to pay. But Sherry proved she could take care of herself.

After her parents got divorced, she needed time to heal. She blamed her father for breaking up their family, and she wasn't ready to forgive him. It was hard on Sherry. She felt bad for her mom who was always unconditionally devoted to their family, and she couldn't believe their father would just walk out on her like that.

It was not something Sherry could get over, so after she graduated in the 1995, she threw herself back into work waitressing for the next few months until she found her calling for the time being anyway. And it was quite a surprise to her family. Because Sherry was a girly girl. She was a cheerleader, as you know. But remember, she had this athletic side, and she thought there was something about throwing

herself into a position that would take a lot of effort that might get her mind off of her personal life. That would do the trick. So she announced her family that she was going into the Air Force. Wow. I mean, that was quite a big decision. And Mario definitely wasn't a fan. He tried to change her mind. But something about Sherry that you'll find out, if you haven't already,

is that when she sets her mind to do something or she wants something bad enough, there is no changing her mind. So off she went to Lackland Air Force Base back in September of 1986 in San Antonio, Texas, far away from home, surrounded by people and things she had never experienced before. It was an adventure, and it was about to get even more exciting. First, it was Angela and Mario watching her graduate from basic training That was a huge accomplishment, and they were both very proud of her.

It's not easy. It's grueling, actually. And Sherry's dad wanted to be there, but he wasn't invited. They were still not on good terms. And after basic training came and went, Sherry's new placement was at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia. Her job? Military police.

Not just any kind, though. She was in the K-9 unit. Sherry undertook the task of a security officer doing rounds outside the base with her German shepherd. She took her job very seriously. However, it was also something she really liked to do, and it would also be how she would ultimately meet the love of her life, Christopher Coleman. So I guess this would be the best time to introduce him to you. You know a lot about Sherry at this point.

So now let me introduce you to her soulmate, who coincidentally is also originally from Illinois, like Sherry. He was born on March 20th, 1977, just five months before Sherry and Percy, Illinois, to his parents Ron and Connie Coleman. Percy is close to St. Louis, about five hours south of where Sherry grew up, but far enough away, though, in the same state of Illinois, for Chris and Sherry to have never crossed paths during their childhood. Chris's family had been in Percy a long time. His paternal grandparents settled there as coal miners back in the 1920s, and it made me think, Coleman, is that how they got their name somehow? Chris's paternal grandpa, Jean Coleman, he was the mayor of the city until the mid-70s. The family was well known, but the city was actually very small, so it wasn't hard to be a big fish in such a small pond. There were only about 1,000 people living in this area, and even today, it's about the same. The Coleman legacy was coal mining operations and civic service.

Chris's father, Ron, was one of six children, born to Jean and Doris Coleman, and they took pride in the family coal mining business and instilled a strong work ethic in their children. Ron was athletic. He was a great swimmer, and he excelled in cross-country running at TriCo Senior High School. While he was a senior, something else got his attention. A very pretty young lady with stunning blue eyes named Connie Chope. She was waitressing at her family's restaurant when she caught the eye of Ron, who was a few years older than she was. But they hit it off and started dating in 1968 when Ron was about to graduate. Soon, he was working in the coal mines just like his family had before. He did try to go to college at Southern Illinois University, but manual labor suited him better than sitting in a classroom.

He waited until Connie graduated high school before making her his wife. That was December 10th, 1972 in Belleville, Illinois. Now, coal mining is not a glamorous job. I don't think you'd envision it as such if you've never seen the people who venture into these mines and the work that they do, it's more than grueling, especially back in the 70s. when the technology was not as advanced as today. Not only is it physically demanding, it's dirty and it's dangerous.

For one, it's a pretty toxic environment. You're working with substances known to cause cancer, you're breathing in dust from the coal, and there's also the chance that the entire mine can collapse. As much as Ron tried to remain loyal to his career path and his family business, he began to imagine that he was made for something more. But he remained a coal miner for a decade.

During that time, he and Connie had two more sons, Brad and Keith. When Ron wasn't working the minds, he was a devoted husband and father. The family would attend church together and eventually found their way to a Methodist church in Belleville. It was about a 90-minute drive from Percy, but the community there was definitely worth the drive to them. It's where they would socialize, worship, and their children learned morals and Christian ideals, which became the center of the Coleman's lives. There isn't much to do in these small towns, so this is where they found their community, And of course, when you're surrounded by people with the same beliefs, you bond in many ways, but you also tend not to venture out beyond that group of people.

And through this group of people, they found out about an even more niche religious group that was gathering for prayer meetings out in Chester, Illinois. Now, this was kind of interesting to me. This prayer group was formed when a few individuals from the local First Baptist Church in Chester grew bored of their worship services. They wanted something modern and more fun, something that would appeal. to a younger crowd. And when I say younger, I'm still talking about late 20s into their 30s, and Ron and Connie were in their mid to late 30s. And this idea appealed to them. When they heard that there was this new group offering more non-traditional and exciting church services, they had to check it out. It was run by a military doctor named James Krieg and his wife, Betty. Their small group met weekly

for prayer, among other things. They were known for what's called speaking in tongues and spontaneous is prayer, and I want you to know something about me. I have always been fascinated with people and further their belief systems. My major in college was actually biblical studies, not because I was religious, but because I have always been intrigued with history and the way that religion impacts people and their lives. I eventually changed my major to psychology, but for anyone that isn't religious, I want to say that you don't need to be, and you can still be open to learning about the way others live and believe because it can be quite interesting, and it can also help you understand some people better because we're all so different and that's okay. I don't agree with some of the

belief systems that victims or people in my stories subscribe to, but I see them as people, and I respect and honor the way that they chose to live as I remember them. First, I want to go into speaking in tongues. If you haven't heard of this before, I'll let this clip speak for itself, literally. God. That's real. Oh, that's real. This is real. This is real.

This is real. This is real. That's it. That's it. That's it. That's it. That is a whole new level of breakthrough in your life tonight. A whole new level of breakthrough in your life tonight.

Kora bashandorobos Siki, Arabashando Robo Shiki, Yara Bashondoro if you're wondering where in the world this originated, it was mentioned in the Bible in the Bible 1 Corinthians 14. It's known as a spiritual gift from God and the Holy Spirit to a believer who's baptized. And this language means nothing to anyone except God. So the things that are coming out of these people's mouths are something that only God would understand because he's the one listening to the speaker, even though we can also hear it. Essentially, certain Christians believe that the Holy Spirit enters the body and speaks through the person as a vessel. And I'm no expert in this, but I'm always interested in learning what other people believe in.

And I'd heard of speaking in tongues, but I wasn't familiar with spontaneous prayer at first, but it's exactly what it sounds like. And it's much more common now. But there are things such as set prayers and spontaneous prayers. But spontaneous prayer is not memorized, it's not read, it's guided by the Holy Spirit. It's more reactive. It comes from in the moment, like finding out a loved one is suffering from cancer, or getting a prayer request from a friend.

Well, the prayer group was doing this in the 80s, and it was a new way of prayer for many people who had grown up very regimented. It was like a breath of fresh air, and it truly enlightened Connie and Ron so much that they began to imagine running a group similar to Dr. Craig's group, but they needed experience. So Ron got his chance when the group of them grew out of the place they were in and needed a larger space. They pulled money together, and they rented out an old tavern called the Nighthawk. And I looked for information on this establishment and found a Facebook page called Chester, Illinois through the years. I searched it for Nighthawk. And voila! Lots of locals telling stories about it, among other landmarks.

Apparently the Nighthawk was the place to go for delicious pizza and after-hour drinks. It would stay open well past midnight, but unfortunately it got raided in 1973, and cops arrested many underage drinkers. So maybe that's why it was vacant when the Coleman's began going there for their prayer. This is what I absolutely love about my job. I love being part of someone's history. I feel like I'm eavesdropping. When I read hundreds of comments on this Facebook page, I feel like I'm there with them as they reminisce about growing up

in a much different time than now. It's nostalgic, and I hope some of you feel the same way when you're watching my videos. It's what excites me about doing this. Well, the Nighthawk. It was once filled with late night devoctery, but now was a place of worship. It was renovated as much as possible on a small budget,

so that it resembled more of a church and not a watering hole. The name change helped. Grace Bible Church. Now was Ron's chance to shine. Be the man he envisioned more than a minor. He was the new part-time pastor of the church. The thing is, Ron did not have experience. Talk about spontaneous prayer.

He was living on a prayer when he first began this journey. His sermons put people to sleep more than they filled them with hope, joy, and enlightenment. But he wasn't going to give up. He just needed a little bit. inspiration, a role model. Someone who came before him and knew how to be a successful preacher, and he turned to someone that he looked up to. Someone that inspired him to be a better person. It was a preacher that felt like they were speaking right to you and only you, even when the sanctuary was full of hundreds of people. Her name was Joyce Meyer. And she becomes a very big part of the

story. But of course, we'll get into that later. First, I have to tell you a little bit about who she was in the 80s and why she was so inspirational to Ron and Connie. They would drive the family out to St. Louis to see her speak any chance they got. Joyce Meyer. Well, for one thing, she's a woman, and traditionally priests, pastors, preachers, they were men, so that set her apart first and foremost, but it was also her style that drew people in. She was someone who had a rough start in life. She overcame things like her own father being inappropriate with her sexually as a child, getting married young at only 18, and enduring heartache for five years due to her husband cheating, among other things. That marriage ended in

divorce. And after that, she struggled with a drinking problem, which is what drove her to seek God. She said in an interview with Larry King, quote, I had lots of hurt, lots of pain, lots of woundedness, bruises, brokenheartedness in my life. End quote. Then she talks about what her father did to her physically, mentally, mentally and emotionally saying, quote, my mom didn't know what to do about it. And she was being hurt in the process. So she just didn't deal with it. So she just didn't deal with with it, and I can guarantee you just because you don't deal with something that doesn't make it go away." And quote, Joyce got pregnant when her marriage was falling apart. She said, quote, actually, he left me and lived with another woman while I was pregnant with that child. She named that child,

David, after her brother. Then ultimately, when she was 24, she ended up marrying a man named David as well, Dave Meyer, an engineer draftman who was a devoted Christian, and that changed her. her life. They are still married after 55 years together. While attending our Savior's Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Joyce began leading a Bible study at a local cafeteria, and she was becoming very popular among local Christians, and just within a few years, she was offered a position as an associate pastor at Life Christian Center in Fenton, Illinois. And this is when she started to really shine. It was a charismatic Christian church, another sect of Christianity that I was not familiar with. It emphasizes the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts that are given to believers. We talked about speaking in

tongues. I looked on Wikipedia and they also mentioned miracles, signs and wonders, and supernatural occurrences. And all of these things are expected to be present in the lives of true believers. This includes prophecy and healing. And I am sure you have seen at least one meme where someone's being healed by a preacher, ones like this. Glory to God, you're not bound to this chair. The day will come, you'll walk out of it. Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Now then you guys just help him up. Help him up. Power. God's all over him. He's not hurt. Yes, spiritual gifts. Joyce was one of us, one of the broken, someone who wasn't a perfect Christian,

but grew into a devoted one to look up to. She said in the same interview with Larry King, King. Quote, I didn't have any knowledge. I didn't go to church. And I had a lot of problems, and I needed somebody to kind of help me along. And I think sometimes even people who want to serve God, if they have got so many problems that they don't think right and they don't act right and they don't behave right, they almost need somebody to take them by the hand and help guide them through the early years. End quote. And Joyce was someone who extended her hand to those in need, those who wanted to change, and soon the church she was preaching at became one of the leading charismatic churches in the area because of her. She was even doing daily 15-minute

radio broadcasts on a San Luis radio station, and by 1985, Joyce decided to branch out on her own. She resigned from Life Christian Center, and she started her own ministry called Life in the Word. She was also so popular in the radio that six other radio stations picked up her show from Chicago to Kansas City. And this was around the time Ron was looking for inspiration to guide him in his own preachings at Grace Bible Church. At first, he was really green. He didn't have the most charismatic way about him, and he was encouraged to amp it up. He was also kind of cold and impersonal that there was a sense about him. Not that he was better than anyone else, but he was confident and that drew people in. You wanted to make him like you. And over time, Ron really grew into a very

likable preacher. Eventually, Grace Bible Church grew out of the Nighthawk, and they built their own church. In April of 1994, the church offered Ron a full-time position as the pastor, and he accepted it. It didn't take long for Ron to be calling the shots at the church. He and Connie were a power couple. She had a big, bright, inviting smile, warm personality, and that kind of made up for Ron's standoffish persona. She was compassionate, kind, and of course, the pastor's wife, So she came with a package. She was part of Ron's success so much. They decided to take over the entire church.

And they changed the name, and it became Grace Church Ministries, located at 2,100 State Street in Chester, Illinois, where Ron and Connie became co-pastors. Now they were both preaching to their own congregation. And their boys. Well, now they were pastor's sons, held to a higher standard, that's for sure, because when you're trying to influence a large group of people, you lead by example first.

So the Coleman's expected their children to be involved in their church. And they were, especially Chris. He was constantly at church events and activities, very well-behaved, the firstborn. Usually the overachiever in many ways, he definitely worked harder to maintain Christian morals, at least compared to his two younger brothers, who were known to be more carefree, even unruly. Chris was 17 when his parents took over as pastors, but through the years prior, he was always involved in church activities as his parents were building up their congregation. He went to St. John Lutheran School up until high school when he went to Chester High,

which was close to the Grace Church. He played sports, including baseball, football, which his parents really pushed him to do. Since he wasn't interested in more, I don't know, boyish activities like hunting with his father and brothers, he did not like killing animals. And that stuck out to his dad. It was pretty much the only thing that he saw as remotely negative about his son. He was incredibly reserved and emotional. His sensitivity wasn't seen as a good thing by his parents. They would try to encourage Chris to be tougher and even more masculine.

And in an effort to toughen him up, his father took him on these regular hunting trips, even though he knew that Chris wasn't a fan. But finally, after an incident happened where Chris was disturbed when he was watching his dad gut an animal, they finally agreed that Chris should probably just stick to focusing on sports. But nonetheless, his mom Connie said that Chris was a joy as a child. He really embraced their beliefs. He would even speak in tongues, letting the Holy Spirit just compel him. Whereas Chris was very humble, his brothers were not. They kind of reveled in the popularity that their parents achieved. They carried themselves as holier than now, but definitely didn't act

holy. They were known to be bossy, arrogant, and almost trying to make a mockery of their family. They wouldn't even attempt to hide their sins as teenagers. They would bring girls right to the church parking lot and make out with them. Forget Lovers Lane. They did it right there. Being a Coleman to Keith and Brad meant that they could get away with anything. Chris was the opposite, even though all three boys looked just like their father Ron. Chris acted more like his father, especially when it came to Christianity.

He was loyal. He set himself apart. But there was still something missing in him, and he thought he finally found it when a recruiter from the Marines came to Chester High School. This is how Chris and Sherry's lives collided. Chris was enthralled by the recruiter's presentation. He thought that this is what he was missing. Something challenging, being on his own, something he could do to prove he was manly, to prove to his father he was tough. So he enlisted right after he graduated. His career choice came as great relief to his parents. They believed he would finally become as masculine as they had wanted him to be

all along. Chris, just like Sherry, was stationed at Quantico, Virginia in the canine unit. And that is where they met. From the moment they laid eyes on each other in May of 1997, it was love at first sight. Or maybe lust. But both of them knew there was something there. Sherry told her friend Jessica Wade that when she first saw Chris, she immediately knew, this is the guy I want to be with for the rest of my life. And they do say that sometimes you just know. If I had to guess, which I don't usually like to do, but I would think this is probably the first time Chris was really allowed to be on his own, to follow his own wants and desires and independently make decisions away from his family, and that's what he did. Chris and Sherry started dating after meeting at that canine training seminar.

Sherry was impressed by Chris. His determination, his grit, his loyalty to God. He was a good guy. He had many qualities that some women look for in a man. He checked off a lot of her boxes. Meanwhile, back home, Connie and Ron had been making quite a name for themselves, especially because of their association with Joyce. They started following her before she blew up and became who she is today. Before her empire grew into the multi-millions of dollars, she and the Coleman's formed a friendship. She was someone that they looked to for advice, and the families maintained a friendship over the years as both their ministries grew. And both became successful in their own ways. Around the time that Chris went into the Marines, Joyce and her husband,

and Dave created a television ministry. It was Dave's idea. Joyce had done so well on radio, he figured TV would be even more powerful, and he was right. This was how Joyce became known as a televangelist. Joyce still has a TV program till this day. It's called Enjoying Everyday Life, and I'm sure she was enjoying her life. In just a few years, she would be a best-selling author, flying in private jets, living in a $2 million home, driving exotic cars, and eventually having a $20 million dollar headquarters in Fenton, Missouri. We will get to all of that in a moment, but Chris's parents were about to get a surprise visit from 20-year-old Chris and his new 19-year-old girlfriend that summer.

They decided to leave the military. Sherry wanted to get out and explore the world, and being in the Air Force at the time, gave her that opportunity to travel and have a lot of fun adventures along the way. And actually getting into a relationship and settling down was not part of her plan. But after meeting Chris, Sherry fell hard and fast. and all they wanted to do was be with one another and experience life. Chris and Sherry were the perfect example of opposites attracting, because Chris was shy and cautious,

and Sherry was joyful and outgoing. Chris's religious upbringing also meant he was incredibly reserved when it came to things like showing affection publicly and verbally, whereas Sherry had no problem with giving people hugs, her family and friend kisses on the face when they're out in public. She was Italian, let's remember that. So her electrifying energy, seemed to bring out another side of Chris.

And in those early days, his friends noticed that when she was around, Chris was more relaxed. He was coming out of his shell. His whole life, he was in somewhat of a battle between his innate nature and his parents' expectations of him. This left him in a constant state of internal turmoil. Every decision he made, every action he took, became a delicate balance between who he truly was

and who he believed he should be in his parents' eyes. But Chris was becoming more confident in his own choice. choices, dating Sherry being one of them. He actually couldn't wait to introduce her to his family. He was in love. Sherry felt the same way, so they made a plan to visit Sherry's mom Angela and her brother Mario, who were now living back in Chicago, Illinois. They'd go to Chester First to meet Connie and Ron, then make that five-and-a-half-hour drive out to Chicago so Sherry could introduce Chris to her family. Sadly, Sherry was still not on speaking terms with her father. She had not been able to forgive him for tearing their family apart.

Well, it seems like Chris's confidence just melted away as soon as he called his parents to let them know, he was making a trip back home for the weekend. He never even mentioned bringing Sherry. He actually hadn't even told him he had a girlfriend. They were shocked to see a woman getting out of the passenger seat of Chris's car when he pulled into the driveway. Ron was peeking out through a window in the house when he heard the car pull up. And then he caught a glimpse of Sherry and he yelled to his wife, he's got somebody with him. They hadn't seen their son in a while, and they were excited that he was making an appearance, but they were just very surprised that he brought a girl home.

They definitely were not expecting that at all. And Chris could tell. He was used to his parents being judgmental, especially when it came to women, because no one seemed good enough for their golden boy. They tried to smile and pleasantly welcome Sherry into their home, but once she left, the disappointment was so obvious. I'll explain. To Sherry's face, the Coleman's face.

put on a show, when they were used to acting out at the pulpit, loving, accepting Christians devoted to God, and treating others the way they want to be treated. But Connie wasn't impressed. To her, Sherry was just in her own words, quote, a little blonde-headed worldly girl, end quote, whose shorts were too short, no matter how hot the weather was, and the tattoo that you could see from underneath those shorts was just too much. This wasn't the girl for their son. She held her tongue, as did Ron, besides Chris introduced Sherry as a good friend who was in the military with him and lived out in Chicago. He was just stopping by to say hi to his parents on his way to drop her off at her house. Wow. You can tell how Chris submits to his parents. It's like he just falls

apart in their presence. Just like Sherry, he was a people-pleaser, and though an adult now, his parents' opinion still mattered to him. The couple only stayed a little while before heading out to Chicago and now it was Chris's turn to be put under the microscope. And it was Mario observing him. He and Sherry were raised in Chicago and Florida, two places that have a very distinct culture. And I can speak to that as a native Floridian. There was a lot of sarcasm, innocent teasing between friends, just basically giving each other a hard time. But when Mario tried this with Chris, it was like talking to a rock. He was just very socially awkward. And Mario wasn't sure what his outgoing and vivacious sister saw in such a boring guy. Truly, he was just as judge of

as the Coleman's calling Chris a hillbilly because he had a southern accent and pulling Sherry aside to express his disappointment. He just kept pressing her about, what are you doing with this guy, Chris? And she was quick to tell him, we're in love and we're going to get married. Mario was shocked. He totally understood love and how they may feel like they're in it right now, but they were so young. Couldn't they just wait a little while?

Like, what is the rush? You've got your whole life ahead of you. Mario thought that they should just get to know each other. lived together before making such a permanent decision. Sherry never gave Mario an answer. So even though he really didn't want to assume anything, he had to ask, are you pregnant or something? He just couldn't understand the rush into marriage. Sherry said no, they just wanted to be together forever. And 40s later they were. They secretly went downtown to the Civic Center and they got married. It was August 8th, 1997, when Sherry became Mrs. Sherry Ann Coleman. Chris,

was overcome with excitement. He couldn't hold back. He called his dad right from outside the Richard J. Daly Center. And when Ron answered, Chris told his dad that he was still in Chicago. Mom was like, is everything okay? And that's when Chris, who couldn't contain his excitement,

shouted with joy. Dad, you'll never believe what we did. We got married. And it was crickets. It was like the line went dead. It was so quiet. This wasn't what Chris was expecting. But I'm like, you're shocked?

He knows these people and their high expectations. Not to mention the fact, he didn't even admit that Sherry was his girlfriend. So saying he just got married to the good friend that he met in the military that he was just dropping off in Chicago would definitely be a big surprise to his parents. They didn't know what to think. Chris just sat there and he finally said, Dad, you don't seem excited. Ron replied, just give me a few minutes. There was so much that Chris and Sherry had planned the last few months and now it was all coming together. Sure, they loped, but they wanted a wedding wedding.

reception. They just needed time to prepare. So by next summer, they planned to invite everyone they love to watch some exchange vows. But right now, they were focused on making Illinois their home again, back to their roots. And they decided it would be best to be close to Chris's parents in Chester. So they packed up everything and started driving there after delivering the happy news of their matrimony. It was a lot for the Coleman's to take in. And moving to Chester would be a huge adjustment for someone like Sherry, who was definitely not. used to living in such a small town. Remember, Sherry wanted to explore. She liked adventure. Well, this would be quite the adventure in one way, but probably not what she expected. She wasn't even a Christian. I cannot think of the clip, but there's this clip where this woman is saying like, she is not a Christian, she's dark-sided. I'm gonna put her here if I can find it. Did you not ask if she believed in God? She's not a Christian! She's tampering and down-sided stuff! She is Stark sat in too. This was basically what the whole town was like.

It was based on religion, evangelical Christianity to be exact. And the Coleman's as pastors, people would expect their son to be married to someone like them. It was a reflection on their reputation as leaders in their church. So what were they going to do? Well, what they're known for, of course, preaching their beliefs to Sherry in hopes that they could convert her. That work had to start right away. and Connie gladly took on the role of spiritual guide. As soon as Chris and his new bride moved into their home,

Sherry was clueless when it came to religion. She did not practice it growing up. Sure, she was Catholic by default, since her family was Italian, but she didn't do more than her first Holy Communion. But remember, Sherry was two things intertwined, almost a walking paradox. She was a people-pleaser and strong-willed.

She wanted Chris, and she was prepared to make everyone accept her no matter what she had to do. She had her mind-sense, mindset on being Chris's bride and nothing was going to stand in her way. Besides, she valued family. She was still not over the fact that her own parents got divorced, so she found comfort and family values that the Coleman's had, the closeness that they had, and she accepted Connie's willingness to teach her about the Bible and bring her to church. Besides, this was a good thing for Connie,

and then she could practice her craft. She saw Sherry as her newest little project. After all, Connie's job was saving the world one worldly person at a time. So bring it on. Connie would spend time teaching Sherry all about the Word of God and it really didn't take long to convince her to be baptized and born again as an evangelical Christian. Even speaking in tongues, it was only a couple months before Sherry was doing it. But there was one big reason everyone was trying to make this work. Because as Ron put it in his own words, quote, his son had messed around too early in life and wanted to make it right. And quote, those were his words. In other words, Sherry was pregnant.

She and Chris were keeping a secret. Sherry had lied to her brother when he asked if they were expecting a baby. That was the rush to get married after all. She was already a couple months pregnant when they came to visit. She didn't even tell her mom until a month later. When the Coleman's found out, it was bittersweet. On one hand, a grandchild would be such a joy, but they hadn't gotten over the ungodly matrimony yet.

Connie had come down on Chris for such a hasty decision. He told his mom he just got caught up in the moment and her response was, well, it's a lifetime now. Even more so bringing another human being into the world and he'd be there before they knew it. Yes, they were having a baby boy. It was the beginning of 1998. Sherry's expected delivery date would be sometime in April. So before his arrival, the Coleman thought it would be a good idea to go meet Sherry's mom. They drove out to meet Angela in early April.

It was pretty uneventful, except for Connie. attempting to preach to Sherry's mom telling Angela that being Catholic is against the Bible. Sometimes I'm like, the audacity to come in someone's home and do that. But remember, that's Connie's job. She doesn't know anything else. Garrett, Dominic, Eugene Coleman was born April 30th, 1988. His two middle names were in honor of his great-grandparents. Dominic was Sherry's granddad and Eugene was Chris's. Garrett was a healthy, beautiful little baby boy, a joy to the family. Once he came along, any negativity seemed to disappear. It was all about that baby, especially for Sherry. The role of a

mother suited her very well. Chris's parents settled into the fact that this was their reality. They were grandparents now, but first, they were Chris's parents. And they wanted to help him and his new family become independent, which meant Chris would need a job, since Sherry would be at home caring for Garrett. Put their feelers out to see if anyone in the community had work that fit Chris's skill set. A few months later, an opportunity was presented to Chris through his parents. They were at one of Joyce's conferences, and Word got around as she was interested in hiring someone to help with a guard dog for her security detail. At this point in her career, Joyce had built an empire. She was making over a million dollars a year, and it was steadily growing. She was the author of a number of very

popular self-help books, cassette tapes, radio broadcast, TV evangelism shows, live events. I mean, And it was like she was a superstar. I almost liken it to being a famous singer. People would rush to buy tickets to see her preach in person. I found this video from what is called the Dominion Camp Meeting at World Harvest Church back in July of 1988. Now, I can't 100% say that this is the event that Ron and Connie went to, but it would stand to reason it was because it's held in Columbus, Ohio annually, and it's around the same time

that fits the timeline of events. Now, camp meeting is an evangelical event in association with their communion season. It was a huge event. And if you were as devoted as the Coleman's, you'd be there. I have to show you this video. So you can feel the energy. You can see the production. What the atmosphere was like, here's a clip from the night Joyce Meyer led the meeting. This is the beginning of the service, and it starts out with a bang. raising up the standard of every kind of sin raised up come on. Wow, I mean, it's pretty exciting. The music, it gets you moving and inspires you,

even if you're a non-believer, the beat, the instruments, it's still somewhat powerful. So you can only imagine how electrifying this event would be for those who do vote their lives to this cause. Just look at the amount of people there. Definitely an interesting choice of party favor with the yellow crime scene tape being threaded through the crowd. I definitely did a double take, except upon further inspection, there says caution, party zone. It pretty much was a nonstop party, but there are serious moments, like Joyce's introduction. Here's that now. I believe with all my heart that God sovereignly raised up Joyce Meyer.

I just love it. I love it. When God sits some down and raise some up, I'm thankful, I'm thankful for her ministry of feeding and feeding us and feeding us and making us. Oh, she's such a master at grabbing you by the nap of the neck and throwing you up in front of the mirror of the word and refusing to allow you to do anything but see yourself reflected in its pages. I'm so honored that she has accepted our invitation and joined us at Dominion Camp Meeting. I am honored by her presence,

thankful for her ministry, and excited to introduce her to you. You know her well, Joyce Mine. Joyce coming to the stage and listen carefully, and you can hear her speak in tongues. What was that? Oh, Raca Shaka Kaka? I don't know, but you heard that part, right? Here it is again.

And here's her introduction. Her prophetic word was double. She definitely emphasizes this a few more times, and lots of speaking in tongues here. And I've got a prophetic word for you in my heart. And when I say a word, I mean it's one word. This has come on me four times in about the last year and a half, this same thing, and God put it in my heart again for this place tonight.

And I tell you, if you'll receive it, it's going to put you into a new realm. And here's the word. Double! So double. So double, double what? Well, she tells you. Double blessing, double prosperity, double health, double ministry, double church growth, double anointing. But all I could think was double tithing, double donations.

If you're going to get more, you're probably going to have to give more. At least she'll convince you to do so. Another thing I thought about is what Connie and Ron may have been hearing that night when Joyce spoke. One thing she emphasized was overcoming the challenges put in your life. because in her sermon, she shows places in the Bible where people who went through hardships were given double the blessings. That's the origin of the theme double in her speech. She goes on to say this. Some of you had a rough time in your childhood. You've had some rough marriages. You've lost some jobs.

You've lost some homes. You've lost some relationships. But my Bible tells me that when things don't go right in my life, if I'll stick with the principles of God, and if I will continue to do that, things the way God wants me to do them, no matter how I feel or what I think. And if I'll just keep it up and keep it up and keep it up and keep it up, the Bible tells me in Isaiah 61-7 that God will give me double honor for my farmer's shame. Job had a lot of trouble, but the end of the book says that God gave him back twice as much. You see how she talks about how she was just a housewife that was struggling, but what the

world thought was trash, God was able to look at and say, I'm going to do something good with it. And I'll tell you, Pastor Parsley's right when he said God has sovereignly raised me up because I was just a broken down old beat-up half-nuts housewife in Fenton, Missouri. That didn't even hardly know what direction I was going in. What the world would say is trash. God says, I'll take that and do something great with it. I can't help but think that Connie and Ron may have felt that they were in quite a predicament with Chris and Sherry and now a new baby. Maybe they believe God would turn. all of this around and bless them.

That's something good would come out of it, and it seemed like this was starting to come true with the opportunity that was presented. Who else would have the perfect skill set to train a guard dog, but Chris? That was what his role was in the military training canines. Connie and Ron told Joyce all about their son and his expertise. Joyce got in touch with Chris following the conference,

and he came out to Fenton, Missouri, where Joyce worked and lived, to make sure her new guard dog could protect her from harm. from harm. She had security detail to keep her safe. Being as popular as she was came at a price. There were many people who were not fans of her work. Actually, I found many posts on Reddit, Christian blogs online, and even videos here on YouTube calling Joyce a false teacher of God's word. All highlighting times that she said things that went against the Bible and scripture, and there were things to back up these claims. Most of the people who called her out were Christians

themselves, and they believed that she was doing more harm than good. There was this video from a YouTube channel called The Beat by Alan Parr. This video has close to 1 million views. It's entitled, is Joyce Meyer a false teacher? He goes over times when Joyce has gone against scripture. And you have to examine this under the umbrella of the world she lives and works in, the Christian world. Alan Parr, whose video I just showed you, he had a real life encounter with Joyce and her preaching. He said that 20 years ago, back in the early 2000s, he attended one of her conferences.

And back then, he didn't really know that much about scripture, but he said for the first hour, all Joyce did was show video testimonials from people saying that her teachings changed their life. And then she followed this up with asking people to donate money to her ministry. He did notice it, but he kind of just shrugged it off. But then she spent another hour or so before even getting into talking about scripture, she talked about speaking in tongues. And then she asked a large number of people in the audience who couldn't speak in tongues. to come up one by one and she would teach them. Because in her perspective, if you couldn't speak in tongues, you weren't truly living the Christian lifestyle.

And of course, this made an impact. Well, by the time she was actually ready to finally preach, many people were tired. They were upset, according to Alan. He said people started to leave the stadium. Well, that's when Joyce stopped her sermon to condemn them, saying, if you don't want to be here, you can leave. It definitely left an impression on Alan.

It appeared that Joyce seemingly wanted more and more money, and that was a big deal to a lot of people over the years. Well, if everybody can settle down, I'm going to tell you about a few of the tapes I have out there, then I'm going to go ahead and get into my message. Our tapes will only be here tonight, so if you want them, you've got to get out there and get them tonight. A couple of books. So get that book on emotions, and then there might be at least 10 or 20 of you could use this book. It's called Me and My Big Mouth. This is probably my favorite album on my table.

It's called Wilderness Mentalities. Here's a new album called Hold On Help is on the Way. And this is a new one that I'm. I'm real fond of. We just had this on television. To be honest, I was a little disappointed that we didn't sell more than what we did. I mean, the sales were good, but they weren't as good as some other things we put on. And I just, I thought they'd just go off the top of the scale, but I got to get it through my thick head that not everybody wants to grow up. This is called get a grip and face reality. And the last thing that I want to mention is, as you can see, this is a box.

And we sell that whole package it takes for, what is $110 do? And you know, some people go, $110? Well, what do you think it would cost you if you went out and got one hour? counseling for your mind. She's been publicly criticized for living an excessive lifestyle, but she didn't go around defending herself or her spending habits because according to her, quote, there's no need for us to apologize for being blessed.

Going on to add, quote, you can be a businessman here in St. Louis and people will think the more you have, the more wonderful it is, but if you're a preacher, then all of a sudden it becomes a problem, end quote. And it was a problem. So much so Joyce needed security wherever she went. And of course, at her con- where she employed a number of people, hundreds of people. Chris was hired temporarily to make sure the guard dog was trained properly,

but he made quite an impact on Joyce during that time, and she offered him a full-time position as part of her security team. This was huge, not only because the salary he'd received was very lucrative, but because Joyce doesn't just hire anybody. Her ministry emphasizes supporting the mission to share Christ and love people. On the official job opening section on her website, it says that the ministry has five poor values. five core values. Love, faith, unity, excellence, and integrity. In other words, employees are expected

to live a life worthy of God's approval, or at least the approval of Joyce Myers' ministry. So it was an honor for Chris to have been chosen to be a part of Joyce's team. This also meant to move for Sherry, Chris, and Little Garrett. The headquarters were in Fenton, Missouri, about an hour and a half away from Chester, but luckily, Joyce, actually conveniently, had a completely furnished home for Chris to rent. This seems so helpful, but it's also a little controversial. Your boss owning the place you live. If they own a lot of these properties in the same area, sometimes it's called a company town.

Some see it is very controlling. Not to say that's what Joyce was doing. All I know is that the three-bedroom home that Chris and Sherry rented was owned by the ministry. It was located only 16 minutes away from the headquarters in Afton, Missouri. And it wasn't in the best area. It had more of an urban feel to it, but that's something that Sherry was used.

used to. She liked the city more than rural area. There was lots to do there, especially when she was a stay-at-home mom. Lots of fun places she could take Garrett, like parks, shopping districts. It was an exciting time for the new family, and it was about to get even more exciting because Sherry was expecting baby number two. With a stable job in a new home, the timing was right. Little Gavin Christopher Coleman made his entrance on January 25, 2000. His middle name, well, this time, it was to honor his daddy, and he was the spitting image of his father. Both the boys were. They looked just like him. They had big blue eyes and light hair. Now with two babies under the age of three, it was a lot for Sherry, but she was more than ready to take on the task. She became the main caretaker of the boys,

and Chris was very busy at work. He started in general security, but was hoping to rise up the ranks. He was always on top of his game, very serious about his career. After all, he was responsible for providing for a growing family. But it wouldn't be growing any larger because Chris underwent a vasectomy after the birth of his second son. For some reason, I was under the impression that that would be against God's will. I just assumed that you let whatever happens happens as a Christian person, but I don't have any details about how this was decided. It's a very personal decision. I'm sure he and his wife had many talks about what was best for their future, and it seemed like two kids was their maximum. And both parents spent as much time with their boys as they could. Chris had a lot on his

plate. At the beginning of his career, he was really trying to work his way up. Being a part of Joyce's security detail was a huge undertaking. She had high expectations for her staff. Many people saw Chris as a militant perfectionist, but he didn't care what other people thought because he knew his goal was to prove he was worthy of an even higher position with more responsibilities, which equaled higher pay. Eventually, he was promoted to supervisor, increasing his wages, and of course, piling on more tasks. But then, the head of security left the company. This was Chris's chance to swoop in and prove his worth. It was the end of the year in 2000 when he applied for this position. And on his application, he mentioned he worked in the military. He had experience in the Secret Service,

among other things like working security for the president of the United States while he was in the Marines. There was a portion of the application that also asked about an applicant's spiritual life. And Chris explained that he and his wife had both become born again, evangelical Christian. and that he began speaking in tongues, something we know, Joyce is very big on in 1986, and that Sherry started in 1997. I can't even believe you have to put that on your resume or your application. But remember, under the umbrella of where they lived and worked, he went on to say he didn't have any vices like smoking, drinking, or taking drugs,

and he had quite an impressive resume. He was also well known to Joyce herself. She had known Chris since he was just a little boy. He used to accompany his parents to her prayer meetings. He was the perfect fit and ultimately he landed the job. This new role increased his salary. Soon, they would be able to have their own home. But first, Chris needed to renovate his new surroundings at Joyce Meyer Ministries.

It was time for an overhaul. He restructured the entire department from hiring military buddies and former police officers to getting rid of the old devices and systems that were being used and replacing them with state-of-the-art technology. He was in charge of everyone on the security team. He was calling the shots and very good at his job. His parents couldn't have been more proud. This new position meant Chris would have even more tasks.

Being away from home was part of the job. Joyce traveled a lot. She did 13 conferences every year, including internationally. She would do speaking arrangements every month, book signings, public appearances. It was all very fast-paced. But Chris was determined to prove that she made the right decision when hiring him. His job was to make sure Joyce was protected at all costs. He set up new protocols with the help of police and security experts.

He would fly out to locations prior to each event and make sure the local law enforcement agents knew that Joyce was coming. He would visit each venue beforehand, devise escape routes, private entrances, and the safest way for Joyce to preach, including crowd control, metal detectors, you name it. This is him at one of her book signings. You can see him in action. Chris didn't cut corners. He also had an air about him. you'd pretty much have to be like a macho persona, or at least act like you were tough

if you were trying to basically protect a celebrity. So Chris could seem pretty standoffish to other people, especially employees working at the ministry. Some found him to be kind of cold. Remember that's also how people described his father when his father started working as a pastor? But Chris had to remain confident. He was the front line of defense.

He knew every single thing that went on around Joyce's compound. Nothing and no one could get past Chris. Therefore, he could be seen as somewhat of a pain in the butt, especially at events when fans wanted to meet Joyce. But they had to be vetted. Gone were the days you could just reach out and touch her and hugger and get into a personal space.

It was just too risky. I also saw it like this. If anything were to happen to his boss, Chris would be out of a job. So I'm sure Chris had a passion for what he did that was deeper than that, but logically speaking, it makes sense. You want to protect this woman who provides so much, for others. Speaking of which, after seeing the success Chris was having at Joyce's ministry, Sherry wanted to contribute. With Chris's pull in the company, he was able to help Sherry get a job

too. She would assist in different departments where they needed extra roles fulfilled. But if you can recall Sherry's dream, it was to travel, to experience adventure. So she had her eyes set on Joyce's World Outreach Ministry. It's now called Hand of Hope. They help people all around the world from anti-trafficking efforts, disaster relief, medical and dental care. This is a missionary work, and Sherry began getting involved. She was even able to travel to India on one of these trips, and it was very fulfilling to her. She had a heart for those in need. But of course, she was needed at home with her two boys whose personalities were being formed. They were the best of friends and brothers. Garrett being more like his dad, kind of quiet, kind of in his head, daydreaming,

and Gavin more like his mom. Just a ball of energy. Ron, called him a little pistol. He loved to laugh, dance, and entertain others. Just typical little boys being raised in a good family. Their grandparents were also really involved in their lives. Connie and Ron loved spending time with their grandsons. They brought so much joy to their lives, so perhaps Joyce was right. The hardships had turned into blessings, double blessings with two bundles of joy to dote upon. They were also very well-mannered from a young age. Having Chris as a dad meant strict rules when he ran his household, kind of like he ran his security team. It was a tight ship.

Everything had to be in order. The boys had to know when it was time to play and when it was time to behave and be serious. He was more of a disciplinarian than Sherry was. She was more of the fun-loving parent that would let them get away with more. But Sherry and Chris were like the best of both worlds for their boys' upbringing. Some could call a good cop bad cop, but they had both, carefree playtime and obedience training. By 2002, Sherry had reconnected with her father, finally. He was getting remarried to a woman named Deborah.

It was tough at first, but perhaps Sherry's new religious outlook made her soften up. She even allowed Don and his new fiancé to visit her children that August for a little fun summer family weekend. Chris and Sherry took her dad and the boys and Deborah out to lunch, and then they went to the Science Center, followed by an evening at Chris and Sherry's home. On Sunday, Chris and Sherry took the boys to church, and then they met Deborah and Dawn afterward for some lunch. It was a really nice trip. And next to visit was Mario and a couple of Sherry's cousins. They treated Chris, Sherry, and the oldest son Garrett, who was five, to a fun afternoon

at a Cardinals game. Two-year-old Gavin, he was with a babysitter that night, but he watched the game from home, so he felt like he was part of the fun, and everyone got along so well. The visits from Connie and Ron were more frequent. Almost every weekend, Sherry and Chris, brought the boys to Chester to hang out with their grandparents. Sherry not being the girl for Chris was a thing of the past. They were very much in love and had a strong bond with their children.

Everything was moving forward successfully, especially Chris's career. The bigger Joyce's ministry became, the more security she needed. The more popular she was, the more crazed fans that she drew in, the more security she needed. Because as much as she was loved, Joyce was also hated. By 2003, she was dubbed as what they call a prosperity preacher. This was not something she called herself, but the public did. We've heard, how her sermons went. The testimonials followed by asking for donations. This was the year that the St. Louis Post Dispatch published a special report on her finances. And I read it. She had a $10 million jet, a $2 million home, and houses for her four children that were estimated at $2 million each,

a $20 million headquarters with around $6 million worth of furnishings, including expensive art pieces, the report included some more excessive purchases if the ones I mentioned didn't sound excessive enough for you. Like a $23,000 marble toilet to sit your wholly tush down on. 14,000 bookcases. I guess all those Bibles need a place worthy of their glory to hold them. And also a $7,000 eagle sculpture just to name a few. I'm sure there were many more than the ones that were documented. These are the ones I found in Wikipedia. Because of this report that came out, though, a nonprofit watchdog company called Ministry Watch, actually reached out to the IRS,

and they requested that they investigate Joyce Meyer and her family. It was uncovered her ministry was making a whopping $95 million a year and growing. So some people pegged her as a con artist who swindled weak people out of their life savings. Other people worshipped and defended her. But this was bad publicity for Joyce, showing all that prosperity when so many other people are suffering.

It just wasn't a good look. Her ministry was a non-profit. So during this probe, investigators went to see firsthand what Joyce said at her conference isn't sure enough, she was literally telling the crowd, you smell million, M-I-L-L-I-O-N. Believe it or not, good preachers are not just out to get your money. The people talk to you about money everywhere you go, and the only place you get mad about it's in church. Wait at one of your nice restaurants today, and they brought us the bill. All we ask you to do is give something to help somebody else.

Why is it that people will pay $60 and $75 to go to a concert? Not think a thing about it, but when somebody's giving you life-changing word, well, they're just out to get your money. There they go, talking about money. And even asking for $7 million from the crowd, saying something like, it would really bless me. What? I'm afraid to ask somebody for a dollar, let alone a million dollars or millions.

But she would preach if you stay in your faith, then you will get paid. And she told an audience in Detroit once, I am now living in my reward. I pulled up the article that was written by the St. Louis Post Dispatch, like I told you back in 2003, and it mentioned Joyce defending her purchases. For example, she said, this private jet was a lifesaver for them and her family, because, quote, it enabled us at our age, travel literally all over the world and preach the gospel with better security than commercial flights and that's where Chris comes in. Joyce went on to say that security is important and that she has received death threats and that she has a department

dedicated to her safety, that the security guards are armed with guns, they patrol the front gate of her headquarters, making sure anyone that isn't invited stays out.