News Flash: Terry Jones is Broke

Yobie Benjamin of the San Francisco Chronicle has an interesting profile on the financial affairs of Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center. Jones is in tax trouble after being caught running the for-profit eBay enterprise TS and Company. The state of Florida wants the sales tax on the profits. Alison Ables Real Estate shows the church and property for sale at $2,900,000. The price has been reduced $1.1 million "for a quick sale."

REDUCED 1.1 MILLION FOR A QUICK SALE!!Church in Gainesville!! One of a kind !!Incredible opportunity as it is one of the last large acreage parcels in Gainesville. The main building has 11100 sq feet with baptismal area,6 private offices and secretary area on second floor, sound systems, and hosts up to 600 people. The second building has an additional 6000 sq feet with complete kitchen to facilitate a large gathering with multiple refrigerators,2 stoves 2 dishwashers freezers, and more.Approx. 1500 sq.feet of luxury quarters in the 1 bedroom parsonage suite and a 12 x 36 deck. 20 acres located right in the heart of the #1 ranked city in the US to live in in 2006 . Centrally located in Gainesville.

Alison Ables Real Estate posted this on the top of the web page.

We have no relationship with Dove World Outreach Center or Terry Jones.

I can't say I blame the real estate company for posting that disclaimer.

The Alachua County Property Appraiser's office is charging Jones for using church facilities to run his for-profit ventures. This includes selling anti-Islamic coffee mugs and T-shirts. According to 2006 tax filings, the program services of the church is 30.5 percent of expenses. Administrative costs cover the other 69.5 percent of costs. Jones told the Gainesville Sun part of the profits from TS and Company", funds the church pantry "Lisa Jones House." Jones declined to say how much. It is also unclear what are the program services that take up 30.5 percent of expenses.

During the Koran burning controversy Jones has asked people to send the church money. It looks like Jones knows when to end a hustle. The Miami Herald reports Jones may not go ahead with the Koran burning.

New developments: Pastor Terry Jones said this afternoon that he will cancel the Quran burning event "this has been a very very difficult, trying time" and if the New York Imam will move the mosque from the Ground Zero location 'we would consider that a sign from God."

Jones said he has been in contact with the Imam and will visit him there and "he has agreed to move the location. We felt that that would be a sign that God would want us to do that....The Imam has agreed to move the mosque. We have agreed to cancel the event."

Few facts: the Cordoba House facility is not a mosque and it is not on Ground Zero. If it opens it will be a YMCA-style facility on Park Avenue.

There is no reason to believe anything Jones say. So we will see. I will say this. Jones is a huckster who makes Glenn Beck look like a beacon of moral integrity.

Update: Emma Jones, the pastor's daughter describes the church as a "cult."

Shane Butcher said he worked for Jones' furniture company 72 hours a week without pay. Meals for provided from "Lisa Jones House." At least we now know what the food pantry was used for. This seems to be a pattern.

Jennifer and Daniel Engel, a German couple, travelled to Gainesville on special visas hoping to do missionary work but quickly found themselves working in the furniture business.

Mrs Engel said when her husband decided to return to Germany she was instructed by a senior pastor to divorce him.

Jones told congregation members they were doing church work for his for-profit business. What a guy.