ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, August 10, 1996 TAG: 9608120020
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CLEVELAND, TENN.
The head of the nation's oldest Pentecostal denomination, the Church of God, has been fired after being accused of insubordination.
Robert White, general overseer of the 4 million-member denomination, was removed from office last month after hearings focusing on $40,614 in profits from religious books he wrote.
The denomination, based in Cleveland, revoked White's ministerial credentials for one year and fired him as overseer, effective July 12, church spokesman Mike Baker said.
In April, White was censured by the church's governing council over what they believed were irregularities concerning profits from at least three religious books - ``Life Builders,'' ``Spirit Walk Prayer Journal'' and ``Endued with Power.''
The council believed profits from the books, copyrighted in the names of White and his wife, Kathy, ``should have been property of the Church of God.'' White, who was placed on paid leave in June, did not return phone calls recently.
However, during the hearings, White said he had not violated any written policy of the church or any Scripture in relation to his book deals. He said it wasn't unusual for church leaders to write books and profit from them.
He agreed to give copyrights to Pathway Press, a church-run publishing house, and to give the church $10,000, but denomination leaders felt he shouldn't keep any of his profits.
- ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: Short : 37 linesby CNB