Tennessee revokes church status of ministry, issues $5K fine
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The state of Tennessee has revoked the church status of a Williamson County ministry and fined it $5,000.
The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/2bLi54h) reported on Thursday that the Secretary of State’s office imposed the civil penalty against Wayne Jolley Ministries Inc. for using “unfair, false, misleading or deceptive acts and practices affecting the conduct of solicitations for contributions.” That’s according to a letter the state sent the ministry on May 4.
Jamie Arnett, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Secretary of State, said a complaint prompted an investigation of the ministry that found a tax issue.
The ministry and its law firm Gearhiser, Peters, Elliot & Cannon did not return The Tennessean’s messages asking for comment, but lawyers disputed the allegations in a May 31 letter and asked for a hearing on the matter.
The letter says Jolley Ministries “is an active ecclesiastical church and a physical place for worship in Tennessee” where religious services are held regularly.
