Kenneth Copeland
A televangelist pioneer of the 'prosperity gospel,' whose ministry blends fervent faith teachings with a lavish personal lifestyle and claims of divine financial blessing.
Born 1936 (age 90)·American televangelist·Birthday: December 6·The Silent Generation
Biography
Kenneth Copeland's voice—a resonant, commanding baritone—has been a fixture of American charismatic Christianity for decades. A former pilot and aspiring singer, he found his calling after a conversion experience under the ministry of Oral Roberts. He built his empire, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, from the ground up, becoming a leading exponent of the 'Word of Faith' or prosperity gospel. His teachings emphasize that financial and physical well-being are the divine right of believers, accessible through positive confession and seed-faith donations. Broadcast through his long-running program 'Believer's Voice of Victory,' his message reached millions. Copeland's ministry is characterized by its scale and opulence, including a private jet fleet and a sprawling campus in Texas. This display of wealth, juxtaposed with his teachings, has made him a persistently controversial figure, scrutinized by media and critics who question the fusion of faith and finance. Regardless of perspective, his influence on the landscape of modern evangelical media is undeniable.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Kenneth was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kenneth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
Kenneth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 40
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 50
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 60
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 70
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 80
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Age 90 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and leads Kenneth Copeland Ministries, one of the largest televangelist organizations in the world.
- Hosts the daily television program 'Believer's Voice of Victory,' broadcast internationally for over 40 years.
- Authored numerous books and teachings that form a core part of the Word of Faith movement's doctrine.
- Established the Eagle Mountain International Church in Tarrant County, Texas.
Did You Know?
He was a backup singer for rock and roll singer Ricky Nelson before entering ministry.
He is a licensed pilot and his ministry owns several aircraft, which he says are necessary for his evangelistic work.
He and his wife, Gloria, have been married since 1962.
His ministry was investigated by a U.S. Senate committee in 2007 regarding televangelist finances.
“Faith is a spiritual force. It is a tangible force. It is a conductive force.”
