Televangelist Raises Eyebrows After Jet Purchase

He is drawing public outrage.

Televangelist Keith Moore’s Faith Life International ministry has expanded its fleet by purchasing a third jet after a successful $10 million fundraising campaign. The newly acquired aircraft is a used Dassault Falcon 7X, which was bought for $17.5 million, a significant discount compared to the $60 million price of a new model. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the purchase in May and updated the jet’s tail number from N1902C to N37KM, a common practice where the tail number reflects the ministry founder’s initials.

In addition to the Falcon 7X, Faith Life International’s jet collection includes a Dassault Falcon 900 EX and a Raytheon 390. Moore, who is a licensed pilot, can fly all three jet models, though both Falcon jets require a second pilot. The ministry uses these jets primarily for flights between Moore’s congregations in Sarasota, Florida, and Branson, Missouri. Commercial flight options for this route can be relatively inexpensive, with fares ranging from $268 to $449.

Comparatively, the average airfare in the U.S. for 2023 was $382. The $10 million raised by Moore’s ministry could have bought nearly 26,200 commercial plane tickets instead. This illustrates the substantial investment made in the jet fleet, which highlights the significant cost difference between private and commercial air travel.

In a related case, televangelist Creflo Dollar previously faced public criticism in 2015 when he sought $300 contributions from 200,000 donors to fund a $65 million Gulfstream G650 jet. In response to the backlash, Dollar’s organization, World Heir, instead purchased two used jets—a Gulfstream G-IV and a Learjet 60. Recently, Dollar’s ministry acquired a 2010 Gulfstream GV-SP, also known as the G550, for $18,650,000. This purchase, which was certified by the FAA in June, was not publicly disclosed to Dollar’s congregation or television audience. Unlike Moore, Dollar is not a licensed pilot.