Last Updated on September 20, 2026 by Bakare Sherifdeen
Creflo Dollar is an American pastor, Bible teacher, author and television minister whose name has been closely associated with the growth of large-scale Christian media ministries in the United States. From a small Bible study that began with a handful of people, Dollar built World Changers Church International into a major ministry with a global television and digital audience.
Born Creflo Augustus Dollar Jr. on January 28, 1962, in College Park, Georgia, Dollar initially had ambitions outside Christian ministry. He studied education at West Georgia College and had an interest in playing professional soccer, but an injury affected his athletic aspirations. During his college years, he became more deeply involved in Bible study and evangelism, eventually leading a small campus Bible study that became the beginning of his ministry.
His ministry has gone through several distinct phases. Early in his career, Dollar became known for teaching about faith, prosperity and God’s provision. In later years, he increasingly emphasized what he calls the “Gospel of Grace,” including a major change in his position on mandatory tithing.
Today, Dollar remains the founder and senior pastor of World Changers Church International in College Park, Georgia. His wife, Taffi Dollar, serves alongside him as co-pastor, while their five adult children have also been connected with the family’s ministry work.
Key Takeaways
- Creflo Augustus Dollar Jr. was born on January 28, 1962, in College Park, Georgia.
- He is 64 years old in 2026.
- Dollar founded World Changers Church International in College Park, Georgia.
- The church’s first service was held in 1986 with just eight attendees.
- He is married to Taffi Dollar, who co-pastors World Changers Church International with him.
- They have five adult children: Greg, Jeremy, Jordan, Alex and Lauren.
- His international television program is Changing Your World.
- His teaching has evolved from the prosperity-oriented emphasis associated with his earlier ministry toward a stronger focus on grace.
- In 2022, Dollar publicly retracted his previous teaching that Christians were required to tithe under the New Testament.
- His ministry was one of six media-based ministries examined during a 2007-2008 U.S. Senate Finance Committee review of tax-exempt religious organizations.
- He faced misdemeanor charges in 2012 following a family incident involving his teenage daughter. The charges were later dismissed after he completed an anger-management program.
- Creflo Dollar’s estimated net worth is around $30 million.
At a Glance
Creflo Dollar’s story is fundamentally a story of transformation from a small campus Bible study into a large international ministry.
His early ministry grew in an era when Christian television was becoming increasingly important to American evangelical and charismatic movements. Dollar recognized the reach of television and eventually developed Changing Your World, which became the principal broadcast expression of his ministry.
His career has also changed theologically. Dollar was once widely identified with prosperity teaching, particularly his emphasis on faith, financial prosperity and God’s desire for believers to prosper. In later years, he began placing considerably greater emphasis on grace. That transition became particularly visible when he publicly reconsidered his earlier teaching about tithing.
The result is a ministry whose history cannot be understood simply through the prosperity-gospel label. Dollar’s current teaching is heavily centered on grace, identity in Christ and the believer’s relationship with God.
Quick Facts
| Quick Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Creflo Augustus Dollar Jr. |
| Date of Birth | January 28, 1962 |
| Age | 64 years (2026) |
| Place of Birth | College Park, Georgia, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Pastor, Bible teacher, author and television minister |
| Wife | Taffi Dollar |
| Children | Five |
| Church | World Changers Church International |
| Ministry | Creflo Dollar Ministries |
| Television Program | Changing Your World |
| Education | West Georgia College |
| Years Active | 1980s to present |
| Ministry Headquarters | College Park, Georgia |
Early Life and Education
Creflo Augustus Dollar Jr. was born on January 28, 1962, in College Park, Georgia, a city southwest of Atlanta.
Unlike some ministers who grew up with an obvious calling toward pastoral ministry, Dollar initially had different ambitions. He was interested in athletics and hoped to pursue professional soccer. An injury, however, repeatedly interrupted his participation in the sport.
During his college years at West Georgia College, Dollar’s direction began to change.
He became a Christian during his first year of graduate school, according to biographical material associated with his ministry and books. He subsequently became involved in witnessing and evangelism among fellow students.
A small Bible study that he led with a classmate became known as the World Changers Bible Study. That gathering would eventually provide the foundation for the ministry that carried the World Changers name.
Dollar earned a bachelor’s degree in education from West Georgia College in 1984. Later biographical material associated with his books states that he earned master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling, and he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Oral Roberts University in 1998.
The Beginning of World Changers Church
The ministry that became World Changers Church International began with extremely modest circumstances.
World Changers Church’s official history records that its first service took place in 1986 in the cafeteria of Kathleen Mitchell Elementary School. Only eight people attended that first service.
The small congregation gradually expanded.
In 1988, World Changers Ministries acquired the former Atlanta Christian Center in College Park. As the congregation continued to grow, Dollar’s teaching ministry also expanded beyond the local church.
Television, radio, books and recorded teaching became increasingly important parts of his outreach.
By the 1990s, World Changers Church had developed into a major congregation, eventually moving into the World Dome in 1995. The church says the 8,500-seat facility was acquired debt-free.
The scale of the organization represented a remarkable change from the eight people who attended its first service.
Creflo Dollar’s Teaching Ministry
Dollar’s teaching style has generally emphasized practical application.
Rather than concentrating solely on doctrinal exposition, his sermons frequently address faith, identity, finances, relationships, personal responsibility and God’s promises.
During the earlier decades of his career, his message became strongly associated with prosperity theology. He taught that God wanted believers to experience prosperity and that faith could affect different areas of life, including finances.
This teaching attracted a large following but also criticism from Christians who disagreed with prosperity theology.
Over time, however, Dollar’s theological emphasis began changing.
He increasingly focused on grace and what he describes as the believer’s freedom from legalism. His ministry now describes his central mission as helping people understand God’s grace and apply it to everyday life.
Creflo Dollar and the Gospel of Grace
The concept of grace has become central to Dollar’s contemporary ministry.
His current teaching emphasizes what he calls the “Gospel of Grace,” with an emphasis on what Christ has accomplished rather than on believers attempting to earn God’s favor through religious performance.
This shift is particularly important because of his earlier association with prosperity teaching.
In 2022, Dollar publicly acknowledged that his previous teaching about mandatory tithing needed to be reconsidered. He said he had spent years teaching tithing in a way that he no longer believed was consistent with the New Testament.
The change generated considerable discussion because tithing had been an important part of his earlier teaching.
Rather than treating the episode simply as a contradiction, it is more accurate to view it as part of the theological development of Dollar’s ministry. His current message places greater emphasis on grace, freedom and the believer’s relationship with God.
Changing Your World
Television played a major role in the expansion of Creflo Dollar’s ministry.
His program Changing Your World became the principal television expression of his teaching. According to Creflo Dollar Ministries, the broadcast now reaches nearly one billion homes globally through television, online streaming and the Changing Your World Network.
The program helped Dollar reach audiences far beyond World Changers Church International in Georgia.
Television also allowed his books, conferences and teaching resources to become part of a much broader media ecosystem.
Today, his ministry continues to distribute teaching through television, streaming platforms, social media, books and a mobile application.
Creflo Dollar’s Books
Publishing has been another important part of Dollar’s ministry.
His books cover Christian living, faith, grace, family, personal development and spiritual growth.
Some of his notable works include:
- Understanding God’s Purpose for the Anointing
- How to Trouble Your Trouble
- Claim Your Success Today
- 8 Steps to Create the Life You Want
- The Successful Family
- The Transformative Power of Grace
- What’s Missing… From Your Christian Foundation
- The Radical Life of Grace
- Winning in Troubled Times
- How to Become the Person You Want to Be
How to Trouble Your Trouble, published in 1998, illustrates the practical character of Dollar’s earlier writing. The book applies biblical principles to subjects including depression, unemployment, sickness, marriage difficulties, poverty and other life challenges.
His more recent works increasingly reflect the grace-centered direction of his ministry.
Creflo Dollar and Taffi Dollar
Creflo Dollar is married to Taffi Dollar, a minister, author and entrepreneur who serves alongside him at World Changers Church International.
The couple have worked together in ministry for decades.
World Changers Church identifies Taffi as a co-pastor and describes her as an author, teacher and motivational speaker. Her ministry has also focused on women, family, relationships and issues surrounding gender and social expectations.
Together, Creflo and Taffi have five adult children: Greg, Jeremy, Jordan, Alex and Lauren.
The family’s involvement in ministry has made the Dollar household an important part of the wider World Changers organization.
Creflo Dollar’s Children and Family
Creflo and Taffi Dollar have five children.
Their children have grown up in a family where ministry has been central to daily life. Jeremy Dollar, in particular, has been associated with the administration of World Changers Church and was listed as the organization’s registered agent in a 2010 Senate Finance Committee review.
The family’s public profile increased during the 2012 controversy involving one of Dollar’s daughters, an incident that later became an important chapter in discussions surrounding the pastor’s personal life.
The 2012 Family Incident
In June 2012, Creflo Dollar was arrested in Georgia after a dispute with his 15-year-old daughter became physical.
According to police reports cited by the Associated Press and CBS News, the teenager alleged that Dollar had punched and choked her during an argument over whether she could attend a party. Dollar denied punching or choking her and said the family conversation had become emotional and escalated.
The incident resulted in misdemeanor charges of simple battery and cruelty to children.
The charges were later dismissed after Dollar completed an anger-management program and fulfilled related court requirements.
Because Dollar disputed the allegations from the beginning and the charges were ultimately dismissed, the incident should be described as an arrest and legal episode rather than as a proven conviction for child abuse.
Senate Finance Committee Review
Financial transparency became another significant issue in Dollar’s public career.
In 2007, then-Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley requested information from six media-based ministries, including Creflo Dollar Ministries and World Changers Church International. The inquiry concerned matters such as expenses, executive compensation and benefits provided to ministry executives.
The committee followed up in 2008, noting that Creflo and Taffi Dollar’s organizations had declined to provide the requested information. The committee said the ministry questioned the request and continued to decline cooperation.
A later committee staff review published information gathered from public records and third parties after the ministry did not provide responses to the committee’s questions. The review noted that World Changers Church had not published audited financial statements on its website and cited publicly reported figures for contributions and budgets.
The Senate review was an oversight inquiry into tax-exempt organizations. It should not be confused with a criminal finding against Dollar.
The Private Jet Controversy
Another highly publicized episode occurred in 2015.
After damage to his existing Gulfstream III, Dollar’s ministry promoted a campaign seeking $65 million toward the purchase of a Gulfstream G650 private jet. The campaign asked supporters to contribute toward the project.
The proposal attracted significant criticism because of the enormous cost of the aircraft and the contrast between the request and Dollar’s already widely reported wealth.
Dollar defended the broader idea of using significant resources to support international ministry and said the project was connected to the need to travel globally for evangelism.
The controversy became one of the most recognizable episodes associated with his public image and intensified wider debates about wealth, luxury and prosperity-oriented Christian ministry.
Creflo Dollar’s Ministry Today
Creflo Dollar remains active as senior pastor of World Changers Church International and continues to travel for ministry engagements.
In 2026, his official schedule includes the Spirit & Grace Tour, running from April 2026 through February 2027. The tour focuses on faith, grace, confidence and Christian living.
His current ministry also continues to publish teaching materials centered on grace, prayer, identity and spiritual growth. Recent articles on his ministry website show his continued emphasis on communion with God and understanding the believer’s identity in Christ.
This current emphasis provides useful context for understanding the evolution of his ministry. The Creflo Dollar of today places considerably more emphasis on grace than the prosperity-focused image that dominated discussions about him during earlier decades.
Creflo Dollar Net Worth
Creflo Dollar’s estimated net worth is around $30 million.
This is an estimate rather than a publicly audited figure of his personal wealth. His long-running ministry, book publishing, television work, speaking engagements and associated organizations are among the factors commonly cited in public estimates of his wealth.
His personal finances should also be distinguished from the finances of World Changers Church International and other ministry organizations. Public records and the Senate Finance Committee review have shown that the organizations have handled substantial amounts of money, but ministry revenue or contributions should not automatically be treated as Creflo Dollar’s personal income or net worth.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
1. Who is Creflo Dollar?
Creflo Dollar is an American pastor, author, Bible teacher and television minister. He is the founder and senior pastor of World Changers Church International in College Park, Georgia, and the founder of Creflo Dollar Ministries.
2. How old is Creflo Dollar?
Creflo Dollar was born on January 28, 1962. He is 64 years old in 2026.
3. Who is Creflo Dollar’s wife?
Creflo Dollar is married to Taffi Dollar. She serves alongside him as co-pastor of World Changers Church International.
4. How many children does Creflo Dollar have?
Creflo and Taffi Dollar have five adult children: Greg, Jeremy, Jordan, Alex and Lauren.
5. When did Creflo Dollar start World Changers Church?
World Changers Church International traces its founding to 1981, while its first service under the World Changers Ministries name was held in 1986 with eight attendees.
6. What is Creflo Dollar known for?
Creflo Dollar is known for his international television ministry, Changing Your World, World Changers Church International, Christian books and teachings on faith, prosperity and, more recently, grace.
7. What happened to Creflo Dollar’s daughter in 2012?
In 2012, Dollar was arrested after an altercation involving his teenage daughter. He denied the allegations that he punched and choked her. The misdemeanor charges were later dismissed after he completed an anger-management program.
8. Did Creflo Dollar face a Senate investigation?
Creflo Dollar Ministries and World Changers Church International were among six media-based ministries examined by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in a 2007-2008 review concerning tax-exempt organizations, expenses, executive compensation and other financial matters.
9. What is Creflo Dollar’s net worth?
Creflo Dollar’s estimated net worth is around $30 million. This is an approximate estimate, not a publicly audited figure of his personal wealth.
10. Is Creflo Dollar still preaching?
Yes. Creflo Dollar remains active as senior pastor of World Changers Church International and continues to preach, teach and travel for ministry engagements. His 2026 schedule includes the Spirit & Grace Tour.
Conclusion
Creflo Dollar’s journey from a small college Bible study to an international Christian ministry is one of the more significant stories in modern American televangelism.
His ministry grew through a combination of preaching, television, publishing and large-scale church development. World Changers Church began with eight people and eventually developed into a major organization, while Changing Your World extended Dollar’s teaching far beyond Georgia.
His career has also evolved substantially. The prosperity-oriented teaching that characterized much of his earlier public ministry eventually gave way to a stronger emphasis on grace, a transition that included his public reconsideration of mandatory tithing.
At the same time, Dollar’s story includes significant controversy, from the 2012 family incident to Senate scrutiny of his ministry’s finances and the 2015 private-jet fundraising campaign. These episodes remain part of the documented history of his public career.
Today, Creflo Dollar continues to lead World Changers Church International and teach internationally, with grace, faith and Christian identity occupying a central place in his contemporary ministry.
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References
- Creflo Dollar Ministries, official biography and ministry profile.
- World Changers Church International, official history.
- World Changers Church International, pastors and ministry leadership.
- U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, 2007 ministry inquiry.
- U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, 2008 update on ministry responses.
- U.S. Senate Finance Committee staff review of World Changers Church International.
- CBS News/Associated Press, 2012 arrest and subsequent dismissal of charges.
- Google Books, biographical information accompanying Creflo Dollar’s published works.
- Celebrity Net Worth, public estimate of Creflo Dollar’s net worth.
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