Ep. 539: DOJ Sues Life Surge, Lawsuits Against Greg Laurie and Harvest, Missionary Plane Crash Report

On today’s program, the Department of Justice is suing the founder of Life Surge, Joe Johnson, for his alleged part in a scheme to cheat the government out of over $46 million in taxes through abusive bargain sale transactions. We’ll take a look. And, a new report reveals the final moments of missionaries Alex and Serena Wurm before their plane crashed on a trip to deliver aid to Jamaica. We’ll have details. Plus, two reports that detail reasons for cautious optimism. One shows that the decline of religion in America has stalled. Another, that Christian giving in America is on the rebound. But first, abuse lawsuits are piling up against Pastor Greg Laurie and his Harvest Christian Fellowship, bringing the total number of lawsuits to 12. The original lawsuit was filed in September by two men claiming that Paul Havsgaard abused them at a children’s shelter in Bucharest, Romania. Allegations include children being tied to radiators, being made to kneel down on walnut shells, being touched inappropriately, and being “pimped out” for sex. The number of litigants has now risen to 12. The law firm representing the survivors said in a news release in September that it expects 23 former residents of the children’s home to bring complaints. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, and Makella Knowles. Until next time, may God bless you.