Editing Joshua Media Ministries

{{Short description|Christian evangelical ministry}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2026}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}}
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'''Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI)''', also known as '''Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGCC)''' and '''Kingdom Family Church (KFC)''', is a [[Christian ministry|ministry]] and [[Christian Church|church]] based in [[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]], and [[Taylor, Michigan]].<ref name="RFT-MoreOnCult">{{cite news|last1=Krull|first1=Ryan|title=More on the Alleged Cult That Bought Nelly's Crumbling Mansion|newspaper=Riverfront Times|date=2022-06-23|url=https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/more-on-the-alleged-cult-that-bought-nellys-crumbling-mansion-37968042|access-date=2022-10-30}}</ref><ref name=News-Herald>{{cite news|last1=Maloney|first1=Colin|title=Pastor accused of running his multimillion-dollar Taylor church as a 'cult'|date=2021-06-17|orig-date=2019-04-01|newspaper=[[The News-Herald (Southgate, Michigan)|The News-Herald]]|url=https://www.thenewsherald.com/2019/04/01/pastor-accused-of-running-his-multimillion-dollar-taylor-church-as-a-cult/|access-date=2022-10-29}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Rodriguez |first=Nathaniel |date=August 27, 2025 |title=Who is ‘Apostle’ David E. Taylor, church leader targeted in Tampa, multi-state FBI raids? |url=https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/who-is-apostle-david-e-taylor-church-leader-targeted-in-tampa-multi-state-fbi-raids/ |work=[[WFLA-TV]]}}</ref> The ministry has been operating since 2007 under President and CEO [[David E. Taylor|David E. Taylor.]]<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2013-05-09 |title=Joshua Media Ministries International - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/331174241 |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Missouri Online Business Filing: Joshua Media Ministries International |url=https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BusinessEntityDetail.aspx?page=beSearch&ID=2132306 |access-date=April 1, 2026 |website=Missouri Business Filings |publisher=Missouri Secretary of State's Office}}</ref>  

Former members have described the organization as a [[Cult|cult,]] and Taylor has faced accusations of sexual misconduct as well as criticism for his extravagant lifestyle and high-profile real estate purchases. Taylor, however, denies these allegations, claiming they are a racially motivated [[social media]] [[smear campaign]]. 

Taylor claims that his [[ministerial]] efforts have "resulted in entire drug rings being dismantled, sex-slave trafficking being broken, blinded eyes opening, deaf ears hearing, the lame walking, and the dead being brought back to life."<ref name=DavidETaylor>{{cite web|title=Apostle David Taylor: Healing Minister, Author, Presidential Award Recipient|url=https://apostledavidetaylor.org/|website=Apostle David E. Taylor|access-date=2022-11-05}}</ref> The church has released a video of a member claiming that Taylor [[Resurrection|raised her from the dead]].<ref name="Post-Dispatch">{{cite news|last1=Kohler|first1=Jeremy|title=Minister says buying Jamestown Mall would fulfill God's will for global headquarters|date=2017-05-08|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/minister-says-buying-jamestown-mall-would-fulfill-gods-will-for-global-headquarters/article_6a902ca0-c77b-5998-b67a-44f93de81e03.html|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|archive-url=https://archive.today/20221030205252/https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/minister-says-buying-jamestown-mall-would-fulfill-gods-will-for-global-headquarters/article_6a902ca0-c77b-5998-b67a-44f93de81e03.html|archive-date=2022-10-30|access-date=2022-12-10}}</ref> He also claims to have met [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] face-to-face and to be able to instruct his followers to share that experience.<ref name=News-Herald /><ref name=Post-Dispatch />

On August 27, 2025, Taylor and executive director Michelle Brannon were arrested in North Carolina and Florida on federal charges of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.<ref>{{cite news |title=Two Self-Professed Religious Leaders Who Used Physical and Psychological Abuse to Coerce Victims to Solicit Tens of Millions in Donations Federally Charged and Arrested |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-self-professed-religious-leaders-who-used-physical-and-psychological-abuse-coerce |access-date=28 August 2025 |work=www.justice.gov |date=27 August 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Willetts |first=Mitchell |date=October 2, 2025 |title=Raid of church leader’s Florida mansion reveals 57 forced laborers, feds say |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article312358404.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251005093925/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article312358404.html |archive-date=2025-10-05 |access-date=2026-04-04 |work=Miami Herald |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
Missouri business records indicate that entities using the Joshua Media name were first incorporated in the state in 2007, with Joshua Media Ministries International organized the following year; these early corporations were later administratively dissolved.<ref name=":0" />

The ministry subsequently adopted and used the alternative names Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC) and Kingdom Family Church (KFC) in its branding and public-facing materials. Its primary headquarters and mailing address are in Taylor, Michigan, and by the early 2020s, the organization reported or was reported to maintain ministry or call-center operations in [[Taylor, Michigan]]; [[Houston|Houston, Texas]]; [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] and [[Ocala, Florida]]; and [[Chesterfield, Missouri|Chesterfield]], [[Eureka, Missouri|Eureka]], and [[Wildwood, Missouri]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Samilton |first=Tracy |date=2025-08-28 |title="Kingdom of God Global Church" leaders indicted for alleged forced labor, money laundering |url=https://www.michiganpublic.org/criminal-justice-legal-system/2025-08-27/kingdom-of-god-global-church-leaders-indicted-for-alleged-forced-labor-money-laundering |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=Michigan Public |language=en}}</ref>

==Controversies==
Former members of {{Abbr|KOGGC|Kingdom of God Global Church}} have accused the church of physical, financial, and sexual abuse, including aggressive fundraising quotas, sleep deprivation, welfare fraud, and blackmail.<ref name=News-Herald /> Neighbors to the church's residential properties have reported heavy security and surveillance presence; city officials in [[Chesterfield, Missouri|Chesterfield, Missouri,]] have cited the church for operating commercial enterprises in residential zones, and various Michigan police departments have reported frequent visits to the church's main office and residential facilities for wellness checks, missing-persons reports, mental health commitments, and a 2017 bomb threat.<ref name="RFT-MoreOnCult" /><ref name=News-Herald />

Other former members, including gospel singer [[Vicki Yohe]] and Taylor's ex-wife Tabitha Taylor, claim that Taylor uses his position in the church to lure women into sexual relationships, including married members of his congregation.<ref name=ChristianPost>{{cite news|last1=Blair|first1=Leonardo|title=Ex-Wife of David E. Taylor Says He Had Multiple Affairs, Got Her Pregnant Before Marriage|date=2018-11-06|website=Christian Post|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/ex-wife-david-e-taylor-multiple-affairs-pregnant-before-marriage.html|access-date=2022-11-04}}</ref> Yohe's account of her relationship with Taylor included lavish gifts when the relationship was going well and threats of [[revenge porn]] and being cursed with cancer when it was going poorly.<ref name=News-Herald /><ref name=Yohe>{{cite book|last1=Yohe|first1=Vicki|title=All You Have is A Voice: Free From a Hidden Cult|publisher=Dreamer Reign Media|date=2020-03-17|isbn=978-1-952253-00-3}}</ref>

One member of the church donated over $1 million. In a subsequent divorce proceeding, Taylor was subpoenaed for a videotaped deposition to detail his church's spending. In the deposition, he described a $2.8 million residence in the St. Louis area, three luxury vehicles (including a limousine), and a 2013–2014 clothing budget of approximately $30,000. He explained the clothing expenditures as due to his frequent travel and "sweating through all [his] clothes."<ref name=ChristianPost /><ref name=Post-Dispatch />

[[Ministry Watch]] rates Joshua Media Ministries an 'F' ("Withhold Giving") for its lack of financial transparency, with a score of 12/100 for donor confidence.<ref name=MinistryWatch>{{cite web|title=Joshua Media Ministries – Ministry Watch|url=https://db.ministrywatch.com/ministry.php?ein=331174241|date=2022-03-28|publisher=Ministry Watch|access-date=2022-10-29}}</ref>

==Real-estate purchases==
In 2015, Taylor announced plans to purchase the St. Louis-area [[Jamestown Mall]] for redevelopment as a religious complex, including a hotel, sports arena, office space, and convention center. He claimed that he had a $10 million donation from [[Karlos Dansby]] and $400 million in financing arranged, along with a contract to purchase the property from [[Macy's]] for $1 million. Dansby denied that he had made or pledged the donation, and the church was unable to begin either the site purchase or redevelopment. Instead, [[St. Louis County, Missouri|St. Louis County]] transferred the property to its port authority in 2017.<ref name=Post-Dispatch />

Taylor unsuccessfully sued St. Louis County, claiming that it had undermined his efforts with slow approvals, and Macy's, for reneging on the alleged purchase agreement.<ref name=Post-Dispatch /> In October 2025, the mall was demolished after nearly 10 years of vacancy.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hoskins |first=Kelley |date=Oct 16, 2025 |title=Demolition complete: Jamestown Mall site cleared, ready for redevelopment |url=https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/demolition-complete-jamestown-mall-site-cleared-ready-for-redevelopment/ |work=Fox 2 Now}}</ref>

In 2021, {{Abbr|KOGGC|Kingdom of God Global Church}} purchased an abandoned 10,000-square-foot mansion in [[Wildwood, Missouri]] owned by the rapper [[Nelly]].<ref name="RFT-MansionPurchase">{{cite news|last1=Krull|first1=Ryan|title=Nelly's Former Mansion Owned by Alleged Cult|newspaper=Riverfront Times|date=2022-06-15|url=https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/nellys-former-mansion-owned-by-alleged-cult-37820405|access-date=2022-10-30}}</ref> At the time, the Church also owned a nearby five-bedroom, nine-bathroom house in nearby [[Chesterfield, Missouri|Chesterfield]].<ref name="RFT-MoreOnCult" /> It claimed that these homes were intended for use in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.<ref name="RFT-MoreOnCult" />

In 2022, the Church also purchased an $8.3 million estate from Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-owner Darcie Glazer Kassewitz in [[Tampa, Florida]]'s [[Avila (Tampa)|Avila]] neighborhood. The estate included a 28,893-square-foot main house and a 2,620-square-foot guest house.<ref name=TampaBayBusiness>{{cite news|last1=Gurbal Kritzer|first1=Ashley|title=A church appears to have purchased Bucs co-owner's former Avila home|website=Tampa Bay Business Journal|date=2022-04-15|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2022/04/15/bucs-co-owner-avila-home-sold-to-church.html|access-date=2022-10-29}}</ref><ref name="ChurchLeaders">{{cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Stephanie|title=Church of Evangelist David E. Taylor, Who Has Been Accused of Running a Cult, Buys Florida Mansion|date=2022-04-26|website=Church Leaders|url=https://churchleaders.com/news/422849-evangelist-david-e-taylor-cult-florida-mansion.html|access-date=2022-10-30}}</ref>

==References==
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[[Category:Christian new religious movements]]
[[Category:Churches in Michigan]]
[[Category:Religious organizations based in Michigan]]
[[Category:Taylor, Michigan]]