The Rev. Creflo Dollar and his sale of daily devotional texts is another example of how evangelical Christians have been early adopters of new communication technologies.
Dollar brings to his particular penchant for making it turn a profit, said Jonathan L. Walton, religion professor at the University of California-Riverside and author of "Watch This! The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black Televangelism."
Dollar has a huge base of potential customers for his $5.99 a month daily inspirational text message.
"Dollar is one of the most popular religious broadcasters on the planet," Walton said.
The minister has moved beyond the image of a TV preacher to a pop icon, he said.
"Whenever you have hip-hop figures quoting you or referencing you in songs as the embodiment of an economic hustler on par with John Gotti, you've made it," Walton said.
Dollar appeared the Ludicris and Jermaine Dupri video "Welcome to Atlanta," and rapper 50 Cent rhymed "Creflo Dollar" with "pop my collar" in "Poppin' Them Thangs."
Dollar, who rose to fame with his TV broadcasts, is facing a lawsuit over his text-messaging service from a California businessman. The suit by Devone Lawson claims that he worked with Dollar and his son Jeremy Dollar to develop the text-messaging devotionals, but the Dollars pulled out and started the service on their own in 2006.
Lawson filed the suit in Los Angeles Wednesday, alleging fraud, breach of contract and other claims. The suit estimates Dollar makes $50 million a year from the service.
Calls to Dollar and his publicist were not returned.
Marcus Owens, a Washington attorney representing Dollar in the investigation into televangelists by the Senate Finance Committee, said he knew nothing about the suit.
From the early days modern technology, Christians such as Oral Roberts have seen technology as a way to spread their message and grow their base, Walton said.
Amy Baglan, vice president with EZ Texting, a text-messaging firm in New York, said the first faith-based groups to adapt text messaging were church youth group leaders. They realized they could use texts to stay connected with their highly mobile and constantly connected charges.
Baglan said EZ Texting has provided help for "hundreds" of faith based groups.
"I've never had any church asking about charging," for sending out messages, she said.
"They generally want it to be a free service."
Dollar's main church College Park claims 30,000 members. He has started satellite churches in New York and other communities.
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