PUBLISHED TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 1997
Copyright 1997 The Pensacola News Journal. All rights
reserved
Hill settles down on 40 acres in South Alabama
By John W. Allman and Amie K. Streater
News Journal staff writers
PENSACOLA - Evangelist Steve Hill assures the audiences
at Pensacola's Brownsville Revival that everything he makes from the revival
goes into his nonprofit corporation, and not into his pocket.
Even the house that Hill, 43, and his wife Jeri live in
is owned by his corporation, Together in the Harvest Ministries Inc., he
emphasizes.
The only thing the couple owns on the 40 acres in Lillian,
Ala., is the furniture in their house, he said in a recent interview.
Hill relocated his ministry to south Alabama in 1996.
So far, Hill's ministry has spent $887,931 on property
and buildings in Lillian, including $429,931 in cash, for:
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A remodeled farmhouse and 29 acres for $390,000. Hill has
taken out a $290,000 mortgage on the land, for which he pays $1,726 monthly.
-
A main office building for $125,000. There is no mortgage
on this property.
-
A missions/distribution center and nine acres for $209,700.
Hill has an outstanding mortgage of $168,000, for which he pays $1,654
monthly.
-
A duplex for $131,603, which houses four female staff members.
There is no mortgage on this building.
-
A barn converted into apartments for $31,628, which houses
one male staff member. There is no mortgage on this building.
There is also a stable for Hill's two horses and a playground
for his three children.
"This ministry is not rich," Hill told the News Journal.
"I've never been into hifalutin' things."
According to an informal financial statement, released
through Hill's attorney, Walter Chandler, the ministry spent $260,117 between
Aug. 1, 1996, and Aug. 1, 1997, for eight fulltime staff, including Hill,
and five part-time workers.
Of the staff, five full-time employees live on the property
through a housing allowance included with their salary.
Hill said in the statement that he makes $78,000 annually,
not including what he is paid for speaking engagements outside the revival
and a percentage of royalties from his book sales.
The ministry's 1996 IRS return, however, lists $172,795
for staff salaries and benefits, including Hill's salary, which is listed
at $82,374. Hill also got $34,000 from royalties and speaking engagements.
Neither Hill nor his attorney can say whether the IRS
return is for the same time period August to August as the ministry's financial
statement. It was received by the IRS on Aug. 19.
"I could be a millionaire right now," Hill said. "Personally,
I could be a millionaire because of book sales and speaking engagements.
Period. That's just the way it is. But everyone has to make choices in
life."
Hill said he has a life insurance policy through the ministry
to protect his family.
He said he plans for everything the homes, business and
profits to be turned over to his friend, Jim Summers of Outreach Ministries
of Alabama Inc., if Hill should die.
One concern Hill has is the accessibility of his ministry
to motorists passing by. The property has an electric gate, but Hill said
several people have wandered onto it on foot.
When he first arrived in Pensacola and realized the revival
was not going to end overnight, Hill said, he had to move his family eight
times to ensure their privacy.
Once, while staying at the Residence Inn, hotel employees
alerted him to forming crowds, he said.
"People were trying to get into the hotel at 2 in the
morning for prayer and things like that," Hill said.
"The whole idea of living in Pensacola with the attention
we were getting was out of the question."
Hill lived for nine months in a house on Ono Island near
Gulf Shores, Ala., that a friend allowed him to use.
Hill said he liked the security of the island with its
guard-controlled access.
He said he would like some day to build a compound someplace
similar in order to shelter his ministry from public scrutiny.