A Wisconsin church gifted a gold-plated rifle engraved with a MAGA-themed quote to controversial televangelist Mark Barclay earlier this year, in a video that recently surfaced.
During a Wednesday night service at Living Word Christian Church in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on February 26, Pastor Mark Clements gifted an AR-15 with gold metallic finish to televangelist Mark Barclay. Clements introduced Barclay, a visiting guest speaker recently mired in scandal at his own church, as “my pastor.”
The custom rifle, engraved with President Donald Trump’s words, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”, came about after a recent lunch shared by the two ministers. Clements said Barclay told him he admired how then candidate Trump responded after the assassination attempt reported last year.
“So we went out, and we got him a gold-plated AR-15,” said Clements. “(It’s) inscribed right on the mag, ‘Fight, fight, fight!’—the MAGA special edition! . . . We bought it specifically for you, it’s got his picture engraved (and) the president’s seal on it.”
Barclay, a nationally known Pentecostal televangelist, is founding senior pastor of Living Word International Church in Midland, Michigan. Recently, three senior staff members at the Michigan megachurch have been accused of sexual assault, as The Roys Report (TRR) previously reported.
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Among the accused is James Randolph, Barclay’s son-in-law and a minister at the Michigan church, who recently rejected a plea deal after being charged with sex crimes against children.
As Clements introduced Barclay to preach at his Wisconsin church, the two men celebrated their shared MAGA affinity.
“I hope you like it,” said Clements, handing the gold-plated rifle to his friend.
“Are you kidding me?” Barclay gushed. “I love it, I love it, I love it. It’s a blessing, it really is . . . Thank you, Mark. I love you, brother.”
Clements added: “We’re going to pray (against) covetousness to come, because there’s about four dozen guys that would love to have this—me being one of them.”
In an email to TRR, Living Word Christian Church Office Director Liz Gabrielsen stated, “The gift was presented in appreciation and recognition of Dr. Barclay’s presenting at a men’s conference and as a decorated war veteran, for his service to our country 50 years ago (Vietnam War).”
She disputed the description of the rifle as “gold plated,” stating, “The firearm is actually a ‘gold FX finish’ which is a Cerakote metallic metal paint. So, ‘gold-painted’ would be more accurate.”
However, Pastor Clements used the phrase “gold-plated” to describe the custom rifle in his remarks to Barclay during the church service.
Extravagant gifts rarely reported in taxes
According to analysis by Trinity Foundation, a religious watchdog group, the rifle given to Barclay may have cost between $1,330 to $1,700, according to the Black Rain Ordnance gun manufacturer website.
In the church’s statement to TRR, Gabrielsen said that she is “unable to confirm the value” of the custom rifle.
If American churches present gifts to pastors for their birthdays, during Pastor Appreciation Month (October) and when they retire, sometimes they are required to report these gifts as compensation.
As U.S. Code Title 26 Section 102 states, small gifts such as snacks and a T-shirt provided occasionally at work are considered de minimis, and not subject to taxation.
Meanwhile, gifts to non-employees are handled differently.
Some of the gifts to (and from) televangelists are very extravagant:
- Paula White gave T.D. Jakes a black Bentley convertible for his 50th birthday in 2019.
- Oral Roberts gave fundraising consultant James Eugene Ewing an aircraft.
- Creflo Dollar attempted to raise $2 million for Kenneth Copeland to celebrate Copeland’s 40th ministry anniversary.
- Daystar Television Network’s only independent board member Tom Calendar gifted the network president Joni Lamb $100,000 for her honeymoon, which she claims to have reimbursed.
The danger of tax evasion
In 2011, the Senate Finance Committee published a 61-page report identifying financial loopholes exploited by religious organizations. One of the loopholes was pastors receiving “love offerings” rather than a salary so that their compensation was not taxed.
There also appears to be widespread confusion in the church world regarding speaking honorariums. They are often treated as gifts when they are actually compensation, and the recipient should be given a Form 1099 for tax purposes.
Televangelist Todd Coontz and Gregory L. Clarke, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, both served jail time for tax evasion as a result of treating speaking honorariums as gifts rather than taxable income.
However, the courts are not always consistent. An indictment of the late televangelist Morris Cerullo was dismissed because a prosecutor failed to give the grand jury complete information.
Tax Notes reported, “During the prosecutor’s presentation, the grand jury asked at least three times about how to differentiate between earned income and gifts. Each time the prosecutor answered without mentioning the most critical factor: the donor’s intent.”
Reporting requirements for nonprofit groups
For 2025, the gift tax exclusion is $19,000. With a couple exceptions, gifts exceeding this amount are taxable and require the donor to complete the IRS Form 709 and pay the gift tax.
Not subject to taxation are gifts to spouses and gifts to pay for school tuition or medical expenses.
Responding to TRR’s questions about proper tax reporting of the gifted rifle, Gabrielsen with Living Word Christian Church said, “Both ministries are aware of, and conform to, all applicable IRS law [sic] concerning this gift.”
While churches, synagogues and mosques are not required to report gift expenses to the Internal Revenue Service on a Form 990, other religious non-profits such as Christian colleges do include them in the 990 Statement of Expenses Page.
The IRS website features a Frequently Asked Questions page for gift taxes and the IRS Publication 559 provides more in-depth information about gift taxes for accountants and bookkeepers.
A version of this article originally appeared at Trinity Foundation.
Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on religion and culture for The Roys Report and other outlets. Barry Bowen is lead analyst at religion watchdog group Trinity Foundation.
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18 Responses
Guns, gold, greed, gifts . . . how does God fit into this package? Or an AR-15 during worship service?
As if we need another reason to hate white American Evangelical Christianity.
I wish Jesus would resurrect Paul so he could write a letter to the current American church.
It has become embarrassing to refer to oneself as an “Evangelical.”
Attend an Eastern Orthodox church. Find one that has a lot of converts like mine. You won’t be embarrassed anymore.
If Paul was resurrected and wrote to the American Evangelical church most congregations and their leaders would throw it away (Or deleted it in their inbox) and write off the letter as written by an impostor.
I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t listen… what these corrupt american evangelicals need to face is a one-on-one with the Almighty… and hear, in real time, for the first time in their lives, what He thinks of their idols, their greed, their interpretations of His Scripture, their culture, their religious ‘business’, their lifestyles… their gross sins like this…
Have God’s Son resurrect a man to write a letter?
Anyway, most churches follow the Romans 13 model, given by Paul, and you cannot criticize the behavior of the authority in the church, but must submit to it.
He has already! 1st & 2nd Corinthians!!
Gold plated rifle. What a shameful waste of money. How different is this than golden calf??!!
Not only gold-plated but TactiCOOL Bling-Blinged — Look at that barrel shroud and collapsing stock! (Incidentally, that long a barrel/shroud defeats the purpose of a collapsing/folding stock. And that type of barrel shroud is styled more like a light machinegun than a rifle.) Wrong angle to see what sights it mounts, but probably a Picatinny Rail on the receiver – the barrel shroud would interfere.
Could be worse. Didn’t Baba Saddam own a gold-plated AK-47?
An appropriate gift for him and all the other MAGA Kool-Aid drinkers to cosplay GI Joe and pretend they are bad “rear ends” (this is a family-friendly website, after all). Of course they will run way like scared little children should the excrement get real.
Clements actually says: “We’re going to pray for covetousness”.
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks!
When you’re walking in the Spirit i.e being a Christian (Galatians 5 & 6, Romans 8) the last thing you think about is possessing something shiny and gold, never mind something shiny and gold that can be used to take the life of someone.
Absolutely nauseating performance.
In the 22nd chapter of Luke, verse 38 we see that Yahshua told His disciples: It is enough (that you have two swords) for in just 12 verses later, they, Peter, would learn a lesson that he would never forget: that Malchus was in need of two ears to hear, Shema, as Yahshua promptly and effectively placed the severed ear of Malchus back on to his bleeding, traumatized, conflicted and throbbing head! In deed, two is enough.
Yes, and so a parallel to the AR-15 gifting should have been the presentation to Peter of a gold-plated sword. How could the disciples have so missed the opportunity?!
“Mass shootings involving AR-15s have become a recurring American nightmare.” The Washington Post, 16 Nov 2023.
Sadly, the evangelical churches have become weekly fundraising pep-rallies where ego stroking is commonplace and what Christ crucified really means have become an incidental. No reverence to be found in such places. There is more reverence to be found in Rev. Alden’s words at the church in Walnut Grove. And for the biblical practice of sanctification, well that little thorn seems to have been swept out the door quite some time ago.
From the Black Rain Ordnance website: “The Trump Custom Gold FX from Black Rain Ordnance, Inc. is a premium, high-end firearm that combines unparalleled craftsmanship with a bold, striking design. Featuring an intricate laser-engraved pattern, this custom rifle showcases a unique tribute to style and precision. The Gold FX finish adds a touch of luxury, while the rifle’s advanced components ensure top-tier performance and durability. Perfect for collectors and enthusiasts who demand both aesthetics and reliability, the Trump Custom Gold FX is an incredible way to commemorate the landmark election of our 47th President. Due to current order volume, we are estimating a lead time of 6-8 weeks before your Trump FX Custom rifle will ship. We appreciate your patience!
“List Price: $1,699.99. Sale Price: $1,329.99”
Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!!
Sad when individuals who call them-selves into ministries that are not given to them of God. I asked my Pastor, “how can I tell if it is of God or of man? He said, “That’s simple, WHERE DOES THE GLORY GO TO?”
IT IS NOT who you say you are, IT IS SIMPLY BEING BORN AGAIN OF THE SPIRIT. Not of religiosity! Jesus to a religious man, Nicodemus, “YOU MUST BE AGAIN.
There is not a religion mentioned, not even the Jews…just one MUST! BEING BORN OF THE SPIRIT, (GOD).
That seems to simple, yes so that wayfaring men through fools shall not err therein. Time is either BEFORE CHRIST, Or IN THE DAY OF OUR LORD. We at so point will have to choose to enter into the day of our Lord or to remain in the sin we were altogether born in.
Adam and Eve had a choice, Jesus died for the sins of the world to make it possible for you to believe GOD’S WORD’S and receive EVERLASTING LIFE.
It your choice to accept the offer of FORGIVENESS and EVERLASTING LIFE or to die in your own sins!