Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, better known as Reverend Ike, was an Americanminister and evangelist based in New York City. He was known for the slogan "You can't lose with the stuff I use!" His preaching is considered a form of prosperity theology.
Life and career
Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II was born in Ridgeland, South Carolina to parents from the Netherlands Antilles, and was of African and Indo descent. He began his career as a teenage preacher and became assistant pastor at Bible Way Church in Ridgeland, South Carolina. After serving a stint in the Air Force as a Chaplain Service Specialist, he founded, successively, the United Church of Jesus Christ for All People in Beaufort, South Carolina, the United Christian Evangelistic Association in Boston, Massachusetts, his main corporate entity, and the Christ Community United Church in New York City. . It is used as a live music venue as well as a church, and is still owned by the United Church Evangelistic Association. Known popularly as "Reverend Ike," his ministry reached its peak in the mid 1970s, when his weekly radio sermons were carried by hundreds of stations across the United States. He was famous for his "Blessing Plan" - radio listeners sent him money and in return he blessed them. He said doing this would make radio listeners who did it more prosperous. He was criticized for his overt interest in financial remuneration. In 1972, The New York Times described his church service: Rev. Ike bought the Loew's 175th Street Theatremovie palace in the Washington Heights neighborhood for over half a million dollars, renamed it the "Palace Cathedral" - although colloquially it was known as "Reverend Ike's Prayer Tower" - and had it fully restored. Restorations included the seven-story high, twin chamber Robert Morton organ. The "Miracle Star of Faith", visible from the George Washington Bridge, tops the building’s cupola. In 2016, the building was designated as a landmark by the New York City Landmark Commission. Rev. Ike was also the "chancellor" of the United Church Schools, including the Science of Living Institute and Seminary ; the Business of Living Institute ; and other educational projects.
Other activities
Ike made a guest appearance on Hank Williams, Jr.'s single “Mind Your Own Business”, a Number One country music hit in December 1986. This song is Reverend Ike's only chart single.
Ike and his wife, Eula M. Dent, had one son, Xavier Eikerenkoetter. Reverend Ike died in Los Angeles at age 74 on July 28, 2009, after having not fully recovered from a stroke in 2007. His son gave a moving eulogy at his father's memorial service comparing his father to Martin Luther King and Malcolm X – as a "spiritual activist" and a liberator of minds. Xavier subsequently took over the church.
