Controversial Israeli televangelist Benny Hinn, known for
his massive “healing crusades" and also associated with what has become
known as prosperity gospel, has announced that he is undergoing a correction of
his theology that made him and his family millions.
In a Facebook live broadcast with his followers, Benny Hinn
who has been an advocate of obtaining blessings through sowing of seeds,
faithful payments of tithes and offerings, delivered a full-throated rejection
of the practice.
He further stated that he will never ask for $1,000 or
whatever amount again because he thinks the Holy Ghost is just fed up with it.
Revealing that some Pastors may not invite him to their churches again to
preach and raise money for "church projects", Benny added that the
Gospel “is not for sale.”
“I’m sorry to say that prosperity has gone a little crazy
and I’m correcting my own theology and you need to all know it. Because when I
read the Bible now, I don’t see the Bible in the same eyes I saw 20 years ago,”
Hinn said as his followers rejoiced.
“I think it’s an offense to the Lord, it’s an offense to say
give $1,000. I think it’s an offense to the Holy Spirit to place a price on the
Gospel. I’m done with it. I will never again ask you to give $1,000 or whatever
amount, because I think the Holy Ghost is just fed up with it.
“Did you hear me?” Hinn asked as his audience responded
affirmatively in high spirits.
“I think it hurts the Gospel, so I’m making this statement
for the first time in my life and frankly, I don’t care what people think about
me anymore,” he continued.
“When they invite me to telethons I think they will not like
me anymore. Because when you look at the word of God … if I hear one more time,
break the back of debt with $1,000, I’m gonna rebuke them. I think that’s
buying the Gospel. That’s buying the blessing. That’s grieving the Holy Spirit.
… If you are not giving because you love Jesus, don’t bother giving,” Hinn
argued. “I think giving has become such a gimmick; it’s making me sick to my stomach.”
Televangelist Benny Hinn is however not the first prosperity
preacher to publicly denounce the practice.
Earlier this year, Joyce Meyer told viewers, “I’m glad for what I
learned about prosperity, but it got out of balance. I’m glad for what I
learned about faith, but it got out of balance,” explaining, “every time
someone had problems it was ’cause they didn’t have enough faith. If you got
sick, you didn’t have enough faith. If your child died, you didn’t have enough
faith … Well, that’s not right.”
Benny Hinn's nephew,
Costi Hinn had also revealed in his new book, God, Greed, and the
(Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies, how his family
exploited millions around the world with the prosperity gospel and often traded
so-called miracles for money.
