BENNY HINN

'Tofik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn' (born December 3, 1952) is a televangelist, best known for his regular "Miracle Crusades" – revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities.^[1]

Contents

History

Ministry and theology

Criticism and Controversy

Bibliography

See also

References

External links

History

Benny Hinn was raised within the Greek Orthodox Church, and attended Georges Vanier Secondary School in Toronto, Canada, where he was known as 'Teufik Hinn'.
He states that his father was the mayor of Jaffa; and that as a child, he was socially isolated and handicapped by a severe stammer, but was nonetheless a first-class student.^[2]These claims, however, have been disputed by some of his critics.^[3]
He has written that on December 21, 1973, he traveled by charter bus from Toronto to Pittsburgh to attend a "miracle service" conducted by evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman. Although he never met her personally, he often attended her “healing services” and has often cited her as an influence in his life.²
He founded the Orlando Christian Center in 1983. In 1999, he handed the church (by the time renamed to the World Outreach Center) to Clint Brown and moved to Grapevine, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth, while maintaining the legal entity “World Outreach Center Benny Hinn Ministries”. His former church was renamed Faith World Church under pastoring of Clint Brown, author of 250 praise songs and 14 albums, who merged his Orlando church with Hinn's.
He is married to Suzanne Harthern and lives in Dana Point, California.

Ministry and theology

Benny Hinn is well known for his flamboyant, highly theatrical and often controversial style of ministry, at which members of the congregation and the choir are frequently "slain in the Spirit" en masse, and purported healings of medical conditions, whether Lou Gehrig's disease, AIDS, arthritis^[4] or cancer, are televised from the stage.
He hosts a thirty-minute show, ''This Is Your Day'', on various Christian television networks, including Trinity Broadcasting Network, Daystar Television Network, Revelation TV, The Christian Channel, Vision TV, INSP Networks, and The God Channel. He also organizes regular "Miracle Crusades" – revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities.
His teaching is similar in many respects to the Word of Faith doctrine, with a particular emphasis on healing.
According to Ole Anthony, for the film Leap of Faith, Steve Martin "modeled the evangelist character on Benny Hinn".^[5]

Criticism and Controversy

In March 2005, Ministry Watch, an independent evangelical organization which reviews Christian ministries for financial transparency and efficiency and advises potential donors accordingly, issued a Donor Alert stating that "the reported exorbitant spending of the Hinn family reveals that BHM has far more money than it needs to carry out its ministry" and advising Christians to "prayerfully consider withholding contributions to Benny Hinn" while praying for his restoration and repentance.^[6] Benny Hinn Ministries is not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.^[7]
Hinn lives in an ocean-front mansion valued at an estimated $8.5 million in an exclusive gated community in Dana Point, California, travels by private aircraft, and stays in hotel rooms costing upwards of $3,000 per night.^[8] In December 2006, he sent out a mailing asking for donations towards a new Gulfstream G4SP jet valued at an estimated $36 million.^[9]
Starting in June of 2007, at the end of his ''This is Your Day'' program, Hinn stated he is behind in his bills to TBN and said he needs "your love gifts" so he can become current and continue to preach the gospel around the world. Hinn stated the cost of his worldwide crusades and the increased price of everything else has left him financially behind in his bills, but says TBN founders Paul and Jan Crouch have been very supportive.
Currently this ministry is receiving a "F" rating (0-70) in financial transparency from Ministry Watch.^[10]
On August 24, 2007 the CBC Television show ''the fifth estate'' did a special on the apparent transgressions committed by Benny Hinn's ministry. With the aid of hidden cameras and crusade witnesses, the producers of the show were able to show Benny's misappropriation of funds, his consisent fabrication of the truth and last but not least, the way in which his staff chose crusade audience members to come on stage for televised healings. It turns out that the seriously disabled who attend his healings are interviewed and then weeded out from ever getting the chance to come on stage. Instead, those who have minor injuries are brought up in their place. Benny even claims proof from the faithful's doctors that healings have been successful- even though none of these doctor notes have ever been produced as evidence to his claims.

Bibliography

★ Kathryn Kuhlman: Her Spiritual Legacy and Its Impact on My Life, Benny Hinn,, , , W Pub Group, ,

★ Good Morning, Holy Spirit, Benny Hinn,, , , Nelson Books, ,

★ He Touched Me ''an Autobiography'', Benny Hinn,, , , Nelson Books, ,

★ The Anointing, Benny Hinn,, , , Nelson Books, ,

★ Welcome, Holy Spirit How You Can Experience The Dynamic Work Of The Holy Spirit In Your Life., Benny Hinn,, , , Nelson Books, ,

★ This Is Your Day for a Miracle, Benny Hinn,, , , Creation House, ,

★ The Biblical Road to Blessing, Benny Hinn,, , , Thomas Nelson Inc, ,

★ Miracle Of Healing, Benny Hinn,, , , J. Countryman, ,

★ The Blood, Benny Hinn,, , , Charisma House, ,

★ Going deeper with the Holy Spirit, Benny Hinn,, , , Benny Hinn Ministries, ,

★ Lord, I Need a Miracle, Benny Hinn,, , , Thomas Nelson Inc, ,

See also

★ Christian Televangelist scandals

★ Charismatic movement

★ Kathryn Kuhlman

★ Televangelism

★ Word of Faith

★ Personal Freedom Outreach

★ Trinity Foundation

References

1. Benny Hinn gives aid for tsunami victims
2. Benny Hinn, ''Good Morning, Holy Spirit'', chapter 2
3. The Heretic John Bloom
4. [Australia's Crusade Begins with Powerful Anointing http://www.bennyhinn.org/articles/articledesc.cfm?id=167]
5. The Miracles and the Money
6. MinistryWatch.com: MinistryWatch.com Recommends that Donors Withhold Giving to Benny Hinn Ministries
7. [http://www.apologeticsindex.org/h01.html Benny Hinn: Apologetics Research Resources
8. Do You Believe in Miracles? Bob McKeown
9. "Dove One" brochure
10. Ministry Watch Summary Report

External links

★ Benny Hinn Ministries – Official website

★ Faith World – Official website Hinn's former church

★ Do You Believe in Miracles? a report by CBC News