"If she doesn't bring my white wine in the next 5 seconds, I'll whack her with this Wall Street Journal."
Posted on 06/15/2018 9:20:08 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
As followers of Jesus, how should we react to the news that Jesse Duplantis claims that God told him to buy a $54 million jet for his ministry?
Should we condemn him for taking the prosperity message to its logical extreme?
Should we say, "Well, He had a message from God, That's between him and God?"
Or should we say, "How do I help the man of God travel in style? Where do I give?"
According to Duplantis, he wasn't asking his followers for money. Rather, he wanted to inform them so they could believe God with him for the jet. And, he said, "I'm not asking you to pay for my plane."
Regardless of why he made the initial announcement (I'll leave that between him and God), let's look at four unhealthy reactions to his announcement. Then, I'll suggest the real questions we need to ask.
The first unhealthy reaction is based on hyper-gullibility. "We dare not question the man of God. If he says God told him, then it must be so. We don't want to touch the anointed."
In my newest book, "Playing with Holy Fire", I noted that gullibility was one of the hallmark weaknesses of the Pentecostal-Charismatic church. (I say this as an insider, not an outsider.) It's the flip side of one of our hallmark strengths, which is faith. But it is a dangerous flip side.
God calls us to discernment, to mature faith. Everything must be tested by the Word of God.
If we believe whatever our leaders tell us, no matter how outlandish, we could end up in a Jim Jones-type personality cult. If we test things by the Word of God (and by other practical tools the Lord gives us), we will save ourselves a lot of trouble.
The second unhealthy reaction is based on hyper-criticism. Some Christian critics have already damned Duplantis to hell. To paraphrase, "This is proof he's a wolf in sheep's clothing! We always knew he was a deceiver."
Actually, unless we can show that he himself is not a true Christian leader – either by his doctrine or by his life – then this one announcement does not prove that he is a false teacher. Let his ministry (along with all of our ministries) be evaluated fairly, biblically, and comprehensively.
For critics to jump to sweeping conclusions about a leader based on this one announcement is no better than for charismatics to believe everything that leader says.
The third unhealthy reaction is based on hyper-prosperity. "God wants the best for His children," some say. "So, if you're going to get a private jet for your ministry, get the best. God is not a pauper!"
This appears to be a principle Paul and his colleagues failed to master. He wrote, "Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world's garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals" (1 Cor. 4:11-13).
I address this hyper-prosperity mentality (along with the "superstar leaders" syndrome) in "Playing with Holy Fire" as well.
The fourth unhealthy reaction is based on hyper-poverty. By this I mean the attitude that the less you have, the holier you are.
This mindset does not produce generosity. It does not increase faith. And it does not advance the cause of the gospel.
I was speaking with a ministry colleague who heads up a massive evangelistic work. He mentioned a famous prosperity preacher to me and said, "This guy has probably given $50 million to our ministry over the years. He practices what he preaches."
In stark contrast, those who embrace a poverty mentality, who have a hard time receiving financial blessings from God, give very little to the work of the gospel. They feel guilty for every good thing they have, forgetting that Paul knew how to have a little as well as to have a lot (see Phil 4:12).
Because of their restrictive, guilt-ridden mindset, they are constantly in need, always looking to receive and rarely able to give. They are the polar opposite of hyper-prosperity.
That being said, the fact that a prosperity preacher gives away millions of dollars does not justify his message. It simply indicates that he preaches generosity and practices generosity.
On the flip side, the idea that we need to make life difficult for ministers of the gospel is absurd. Better to have a car that runs than a car that breaks down. Better to spend an extra $250 on a direct flight than to save the money and spend the night sleeping on the airport floor.
And that leads me to the two questions I have regarding Jesse Duplantis's announcement.
I don't know him personally and I only heard him preach in person one time, several decades ago. And I'm not here to present a critique (or defense) of his ministry.
I simply want to ask two questions.
First, is it good stewardship of his ministry funds to spend $54 million on a private jet, plus the millions of dollars it will cost every year to maintain and use it?
If a private jet is legitimately needed due to his travel schedule (God and his board know; I don't), does it have to be this expensive? As servants of the Lord, do we need to travel in such luxury?
It's true that God's funds are unlimited. But our own ministry funds are not.
Choices must be made, and by saving an unnecessary expense, we can free up funds for other gospel work (like providing full-time support for some Indian tribal pastors at $50 a month).
When I go overseas to speak, my assistant shops for the best business class fares available, or we use miles for upgrades.
At present, I've been overseas more than 160 times, sometimes with consecutive trips just days apart. Such travel is quite grueling, regardless of where on the plane you sit.
The first 50-60 trips, I virtually always flew economy. The last 100 or so, I've virtually always flown business, often at the expense of those inviting me.
But with the intensity of my schedule (which I wouldn't wish on others) and with my height, it's a good investment to make. Yet it would not be a good investment for us to own a private plane, even an old one.
The point is that every ministry and organization has to evaluate how to disperse the funds it receives. Stewardship is the key word here.
My second question is this: Does Jesse Duplantis's announcement bring reproach to the gospel? Does it make it more difficult for other Christian leaders to raise funds for their work? Does it play into the image of the self-serving, manipulative televangelist?
In the end, if God told Jesse to believe Him for a $54 million jet, and if the Lord gives him that jet in response to his faith, so be it.
My recommendation is that, in such cases, we follow Paul's guidelines set forth in Romans 14 (in a different context): "The faith you have, keep to yourself before God" (Rom. 14:22). There's no reason to announce it to the world.
"If she doesn't bring my white wine in the next 5 seconds, I'll whack her with this Wall Street Journal."
Don’t start the conversation with, “God told me....”.
Explain how a dire situation was resolved and then explain how you prayed for God’s will in the situation.
I usually find that the resolution correspond with prayers, but I don’t learn of the resolution until a day or so later.
My commentary is usually a, “but of course that’s just a coincidence, ...Thank You Lord!”
Jesus traveled by foot most of the time. But also by boat. By donkey one time (at least).
Never recorded in the Bible that he traveled by chariot. Hmmmmm ..... chariot was possibly the fanciest, most high profile by which to travel over land at that time.
Oh well. Didn’t Jesus warn us about FALSE PROPHETS?
RE: “but of course that’s just a coincidence, ...Thank You Lord!”
But then again, nothing is a coincidence in God’s sovereign hands. Right?
Reverend :god told me i need a jet to circumnavigate the world to help do good everywhere !
Flock: Then you shall have a jet to do god’s work !
Non Believers Jealousy : How can you waste all that money on a jet for something that don’t exist but only in your mind give the money to me i need a new car and gas to run it !
God : Eze 35:11
Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee.
RE: Jesse has other jets, maybe 3 or 4. Is he going to sell them?
It depends on what God “told him”.... Ha ha.
is he a lying con artist?
is he hallucinating?
That’s rather my point.
I was going to use a sarcasm tag, but the Thanks, of course, is NOT.
Duplantis is local-and a nut. He’s a shyster who zoomed in on the uneducated, desperate and gullible. He lives in a massive plantation house-now he needs a jet! If he’s hearing someone talking to him(ruling out clinical psychosis) it ISN’T Jesus. Suckers abound who will defend him, he depends on that. Neverending supply-that’s how carefully choreographed ‘preachers’ like him prosper.
Oral Roberts said that God was going to kill him if he didn’t raise $8 million for his university.
In front of ORU in Tulsa is a giant statue of hands folded in prayer. The story goes that when they were 1st built the hands wouldn’t stay closed, they kept falling open.
None of the fixes worked. Finally, a worker dropped a dollar between the hands, they clamped shut and have stayed that way ever since.
Our church started an organization to do sports at the local Junior High to get kids off the street, teach manners and rules, friendship, etc. One coach was saying how hardly any of his boys (Jr. High!) knew how to shake hands! (They shake hands at the end of the games with the other teams.)
It started out just soccer, now they do all sorts of sports. It is now this big huge separate organization. Something like 15 schools are in the program now, and more are waiting to join (all volunteers running it). It has morphed into mentoring programs, helping the families, etc.
They can’t “preach” of course as they are public schools, but everyone knows that it is Christians doing it out of their love for Christ and the kids. Pretty amazing results too. Going from stuff like 100+ suspensions in a year to 8, 50% passing rates to 90%, etc.
All from a game of soccer!
Of course not ... but it seems like the Lord blessed his ministry anyway ... as He would have if he went to the other place.
Our Pastor was just telling a story last Sunday.
He was working out at the gym on the bike, but his mind was thinking of other things. He didn’t go into details, but he felt down, feeling like a failure, wondering if he was doing things right, etc.
Some stranger walked up to him and said “You’re probably going to think I’m crazy, but God told me to tell you that you are a good man, you’re on the right track, and that He loves you.”
Later he said something like “So if God gives you a little nudge, go and do it. Yeah - you might look foolish, but we all look pretty foolish sometimes anyways!”
oetc
If God told you to do it, it would be in agreement with Scripture.
“..or with a less luxurious aircraft.”
There is a missionary group in Papua New Guinea. They have a couple of ultralight airplane type things (I think they hang below a para-glider?) to travel to the remote villages.
That’s cool.
I used to know a guy who was a missionary in Papua New Guinea. He was the first white man the tribe had ever seen and only the second person from civilization.
I asked if the tribe had an Ark legend. Like all cultures, they did.
I totally understand your example. However, I think it is an excellent way to discern what God’s will is for you. Do not jump to immediate impressions. Weigh everything (if you have the time) and God will lead you to the right choice. It doesn’t mean that you will make the right choice according to your own assessment, because God has a way of using every choice to end up where he wants you. To me, the two principles is to search with your mind first, and then your heart. You do that by asking for God’s help to direct your choice. He will, but he will usually let you make sure before you choose, good or bad. Some people think that God “tests your faith”. If you read Job totally, and understand it (I suggest Jewish Commentaries on Iyov (Job), you will know what to do. God did not “test” Job - he was the most righteous person on earth. In fact, many believe that he actually was a gentile. However, God did not test his faith, he “stretched it” and made it stronger. Just like a weight lifter adds weight to the barbells, so God wants to show you how to make good choices. Whatever choices you make, good or bad, He still loves you more than you will ever know. He is constantly speaking to all of us through his word, but unfortunately most of us have never learned how to hear his voice. The last person you want to trust is an ignoramus that really does not understand Torah at all, but understands how to “give people what they want” for the price of a jet (Crefo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, etc.) God uses them too, but it can be painful for those who do not question everything. As said advised us “Be like the Bereans”....Acts 17:10-12.
I tend to fall into this authors 2nd “unhealthy” category, most times.
I do however, after some critical thoughts, tend to withdraw most of those reactions.
That being said, buying a plane like that, for the purposes proposed; is simply preposterous.
I totally understand your example. However, I think it is an excellent way to discern what God’s will is for you. Do not jump to immediate impressions. Weigh everything (if you have the time) and God will lead you to the right choice. It doesn’t mean that you will make the right choice according to your own assessment, because God has a way of using every choice to end up where he wants you. To me, the two principles is to search with your mind first, and then your heart. You do that by asking for God’s help to direct your choice. He will, but he will usually let you make sure before you choose, good or bad. Some people think that God “tests your faith”. If you read Job totally, and understand it (I suggest Jewish Commentaries on Iyov (Job), you will know what to do. God did not “test” Job - he was the most righteous person on earth. In fact, many believe that he actually was a gentile. However, God did not test his faith, he “stretched it” and made it stronger. Just like a weight lifter adds weight to the barbells, so God wants to show you how to make good choices. Whatever choices you make, good or bad, He still loves you more than you will ever know. He is constantly speaking to all of us through his word, but unfortunately most of us have never learned how to hear his voice. The last person you want to trust is an ignoramus that really does not understand Torah at all, but understands how to “give people what they want” for the price of a jet (Crefo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, etc.) God uses them too, but it can be painful for those who do not question everything. As said advised us “Be like the Bereans”....Acts 17:10-12.
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