Posted on 02/21/2010 6:38:29 AM PST by SeekAndFind
My family and I went to see Hinn at the Verizon Center in DC a few years back. Gotta admit he puts on a terrific show. The place was packed; the music & worship was great, he had a number of big names there that also spoke. A memorable evening.
That being said, IMHO Billy Graham set the standard. He had a tremendous ministry; his crusades filled up stadiums for decades, and were often broadcast on local & national television. So if anyone had a “right” to “partake of the spoils” and live a lavish lifestyle as a sign of God’s “confirmation” of his ministry, it would be Billy Graham. Yet he lived a modest lifestyle, still lives in the same modest North Carolina home, and took a reasonable salary from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
I believe that all these wealth and prosperity preachers are one day going to answer for misusing their follower’s tithes to pay for their over-the-top materialistic lifestyle. Hinn is one of many: I recently saw a news report that another very big name preacher has boasted of being a “billionaire.” Maybe exaggerating, but it shows where his head is at.
One more thing: I also believe many of their followers will have to answer for refusing to exercise proper discernment in giving the Lord’s money to such charlatans. These guys would not be getting away with such egregious misuse of funds were it not for many willing dupes who can only exclaim “touch not the Lord’s annointed!” when questions are raised.
Hilarious, can’t top laughing
Wow, what an unbelievable question.
Benny Hinn aside, if any wife just up and leaves (and divorces) a pastor of any stripe, of course it’s a problem. But you can’t force someone to not leave her husband, so through no fault of his own a pastor might find himself single. The man is still a Christian. With God’s grace, he may find a more suitable spouse.
The Benny Hinn thing is clouding the discussion. I’m no fan of Hinn, but I wish him well and pray he finds peace, in any event.
Probably. But he doesn’t have my money. Can’t say the same for other charlatans like algore and company.
seems especially true in america...with a gullible, greedy american media.
“Look, you know there’s this idea supposedly that we preachers are supposed to walk about with sandals and ride bicycles. That’s nonsense,”
Whosoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turn and teach another doctrine to the destruction of this, hear him not; but if he teach so as to increase righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But concerning the apostles and prophets, according to the decree of the Gospel, thus do. Let every apostle that comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain except one day; but if there be need, also the next; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread until he lodges; but if he ask money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet that speaks in the Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one that speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; but only if he hold the ways of the Lord. Therefore from their ways shall the false prophet and the prophet be known. And every prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit eats not from it, except indeed he be a false prophet; and every prophet who teaches the truth, if he do not what he teaches, is a false prophet. And every prophet, proved true, working unto the mystery of the Church in the world, yet not teaching others to do what he himself does, shall not be judged among you, for with God he has his judgment; for so did also the ancient prophets. But whoever says in the Spirit, Give me money, or something else, you shall not listen to him; but if he says to you to give for others’ sake who are in need, let no one judge him.
From the Didache
I just cannot picture Christ wearing a ten carat diamond ring when speaking to crowds who could barely afford food.
The golden painted chairs some of the TV ministers sit in on TV is doubly creepy. I dunno...it all smacks of a dirty scheme, to me, to get rich quick and keep the money flowing.
Hinn's arrogance, especially, is putrid.
Is there a “Love Child” in the background? (I confess I love that old tabloid expression “Love Child!”
In Biblical terms I meant she was possessed by a demonic spirit.....Christ cast out many unclean demonic spirits....And in the book of Acts the apostles did the same.......The Devil knows scripture, but he twists it into a mockery of God.....He tempted Christ in the wilderness and quoted scripture......Through the power of The Holy Ghost we have the power to do the same if we are believers....But we had better be fasting and prayed up before we attempt that....They will fight back, and that is in the book of Acts also.....Demon spirits know who we are in Christ.....
Gee, and I thought Benny was a High Priest, and they aren’t allowed to marry! Who knew?
Is Susan going to walk away with Benny’s Jets?
There is a big difference between Christians being OK with divorce and Christians understanding that sometimes divorce happens and you have to move on.
My niece’s got married 2 years ago. A few months after the wedding, she caught her husband with another woman. Her husband had been sleeping with that woman (and several others) while he was engaged to my niece.
My niece got divorced, and I think she was perfectly justified. Also, she is young (25), and I think she should be able to be remarried. (This is not scripturally based. Just my opinion.)
However, I am not ok with divorce. I just think there weren’t any other choices.
Kind of like divorced Catholics seeking a Petition for a Declaration of Nullity and then remarrying.
Somehow I do not think The Good Lord ever intended for anyone to stay in an abusive marriage. Divorce should be avoided if possible I firmly believe that. Sometimes that is not possible nor healthy to body or spirit. But I also believe remarring after such IF it is a sin is as much a forgivable one as any of the Ten Commandments many of which all of us have broken at least half in our life.
Should breaking a Commandment permanently exclude one from preaching The Gospel? Better still did Christ tell the woman at the well to go divorce her husband? No, He did tell her how many she had. Obviously she wasn't married to the man she was living with either. Christ tells us to go and sin no more. Simply meaning we are not to make sin our habit. That does not mean we will by any means sin no more. That is impossible.
I've heard some very weird demands some churches try to place like if you are married again after divorce you must divorce that wife to be forgiven. The Bible doesn't state that in the NT. Actually doing such would be what? Sin! We all sin we all fall yes even Preachers sin and preachers fall. You fall you recognize your sin and no sin once done can be undone, and you ask forgiveness and move on. For ones to sit and accuse persons after one has done this is the work of the devil.
BTW I am 100% certain GOD sent me my second wife. The conditions, circumstances, and way we met in itself was a miracle. We both know well and understand the trials and tribulations we both have been put through and gotten through together were possible because GOD was with us.
Divorce alone should not be an automatic disqualification from one being a preacher anymore than a being an ex-thief should. We all who believe are merely forgiven sinners by the Blood Of Christ and Grace of GOD.
At least Elmer Gantry had a shred of belief: “It does a man good to get down on his knees sometime.”
My point exactly.
A.A. Cunningham's comment, "Many protestants find no problem with divorce and remarriage," was disingenuous. A large majority of protestants are NOT "okay" with divorce. A more accurate statement would have been "Many Christians understand that sometimes divorce happens and you have to move on." I think most Catholics would understand that too, in contrast with a lesser number who might just be "okay" with it.
Which is better? To remarry once or burn {sin} with passion many, many, times over the rest of your life? Divorce should NEVER be habit. Sometimes it can not be avoided either. But GOD never intended us to live alone no not even preachers. Doing so more often than not has the person fighting far more temptations and likely sinning far more than if they had simply remarried. Why? Remember that if a man whom is married looks upon a woman in lust he has done what? Same with divorced.
GOD gave man and woman each other for their own companionship. That was GOD's intentions for us. Having children only came AFTER the fall and casting out from Eden. I've seen very good Christian folk live horrid lonely lives because a spouse left them and because of that they did not remarry as if it were an unforgivable sin their church beat into their head. I do not think that is necessary. Only one sin can not be forgiven of man. Remarrying and realizing the failures of your first marriage is far better than burning with passion. Doing so if the right person comes along is far healthier for all concerned.
From: The Office of Suzanne Hinn
To: The Office of Benny Hinn
Subject: Divorce
I’m getting one.
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