What is my fear about celebrities turned preacher and Benny Hinn renouncing the Prosperity Gospel?

1. Insincerity and delusion. I’m all for every man repenting and Saul becoming Paul, but I’m against a compromised version of Christianity. I’m against gospel light, and people saying, “Well, he isn’t so bad. He must be saved.” Thus, deceiving many who refuse repentance themselves.

2. Salvation is not quitting a couple of sins or saying nice things about Jesus: It is repentance and faith - a renouncing of the old life and taking up a new.

3. Benny Hinn’s nephew, Costi Hinn, has made a clean break from the lies he once preached - traveling the circuit with Benny - only to be received by the brethren and preach the gospel purely. He has shown “works that show repentance,” and this must be the standard for all. People don’t get a pass because of celebrity status. People don’t get to preach a fine tuned lie and fit in the kingdom.

My hope:

1. Prosperity preachers and congregants will examine themselves! If one like Benny can call it a lie, then maybe you will look carefully at what you preach. The promise of healing [fake miracles] for money is one of the most deceitful and tragic things ever invented by Satan - to thus use the name of God is grotesque evil.

2. I haven’t listened to Kanye’s speech, but many, I trust, will take a closer look into the Bible! I remember, in the early 90’s, an interview by the Geto Boys, my favorite rap group. Bushwick and Scarface were speaking against abortion, and Bushwick said he was a Christian. I said, “Y'all ain’t Christians. Look at your music.” Then, I had to examine MYSELF, because I knew all the lyrics and the attitude. It led me to read the Bible, make a false profession of faith, but I eventually came to the truth. God used that to get me to the man who got me to the man who knew the gospel.

3. God’s elect shall be saved, so I’m full of hope. Maybe Benny will come all the way out. Maybe God will use celebrities to advance His kingdom, but He doesn’t have to. Just be careful you don’t get caught up in the glitz and compromise the gospel because “somebody” seems important. We can’t lower the terms for anyone.