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..::Biography::..
Benny Hinn as a young pastor.
Benny Hinn Biography
Benny Hinn was born Toufik Benedictus Hinn in the coastal city of Jaffa
in Israel in 1952. He was one of eight children born to an Armenian
mother and a Greek father. The family was Greek Orthodox. In 1968, they
emigrated to Canada settling in Toronto and Benny, who by this time was
a young teenager, began attending Georges Vanier High school, north of
Toronto.
While at school, Benny befriended a group of religious students who
introduced him to prayer meetings and teaching of the Gospel. Benny
eventually became a Born Again Christian, despite concerns and initial
opposition of his family. When he was 21, he attended a healing service
in Pittsburgh headlined by evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman. She would become
a major influence on his life, so much so, that he emulates her style
to this day.
Benny Hinn began his healing ministry in Toronto by hosting his own
evangelical program on local television. His success in Canada inspired
him to travel with his healing missions. In Orlando, Florida he met and
married Suzanne, the daughter of a local pastor and it was there that
Benny Hinn began to build his evangelical empire.
Today he is known as Pastor Benny . Without doubt he is one of the best
known and possibly richest televangelists in the world. Each year he
travels the world conducting so-called miracle healing crusades that
are very closely patterned to a rock concert tour.
Benny Hinn as a young pastor.
He produces a daily television show called “This is Your Day” from his
studios based in California and has written several books about his
life and ministry, which he markets and sells, along with video tapes
of his crusades, music CDs and bibles.
Benny Hinn is also a proponent of the Prosperity Gospel or the Word of
Faith movement. As is implied by the name "Prosperity Gospel" the
supporters believe that faith works as a mighty power or force. That it
is through their faith that they can obtain anything they want – such
as health, wealth, or any form of personal success. However, this force
is only released through their faith. According to Pastor Benny if a
person expresses their faith by sowing a sufficient monetary seed into
his ministry - that person will be granted divine physical healing.
Some Christian groups have been critical of Benny Hinn for preaching
the Prosperity Gospel and for misinterpreting scriptures on a number of
occasions. Read more on the Apologetics Index , an online resource on
religions
He has also been criticized by a number of Christian watchdog groups
for not joining the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability .
The Council is the leading accreditation agency that helps Christian
ministries earn the public’s trust through adherence to seven standards
of accountability. It has over 1,100 members, including Pat Robertson
and Billy Graham. Benny Hinn refuses to join.
Roddy Allen, a forsensic accountant with the firm of Kroll Linquist
Avey pores over financial records with the fifth estate's Bob
McKeown.
BENNY HINN'S FINANCES
Under U.S. tax laws the Hinn Ministry is not legally obligated to makes
its finances public because it is a religious organization.
Although most major American churches and ministries release financial
information voluntarily there are no public records for how much the
Hinn ministry makes or how that money is spent.
Benny Hinn insists that every penny is spent on God's work. But the
fifth estate obtained confidential financial records from inside the
Hinn ministry. These documents were provided by individuals who say
they want the public to know how Benny Hinn spends the money entrusted
to him.
The fifth estate asked Roddy Allan, a forensic accountant, to review
the minstry's expense and travel records. He says, "I'm a mere bean
counter, but it would be hard to persuade me that you had to incur that
kind of expense in order to accomplish a business objective."
The prestigious Lanesborough Hotel, next to Buckingham Palace is
frequented by celebrities such as Madonna and Micheal Jackson.
Here is a very small sampling of financial records from the summer of
2003. At that time Hinn had crusades in St. Petersburg, Russia and
Stockholm, Sweden then departed for a four day whirlwind trip to Italy
and London, billing it as a simple layover.
A hotel bill for room service and chauffeur services at the
Lanesborough Hotel in London
Tips given to staff at Lanesborough Hotel in London after a one day
stay
Tips given to the staff at the Savoia Hotel in Milan, Italy
$5000US dollars cash given to Pastor Benny Hinn (PBH), no details for
the reason
A gift from Benny Hinn to a 'homeless woman with a baby' of $20US
Justin Peters analyzed Benny Hinn's Ministry and it's methods for
his master's thesis in theology.
JUSTIN PETERS
Justin Peters was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The influence of two
Christian parents coupled with the challenges of Cerebral Palsy led
Justin to begin inquiring about Jesus at an early age. In fact, he
became a born again Christian at age seven.
As a teenager, Justin visited faith healers, hoping to be healed
himself, but his hopes were unfulfilled. In November 1995, while
attending Mississippi State University, Justin decided that his calling
was to enter the ministry and become an evangelist. With that goal in
mind, he set off to study theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
His Master’s thesis, completed at the end of 2002, was an examination
of the life and ministry of Benny Hinn. As research for his thesis,
Justin attended several Benny Hinn Crusades. However, his requests for
interviews with Benny Hinn were denied.
READ part of Justin’s thesis
Justin is now a staff evangelist at the First Baptist Church in
Vicksburg, Mississippi but he travels often to preach to other
congregations across the United States. He is an avid hunter and
fisherman.
READ his interview with the fifth estate
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