Lifestyles of the Televangelist Rich and Famous
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Thu, November 08, 2007
- Viewed 173
- (26) comments so far
Randy and Paula White
(Notice the ocean off to the right)
Here’s the link...
Benny Hinn
OK… looks like Benny’s must be new… cause the lot shown here is empty. Evidently, quite a few televangelists love the water. Notice the ocean to the left.
Any thoughts?
Big news on the televangelist front this week. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has faxed letters to the ministries asking them to turn over their financial statements and records to the committee by December 6. The six ministries under investigation are led by Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland, and Benny Hinn. I'll have more on this next week, but for now, check out a couple of the evangelists homes in question. Both Benny Hinn and Randy and Paula White own big homes on the coast. (Unfortunately, Randy and Paula are no longer living together, so one house is half empty!) Take a look...
Comments
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Bill Blackrick on Fri, November 09, 2007
I have a hard time watching Paula White on T.V. due to the fact that she talks all about being happy, blessed, etc. yet she has no control over her marriage. What kind of Godly message is being given to the women that watch her? It’s ok to leave your husband? The Bible is clear that any leaders of a church should be able to manage their home first.
Jan on Sat, November 10, 2007
When I read about this subject I think of a neurosurgeon friend of the family who decided to live on a middle class income and give most of the rest away.
Their kids didn’t even know that their dad made big bucks. They were just normal kids in an average family.
I would think someone who is going to be highly visible, by putting themselves in a position to be watched by the world, and supposedly in ministry, would seek to be above circumspect. They are at a higher level of responsibility in my opinion, because they are constantly be watched and viewed as representative of the Christian community.
Benny Hinn for example has chosen a beach front lifestyle in Dana Point. There isn’t a medium income house anywhere around there. He’s chosen the upper income affluent lifestyle (the rich and famous) of Orange County.
I think he’s asking to be questioned.
Hey maybe they are making money off books. But I like how RW has handled that and made it a part of the ministry and its funding rather than taking the money and buying a big place.
Yeah the money’s theirs if they want it.
But by their very calling as a minister of the gospel, I would think how that appears, would be more important to them, so that they can deliver their message without any question of their integrity, than having the money and living well.
erickyp on Sat, November 10, 2007
Good point Jan. I guess that is why Paul told Timothy that those that desire to live richly fall into temptations that only affect them. Like the desire the live the lifestyle of the rich and famous (said like Robin Leach).
Derek on Sat, November 10, 2007
Jan is right to say that Hinn is asking to be questioned. I mean c’mon, if you are receiving donations to your “church” and you receive a salary that affords you an OC home…Hinn should be questioned and should be honestly report his financial condition.
I believe Hinn’s org. is considered a “church” although it does not function as a church in the traditional sense. According to the IRS, churches don’t have to file a 990 form; other religious non-profits do. The 990 includes salaries of exec. officers. It would be good if the IRS would reclassify orgainizations like Hinn’s as a religious non-profit and not a church.
For what it is worth, I am not so much interested in how much Hinn is paid as long as he is upfront with his donors. He can earn whatever kind of salary he wants too…that is between him, his board and God.
When I travel to India and spend time with village pastors that pray for years for a bicycle so they don’t have to walk from village to village preaching the gospel…I feel like I am living an extravagant lifestyle because my family owns two vehicles. I guess the amount of money a person earns in the ministry is a bit relative.
When Jim Bakker was building his PTL empire, he was earning a 2 million dollar salary. Sounds extravagant by anyone’s standards. However he was giving away the 8 million dollars a year that he was earning through media sales. So he was giving away 80% of his income.
Do you know anyone earning a $100,000 a year who lives on $20k and gives away $80k?
Derek
Tom M on Sat, November 10, 2007
Have you guys seen this video? It’s hilarious!
Benny Hinn: Let the Bodies Hit the Floor
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5lvU-DislkI
bishopdave on Sun, November 11, 2007
Derek said:
Do you know anyone earning a $100,000 a year who lives on $20k and gives away $80k?
No, but I would bet that living on 20% of 10 Million is easier than 20% of 100,000.
Leonard Lee on Sun, November 11, 2007
Okay let’s try. you give me 20% of 10 million and I will give you 20% of 100k.. you first now because I want you to sow a seed of faith blessing.
dpastordan on Sun, November 11, 2007
A few errant “pastors” do catch the attention of the media with their visible lifestyles. There are laws that deal with how nonprofit organizations are to manage their funds. The accountability must come from within those organizations. The charismatic leadership style does tend to blind their followers ... which is no excuse. As Christians we are not above the law.
The real “crime” is not the excessive lifestyles of a few ... what about all the pastors who serve bivocationally in communities and among Christians who can afford to support the church but don’t. What about the many pastors who go year after year without a cost of living increase and driving ten year old cars? Or why so many pastors, in order to get a livable wage have to either change churches or leave the ministry? If the new media wanted to give Christians a “black eye” - this is the story they should go after.
Derek on Sun, November 11, 2007
BishopDave,
You bet…living on 20% of 10 million would be a lot easier to live on. And I am not saying that to justify the extravagant living of any of these TV guys, I just think it is good to realize that sometimes we can be quick to condemn these TV preachers living in million dollar homes, yet we are greedy with our $20,000.
I can say that I have been guilty of judging others, when I am not willing to give away what little I have to give. Spending time in India with village pastors always gives me a renewed perspective on what extravagant living is.
Leonard—If I had 2 million to give you, I would be happy to sow my seed of blessing into your abundant flow of anointed ministry! {insert sarcastic smirk here}
Derek
Jan on Mon, November 12, 2007
Do you really think that most pastors and their families are greedy with their $20,000?
Not the ones I know. Most are giving that away too.
This last month we had to turn a report in on how much we actually made, and I was shocked on how little that was. And blessed too, that God carried us through and we truly felt no pain! I think these guys who bring in millions and live high, miss out on a lot of blessings.
And they really are the few and far between.
Most of our pastor friends live on very little, share their homes and tables continually and give above and beyond their means… probably more than 20%.
Jim on Mon, November 12, 2007
Somehow having a Senatorial Committee investigate another’s finances for financial discretions is like a crook investigating another crook (or attorneys investigating other attorneys). When Senators make 160K a year, but retire as multi-millionaires, it seems those numbers don’t add up either. I have a lot of difficultiy with the Benny Hinn’s and Paula White’s and their financial organizations, but politicians being the investigators, and setting themselves up as the investiagators of moral standards, goes beyond hypocritical, it is also frightening. Where are the investigations of shake down artists-give us your money or we will organize a march against you- Reverends Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton? At least Benny Hinn and Paula White regularly work for their money on TBN.
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