They Preach Health and Wealth While Marriages and Families Fall


Benny Hinn proclaimed the unlimited power of the Spirit and claimed to heal the masses. Crowds swelled worldwide to hear the charismatic speaker and watch his Pentecostal production as the money and fame flowed in unabated. Yet for all this seeming success the one thing closest to him has now failed. The AP reported today that his wife of 30 years recently filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences." His immediate family and friends are said to be "shocked and saddened to learn of this news without any previous announcement." Does this mean that they didn't see it coming, that there were no 'signs' of trouble in the marriage? Or does it imply that they assumed that with all their money and fame and Holy Ghost power that their marriage was beyond such a crisis? In an official statement from Benny Hinn Ministries as summarized by the AP, it is claimed that "Pastor Hinn faithfully endeavored to bring healing to their relationship but that these efforts were met with the petition for divorce that was filed without notice."

One can merely speculate on such observations, which would hardly establish the real reasons behind this event. Marriages are complex relationships subject to a myriad of forces and stresses. Many will deny trouble or ignore problems until it is too late to salvage the union, which may be part of the reason for the demise of the Hinn marriage. Yet one of the stresses they may have missed may have been the one thing they saw as their very success: money and fame. Did they feel that because of the supposed anointing of the Spirit on their endeavors that this exempted them from the normal temptations which the less spiritual wrestle with daily? More than one marriage has succumbed to sin's lure by the glitter of glamor. Unfortunately the Hinns are not alone in their world. The moral failures in the realm of televangelists remains a sad and proportionately significant blight on their witness.

Too bad the message all these years remained so out of focus on the fleeting and shallow treasure of earthly riches and neglected to concentrate on the matters of faith that truly mattered. Perhaps Mr. Hinn will now be allowed the opportunity to reflect on this and make those long overdue changes....

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