Benny Hinn | Benny Hinn's ties to "God's Ghost Writer", Benny Hinn's record of ZERO healings (Ouch), Benny Hinn's 100 million dollars a year... and Benny Hinn's spooky past.
By far the most controversial aspect of
Benny Hinn's ministry is his claim to have the "anointing", the special power given to him by God to heal the sick. At Hinn's Miracle Crusades, he has allegedly healed attendees of blindness, deafness, cancer, AIDS, and severe physical injuries.
Trey Smith | God in a Nutshell
Benny Hinn | Benny Hinn yearbook photo
Since 1993, however, investigative news reports by programs such as Inside Edition, Dateline NBC, the Australian edition of 60 Minutes, and several network affiliates in the United States have called these claims into question -- never once to date has Benny Hinn produced one single record of a medically verified healing. Around the world globally, there are often medical anomalies that baffle physicians (commonly occurring to those of faith as coincidence may have it). However, these type of anomalies or "miracles" don't ever seem to happen around Benny Hinn. By the sheer math alone, and the millions who have sought Hinn's healings, one might expect at least one unexplainable coincidence at this point. Sadly however, many seem to have walked to their graves after giving Hinn everything. Going on 40 years, Hinn's claimed "healing ministry" now generates an estimated 100 million dollars a year and not one healing to show for it -- those are bad odds. But, it get worse from there.
Trey Smith | God in a Nutshell
Eugene Ewing | Eugene Ewing is often called "God's Ghost Writer". He is claimed to be the behind-the-scenes conman who perfected the mailing-system scam solicitations, tracking of donors / income / medical ailments, fake healing techniques / service templates.... and once appears to have been caught red-handed pretending to resurrect a women from the dead who turned out to be a prostitute he had been with the night before.
The beginning of Hinn's ministry appears to have come as he was modeling himself after a fake faith healer in Canada named Marvin Schmidt - Schmidt was later accused of child molestation. It was during this time-frame that Hinn was working at a shoe store in the Toronto, Ontario mall. It was there that those who knew Hinn at the time say he was approached by Eugene Ewing, sometimes also called, "
God's Ghost Writer."
Eugene Ewing is often known for making his mark by setting up "scam" mailing campaigns. Most of Oral Roberts most successful campaigns (including telling audiences "God will kill me if I don't get 6 millions dollars") are credited to Eugene Ewing. These mailers -- similar to scam Nigerian emails you may receive today -- made false claims and sly promises that (according to Trinity Foundation Investigators) were the, "cleverest financial deception of the time." Ewing had apparently gotten his mailing lists from US census records. He is said to have specifically targeted those who marked themselves as Christian, low-education, but also had medium income.
Ewing then took a number of Bible scriptures, twisted them out-of-context, and began mass distribution of literature claiming that God would: Bless you financially if you gave money in your return envelope, and cursed you if you didn't give. The financial success of these initial scams were in the millions. Eventually,
Eugene Ewing appears to have set-up the largest mailing operation for these solicitations in Tulsa, Oklahoma -- which was later called the "Christian Mecca."
It did not take long before those in Eugene Ewing's "inner circle" were the most profitable -- today often called, "Seed-Faith," "Health and Wealth" or "Prosperity Gospel."
What is commonly described by some as the "Devil's Brew" or "Ewing Formula" has an attraction for obvious reasons: "It allows one to conceal income records while taking in millions of tax free dollars with NO visible public benefit whatsoever. In fact, the only people who appear to benefit are the claimed "ministers" themselves." Says investigator Evans of the Dallas, Texas, Trinity Foundation. "They are the poster guys of what the word scam means. And their jetplanes, mansions, and exotic cars are not gained honestly, but at everyone else's expense. Since they're holding Bibles people look the other way. Find me a scripture that supports any of this."
Despite this fact, Eugene Ewing, and those who began their ministries with his apparent aid, have thrived to the tune of estimated billions and billions in income since the 1980s. And, although still behind-the-scenes, Ewing himself is believed to currently have an income stream of roughly 100 million a year.
Although the list of allegations made against Ewing in the past appears to include: fraud, enurement, witness tampering, intimidation and dangerously worse -- he did appear to get his start by doing fake healings for money himself. One of the more colorful stories involving Ewing is that he would pretend to ressurrect a person from the dead in a coffin before soliciting audiences for dollars. The coffin would be brought up onto the stage and set down at his feet. These performances were so compelling that it is reported, "some would faint." Following one of these "tent meeting ressurrections" it was alledged that the woman who "came back from the dead" was actually a prostitute Ewing had been with the night before.
SEE VIDEO.
"Al Capone and the Mafia in their best day couldn't have dreamed this stuff up." Says friend of Benny Hinn / Prosperity Gospel investigators.
Benny Hinn claims that, "God gave me my whole ministry." Some would reply by saying, "Only if you believe god is Eugene Ewing."
Trey Smith | God in a Nutshell
Benny Hinn | Benny Hinn once had an incident where a women was "crushed" by those falling on the Benny Hinn stage while "under Hinn's anointing." It is said that, "Hinn did NOT want people to see an ambulence called at a healing meeting." Apparently, the woman was forced to wait until the conclusion of the service to get medical help -- she died later that night at the hospital. Benny Hinn is reported to have settled out of court with the family. There appear to be many, many deaths that follow claimed "healings." In fact, investigators are unable to find a verifiable healing of any sort from Benny Hinn or his ministry.
Hinn made a number of unfulfilled (religious) prophecies for the 90s, such as God will destroy America's homosexual community in 1995 or the death of Fidel Castro, election of the first female president of the USA, the East Coast of the United States will be devastated by earthquakes, etc., all before the third millennium. Hinn also appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network in October 1999 to claim that God had given him a vision that thousands of dead people would be resurrected after watching the network -- laying out a scenario of people placing their dead loved ones' hands on TV screens tuned into the station -- and that TBN would be "an extension of Heaven to Earth." Hinn has also claimed that Adam was a "superbeing" who could fly to the Moon; that God froze the Red Sea with his breath when he parted it; and that Christ would make a personal appearance at a crusade in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2001.
In April 2001 HBO aired a documentary called "A Question of Miracles" on Hinn and fellow faith healer Reinhard Bonnke. The director Antony Thomas told CNN's Kyra Phillips that they did not find cases where people were healed by Hinn. Thomas told the New York Times about Hinn's claims, "If I had seen miracles, I would have been happy to trumpet it . . . but in retrospect, I think they do more damage to Christianity than the most committed atheist."
In March 2005, Ministry Watch, an independent evangelical organization which reviews Christian ministries for financial transparency and efficiency and advises potential donors accordingly, issued a Donor Alert stating that "the reported exorbitant spending of the Hinn family reveals that BHM has far more money than it needs to carry out its ministry" and advising Christians to "prayerfully consider withholding contributions to Benny Hinn" while praying for his restoration and repentance. Benny Hinn Ministries is not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
Trey Smith | God in a Nutshell
Benny Hinn | Benny Hinn. Despite the fact that NO verifiable healings can be found, Benny Hinn's life-style from the income of his now claimed 100 million dollar a year healing ministry has provided him no shortage of top-of-the-line jet planes, exotic cars, mansion homes, etc...
Another disturbing facet of Hinn's organization is the 1998 deaths of two members of his "inner circle" from heroin overdoses. Mario C. Licciardello's (brother of the Christian singer, Carman) was hired by Hinn to do an investigation for Hinn's stated purpose, "to clear up any public doubt of the ministry's financial integrity." Some speculate that Benny Hinn did not count on the integrity of Mario Licciardello. Whatever the case, news reports were released that Licciardello's findings would likely "destroy the Hinn Ministry." Hinn quickly filed a lawsuit on Licciardello for the presumed purpose of stalling the release of documents. Strangely, Licciardello died of a heart attack the day before Hinn was to give a deposition that would have resulted in Hinn's files being publicly released. Licciardello's widow was given an out-of-court settlement from Hinn Ministries following the death.
Mike Murdock, friend and fundraiser for Benny Hinn, sometimes boasts of his three jetplanes, his mansion, his private zoo, ministry Corvettes, collection of Rolex watches, gold and diamond jewelry and the pet lion he owned. He was speaking once near his mansion swimming pool with myself present -- I believe the context of the conversation was Murdock upset about donors on Social Security and the cost of checks that didn't clear his bank. He said, "Even if God doesn't bless them, the government will. If it weren't me doing this to them, it would be somebody worse. At least I give them hope."
Trey Smith | God in a Nutshell
Mike Murdock | Mike Murdock is shown here from an article titled, "Pimp in the Pulpit." The Ft. Worth Star Telegram ran a series of articles on Mike Murdock titled, "Profit in the Pulpit." That investigation, although clearly illustrating the depth of Murdock's dark financial practices and ministry intentions, did little to reduce Murdock's cash flow.... or the interest of stations such as Daystar Television to run him as a "headliner" regularly.
Perhaps
Mike Murdock is right -- In the end, perhaps we all truly pay the price for the games these men play while holding Bibles in their hands. I for one find an eerie ring of truth in the words of Peter who wrote,
"In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. 2 Peter 2:3
For more information or if you are a victim, please contact:
Trinity FoundationThey are much larger than I am, have much more information than I do, and have an ongoing interest in the topic of Benny Hinn, Prosperity Gospel and those involved.
Article by Trey Smith
Trey Smith | Trey Smith Books
Trey Smith | Trey Smith Thieves | Thieves: One dirty TV pastor and the man who robbed him. Thieves is the true story (nonfiction narrative based on actual events) about the safe robbery of the multi-millionaire television evangelist, Mike Murdock. Witnessing first-hand some of the most shockingly depraved acts and blatant corruption in the secretive world of "profit-preaching" Christianity; Trey takes you on the journey through his decisions, planning and ultimate execution of stealing the well-known minister's tightly guarded safe. After the robbery, it is a gripping thrill ride of the most engagingly unique kind: A man on the run from a TV preacher. WARNING: Thieves contains exposing & controversial material, language, brief sexual content, criminal scenarios.... and a TV pastor. NOT recommended for young readers.
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