(Screenshot: Benny Hinn appearing in a Trinity Broadcasting Network telethon.)
It rarely gets media attention, but for decades so-called prophets have targeted wealthy individuals with personalized prophecies for the purpose of obtaining lucrative donations.
We’ve collected several examples below.
This corrupt practice was discussed in Bible teacher Mike Winger’s recent exposé of Shawn Bolz.
Mike Winger: “I’m going to call them Bob and Sally…Bob and Sally were a couple that was very well off, and they had the beginnings of this business that was skyrocketing, like you know, crazy, crazy money. That was the direction that it was heading. That is very attractive to the prophet crowd… those guys that they love, the rich big money bags guys that they can prophesy to, sincere Christians who love Jesus and just happen to have a load of cash. All of a sudden, you get special words of knowledge for those people.”
Winger reports that Mike Bickle, Shawn Bolz and Stacy Campbell, all leaders in America’s prophetic movement, attempted to recruit Bob and Sally.
You can view the exposé here.
False Prophet William Branham’s Wealth and Jet
When evangelist William Branham died in 1965, he left behind properties, stock and a large amount of cash.
In 1989, Branham’s daughter Sarah Branham De Corado revealed in a letter, “Just recently a noted lawyer in New York looked into the matter and showed me different bank statements which are still in my possession. One shows the amount in cash of 3,113,676 plus stocks 130,645 plus other things. This money was left untouched since the departure of my father. According to the notary document it is fixed for 25 years. I am asking myself what will be done with the large sum of money accumulated by now after the 26th of October, 1990.”
Some of that wealth may have come from wealthy donors supporting Branham.
In addition to being a popular faith healer, Branham frequently delivered prophecies to his audience. Branham’s sermons recorded in the 1950s and 1960s are still distributed today.
Tapes of Branham’s sermons are played in churches teaching Branham was the new Elijah, that his sermons are without theological error, and Branham’s words are treated as scripture.
(Photo: William Branham’s son Joseph Branham is president of The Voice of God Recordings, Inc. which globally distributes copies of Branham’s sermons.)
Joseph Branham, teaches at the Branham Tabernacle, “God came in our day and revealed Himself in human flesh, in a man named William Marrion Branham, so He could fulfill His Word. That is the Revelation of Jesus Christ in our day.”
Back in the 1960s, William Branham developed a plan to hold large tent revival meetings and told a follower to purchase an aircraft to transport them, but Branham died in a car crash before he could begin holding the revivals.
Evan Mosely, a follower of Branham, and other members of his family sincerely believed Branham would be resurrected and then would hold the tent meetings. Members of the Moseley family purchased a Douglas DC-7C jet for Branham’s use and paid for the aircraft’s maintenance.
According to the Tucson Sun, “Evan Moseley saved somewhere between $5 million and $10 million to repair the plane and get Bramham’s ministry airborne.”
John Collins, a former member of the Branham cult, reports, “A majority of cult leaders now reject this notion, blaming former cult leaders who they argue were ‘misguided’ or ‘misunderstood’ Branham’s great level of detail in his instructions for the upcoming fulfillment of ‘prophecy.’”
After Mosely died, the jet identified by tail number N777EA was transferred to a new non-profit organization Missionary Wings.
Sixty years after Branham’s death, his preaching is spread by two non-profits with combined assets of more than $100 million. Jehovah Jireh Foundation had $54,735,500 in total assets in 2025, and Voice of God Recordings has $52,387,555 in total assets in 2024, according to their latest Form 990s.
A significant amount of these organizations’ funds come from a wealthy donor.
In 2024, the Tucson Sun reported, “For the last 12 years, Voice of God has averaged about $20 million in revenue each year. About a third of that revenue came from a $100 million donation the nonprofit received from a single individual in the tax year ending in June 2011.”
Benny Hinn’s Telethon Con
As a special guest on Trinity Broadcasting Network’s 2014 Telethon, televangelist Benny Hinn told the viewing audience, “There are eight men God has spoken to, to give a million dollars. And if you will obey God, one of you lost millions already in business. Lost millions. If you’ll sow that seed, brother, just sow that seed, God will restore to you everything you lost.”
However, there is no legitimate reason to believe that God speaks to Hinn because of his long history as a false prophet.
During a New Year’s Eve service on December 31, 1989, Hinn delivered a list of prophecies for the 1990s, of which none came true. The congregation at Hinn’s church erupted into applause when Hinn prophesied, “The Lord also tells me to tell you, In the mid-‘90s–about ’94 or ’95–no later than that, God will destroy the homosexual community of America.”
What kind of “anointing” gave Benny Hinn the December 31st prophecies? Were they from lying spirits (1 Kings 22:23) or from Hinn’s vain imagination (Jeremiah 23:16)?
Hinn Prophesy to Boxer Evander Holyfield
Big donors sometimes get special attention.
Boxing champion Evander Holyfield gave a large donation (conflicting news accounts report the amount as $250,000 or $265,000) to pay for a Hinn crusade event. In response to the donation, Hinn invited Holyfield to participate on stage.
During a miracle-crusade in Philadelphia, Hinn delivered a personal prophecy in person to Holyfield, prophesying that Holyfield’s future wife was in the audience.
Holyfield writes about the prophecy in his autobiography Becoming Holyfield:
“I kind of wish Hinn had told me about my future wife privately instead of announcing it. Once I left the stage, about three dozen women came up to me at various times during the rest of the meeting. They were smiling brightly and making all kinds of meaningless small talk, all of it by way of saying, ‘He meant me. I’m the one.’ A lot of them said that God had told them this was so.”
Theological Divide
Evangelical Christians are divided over the gift of prophecy. Continuationist Christians believe the gift of prophecy exists for today, cessationist Christians believe the gift of prophecy has ceased.
The Apostle Paul wrote about the role of prophets in the church:
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
Charismatic Christians use these verses to support the 5-Fold Ministry concept which implies the gift of prophecy is for today.
An opposing view: During his time as pastor of Grace Community Church, John MacArthur taught that God ceased giving new prophetic revelations to his followers, teaching that Scripture is completed with The Book of Revelation.
MacArthur’s position was based on Revelation 22:18-19 which says, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”
The Bible provides simple guidelines for prophesy. Christians can test them by asking if they come true. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22
The Bible also defines false prophets: “You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.’” – Deuteronomy 18:21-22
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