'THE SIGNS AND WONDERS MOVEMENT - EXPOSED' VIDEO
Introduced by Mark Haville
Edited by Peter Glover
Available from National Prayer Network, P O Box 2224, Swindon SN6 7LG (07000 073 373 or 01793 861763, mark@npnvideos.com), http://www.christianvideos.co.uk
£9.95 (inc. p&p.)
This video is well worth viewing by anyone who wants to investigate what some of the superstars of the modern signs and wonders movement get up to.
Lasting for one hour 40 minutes, it is a long series of news reports and investigations by US TV journalists into the activities of tele-evangelist/healer Benny Hinn, whose ministry has been accepted and endorsed by many leaders in this country.
These news investigations cover from 1993 up until fairly recently. Firstly, the amount of money involved in the ministry is investigated. Hinn's palatial home in Florida and expensive car are there for all to see. Hinn encourages people to send him prayer requests along with donations of money and one sequence shows what happens to such requests. A gigantic table is covered with them in the administration offices of the evangelist's organisation and pastor Benny comes and lays his hands on them and basically prays 'God bless 'em all'. But cameras also catch empty envelopes just left on the floor at a crusade after the money has been removed, with the prayer requests still in them. Hinn later sacked the helpers who let this happen.
The news programme 'Inside Edition' conducted an in-depth investigation into Hinn through its reporter Steve Wilson. Again and again claims of healing by Hinn are shown to be frauds. Some whom Hinn said were healed later died, leaving their relatives confused and angry. The programme's reporter put actresses up to going on to the Hinn stage claiming to have been healed. Hinn's failure to check people is exposed.
After these initial investigations we are shown footage of Hinn 'repenting' and promising to clean up his act, and have more thorough checks as to what goes on during his crusades. But later investigations by the US news teams show that just the same kind of fraud continues. Ole Anthony of the Trinity Foundation, a Dallas-based Christian watchdog on the antics of the tele-healers is also featured. His remarks are balanced and very helpful as he deplores the representation of God which such ministry projects to the viewing public.
In introducing this footage, Mark Haville is bold enough to ask whether these are the spurious miracles which the New Testament warns us will occur in the last days. He reminds us that Jesus said people would come claiming to be 'Christ' and that the root meaning of that word is 'anointed'. The signs and wonders leaders claim to be anointed and to have the 'anointing'. We see a vast congregation in a state of rock-concert-style hysteria being whipped up into chanting endlessly 'we are anointed, we are anointed'.
The problem with Hinn and people like him is that he does appear so very sincere. Ole Anthony, in a very magnanimous remark, says that he believes Hinn is a real Christian but just gets carried away by the excitement of the crowds who flock to his shows and forgets the promises he has made on camera to clear up his act. But sadly, Hinn, consciously or unconsciously, seems to be far more dangerous than that.
This video is the first in a series on the whole signs and wonders phenomenon. Compelling viewing, to say the least.
JEB
We are convinced that God can and does, from time to time, still perform miraculous healings, but if you feel you have been the victim of fraudulent claims from Signs and Wonders preachers you may like to contact Mark Haville of the National Prayer Network at the address above.
