Benny Hinn

Early life and move to Canada

Benny Hinn was born in Jaffa in 1952 to parents of Greek, Palestinian, and Armenian ancestry and was raised within the Eastern Orthodox tradition, being baptized by the patriarch of Jerusalem. His family emigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1968, where he attended Georges Vanier Secondary School but did not graduate. In his published books, Hinn has stated that his father was the mayor of Jaffa at the time of his birth and that he had a stutter as a child, claims that have been reported as false. He claimed to become a born-again Christian in 1972. In December 1973, Hinn traveled to Pittsburgh to attend a miracle service conducted by evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman, an event that significantly influenced his life and ministry direction. Although he did not meet Kuhlman personally, he often attended her healing services afterwards. In 1974, he was invited to speak about his spiritual experience at Trinity Pentecostal Church in Oshawa, Ontario, and claimed to have been cured of his stuttering during that time, which he presented as the start of his calling.

Ministry and televangelism career

After moving to the United States, Benny Hinn founded the Orlando Christian Center in 1983. He began claiming that God was using him as a conduit for healings and started holding healing services in his church. These events soon expanded into large "Miracle Crusades" held at stadiums and auditoriums across the United States and internationally. The first nationally televised service was held in Flint, Michigan, in 1989. In 1990, Hinn launched the television program This Is Your Day, which initially aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and later appeared on several other Christian television networks. In 1999, Hinn stepped down as pastor of the Orlando Christian Center and moved his ministry's administrative headquarters to Grapevine, Texas. His events continue to draw massive crowds, such as a February 2024 Healing the Nation Crusade at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya, which his ministry said was attended by more than 500,000 people over two days, with Kenyan president William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto in attendance. Former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, diagnosed with a non-compliant left ventricle, has credited his healing to Benny Hinn, stating he felt a warm feeling go through his chest when Hinn touched him. Hinn has also been a regular guest speaker at the Jesus Image ministry in Orlando, founded by his son-in-law Michael Koulianos, with the church's archive listing his appearances dating back to December 2019.

Theology, practices, and faith healing

Benny Hinn's teachings are charismatic and have been historically associated with the Word of Faith movement. He describes the anointing as the power of the Holy Spirit and has incorporated specific physical gestures into his healing services, such as blowing on attendees, touching them, or flicking his suit jacket toward the audience, after which people often fall backward. This charismatic practice is commonly described as being "slain in the Spirit." Skeptical investigator Joe Nickell, who attended one of Hinn's crusades, attributed participants' responses to expectation and suggestion rather than supernatural causes. Faith healing is a central part of Hinn's ministry, with claims at his crusades that people were healed of conditions including blindness, cancer, and other illnesses. Several investigations have questioned whether such claims can be independently verified. A 2003 Los Angeles Times investigation examined a number of claimed healings, including that of a legally blind boy whose apparent improvement was presented during one of Hinn's services. The boy later told the newspaper that his vision had not improved, highlighting the difficulty in confirming these public assertions.

Major controversies and legal actions

Benny Hinn's ministry has been involved in numerous controversies and legal actions spanning decades. In 1987, the family of 85-year-old Ella Peppard filed a $5 million lawsuit against Hinn, Benny Hinn Ministries, and the Faith Tabernacle Association following Peppard's death. According to reports, Peppard attended a healing service in Oklahoma City where another attendee, whom Hinn had struck on the forehead, fell backward into her and fractured her hip. She died 15 days later, and her family alleged that Hinn and service operators failed to provide or summon medical assistance after the injury, an allegation church officials denied. In 1999, Hinn made a controversial theological remark on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, stating he believed dead people could be resurrected after relatives placed their hands on television sets carrying the network's programming. The ministry faced significant media scrutiny in 2004 from CBC Television's The Fifth Estate, which in an investigation titled "Do You Believe in Miracles?" used hidden cameras to allege misappropriation of funds, fabrication of truth, and staged healing testimonies. The investigation reported that attendees with visible severe disabilities were not allowed on stage and were intercepted by staff. For example, hidden cameras recorded a mother carrying her daughter with muscular dystrophy being turned away from the healing line after staff asked if the girl had already been healed. Evangelist Justin Peters, who has cerebral palsy, was also intercepted when he attempted to join the stage line during a Toronto service.

Financial scrutiny and Senate investigation

Financial practices have been a persistent source of criticism for Benny Hinn Ministries. In March 2005, Ministry Watch issued a Donor Alert against the ministry, citing a lack of financial transparency among other possible problems. Benny Hinn Ministries is not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. This scrutiny escalated in 2007 when United States Senator Chuck Grassley announced that the Senate Committee on Finance would investigate Hinn's ministry and five other televangelists: Paula White, Kenneth Copeland, Eddie L. Long, Joyce Meyer, and Creflo Dollar. In a letter to the ministry, Grassley asked for financial information to determine if Hinn made any personal profit from donations. Hinn initially said he would not respond until 2008, but the ministry subsequently cooperated. Grassley later stated that Benny Hinn had engaged in open and honest dialogue and provided responses to every question, even offering additional information. The investigation concluded in 2011 with no penalties or findings of legal wrongdoing. The committee's final report, however, raised questions about personal use of church-owned luxury goods and a lack of financial oversight on the ministries' boards, which are often populated with family and friends of the televangelist. Hinn's group reported it had complied with tax regulations and made changes in compensation and governance procedures.

Prosperity theology and internal criticism

Benny Hinn's ministry has long been associated with prosperity theology, a doctrine that emphasizes material blessing as a sign of divine favour. This association faced a major internal challenge in 2017 when his nephew, Pastor Costi Hinn, came forward with a testimony of his time spent in the ministry and his reasons for leaving. Costi Hinn described the expensive cars and lavish houses that he and his family members owned and the luxury that surrounded their travel. He criticized the prosperity gospel and his uncle's teachings, writing that healings only seemed to work in the crusades where music created an atmosphere and that many of their prophecies contradicted the Bible. He later authored a book on the topic titled God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel. In the book, Costi Hinn calls the prosperity gospel "damning and abusive," exploitative of the poor and vulnerable, and "arguably the most hateful and abusive kind of false teaching plaguing the church today." In a significant shift, Benny Hinn stated in September 2019 that he no longer believed in prosperity theology and decided to stop teaching it.

Personal life and marital history

Benny Hinn married Suzanne Harthern on 4 August 1979, and the couple have four children together. Suzanne filed divorce papers in California's Orange County Superior Court on 1 February 2010, citing irreconcilable differences. During their separation, in July 2010, Hinn and fellow televangelist Paula White were photographed leaving a hotel in Rome holding hands. Both Hinn and White denied allegations in the National Enquirer that the two were engaged in an affair. Hinn was sued in February 2011 by the Christian publishing house Strang Communications, which claimed that a relationship with White did occur and that Hinn had violated the morality clause of his contract with the company. In May 2012, Hinn announced that he and Suzanne had begun reconciliation during the Christmas season of 2011. He stated the split had been caused by her addiction to prescription drugs and antidepressants and cited his busy schedule and lack of time for his wife and children. Benny and Suzanne remarried on 3 March 2013, at the Holy Land Experience theme park, in a traditional ceremony lasting over two hours attended by approximately 1,000 well-wishers, including many visiting Christian leaders. Pastor Jack Hayford referred to the remarriage as "a miracle of God's grace." However, in July 2024, Suzanne filed for divorce once again, this time in the Hillsborough County Court in Tampa, Florida. The divorce was finalized on 19 November 2025.

Published works

Benny Hinn is the author of numerous books, primarily focused on charismatic Christian themes, the Holy Spirit, healing, and his own life. His publications, many released through major Christian publishers like Thomas Nelson and Creation House, have contributed to his profile and ministry outreach. The books serve as another revenue stream and a tool for disseminating his teachings to a global audience beyond his television broadcasts and crusade events. His works range from devotional guides like Good Morning, Holy Spirit to autobiographies and tributes to influences like Kathryn Kuhlman.

• Good Morning, Holy Spirit (1990, Thomas Nelson)
• The Anointing (1992, Thomas Nelson)
• Lord, I Need a Miracle (1993, Thomas Nelson)
• The Blood (1993, Creation House)
• Welcome, Holy Spirit (1995, Thomas Nelson)
• This Is Your Day for a Miracle (1996, Creation House)
• The Biblical Road to Blessing (1996, Thomas Nelson)
• Miracle of Healing (1998, J. Countryman)
• Kathryn Kuhlman: Her Spiritual Legacy and Its Impact on My Life (1999, W Pub Group)
• He Touched Me: An Autobiography (1999, Thomas Nelson)
• Going Deeper with the Holy Spirit (2002, Benny Hinn Ministries)
• Total Recovery: Supernatural Restoration and Release (2005, Clarion Call Marketing, Inc.)

Missions, charitable claims, and public outreach

Benny Hinn Ministries publicizes a wide range of charitable and missionary activities as part of its global outreach. The ministry claims to support 60 mission organizations and several orphanages worldwide. It states that, thanks to donor support, it houses and feeds over 100,000 children each year and provides for 45,000 children on a daily basis. The ministry has also made specific, publicly announced donations for disaster relief efforts. In 2005, it donated $100,000 for relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, the ministry donated $250,000 to the tsunami relief effort. These charitable claims and actions are frequently highlighted in ministry communications and are integral to its fundraising appeals. They exist alongside the financial transparency criticisms the organization has faced from independent watchdog groups like Ministry Watch.

Media documentaries and external examinations

Benny Hinn's ministry has been the subject of several major documentary examinations that have sought to verify his healing claims and scrutinize his operations. In April 2001, HBO aired the documentary A Question of Miracles, which examined healing claims made by Hinn and evangelist Reinhard Bonnke. Both ministers offered full access to their events to the documentary crew. The team followed seven cases of reputed miracle healings from Hinn's crusade over the next year. Director Antony Thomas later told CNN's Kyra Phillips that they could not verify any of the healings they investigated. In a New York Times interview, Thomas said, "If I had seen miracles [from Hinn's ministry], I would have been happy to trumpet it ... but in retrospect, I think they do more damage to Christianity than the most committed atheist." The 2004 CBC Fifth Estate investigation provided another layer of scrutiny, using undercover methods to question the ministry's internal practices regarding healing testimonies and finances. These media projects have contributed significantly to the public debate and skepticism surrounding Hinn's work.

Questions about Benny Hinn

Is Benny Hinn Canadian?

Benny Hinn holds Canadian citizenship. He was born in Jaffa in 1952, and his family emigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1968 when he was a teenager. He attended Georges Vanier Secondary School in Toronto. While he later moved to the United States to build his ministry and also holds American citizenship, his formative young adult years and initial religious experiences are tied to Canada.

What happened with the US Senate investigation into Benny Hinn?

In 2007, the United States Senate Committee on Finance, led by Senator Chuck Grassley, launched an investigation into the financial practices of Benny Hinn Ministries and five other televangelist organizations. The committee requested detailed financial information to determine if personal profit was made from donations. Hinn's ministry eventually cooperated fully. The investigation concluded in 2011 with no legal penalties or findings of wrongdoing, but the final report raised concerns about personal use of church-owned luxury items and a lack of independent financial oversight on ministry boards.

Is Benny Hinn still married?

No, Benny Hinn is not currently married. He married Suzanne Harthern in 1979. After a divorce in 2010, a reconciliation, and a remarriage in 2013, Suzanne filed for divorce again in July 2024. The divorce was finalized on 19 November 2025, ending their long and tumultuous relationship.

What is Benny Hinn's net worth?

As of May 2024, Benny Hinn's net worth is estimated to be approximately $60 million. This financial standing is associated with his long career as a televangelist and the operations of Benny Hinn Ministries. His ministry, known for its international Miracle Crusades and television program This Is Your Day, has been a significant source of revenue. However, the ministry's financial practices have faced scrutiny, including a United States Senate Committee on Finance investigation beginning in 2007. The investigation's 2011 final report raised questions about personal use of church owned assets but concluded with no penalties.

Does Benny Hinn still believe in the prosperity gospel?

In September 2019, Benny Hinn stated that he no longer believed in prosperity theology and decided to stop teaching it. This announcement followed years of criticism regarding his ministry's association with Word of Faith and prosperity gospel teachings. Notably, his nephew, Pastor Costi Hinn, had publicly criticized these teachings in 2017, describing a lavish lifestyle within the ministry and calling the prosperity gospel damning and exploitative. Benny Hinn's earlier teachings were charismatic and historically linked to the Word of Faith movement. His reported renunciation marked a significant shift in his public theological stance.

What was the CBC Fifth Estate investigation about?

In November 2004, CBC Television's The Fifth Estate aired an investigation titled Do You Believe in Miracles into Benny Hinn's ministry. The program used hidden cameras and crusade witnesses to allege misappropriation of funds, fabrication of facts, and the staging of healing testimonies. A key finding was that attendees with severe visible disabilities were intercepted by staff and prevented from joining the line to go onstage. For example, hidden cameras recorded staff turning away a mother carrying her daughter with muscular dystrophy. Another case involved evangelist Justin Peters, who has cerebral palsy and was intercepted when he attempted to join the stage line at a Toronto service.

Sources and further reading

• Benny Hinn (Wikipedia)
• About Pastor Benny Hinn (bennyhinnbiblestudy.org)
• Benny Hinn, Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio (audible.ca)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-22.