The recent developments concerning evangelist Benny Hinn and his wife Suzanne has got me thinking. My earlier post concerning this situation called for a bit of honesty from Hinn. I am truly praying that God would restore his marriage and that this situation would end happily, but I’m not too sure that will take place.
Benny Hinn released a statement on Thursday concerning the situation. I thought it was somewhat honest, providing that it’s not being spun in his favor. But something about his statement concerned me, and that was the portion in which he explained that he would not be taking a break from his crusades amidst this crisis.
I want you, as my partner in this ministry, to know that I am going to continue preaching the Gospel and praying for the sick as I have for 36 years. I will not allow anything to slow me down or stop me. – Benny Hinn
My concern is simply this; how can you work on your marriage while continuing a grueling ministry schedule? How can someone continue ministry while ignoring a major crisis going on between them and their spouse?
I’m not calling for Benny Hinn to quit the ministry. I hope that when this situation is properly handled and hearts are strong again he will go back to being Benny Hinn. But why not go through this process with the utmost availability to your children and your spouse? Does the world really need Hinn more than his sons and daughters need him right now?
Frankly, I’m not buying the idea that ministry comes before spouse. The marriage covenant binds two people together, making them one person (Mark 10:6-8). If there is a call to do something for Jesus it also involves the person you committed your life to in holy matrimony. Because the two shall become one. It is simply not ok to deem your ministry as more important than your spouse.
Consider what the married Apostle Peter said about marital discord being a hindrance to prayer.
“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)
He literally meant that when you and your spouse deal with each other in disrespect or discord your prayers are indeed hindered. Prayers are stopped up or blocked by hard-hearted stubbornness.
The ministry of a man or woman to their spouse will always be their primary ministry. I’m going to argue that there is no significant ministry that can take place in your life while you ignore or simply blame your spouse for failure. Healing must take place for the stamp of God’s approval to be placed on the heart of a minister of the gospel.
Again, I’m not bashing Benny Hinn or calling for him to quit the ministry. There probably is significant loss that would take place if he stepped down for any period of time. But am I wrong to think that trying to stay married is worth the break? Maybe even a loss of monetary gains?
Can anybody really expect to be used mightily for God while ignoring or neglecting their spouse? From my perspective, absolutely not.
Roger Bain, Follower of Christ, husband to Sarai Bain, father, and football enthusiast...
“Can anybody really expect to be used mightily for God while ignoring or neglecting their spouse? From my perspective, absolutely not.”
That’s the problem. We can be used mightily by God. Benny Hinn is being used mightily by God. You can cast out demons and heal people while away from Him as well. Matt 7:23 tells us as much.
I don’t know the Hinns so I have no idea what happened to get them to here. But the truth is that Benny Hinn can charge ahead with or without his wife. The error comes from thinking that if God is not 100% pleased with our lives that He will stop healing people in our ministry or whatever fruit we measure success by. This simply is not true.
Time and again we see successful ministers sacrifice their marriages on the altar of ministry. They may not get a legal divorce but they are no more a couple than the Hinns.
As ministers, we have to set the boundaries. We have to set the limits. God is going to save and heal regardless how our family life is.
What we need to do is widen the scope of what we call our ministry and measure more than just the standard items in our goal for ministry success. Yes we should count attendance, salvations, healings, baptisms, but we should also count percentage of our children’s important events we attend, spousal contentment, number of fights in the home, etc.
I have seen senior pastors bring their family up on stage for a special event and have to ask their kids what grade they are in. #ministryfail
Congregants need to call out their pastor when they see this behavior. The Scriptures tell us our family will qualify us for ministry. The opposite is true as well.
I get where you’re coming from, in that, yes, Benny Hinn could go right on preaching and holding crusades and see some form of success. However, is it integrous, no. Obviously we know that simply having success in ministry does not make acting a fool elsewhere right (Luke 13:25-28).
I don’t believe we can use the call of God as an excuse to neglect our marriages. Why? Because the life of integrity is apart of the call to ministry. The call to ministry is not simply preaching and praying for people. It is a life that glorifies God and puts Jesus’ life on display.
To say, “I put God before my spouse” is like saying I put God before God’s commandments. When in actuality, an individual will put their spouse first, precisely because they’ve put God first. The passion for ministry should not be separated from the passion for the one God bound you together with. If someone wants it differently, then they should not get married (1 Cor. 7:32).
I HOPE BENNY , SOME TIME TO FAST AND PRAY, IT A PAIN FULL TIME IN LIFE. IN MINISTRY WE MUST SET SIDE TIME FOR OURS FAMILY.
Good thoughts Roger. I read hIs statement to his partners and thought that exact thing you did. Benny has touched my life, especially when I was a teenager. I hope the best for him. It’s one thing to listen to the Holy Spirit for ministry and then listen to Him in your personal life and I hope he does both. They should go hand in hand. Hopefully the divorce won’t go through but it looks doubtful.
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