First it was controversy over accountability. American evangelist, Benny Hinn said the $4million dollars he spent on the national healing crusade held in Nigeria was money gone down the drain.
But chairman of the committee that handled the programme, Bishop Olarenwaju Obembe said $1million and not $4million was spent on the event.
Now another whiff of controversy has come. Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, whose campground was used for the crusade, says Benny Hinn both ridiculed and embarrassed him.
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The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has revealed how he was embarrassed by the American evangelist, Dr Benny Hinn on the last day of the controversial national healing crusade held recently in Lagos.
Apparently concerned about the controversy, which has been trailing the crusade, Pastor Adeboye told a large congregation of Pastors and ministers in his church at a special meeting that he gave out the expansive Redemption Campground to the organisers of the crusade free of charge.
“Let me tell all of you that I never collected a naira or dollar from anybody. I don’t know anything about four million dollars, every of our facilities used was given out free,” Pastor Adeboye told the pastors while addressing them at the church’s campground along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where the controversial crusade also took place about four weeks ago.
Dr. Hinn had sparked controversy on the last day of the crusade when he openly expressed regret that the money he pumped into the project could have been put into better use. “Four million dollars down the drain!”, he reportedly shouted during the crusade.
Besides denying knowledge of how much was given and who got what, the highly revered General Overseer also narrated how he felt embarrassed by the way the American preacher treated him during the three-day programme.
While urging the church officials to imbibe the spirit of humility exhibited by Jesus Christ in his lifetime, Pastor Adeboye explained how he and his wife, Pastor Foluke, attended the three day crusade without being given any courtesy or even the honour of addressing the congregation as their host.
As if that was not enough humiliation, the General Overseer said on the last day of the crusade, Dr. Hinn addressed him publicly in a manner, which fell short of simple courtesy.
According to him, the American evangelist called him out to the stage and said;” I don’t know your name, but they say your name is Bro. Enoch, come let me pray for you.”
In spite of the open humiliation, Pastor Adeboye said he took that in good faith, adding that his consolation was that no pastor of his church would have treated a good host who provided a number of facilities for a crusade the way he was treated.
He admonished them that they should learn how to appreciate every little favour granted them by fellow men of God or others because God Himself cherished appreciation.
He urged them to take the message to their various congregations that he never collected or saw a dollar out of Dr. Hinn’s alleged four million dollars, which has become a subject of controversy.