Televangelist Jesse Duplantis has said that God wants him to have a private jet worth $54 million, and that he is 'believing' for the money.
Hahahaha!
It's not a joke, he's really said this.
I'm so sorry, I just assumed.
It's an understandable mistake, particularly as his 'ministry' has had three of them already. God has said this time he's to have a Dassault Falcon 7X, a nifty bit of kit that does 700 miles an hour and carries up to 16 people.
God is being strangely specific about this, isn't he?
Very strangely.
But look, why does this chap want it anyway?
Partly to preach the gospel – he's said preachers ought to have 'every available outlet to get this gospel preached to the world' – but partly because ordinary passenger jets are full of demons.
I beg your pardon?
Duplantis appeared in a 2015 video with fellow televangelist Kenneth Copeland in which they agreed on their need for private jets. Copeland spoke of getting in 'a long tube with a bunch of demons. And it's deadly.' Duplantis replied: 'And it works on your heart, it really does.'
I'd better watch out, I'm flying off on holiday next week.
I wouldn't worry too much.
But why a top-of-the-range jet? Jesus rode a donkey, for goodness' sake.
Duplantis: 'If Jesus was physically on the Earth today, he wouldn't be riding a donkey... He'd be in an airplane preaching the gospel all over the world.'
Surely that's not true, though?
No. Jesus didn't use the 1st-century equivalent, a top-of-the-range chariot with a colour-matched team of thoroughbred horses, anyway; he seemed to prefer the company of poor people, actually.
So what's going on?
Who really knows? Duplantis says it's for his ministry, not for him. But in a needy world, this is not a good look. And anyone's entitled to wonder whether this is money well spent, and to think that perhaps it's an example of someone equating what they want with what God wants – and hearing voices accordingly. And we might think this is an example of someone remaking Jesus in their own image. And we might wonder too whether anyone's so good at preaching that it's worth $54 million to get them where they want to go.
Ah, yes, that $54 million – where's that coming from?
There's a donations line here.
Thanks so much.
Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
