Remember when televangelist Kenneth Copeland announced on his website earlier this year that he was buying a Gulfstream V airplane from Tyler Perry? Well, as it turns out, this is apparently becoming a thing with TV preachers.
Fellow TV fleecer preacher Jesse Duplantis announced that he is getting in on the action.
“You know I’ve owned three different jets in my life and used them and used them and just burning them up for the Lord,” the Louisiana televangelist declared in a video for “This Week with Jesse.”
“Now some people believe that preachers shouldn’t have jets. I really believe that preachers ought to go on every available voice, every available outlet, to get this gospel preached to the world,” he said.
Duplantis then proceeded to brag about pictures of the jets he’s “purchased for the Lord” over the years, dating back to 1994.
“This is the Starship Enterprise. This is where I’m going, praise God—what I’m believing God for,” he quipped (I think), pointing to a picture of the famous Star Trek ship.
Turning back to the camera, Duplantis said, “We’re believing God for a brand new Falcon 7X so we can go anywhere in the world in one stop.”
“Now people say, ‘my Lord, can’t you go with this one?'” he said, pointing to one of his older jets. “Yes, but I can’t go at one stop.” He then went on to explain that he can fly much cheaper by avoiding stops because “I have my own fuel farm” and “I can avoid all those exorbitant prices for jet fuel all over the world.”
[I’m not sure about the math on that. A brand new Falcon 7X will run you a cool $54 million.]
According to Duplantis, God told him to purchase the new jet, saying, “Jesse, you want to come on up where I’m at? Before you ask, I’ll answer—Isaiah 65:24. I want you to believe me for a Falcon 7X.”
When he asked God how he was supposed to pay for it, God the voices in Duplantis’ head told him, “Jesse, I didn’t ask you to pay for it. I asked you to believe for it.”
He then launched into a plea for money to pay for the new plane. “We never ask you to give anything that me and [wife] Cathy don’t give ourselves,” he said, adding that he plans to pay in cash.
“I really believe that if Jesus was physically on the earth today he wouldn’t be riding a donkey. Think about that for a minute. He’d be in an airplane preaching the gospel all over the world,” said Duplantis.
He warned viewers that he believes the end times “are coming fast,” citing the decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and reiterated his plea for donations, saying that God would bless them for it.
I wrote this about the prosperity gospel when Kenneth Copeland announced his decision to buy a Gulfstream jet:
People like Copeland, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen and others who push this malignant distortion of Christianity prey on the poor and vulnerable, enriching themselves at the expense of the downtrodden. They beg followers to send their last few dollars while they live a life of luxury.
History, of course, gives lie to the heresy of the prosperity gospel that tells people God will grant them health, wealth, and prosperity if they send money to TV preachers.
From its first days, followers of Christ were persecuted and marginalized. The New Testament records that they were stoned to death, beaten, flogged, and imprisoned for their faith. And it got worse from there as the early Christians were persecuted relentlessly in the ensuing centuries — persecution that continues to the present day. Jesus told his followers to expect persecution, saying the world would hate them because they hated him.
Duplantis reportedly has a net worth of $40 million and has made the blasphemous claim that “My God is my sugar daddy.” He’s also been accused of skirting the IRS code to help fund his lavish lifestyle
Duplantis and others like him take advantage of their followers, begging them to sacrifice—in many cases, their meager incomes—to help sustain opulent “ministries” and plush digs, all while preaching a false gospel. It’s terribly sad and certainly an abomination to the God he claims to serve.
Watch Duplantis’ video announcement here.
Follow me on Twitter @pbolyard
Join the conversation as a VIP Member