In a popular video, televangelist Jesse Duplantis appeals to potential supporters of his desire to purchase a $54 million jet for his ministry which would allow Duplantis to travel anywhere in the world non-stop.
Duplantis’s ministry already has a private jet (though they’re slumming it in a jet that can’t fly anywhere non-stop). And they can certainly buy a new jet if they want to and have the money. Although I don’t understand why a person would donate money for that purpose.
Duplantis says, “I really believe that if the Lord Jesus Christ was physically on the Earth today, he wouldn’t be riding a donkey, he’d be in an airplane flying all over the world.”
Would he?
Or would Jesus (if he decided to fly) be in coach, with the people?
If Jesus was given $54 million, an incredible amount of money, would the first thought to be to buy something to help him get to people? Or would it be to turn back around and give that money back to the people?
Duplantis wanting all of this money for a jet so they can travel non-stop rubs me the wrong way because it’s such an extravagant expense with the premise that the ministry and what they’re doing is so important that they don’t have time to stop for fuel.
Take a pit stop!
If you have that type of fund raising power, use the money for more noble causes.
Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.
Josh Benner 