Benny Hinn, a Canadian American televangelist is set to hold a crusade touted to be one of the biggest Kenya has seen at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.

Hinn, who is renowned all over the world as a pastor and an author of some of the best-selling books, will preside over the event expected to bring together delegates from 20 countries and Kenyans.

Thanks to his big name, Kenyans are already talking about the crusade set to commence on February 24 and extend to February 25. 

This article delves into Hinn’s life and some of his most talked about moments and aspects of his life.

Growing up as a refugee

Born in 1952, Benny Hinn spent his early years in Tel Aviv, Israel (which was by then part of Palestine) where his family had settled as refugees from Greece. 

At the time of his birth, Hinn’s father was the Mayor of Haffa City (modern-day Tel Aviv). But at the age of 11, Hinn and his family were forced to relocate to Canada after the Arab Israeli War in 1968 broke out.

In February 1972, Benny Hinn committed his life to Jesus Christ, as described in his biography- a moment he notes changed his life. 

When Benny Hinn saw a life-changing vision

According to the biography, Hinn would later in 1974 undergo a crucial turning point in his evangelical journey when he received a vision of people “falling into a roaring inferno”.

Besides the inferno vision, the young Benny also heard the words: “if you do not preach, every soul that falls will be your responsibility!”

Despite growing up with a stammering problem, the immigrant went on to start what would become one of the biggest gospel ministries in the world.

At 22 years, Benny Hinn took to the pulpit for the first time and upon starting preaching, his stammering stopped, and he could suddenly communicate eloquently to his congregants.

Today, decades after his said vision, Pastor Benny Hinn has grown to be a popular name in evangelism.

His evangelism has been without limits as he has now preached to different generations using different media technologies.

He’s done it face to face, through television, on print, through video-recordings- among other channels to more than a billion people. 

But his miracle healing services have always stood out in his ministry works. 

Hinn has traversed different continents to dispense his healing services and thereby forging a growing network with pastors. His ability to easily morph into the different generations of technology has continued to standout in his work.

Miracles performed in Benny Hinn’s crusades

Today, Hinn is able to interact with his followers on his website as well as take people around the world through video-streaming apps. 

For Hinn, Miracles similar to the ones detailed in Bible are still possible. Throughout his evangelical journey, the televangelist has been credited for having prayed for and healed patients of illnesses including cancer, osteochondroma (a painful bone condition), HIV, deafness, among other conditions seen as giants scientifically. 

Patients are brought on wheelchairs and leave while walking on their feet and dancing and hence the quick and long-lived traction his ministry gets.

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As a result, his crusades – mostly focused on healing miracles- usually attract phenomenal numbers, with reports stating that he once pulled over 7 million people in three sessions held in India. 

Controversies in Benny Hinn’s journey

But his miracle stories have not been without skeptics and doubters. In his history of evangelism, media houses have targeted him and often produced investigative pieces exposing some healings deemed to be “fake” or scripted.

Hinn’s lifestyle has also been subjected to scrutiny with instances such as when he bought a Mercedes Benz in the 1990s raising questions about his commitment to leading a modest life.

Hinn’s Ministry was also part of the ministries subjected to a scrutiny by the United States Senate in 2007 over tax related questions. 

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But Hinn in his past media engagements welcomed the investigations on him, affirming that it would give him an opportunity to speak and lay the truth for himself as opposed to other people doing it.

When his visit to Kenya was first announced, some section of Kenyans raised concerns about the possibility of his crusade being state sponsored especially after his alleged meeting with First Lady Rachel Ruto in the US.

But church leaders in Kenya who have been at the center of the organization for his planned crusades dispelled the concerns that his concert is planned by the state.