Benny Hinn's Former Church to Be Sold in Foreclosure Auction
Clint Brown, the pastor of Faith World Center in Florida, televangelist Benny Hinn's former church, is holding worship services at a school with a new name for his church, as its property is set for a multimillion-dollar foreclosure auction.
The Faith World property in Central Florida, which Hinn sold to Brown, a Christian recording artist, in 2000, will be auction online next week, according to Orlando Sentinel.
The Evangelical Christian Credit Union of California had filed a lawsuit last September after the church defaulted on its mortgage, on which it owed about $9.7 million, the newspaper says.
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Orange Circuit Judge Lisa Munyon ruled early last month that Faith World, which owed money to several other companies as well, be auctioned.
Pastor Brown is now holding Sunday services at Wekiva High School's auditorium with a new name for his congregation, the Judah Church.
About a decade ago, questions were raised about Pastor Brown's personal finances. His lifestyle included Rolex watches, Las Vegas shopping sprees and a 4,455-square-foot home in Alaqua Lakes, with a $7,000 monthly mortgage paid by Faith World, according to the Sentinel.
In a recent sermon at the new location, Brown told the congregation that the church had been "abused."
"Can I tell you this morning? We've been through some pain. We've been abused. … We have been lied to. We have been taken advantage of," he was quoted as telling the congregation. "The enemy, the enemy tried to stop us, tried to hurt us."
Hinn's World Outreach Center was based out of Faith World Center until 1999, when he moved it to Texas. Brown then took over the Florida property and merged with the faith-healing evangelist's local congregation.
Hinn has also been under debt.
Last year, Hinn asked supporters of his ministry for $2.5 million in donations, which he said an anonymous donor will match dollar by dollar to help him get out of debt. "God wants your ministry to be completely out of debt, and I want to plant an anointed seed that will help you take a giant step toward becoming totally debt-free!" said the anonymous man, whom Hinn called a "long-time and beloved" friend.
Although Hinn reports having several outreach ministries, including orphanages in Asia and Mexico, and relies on donations to finance his national and international "miracle crusades" and evangelistic meetings, the evangelist remains controversial among some in the Christian community for teaching a prosperity message.
Hinn, who reportedly has a net worth of $42 million, also has been criticized and investigated by numerous news organizations for his purported faith healings.
