Frequently Asked Questions

That statement is found in Mark 16:15:

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

It is also found in Matthew 24:14:

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

God’s Great Commission is our mission, and our ministry remains confident that its approach to fiduciary governance is respectful of its supporters and of its various levels of government. We remain certain that the manner in which we handle our finances must always honor the scriptural mandate by which we serve. That is why Benny Hinn Ministries offers an abundance of information and reports to partners through correspondence, our website, conferences for partners, and more.

The bottom line is this: Churches and ministries are obligated to submit to a governing board and adhere to state and federal guidelines—the sufficiency of which has satisfied the wonderful, faithful partners of this ministry for three decades. We are prejudiced, perhaps, but we believe the people who give to our ministry are the best-informed, spiritually mature, and most eternally visionary of any partners in the world.

They are the highly appreciated “secret” of our effectiveness and longevity. Because of our partners and faithful stewardship, we remain confident that God will continue to bless our ministry until the blessed day we are called to be with Him!

We do have above-and-beyond accountability standards in place. First and foremost, I fear God too much to ever trifle with the money entrusted to me by His precious people. Next in priority to our accountability to God, we understand that we have a sacred trust with our partners.

I have mentioned our practice of a voluntary annual audit, voluntary submission to governmental scrutiny, the watchful supervision of the world’s most respected legal firms, and our deference to our Board of Directors. Your seed is handled with the utmost integrity and respect.

Those who have been with me during the past three and a half decades of ministry understand how diligent we have been in our desire to be both good citizens and faithful stewards.

To borrow from business vernacular, our accountability to our donors is best demonstrated on their return on investment—which, in this case, are millions of lives changed for all eternity.

As we co-labor with our precious partners, we preach to millions of souls each year. Our daily television ministry, already one of the largest in the world with broadcasts in over 200 nations, continues to expand.

Our missionary outreaches are touching thousands of lives every day throughout the world. Our partners understand that our ministry, based on a strong foundation for thirty years, understands the value of Godly stewardship and wise counsel. For our partners and ministry friends, the results are very clear. Now, more than ever, this ministry is fertile ground for investing in an eternal harvest around the globe.

Pastor Benny receives no royalties from the ministry for the products he offers on This Is Your Day! or at the ministry events, website, or on any other extension of the ministry. Every penny that comes to the ministry from product sales is invested back into the ministry.

My compensation (annual salary) is set by the members of Benny Hinn Ministries’ Board of Directors with the aid and counsel of Mercer and Company, one of the most respected executive compensation firms in America.

This matter is then reviewed by numerous layers of legal counsel and compared with other ministry leaders of similar size and scope and other nonprofit and church organizations. I am never a part of their decision when it comes to my compensation. And although the ministry’s Board of Directors believes that my total compensation is a private matter, it is well within what is considered prudent and reasonable.

Established accountability groups certainly have their place and serve a worthwhile service to certain not-for-profit groups. However, Benny Hinn Ministries, along with many larger media-oriented ministries, has chosen not to be part of these groups which are geared more toward more traditional-type churches and ministries.

Some groups, for example, focus on comparing, ranking, and giving information in areas that include efficiency and transparency. Since these rating systems are often based on financial data derived from each organization’s IRS Form 990 or audited financial statements, in theory this should put the charities on a level playing field.

Theories don’t always work, and financial statements can be interpreted many different ways, especially since there are many intangibles that cannot be measured. Efficiency of operation, for example, is very, very different from effectiveness of mission. Ministries, as with corporations, may have excellent financial and efficiency ratings, yet aren’t necessarily effective on a long-term basis. It is especially challenging to evaluate ratios, numerical performance, and ministry criteria in the nonprofit sector.

It is ironic, though seldom mentioned in mainstream media reports, that many of these watchdog groups—undoubtedly well-meaning and ostensibly created for the purpose of monitoring and policing the financial activities of other not-for-profit ministries—seldom are able to come to agreement on how to effectively evaluate a ministry’s financial integrity. This fact alone illustrates the inherent limitations of such organizations.

We openly publish both general financial information and specialized miracle service and missionary outreach reports which detail what the ministry is doing around the world with the gifts invested by our partners.

However, mindful of the fact that both corporate and ministry financial reports can be manipulated by unscrupulous people with unsavory agendas, and in accordance with the regulations set forth by our Board of Directors, we do not publicize itemized annual financials or produce and distribute annual financial reports to the general public. It is important to note that the practice of submitting to a governing board, adherence to governmental regulations, and compliance with all sanctioned regulatory bodies fully and legally complies with the IRS and the federal government.

As the recipient of charitable giving, our ministry is constantly reminded of its need to exercise prudence. And throughout the growth of our ministry we have recognized the scriptural imperative that:

“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48).

In addition to the practice of a voluntary annual audit, voluntary submission to exceed governmental scrutiny, and our deference to a Board of Directors, we believe that the relationship with our donors is, ultimately, our most sacred trust.

Pastor Benny Hinn is only one among his elected Board of Directors. Decisions made by the Board of Directors require a majority vote of the Board and, in accordance with IRS rules and regulations, a vote of the Board is required to ratify such major financial commitments as property acquisitions, the incurring of significant debt, the annual operational and capital budget, and church expansion.

For well over three decades I have been adamant that our ministry must have an “above and beyond” standard when it comes to the seed you plant. In fact, each of our global ministry offices voluntarily complies with an independent annual audit performed by the best of the best. The U.S. office is audited annually by one of America’s most respected CPA firms, Stanfield and O’Dell, founded in 1952.

At a considerable annual cost, the ministry’s books are thoroughly scrubbed from top to bottom—including my compensation and travel—and have consistently been given the seal of approval.

In fact, for many consecutive years, independent audit firms have given Benny Hinn Ministries a clean audit (Click here to view our audit cover letters). Because of my fear of offending my precious Lord or bringing shame to His name, I insist that we go far beyond what is required to ensure that our ministry’s finances are above reproach.

A few years ago, Benny Hinn Ministries (along with many other large ministries, charities, and other exempt organizations) was contacted by the Internal Revenue Service, which asked a series of in-depth questions about our activities, expenditures, and governance.

These questions probed deeply into every aspect of our organization and included questions on my compensation, my housing, our use of the ministry aircraft, my family’s employment, travel expenses, and many other areas—even going so far as to query our status as a church and a 501(c)(3) organization.

Following this exhaustive examination of our ministry, the IRS issued a letter to Benny Hinn Ministries on December 6, 2007, that stated: “As a result of our review, we have determined that your activities continue to meet the requirements of IRC [Internal Revenue Code] section tax-exempt, religious 501(c)(3) and you continue to qualify as an organization exempt from Federal income tax under that section.

Furthermore, you remain classified as a church within the meaning of IRC section 170(b)(1)(A)(i) and 509(a)(1).” This “no change” declaration by the very branch of the federal government dedicated to the oversight of tax-exempt organizations was an affirmation of our ongoing commitment to compliance with the federal tax laws.

As good citizens, we in this ministry also go above and beyond to:

“render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21)

as the Lord instructed, and each year we submit all legal filings to the appropriate governmental authorities, ensuring that our ministry complies with both the spirit and the letter of the law in relation to all government agencies that have the authority to regulate church organizations.

As such, each year we file all required documentation to every municipal, state/provincial, and federal agency that requires us to do so. To accomplish this, we use preeminent legal firms in Washington, D.C., with professionals of the highest caliber, to oversee our ministry.

Comprised of former IRS directors and agents, our legal team is guided by the finest tax, nonprofit, and general lawyers in the world. We have done this in the past, and we are committed to always doing so without fail.

None of my family members serve on the ministry’s board. We do this to avoid any conflict of interest, since the Board of Directors is the legal protectorate for the interests of all of the ministry’s employees and partners.

Benny Hinn Ministries has a fully functional and independent Board of Directors that governs the financial and operational affairs of the ministry.

Its members include pastors and business leaders from around the country. They are elected (not appointed by me) and are not members of my family. Although the day-to-day operations are carried out by the employees of the ministry, the Board is responsible for setting overall ministry policies as well as establishing fiduciary checks and balances. And as a part of our various Board meetings each year, our legal counsel is always present to ensure that the highest standards of care and governance are implemented in oversight of this ministry that you support so faithfully.

The duties of the directors include approving annual budgets, major capital expenditures, and fund-raising procedures and setting compensation for officers and executive leadership.

When anyone says that our ministry doesn’t answer to anyone concerning finances and the gifts received from partners, I always answer that nothing could be further from the truth.

We are directly and purposefully accountable to God, to the governmental authorities that oversee not-for-profit ministries, to independent auditors, to our Board of Directors, and ultimately to our partners.

Arising from the belief that a church is, by its very nature, an accountable entity, our ministry complies with, and exceeds, the legal requirements set forth by the Internal Revenue Service and other governing bodies which oversee the financial practices of churches.

Going above and beyond the government guidelines, each year our ministry undergoes a thorough audit by an independent firm that is noted for its expertise in the area of not-for-profit law and IRS compliance. This is significant, for these financial audits occur at the voluntary invitation of our Board of Directors and is not a requirement of the IRS or any other governmental body.