Benny Hinn denounced by nephew for propagating 'prosperity gospel'

Famed televangelist Benny Hinn has been denounced by his own nephew because of his efforts in promoting the "prosperity gospel," which holds that believers can obtain health and wealth through positive confessions of faith and payments of tithes and offerings.

In an HLN exclusive interview with Carol Costello, Costi Hinn, who is a pastor in Southern California, described his uncle's teaching as "twisted" and explained how it had affected him personally as a member of the Hinn family.

He described the Hinn family as a hybrid of being a "royal family," because of their wealth, and the "mafia," because of its strict rules.

Costi recounted that when he first said anything publicly about his family, he received a phone call from a family member who told him "you need to pipe down, don't talk about family."

He went on to share how his family was "living the dream," with flights on a G4 or G5 private gulfstream airliners, layovers in Monte Carlo, and enjoying stays in fancy hotel suites that cost $25,000 a night.

Costi, who now serves as an executive pastor at The Mission Bible Church in Orange County, California, warned of the dangers of the prosperity gospel, particularly to those living in impoverished nations who give their last money to prosperity preachers in the hopes that they would receive material blessings.

He suggested that such preachers treat God like a "magic genie," who would provide believers with wealth if they "rub Him right."

"If you rub Him right and do all the right things, your bank's going to grow, you're going to get that promotion, you're going to get that woman that you want to marry, that perfect man, your life is going to be perfect, because that's what God wants for you," he continued.

He called on "real pastors and real churches" to "stand up and say 'No, that is not Christianity. That's not what the Bible teaches.'"

Costi had admitted that he was greedy when he was growing up and he was "very ambitious for all the wrong things." He told Costello that he is "disgusted" with his former self, but thankfully, the power of the Gospel became real to him.

He stressed that the Gospel includes the good news of hope as well as the bad news of the reality of sin for people in all walks of life. "Our job as preachers and pastors is to give the whole story," he said.

Costi said that his uncle is upset with him and they have a limited relationship, but he is hoping that he would get a call from his uncle one day and will spend the next 10 years of his life showing people what the grace of God really is.