Over the past two months, the Israeli American preacher Benny Hinn visited and preached in two African countries — Ghana in January and Kenya in February.
His health and wealth gospel was well received in the African countries. In Nairobi, his Healing the Nation Crusade filled Nyayo Stadium beyond capacity Feb. 24 and 25. His ministry website reports: “More than a half-million people jammed the 150,000 seats inside Nyayo Stadium as well as the overflow area outside the huge facility, extending far into the surrounding areas.”
Rachel Ruto
Those in attendance included religious leaders from within and outside Kenya as well as President William Ruto and his wife, Rachel. It was Rachel Ruto who persuaded Hinn to return to Kenya 23 years after he first visited the East African country.
This was revealed at the crusade by Robert Kayanja, a Ugandan pastor who said Rachel Ruto reached out to him when he was in Israel to accompany her to meet Hinn in Orlando, an interaction that yielded fruit.
In his Feb. 24 sermon, Hinn prayed for God to bend Kenya toward heaven and turn it around for good: “David prayed in the Psalms; he said, Lord, incline my heart to you. … I believe as we pray and cry out that God will bend this nation towards him and he will answer the prayer. I believe that with all my heart.”
The American preacher encouraged people to return the next day to receive blessings. “Don’t come to pray. Come prayed up. Because you and many of you who are sick will be healed as you walk in here. Bring the sick with you tomorrow. Bring the afflicted,” he said.
Benny Hinn crusade in Nairobi (Photo: Benny Hinn Ministries)
He then delved into the Israeli-Hamas conflict, saying Israelites are God’s people.
“We need to understand what God says about his people, Israel,” Hinn declared. “The problem is when we mix politics with Scripture. Then people get in trouble. But we have to stay with the Bible and the Bible says that the name of God … He called himself the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He’s the God of Israel.”
He continued: “Today, there’s a lot of antisemitism in the world, even in the church. … The Bible you hold is a Jewish book, written by Jews. Not by Americans, or by British people or people from Kenya either. It was written by Jews. You cannot love the Bible and hate the Jews. And I want to remind you, (Jesus) is a Jewish Messiah.
“There’s a Jew living inside of you. How can you hate the Jews if there’s a Jew inside of you? But the problem is, people mix politics (with religion). Jesus is not Benjamin Netanyahu. Jesus is not the prime minister of Israel. He’s the king of Israel. At the same time, we have to understand that Jesus loves the Palestinian people. We need to pray for the people of Israel and the Arab people.”
Benny Hinn with African pastors and leaders at the crusade. (Photo: Benny Hinn Ministries)
Kayanja expressed hope that the crusade would open doors of blessings for Kenya. He quoted a passage in the book of Joel which says, “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.”
He explained: “To restore means to put back, even better than it used to be. Something great is happening in Kenya. God is putting it back better than ever before. The perfect example of restoration is Gideon and Jesus Christ.”
Kenya, he said, had backslid in religion. “I remember that after the East African revival (held) in Uganda, Kenya took the baton. My spiritual father told me you used to have an ex-president who was nicknamed Nyayo. Nyayo used to invite preachers here. … There was a great move of God over Kenya. But somehow, somewhere, things did not go well. And I’m hearing the Lord say, ‘I’m ready to restore you. I’m ready to restore Kenya more than ever before.’”
Africa, he said, has had enough of experiments: “Kenya, you’ve been given so many options. We don’t need any more option. We need a solution. And this meeting in Nyayo Stadium has brought you a solution. When the anointing hits this place, you and your family and children will never be the same again. Because God uses the anointing to break and destroy yokes. Kenya, these are your days of restoration.”
Rachel Ruto expressed joy at the event saying it was an honor and privilege to host Hinn, who is a controversial figure in the United States for his preaching on the supernatural, even bringing dead people to life, as well as his embrace of the Prosperity Gospel.
She reiterated Kayanja’s position that Kenya experienced great moves of God in the past like the East Africa revival, the revival in Masai land in the 1990s and the great move of the Holy Spirit that took place in the 1970s.
“There’s a powerful prophetic word that was released over this nation several years ago that Kenya will be the springboard of revival for the nations.”
“There’s a powerful prophetic word that was released over this nation several years ago that Kenya will be the springboard of revival for the nations,” she declared. “I believe that this is the season for God to release a new well of revival in our nation. This revival will not only restore the supernatural power of God in the church, it will also bring transformation to our nation.”
She added: “History reveals to us that nations that experienced revivals went on to become the most industrialized nations of the earth, especially in North America. The East African revival affected the soil of Uganda, which became one of the most fertile soils in the region to date. By the time we got independence, we were at per with South Korea. When South Korea experienced the great move of God, it affected many areas including their economy. As we speak today, they are way ahead of us.”
Benny Hinn in Africa (Photo: Benny Hinn Ministries)
The president’s wife urged the church in Kenya to continue to pray without ceasing and to seize the many opportunities the government has created for the people. Successfully organizing the event, she said, was a testament to the oneness of the body of Christ and the divine level of agreement among Kenya’s religious leaders.
The first lady’s involvement with the event comes as little or no surprise to observers as she and her husband, William, are known for openly professing or identifying with the Christian faith. On the second day of the event, President Ruto, who arrived clad in white outfit as was his wife, received the blessing of Hinn and other pastors. He then said Kenyans believe in God and are unashamed about their faith in the Lord.
He said that in 2006, during the 100th anniversary of the Azusa Revival in the U.S., which he attended with his wife and many others, he received a revelation that he would be president of Kenya. Now, as president, he said he is certain God would favor Kenya with another revelation and revival that will make the country not only a great nation in Africa but globally.
Although Kenya faces economic challenges, it will overcome them, he prophesied.
Mkamburi Mwawasi
Kenyan journalist Mkamburi Mwawasi, in her analysis of the event, said prayer alone cannot do the magic Kenya needs.
Hinn’s visit to Kenya and the role of the president’s wife in making the trip a success “is normal just like any person of God would visit from a different country,” she told BNG. “In Kenya there is freedom of worship and the government is a ‘praying government.’ A government that highly depends on prayers to make things happen.”
The crusade, she said, was highly publicized since the office of the first lady was highly involved in it. “It was considered a state event and everyone knew about it. It was highly attended by the who’s who in the government.”
However, she pointed out, “Kenyans need roads to be built, they need the government to deal with corrupt individuals and better their lives.” To the average Kenyan, therefore, she doubts it matters that Hinn has such endorsement from the president.
“Kenyans are only worried that the president is only serious with religion but does not care what Kenyans are going through to put food on their tables,” she said. “The Bible states, ‘Faith without action is dead,’ and therefore too many prayers without action do not help Kenyans.”
Anthony Akaeze is a Nigerian-born freelance journalist who lives in Houston. He covers Africa for BNG