IRS Report

Dear Partner,

Have you ever received a letter from the IRS? 

For most of us, a letter with the return address “Internal Revenue Service” is not a letter we look forward to seeing in our mailbox, unless, of course, it contains a refund. Or in this circumstance, news that would cause me to lift my hands to my wonderful Master, Jesus and say, “Jesus, I give You praise! Jesus, I give You praise!

Let me tell you why…

As you may know, over three years ago our ministry (along with hundreds of other churches, ministries, charities, and other exempt organizations) was contacted by the IRS. In an effort to step up its efforts to monitor the activities of tax-exempt entities in the U.S., the IRS began an inquiry that would last over three years and cover an exhaustive examination of Benny Hinn Ministries’ exempt activities, expenditures, governance, and many other areas of interest to them.

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 with the ministry, hotel charges, and numerous other areas—even going so far as to question our status as a church and a 501(c)(3) organization.

So why was I so excited about receiving a letter from the agency that conducted such an in-depth examination?

That letter, issued to our ministry on December 6, 2007, and delivered to me by senior executives of this ministry, outlined this statement that I want you to see:

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 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 and the conclusion of a painstaking exploration of our ministry.

From the beginning, I directed our legal counsel and executive team to cooperate fully with the IRS representatives and to provide them access to the documentation they requested. Because I know of the “gold standard” manner in which we conduct our ministry, I had every confidence that this would be their finding, but receiving confirmation of this fact was cause for rejoicing!

In fact, I have written several letters to you, my ministry partners and friends, to draw attention to our accountability. I have done this for a purpose—even before receiving the IRS letter—because there is a confidence and sacred bond that exists between God, our ministry, and our partners.

In order for the fellowship between you and me to be unbroken, I have intentionally gone “over and above” with the information I am providing, because I want you to know that this ministry operates with the greatest of care and stewardship.

As we move forward, I am asking you to continue to sow your precious financial seed in confidence so multitudes will hear the life-changing and miracle-working Gospel of Jesus Christ. By asking you to continue to sow your seed, let me quickly list several of the many ways we are accountable both to God and to you, my precious partner:

• As part of our above-and-beyond standard when it comes to the seed you plant, each year we voluntarily comply with an independent annual audit performed by top CPA firms in the world, and we are consistently given the seal of approval.
  
• Our ministry complies with both the spirit and letter of the law, in relation to all government agencies that have the authority to regulate church organizations, by filing all required Internal Revenue Service documentation each year.
  
• My compensation is set by the Benny Hinn Ministries Board of Directors, which is comprised of independent businessmen and ministry leaders. None of my family members serve on this ministry’s board, and I am never part of their decision when it comes to my compensation. Additionally, I receive no royalties for the products I offer at the miracle crusades, on the Web, on This Is Your Day! or on any other extension of the ministry. Every penny that comes from product sales is invested back into the ministry.
  
• Dove One, our ministry airplane, continues to be one of the best possible areas of ministry stewardship, as I crisscross the globe many times to present the Gospel in person to unprecedented multitudes (spending hundreds of hours in the air—all exclusively for ministry travel). As a result, millions of souls have accepted Jesus Christ as eternal Savior. And the upcoming months point to an even greater pace as we seek to fulfill Matthew 24:14, to take this end-time witness to the nations!

Dear partner, know this: I have mentioned these above-and-beyond accountability standards, both recently and again in this letter, because I fear God too much to ever trifle with the money entrusted to me by His precious people.

Your seed is handled with the utmost integrity and respect, and I consider it a sacred trust. Those who have been with me during the past 34 years of ministry understand how diligent we have been in our desire to be both good citizens and faithful stewards.

Above all else, we are accountable to you in the results we share candidly on This Is Your Day!, in our publications, and on our Web site. It is that level of accountability that makes me want to do more than ever, to be better stewards, to redouble our efforts as a ministry. We must do this now, because this is the time, right now, to fulfill the mandate to take the Gospel to all nations, the commission given by Jesus Christ.

We cannot fail Him or allow His trust in us to be wasted. Today, we have a monumental challenge—the greatest mission in all the world—to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every community, every region, and every country. We must win lost souls, care for those in need, and make disciples of all nations through every door God opens to us.

Beloved of God, the world is desperate to hear the truth of the Gospel. We must never allow our voice to grow silent or be content with what has been done in the past.

The time is now! We cannot delay. The dangers in this world have never been so great and our time has never been so short. We must preach the Gospel now with fervency, speed, and intensity. We must accelerate all our efforts.

The door is open now, and we must move forward. What we do for our Lord Jesus we must do now. Tomorrow may be too late!

Our ministry is founded on both the Solid Rock and the solid principles of accountability and stewardship. We continue to partner with the greatest co-laborers in the world to further the cause of Jesus Christ.

I urge you to commit to praying for this ministry as we look toward a historic year of preaching, teaching, and seeing the miraculous unleashed.

As you give your precious seed this month, remember our Father’s glorious promise to you: “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10). And I pray you will be enriched in everything to all bountifulness, in the mighty name of Jesus.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

Preaching the glorious Gospel,
teaching the unchanging Word,
and expecting the mighty and miraculous power of the Holy Spirit,

P.S. It is because of your faithful giving that God will open the windows of heaven and pour out mighty blessings upon your life, for His Word promises, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38). You can be assured that all our financial operations are in full compliance with governmental, Board, legal, and independent accounting oversight, and every penny you give to this ministry will be used with wise stewardship.