Jesse Duplantis asks for 54 million dollars to buy a new plane. Thankfully no one would defend that right...right?

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"Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. -- Proverbs 30: 7-9 (ESV)

https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/71480-10-things-to-consider-before-you-judge-jesse-duplantis-for-believing-for-a-54m-jet

I will be brutally honest with you beloved. It is an embarrassment to Christianity that I even have to address this story. It seems no matter how low someone who calls themselves a preacher goes there is someone else willing to defend them at the cost of the Gospel and our witness for Jesus Christ. Charles Spurgeon is credited with saying that discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right. While true, there are also teachings and theologies that are far easier to discern. Low hanging fruit such is Mike Murdock trying to con you out your paycheck or the fake healings of Peter Popoff come to mind. Or when someone asks you for 54 million dollars so they can buy a new high end jet plane. Enter Jesse Duplantis, false teacher extraordinaire. Several weeks ago, Duplantis made his pitch on TV, claiming God told him to believe for a new Falcon 7X luxury private airplane. People asked me if I would weigh in on it and my answer was I sincerely hoped I would not have to. Enter John Burton. He fancies himself a Christian leader, evangelist and prophetic messenger. He recently came out with a defense of Duplantis linked above. Let us reason together and see what God has to say about defending the indefensible.

"Jesse Duplantis is believing for a new airplane. The way we respond will determine our financial future. As an introduction, I need to make it clear that I personally wasn't raised in the Word of Faith movement. This isn't a knee-jerk reaction from a Word of Faith member, as I am not one. That being said, I've known many phenomenal believers who were deeply involved in Word of Faith, so I have firsthand testimony of some pretty awesome fruit. In fact, you might read a recent article that exposes the limits of giving to churches and ministries without considering other, very potent and very important, financial strategies in a recent Charisma News article. Giving to ministries alone will never unlock the wealth that God has for his people." -- John Burton

Word faith is heresy beloved. Pure unadulterated heresy. It usurps the power of God to create with the spoken word. Its foundational belief that God wants everyone oozing with cash is simply unbiblical. So right from the start we see that John Burton cannot be trusted to discern. He claims to know "phenomenal" believers who believe in pure heresy. What is telling is his defense of it is the same nonsense Michael Brown uses to defend Bill Johnson and the usually front line defense of false teaching -- I know their heart. Pay no attention to their wildly wicked teachings -- I know them personally and they love the Lord! We do not need to rely upon the first hand testimony of fools or the personal interpretations of "pretty awesome fruit." We have the Bible and all we need to do is apply it to what we hear and determine if it's from God or from the devil. We also see here another clue into the false believes of John Burton. According to his theology God is holding back all of this untold wealth from us; just waiting for us to learn the secrets to unlock it. How does John explain the impoverished Christians around the globe? He can't so he continues:

"The reason I bring this up is so you understand this isn't another article defending the faith message. I am making the focus more specific. Let's talk about Jesse Duplantis. In fairness, we do need to let Jesse speak for himself. After you read what he said, you have to wonder what exactly people think is so wrong with his intentions: "I'm not asking you to pay for my plane," the televangelist says in a new video posted to his ministry's website. "The Lord said, 'I didn't ask you to pay for it, I asked you to believe for it.' That is what I said. So I'm believing, and I want you to believe with me." I'd be the first to defend him for fundraising if he were actually doing that. However, he is making it clear he isn't asking for money. He's asking for people to agree in faith. The following 10 points will at least give us a starting point when considering how to respond to Jesse's bold request. Be warned, though. My stance resulted in a longtime Facebook friend blocking me this morning and declaring I'm a false prophet. (He should know I don't consider myself a prophet at all, but I doubt that would have deterred him!)" -- John Burton

It sure smells like an article defending Jesse Duplantis. Let us also clear up the smoke and mirrors Duplantis has employed here. His initial plea was for people to pay for his plane. It was clear to the secular news. It was clear to me. The only people it was not clear to were his defenders. After the initial backlash, Duplantis has come out to clarify that he was only asking his followers to believe with him for the plane. Huh? I do not even think Joel Osteen could match this hubris. Let us also not think like children. Jesse Duplantis holds a position of power. When such people make such declarations of need they are bound to generate giving. That was entirely Jesse's point. To be able to say he never asked for money with his right hand while fleecing the flock with his left. Onto the defense of the indefensible.

"1. The moment we embrace lack and limits for another is the moment we embrace lack and limits for ourselves. Many years ago, I was the youth pastor of one of the wealthiest churches in the nation. My wife and I were earning $24,000 a year, and the rumor was my senior pastor was earning well over $100,000. He was also given a new Cadillac every couple of years, and he lived in a beautiful home. One day, I was pondering whether my pastor really needed such a high income. I wasn't complaining in the least. I was simply wondering. God heard my not-so-private thoughts and initiated a dialogue with me, though at first I didn't realize it was him. "So, would $40,000 a year be sufficient for your pastor?" That's the question that dropped into my mind. My silent reply was something like, "Well, no. He's been faithful in ministry for years. He's surely worthy of more than that." "How about $50,000?" "No, that's still too low. I appreciate all he has done and he certainly can earn more." "$75,000?" At this point, I was keenly aware that I was in a fearful conversation with God. I didn't even answer that final question. He didn't wait for a response. What he said next struck me and has impacted my finances and my ministry ever since. "Don't you ever again presume I should consult you when I decide how to financially resource and bless one of my children. The moment you make a judgment on another's finances is the moment your finances will come under judgment. When you embrace lack and limits for another, you will not find success breaking through lack and limits in your own life. If you affirm lack for another, you will experience lack yourself." I've never questioned another's financial situation again. I bless those who are financially blessed, period. In fact, I've met many people who faithfully tithe and give who are always struggling financially. In addition to what I addressed in my other article referenced above, I believe this issue is very often a cause. "But you must remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to get wealth, so that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is today" (Deut. 8:18)." -- John Burton

What a load of utter garbage. If you believe this conversation occurred then I have a bridge to sell you. This is one of the first gambits of the false teacher -- direct revelation. This way less people will be inclined to question what is clearly unbiblical. By claiming God told me, you essentially trump up your beliefs to the level of Scripture. Not to mention the entire premise is asinine. Questioning the need to spend 54 million dollars on an airplane is prudent and wise not a cause for judgment.

"2. It's not being used for personal pleasure. It's a tool to reach people with the gospel. If a pastor announced a fundraiser for a new church van, would you protest? Of course not. It's an important tool for ministry. Pastors regularly raise funds for important works including millions for new buildings, buses, missions and other ministries. Jesse is believing for fast transportation so he can reach more people. I find no fault in that. In fact, what if Jesse stood in faith for a $54 million jet personally, instead of for his ministry? That way, he could use it any way he desired, including for ministry. You might consider that to be a strange point, but consider this: I use my car in the same way. I have a 501(c)(3) ministry, but my car was not secured through my nonprofit. I own it personally. So, I use it to go to Walmart, on vacation and to various ministry destinations. The problem is that many are judging Jesse's motive, which is radically irresponsible. They presume to know just what's in his heart and, therefore, judge that his attempts to secure the airplane are immoral. They presume he's coveting. They think he's selfish. That judgment is out of line. There is not one person alive, with the possible exception of those who are very close to him, who knows what his motive is. Biblically, we are mandated to judge fruit, but until we have clear proof of indiscretion, it's foolish and irresponsible to say we know what his motives are." -- John Burton

The fact that other ministers may abuse spending money does not validate this one and there is no comparing a church van to a Falcon 7X. The larger point of course is that Jesse Duplantis does not preach the Gospel. It reminds me of when Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who would go halfway around the world for a single proselyte only to make them twice the son of hell that they were. Jesse preaches a false gospel of prosperity and word faith. We should be buying him a donkey to slow him down. Now, if he were man of moderation then I agree challenging motives would be wrong. But when you live in a 3.5 million dollar mansion, preach prosperity, and now are asking for another 54 million to jet set around the world, well if it walks like a duck. I will go out on a limb here and say that there are no set of circumstances where a preacher should ask for 54 million dollars. No context that makes this somehow more palatable. Don't hand me this baloney about it being all for Jesus. Burton also forgets that our judgment is not relegated merely to fruit. In 1Corinthians we are to judge those in the church. It also misses the point that using the constraints regarding our brethren does not apply to wolves that are devouring our brethren. Jesse Duplantis is not my brother. He is slaughtering my brothers. His motives are glaringly obvious for anyone not trying to defend the utterly indefensible.

"3. Why is it any of your business? As I sit back and watch people become unraveled about this, I have to wonder, Why are you so uptight about someone you don't even know? The truth is that this is none of your business. Stay silent. Nothing immoral has occurred. No crimes have been committed." -- John Burton

Mr. Burton. The Bible says it is my business. The word of God is filled with warnings about false teachers. We are our brother's keeper. You see the problem is that you are focusing on the wolf instead of the sheep. Nothing immoral has occurred? Are you serious? This is a man who has made millions of dollars on the backs of poor people and now he wants to take another 54 million from them to fly in luxury. He will have to stand before Christ and answer for it one day and now you will stand with him in answering for this defense at the expense of the sheep of the Lord.

"4. If it is your business, what specifically has God told you to do in response? While I doubt God chose to consult you about Jesse's situation, let's pretend he did. God doesn't gossip. He doesn't share information about someone else just so we can enjoy shaming them. If he reveals another's immorality to you, I'd be shaking in my boots. The fear of the Lord should wreck you. His revelation means you have a sober responsibility to help bring restoration to the one in error. What would your first step be? For starters, that should mean implementing Matthew 18 protocol if you felt he sinned against you: "'Now if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother'" (Matt. 15:18). -- John Burton

Well the first thing the Lord has told me is to show you how to properly exegete a text. The scripture in Matthew 18 is when a brother sins against me personally, not when a wolf has attacked the sheep. I am under zero biblical obligations to coddle wolves, talk to them first, or ask them to stop behaving like a wolf. Next the Lord has asked me to tell you to stop hyper-spiritualizing the obvious. The Lord does not have to consult me about Jesse's situation. That is absurd. The Bible tells me all I need to know. It is not about Jesse -- it is about the sheep. The fear of the Lord does wreck me. I am not the one who shows no fear of the Lord in this situation. That would be you. I am not on the side of fleecing 54 million dollars from God's people so that a false gospel can be more widely preached.

"5. If you gossip about Jesse, you are in the wrong. God doesn't gossip. Neither should we. When we speak negatively about someone without them there to defend themselves, we sin. Gossip and slander are serious violations that can bring swift judgment to us. Today with social media being such a powerful medium, supposed Christians are spending their waking hours spouting out their gossip and slander about people of all types without any measure of grace of love. There's a way to honestly discuss issues with a heart of love and honor without bringing shame to the one being talked about. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not proper. They were filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, proud, boastful, inventors of evil things, and disobedient toward parents (Rom. 1:28-30). "Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners." (Eph. 4:29). "If anyone among you seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain" (James 1:26). -- John Burton"

Ehh, not quite. Gossip is not speaking negatively about someone when they are not present. Gossip according to the Old Testament is revealing privileged or secret information. If Jesse Duplantis had told me in confidence he wanted to buy a 54 million dollar plane and I chose to tell you -- that would be gossip. Generally there are two types. The first deals with intent. If my intent was to disparage Duplantis that would be wrong but my intention is to warn the body of Christ that there is a wolf among us -- as the Bible instructs me to do in Titus. The second consideration is the nature of the information. Telling something secret, shameful, etc. I did not tell the world that Jesse Duplantis wants to take 54 million dollars from poor people to buy a jet plane -- he did. My commentary on it therefore is not gossip. Burton is even father off with the slander accusation as slander requires an element of falsehood. My measure of grace and love is for the body of Christ, not the wolves who attack it. My discernment imparts grace to those who will learn to avoid such wolves as Jesse Duplantis.

"6. Why are you threatened by his faith? Jesse is inviting people to join him in mountain-moving faith. We need more people to believe for absolutely shocking, magnificent, world-shaking things. Celebrate when men and women of God are not only dreaming big but actually putting action to their faith. Visionaries have always threatened those with no vision for their lives. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6)." -- Jesse Duplantis

This charge is almost comical. Burton can try as much as he likes to pretend as Duplantis now is that his initial plea was just for people to believe but anyone who can listen knows that is a lie. His initial please was for money and to plant the seed in his followers that they should give to his twisted vision. I am not threatened by his faith. I am disgusted by his duplicity.

"7. Those who have will be given more. It's a biblical principle. So many miss this powerful biblical truth. The kingdom isn't governed by socialism. Financial equality doesn't exist. Yes, we are to give to those in need, and we are to take care of the poor. However, the truth remains: Those who handle their finances rightly will always have more money than those who don't. If this weren't the case, there would be no poor among us, but Jesus made it clear that the poor would always be with us. I personally want to support and stay close to those who continually grow their financial portfolios. I'm not talking about manipulators or swindlers. I'm talking about true people of God who are so faithful with their finances that they can't help but to prosper." 'So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away'" (Matt. 25:28-29)." -- John Burton

Wow. Jesse Duplantis grows his portfolio on the backs of the oppressed and poor. Then it seems that Burton is mashing different scriptures together and not really understanding any of them. The Parable of the Talents is not about money. That alone should tell you where the heart of John Burton resides.

"8. Don't let pride convince you that you have better ideas on how to use the money. We would all use $54 million differently. Evangelists would use it to reach the lost. Pastors would build large buildings so they can nurture the saints. Teachers would create a media ministry so they could get the message out. Apostles might build many churches in different regions. Prophets would probably invest in the soap box and megaphone industry. Christians in business would develop new businesses and multiply the money. Those without biblical financial training would waste most of it. Don't pridefully presume your plans for the money are better than another's. For Jesse, a jet is how he can most effectively minister. Again, we can't judge motive. Let's take him at his word." -- John Burton

I do not take wolves at their word because they have no word to give. What is worse here however is the false narrative Burton creates. Jesse Duplantis does not have 54 million dollars to buy this plane. That is why he made the pitch. This is not a matter of Jesse saying hey I got this 54 million lying around and I thought I would buy a plane. He specifically said that he "told God" that he did not have the money. So I am taking him at his word that he wants a plane and doesn't have the money for it. Therein lies the problem.

9. If God told him to pursue this, he had better do it. Do you have any idea how much trouble we'd be in (and he'd be in) if we convinced Jesse to disobey God because we presumed our wisdom to be greater? If God spoke to Jesse about this airplane, we had better get out of the way and keep our mouths shut, unless blessing and honor is all that would be spoken. How foolish Solomon must have been to use his wealth the way he did, right? Wrong. God spoke, and wealth was not all given away. It wasn't used to eradicate poverty. It was used in ways that didn't make much sense. But that's the wonder of God. His ways aren't our ways. Added together, the gold and silver used along in Solomon's Temple was worth $216,603,576,000. This does not include all the precious metals, bronze, iron, ivory or cedar wood used in the temple." -- John Burton

If God told him to do it. Seriously? God did not tell a false teacher as egregious as Jesse Duplantis to try and fleece 54 million dollars from his sheep so he could fly around the world spreading his false gospel. The premise is ludicrous on its face. Even the comparison Burton makes is unfair. Solomon's temple was not solely used by Solomon. It was used by the same people who funded it. The jet plane is solely for use by Duplantis.

"10. If he missed God on this, extend grace. If Jesse is wrong, let's bless him, love him, honor him, pray for him and believe for great things in his life. Extending grace while also standing for righteousness is something we must do. But, again, not one single person reading this article knows whether he's wrong or not at this point, no matter how much you might believe God is consulting you on the matter. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Rev. 22:21). Unless otherwise specified, the opinions expressed are solely the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Charisma Media." -- John Burton

Missed God on this? What does that even mean? Are you saying what if he made it up? Lied to us? He claims that God SPOKE to him and said this. Is he now hallucinating or do you mean that there's a chance that demonic forces spoke to him. As for no one knowing; that is simply untrue. I know he is wrong. So does anyone with a sliver of discernment. This shill piece aside changes nothing. Jesse Duplantis is one of the most egregious false teachers alive today. The only thing the Bible says I am to extend to him is the shepherd's rod. I pray those that pursue the riches of this world would reflect on the key verses for today. Verses that Jesse Duplantis has no doubt never seriously preached on. Give me neither poverty nor riches but only my daily bread. That which I need. When I first read the story of Duplantis I was saddened because so many in the world correctly see him for the charlatan and whore that he is, while so many in the church simply refuse to see. So many are just blind by choice and willfully ignorant. Then there are the gatekeepers like John Burton. They do not use their platform and megaphone to protect the sheep of the Lord. Instead they are like the hireling the Bible warns about. They open the pen door up to the wolves and let them have their way with the sheep. They know just enough scripture to be dangerous and wield it in defense of the cravenly indefensible.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- June 8, 2016

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.