Francis Chan has been given a lot of flack for calling two well-known prosperity gospel preachers “bold men of God.” However, I think quite a few people are taking this situation out of context. What if he was simply encouraging these two, instead of blasting them for false teaching. We should correct brothers and sisters in private, not on stage.

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Has he preached prosperity, or just spoke edification of those two? 

From what I’ve seen/heard in his sermon during 2019 The Send, he said “… These are bold men [Benny Hinn and Todd White] of God, that are not backing down. … I’m grateful for that, but it made me think; as speaker and speaker and worship leader and worship leader came, I thought, ‘There are so many people on this earth who haven’t heard the name of Jesus.’”

I don’t think he showed support for them. He simply called them “bold men of God” and finished by saying “many people … haven’t heard [about] Jesus.”

Ephesians says to not let “unwholesome words proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification” [improvement of a person morally or intellectually]. 

Chan called them “bold men of God,” encouraging them. By encouraging the men, possibly he hoped they would listen to his sermon and be more encouraged to preach the Gospel.

And Galatians 6 says to confront sinners with “a spirit of gentleness.”

For Chan to quarrel with the two he called “bold men of God” in front of hundreds would have lead many away. From what we’ve seen, we can’t say Chan is going overboard. We can only hope he took the men to the side and confronted them in private.

He didn’t openly, on social media or live TV, tell the two they were false preaching. What does the Bible say about calling others out for their sin?

Jesus said in Matthew to talk with them alone. 1 Timothy 5:20 says to “rebuke them in the presence of all” for those who continue to sin. Has Chan talked with these two men alone? If Chan did the right thing, we’ll never know, because he isn’t one to boast about what he does or has done.

Even if Chan knew he was to preach beside these two — if he believes them to be false teachers — he should, and did, take advantage of the opportunity to share the Gospel to hundreds of students.

Chan still preaches the Gospel, but looking at him for not calling someone out publicly isn’t our place to argue.

I still support the man who said, “I can get in front of a crowd who are absolutely against Jesus and just preach my heart out.” He still preaches the Gospel, and shame on me to turn my back on a man who encouraged others.

John 13:35

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NOTE: I do not and will not ever support the prosperity gospel. The Bible doesn’t say “being a Christian is easy.”

Featured image: Francis Chan Photo Credit/CBNNews