Kirk Franklin calls out prosperity preacher Jesse Duplantis for ‘abuse of power’ after he attempts to milk donors for $54 million jet purchase
Article By Shannon Howard // EEW Magazine News
GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel musician Kirk Franklin is speaking out against a Louisiana-based prosperity preacher who says Jesus told him to buy his fourth private jet.
Jesse Duplantis of Jesse Duplantis Ministries is making worldwide headlines for a video of him claiming the son of God wants him to have the new Dassault Falcon 7X, which costs approximately $54 million.
Franklin, 48, posted a heartfelt plea on Instagram for Christians to take a stand against what he views as injustice rooted in greed. “I’m posting this because now that we see popular culture stand up to the injustices in mainstream society, I believe the church should do the same for its own as well,” he wrote. “We should take the lead when there is an abuse of power that affects our message to the masses. Our silence can be as loud as the bigotry and racism we see in the public square.”
In a video recently published on his website, Duplantis said he had a one-on-one conversation with the Savior in which he heard “one of the greatest statements the Lord ever told me.”
What did God say according to the televangelist? Here’s what: “Jesse do you want to come up where I'm at? I want you to bleed me for a Falcon 7X.”
“Bleed” apparently means request financial donations for this major purchase from Jesus’ followers.
Franklin, who is appalled at the idea of bleeding followers for carnal purposes, noted that Duplantis isn’t the only preacher using his ministry platform for selfish gain.
“Many of these ‘ministries’ built their wealth on the backs of poor rural minorities that put their trust in the hands of ‘god’s shepherds’ only to see the prosperity [only] benefit those doing the preaching,” he said in his scathing post.
While Franklin stressed that there are “great Christian leaders and there is nothing wrong with having a plane,” he made the point that it’s not okay if “the burden falls on the less fortunate” and the high price tag is being paid by those already “drowning in socio-economic rivers of systemic disparities.”
Duplantis justified his outlandish request by arguing that fuel efficient jets help him reach more people around the world with the Gospel. "I really believe that if Jesus was physically on the earth today, he wouldn't be riding a donkey," he said.
Lots of Christians like Franklin are upset and see this as a gross distortion of Christ’s message, as well as a manipulation tactic.
Duplantis proudly revealed to his audience that he has three other jets: a Cessna Citation 500; an IAI Westwind II; and a Dassault Falcon 50.
Apparently the Lord thinks he needs another shiny aircraft.
Sadly, launching a fundraising effort geared toward the purchase of a expensive jet isn’t an original idea. In 2015, mega pastor Creflo Dollar came under intense scrutiny after asking followers for $65 million for the purchase of a Gulfstream G650 private jet.
And Franklin spoke out then also.
“When a pastor wants people to buy him a private plane while a missionary in Somalia bathes children with sores, that’s a shortage of character,” Franklin said, adding, “When I camouflage my ‘greeds’ to look like ‘needs,’ that’s a shortage of character.”