Preacher claims to heal

Benny Hinn, one of America's most polarizing ministers, will be in Raleigh next week for two days of preaching, praying and, most controversially, healing.

Hinn, whose gray-haired, Nehru-jacketed image is familiar to anyone who has cruised the peripheral channels of their cable-TV package, is a love-him-or-hate-him kind of guy. He routinely packs basketball arenas in the United States for his "Miracle Crusades," in which he purports to use the power of the Holy Spirit to heal believers of any variety of ailments. In India, Hinn claims to have drawn an audience of more than 7 million for a three-service revival. In Raleigh, he will hold a "Fire Conference," a series of smaller services.

This is not to say that the man is beloved everywhere: Documentary films and investigations from shows such as "Dateline" have questioned the medical veracity of his healing sessions. Charlatan, liar, fake and fraud are among the nicer ways he has been described.

In short, no matter your beliefs, this preacher is an interesting character.

The man: Hinn, 55, was born in Israel. When he was a teenager, his family moved to Canada, where he says he gave his heart to the Lord and was called to the ministry. Hinn was heavily influenced by the teachings of Kathryn Kuhlman, a faith-healing evangelist and contemporary of Oral Roberts. Like Kuhlman and Roberts before him, Hinn spreads his word via television. Hinn's "This Is Your Day!" claims an audience in 200 countries. Hinn's ministry is based in Texas, although he lives in California near his TV studio.

The message: Hinn's sermons are influenced by the Word of Faith movement, a style of Christianity that counts speaking in tongues and the reach for financial prosperity among its traditions. In the 1990s, boxer Evander Holyfield claimed that Hinn helped heal him of a heart condition (although he later said doctors had misdiagnosed him). By contrast, actor Steve Martin used Hinn as inspiration for his swindling-preacher character in the movie "Leap of Faith."

The investigation: In 2007, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, began a probe into the finances of six big-dollar, tax-exempt ministries, including Hinn's. At first, Hinn seemed to stall, announcing that he would respond to the request in 2008. But as promised, the preacher turned over the paperwork earlier this year. Recently, Grassley publicly thanked Hinn for providing the paperwork "in good faith," calling the records "substantively informative." Grassley also announced that Hinn's ministry would institute its own financial reforms, although no specifics were immediately offered.

The stuff: On his Web site, www.bennyhinn.org, the minister sells everything from a "12 Names of God" prayer shawl, journal and anointing oil combo ($100), to a Ten Commandments paperweight ($10), to digital downloads of his teachings on demons ($15). This money helps pay for the ministry's worldwide reach, which is helped by Hinn's use of a private jet. In 2006, Hinn sent a plea to his followers for money to buy a new Gulfstream jet. For a donation of $1,000 or more, contributors received a model of the "Dove One" plane, designed to be showcased on desk or bookshelf. The money came in, and Hinn bought the plane.