Baptist preacher Costi Hinn knows a spectacle when he sees one. For years he was in the employ of his heretical huckster of an uncle, Benny Hinn. Having repented of his past error, Costi has made a career as an author, podcaster, and pastor. Recently Costi Hinn took issue with the pulpit antics of popular preacher, Robby Gallaty.
https://twitter.com/costiwhinn/status/1614820141996601344?t=3oanHiXmOTdvfdyZQXqC_Q&s=19
For some reason, Gallaty felt like making up a techno song and dancing with glowsticks made for a good sermon illustration. Costi Hinn was understandably put off by it. This is because Gallaty’s preaching textbook was required reading for Costi at Midwest Baptist Theological Seminary. Something tells me a glowstick dance wasn’t a textbook recommendation. Gallaty’s glowsticks, however, aren’t the real problem at Long Hollow.
There is a twenty minute concert, complete with light show, haze machine, and video effects, that takes place every Sunday before Gallaty preaches his sermon. Gallaty might preach the stars down every Sunday but if I showed up for church at Long Hollow, I’d never know. I wouldn’t make it long enough to get to the sermon. It’s that bad. Here’s one example of what passes for church at Long Hollow from its YouTube channel.
Long Hollow streams its weekly worship services on YouTube. The production (and that’s what it is) comes off like a PBS fundraiser: two hosts talking about how great everything followed by music and a smart guy talking.
The music itself is bad enough (a setlist of whatever is popular from Big Eva outfits like Passion and Elevation is common). However, the presentation is an outright attempt at entertainment. There is a camera crew, shooting with multiple cameras, which provides closeups of the various members of the band.
This clearly isn’t a live stream meant to include church members who are home sick. It’s meant for a national audience to watch from home, avoiding gathering together with the saints on the Lord’s Day in a local church to watch Long Hollow.
If Gallaty’s preaching is as a good as Big Eva makes it out to be, why is his church service two elephants short of a circus? Focusing on his glowstick antics is like straining out a gnat. The entire production is a camel.
*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.
