Televangelist Jesse Duplantis Responds to Criticism about Failing to Provide Hurricane Relief, Says Church Has Donated $100,000 Worth of Generators
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Published
Sep 10, 2021
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Televangelist Jesse Duplantis is responding to critics who say his Louisiana ministry was not doing enough to help communities hit by Hurricane Ida.
Duplantis’ Covenant Church is in Destrehan, St. Charles Parish, where “nearly every home and structure” was slammed by Ida recently. Officials have said power may not be restored until the end of the month.
According to The Christian Post, Critics said Duplantis’ church was not reaching out to the ravaged community as they try to recover from the devastating effects of the storm. Duplantis, however, joined with his wife, Cathy, in a video to say many people in his congregation have been at work and helping others.
“We’re helping people literally all over everywhere,” Duplantis insisted. “The problem is when you come and look at our ministry, you can’t see any of that because we had oak trees down, breaking this and we had to get all that stuff out. Thank God for people that came and helped us do all of those things.
“You’re hearing all kinds of rumors that we’re not doing this, we’re not doing [that], that’s all a bunch of malarkey. I could use another word, but you understand what I’m talking about,” he added.
In the video message released this week, Duplantis said that the church has given away about $100,000 worth of generators.
“So God has been so good. Not trying to brag about that,” he said. “We want to do more, and we are going to do more. I mean, I’ve never seen so many trees, Cathy.”
Duplantis said his home was also damaged in the storm, including his roof, which now needs to be repaired.
He said church members has also been praying for their neighbors.
“Not only have we been giving out spiritual food, but we’ve been giving out physical food, all those kinds of things. But you know, people don’t want to hear that because you gotta touch the heart of an individual,” Duplantis said.
Critics have said they have not seen any prayer services or heard about the donation of generators.
Related:
Hurricane Ida Death Toll Rises to 26 in Louisiana
Lakewood Church Offers Refuge to More Than 100 Hurricane Ida Evacuees
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Scott Olson/Staff
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
