The $8 Million Pastor Who Discouraged Christians From Helping the Poor (And Why Two Billionaire CEOs Prove Him Wrong)
Sep 2, 2025
The Shocking Statement That Started It All
Pastor Keion Henderson has 3.8 million followers hanging on his every word. He's worth $8 million, married to Shaq's ex-wife (worth $35 million), drives a Range Rover, and wears designer suits that cost more than most people's rent.
So when he looked into the camera and delivered this message to his massive congregation, people listened:
"Here's the other problem with the church: anytime a person is in need, y'all go running and dropping money. But let me tell you something—when you give to the poor, the only thing you do is help them, but you don't help yourself. Charity does not bring wealth. Only the tithe does that."
Let me translate: Don't waste your money helping poor people. Send it to my church instead.
The online backlash was huge. But here's what makes this even more interesting—two of America's most successful Christian businessmen have built billion-dollar empires while giving away hundreds of millions to the poor. They completely obliterate Henderson's twisted theology.
Their stories reveal a biblical truth about wealth that most Christians have completely backwards.
The Billionaire Who Almost Lost Everything for His Faith
Meet David Green, founder of Hobby Lobby.
Green started with a $600 loan and built it into a $7 billion empire. But when Obamacare tried to force him to pay for employee abortions, Green made a decision that shocked Wall Street: he'd rather close all 500 stores than compromise his faith.
His decision triggered a Supreme Court case that changed American business forever.
But here's the kicker—Green's company gives away 50% of its profits and has donated over $500 million to charitable causes. According to Pastor Henderson's logic, Green should be broke by now.
Instead, he's thriving.
Four Words That Should Have Destroyed a Company
Then there's Dan Cathy of Chick-fil-A.
When Dan took over his father's chicken empire, he could have stayed quiet about his faith and played it safe. Instead, he said four words that nearly destroyed his company:
"We support traditional marriage."
The backlash was swift and brutal:
City officials tried to block new locations
Airports refused to let them open
Universities kicked them off campus
Celebrities called for boycotts
Revenue should have collapsed. But something impossible happened: sales increased by 12%.
Oh, and Chick-fil-A has given away over $100 million to charitable causes.
The Garden of Eden Principle Most Christians Get Wrong
So what do Green and Cathy understand that Pastor Henderson doesn't?
It goes back to God's very first command to humanity, found in Genesis 1:28:
"God blessed them; and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.'"
Most people think this was just about having babies. But you can't keep babies alive if you don't feed them. And you can't feed them if you don't cultivate the ground to grow food.
God was commanding Adam to be fruitful with EVERYTHING he had been given.
Genesis 2:15 makes it even clearer: "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it."
The word "cultivate" doesn't mean "maintain" or "preserve." It means to grow, develop, and multiply.
The Stewardship Test That Exposes Everything
Here's where most Christians get it wrong. They think faithfulness with money means:
Don't steal
Give some away
But in Jesus' parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), why did the master call the first two servants "good and faithful"? Because they doubled their master's wealth.
And why did he call the third servant "wicked and lazy"? Because he didn't grow what was entrusted to him.
The difference between Pastor Henderson and these two billionaires is stark:
Pastor Henderson says: "Tithe so that you can get more."
Green and Cathy demonstrate: "Steward well so you can give more."
The Real Test of Your Heart
Want to know if you're living as a faithful steward or just trying to get rich? Here's the test that exposed all three men's hearts:
How you manage money when you're broke is how you'll manage money when you have abundance.
When Henderson had a platform, he used it to redirect money from the poor to his church.
When Green and Cathy had wealth, they used it to bless others while staying true to their convictions.
The test reveals everything.
A Message to Christian Entrepreneurs
If you're a Christian entrepreneur feeling guilty about success, let me help you out:
It's God's wealth anyway. You're just a steward growing and distributing it.
Undercharging for your product is not generosity
Maintaining your wealth is not faithful
Playing small is not humble
Solomon said it best in Ecclesiastes 9:10: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might."
The world needs Christians who cultivate capital, create jobs, and solve problems. Because when godly people cultivate, life happens.
The Bottom Line
Pastor Henderson's message reveals a poverty mindset disguised as prosperity gospel. He sees wealth as a zero-sum game where helping others means less for you.
But Green and Cathy understand a kingdom principle: when you create value in the marketplace as a faithful steward, everyone wins.
They've proven that you can build massive wealth, stay true to your convictions, and bless countless people—all at the same time.
That's not greed. That's stewardship done right.
And it's exactly what God commanded from the very beginning.
Ready to connect with other Christian entrepreneurs who are building wealth God's way? Join thousands of like-minded business owners who are creating value, solving problems, and stewarding resources for maximum kingdom impact. Because the world doesn't need more guilt-ridden Christians playing small—it needs faithful stewards thinking big.