Televangelist Juanita Bynum is being criticized for charging nearly $1,500 for a four-week prayer course, but the pastor is defending the hefty price tag on social media.
Bynum introduced the International Prayer Institute as an intensive prayer course hosted by the pastor with a $1,499.99 price tag. The pastor noted in the advertisement that a binder, a tote bag, a t-shirt, a prayer journal, sacred anointing oil, and a prayer shawl would also be included. Students will also receive a Prayer Institute Certificate at the end of the
completed course and be able to ask Bynum questions at the end of the sessions, which will be held in Atlanta in October.Bynum announced the course on Instagram with a caption noting that seating was limited. “The Prayer Institute. Register Now! Location: Atlanta, GA,” she wrote. “Seating is Limited! Click the link below! www.Juanitabynum.com.”
After receiving criticism that the price was too high, Bynum clapped back with an 18-minute video defending her class.
The 63-year-old said that she was “insulted” by the criticism and doubled down on her worth during the rant shared on Facebook.“I’m not going to insult myself to even discuss the price. It’s an insult to who I am after being in ministry for over 50 years and for I know, at least 35 plus years have done nothing but been a pioneer in the things of prayer and helping people to understand prayer and letting them watch me doing [it] so that they can know that there is different dimensions and different levels to prayer,” said Bynum. “And how do I know that there are different levels and different dimensions? Well, it’s simple. It’s called results. When you get the results, you know the person absolutely knows what they are doing. And that’s what I want to do.”
Bynum went on to say that she was not giving cheap classes while “swinging from chandeliers.”
“This is not some cheap-based class where we’re going to be in there swinging from chandeliers and giving you two tots about some Scripture in the Bible and we’re going to call that a school of prayer,” added the pastor. “No, we’re going to school and we’re going to learn as much as I can deposit in you in 14 hours. I’m going to do my very best.”
The classes begin on October 6.