Guillermo Maldonado (born 1965 or 1966)[2] is a Honduran-American evangelical Christian, pastor, televangelist, and author. He is the co-founder and senior pastor of El Rey Jesús, a Nondenominational Christian megachurch located in Miami, Florida.[3][4]
Apostle Guillermo Maldonado | |
|---|---|
 Maldonado on stage during the CAP leadership conference in Miami, Florida, in October 2016. | |
| Born | January 10, 1965 (age 59)[1] Honduras |
| Occupations | |
| Television | The Supernatural Now |
| Movement | Nondenominational |
| Spouse |
Ana Maldonado
(m. 1988; div. 2020) |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | guillermomaldonado |
Personal life
editMaldonado was born in Honduras and emigrated to the United States in the 1990s. In an interview conducted by Publishers Weekly, Maldonado claimed that Jesus Christ appeared before him during intense prayer and audibly spoke to him saying, "I have called you to bring my supernatural power to this generation."[5] He spent several years traveling across Central and South America, preaching with his ex-wife Ana before settling in Miami. She is originally from Colombia. They have two children, Bryan and Ronald, who are both involved in their parents' ministry.
Maldonado has a master's degree in practical theology from Oral Roberts University[3] and a doctorate in divinity from Vision International University,[3][6] an institution based in Ramona, California.
In September 2020, Ana Maldonado announced she filed for divorce and started a new ministry independent of El Rey, which closed down shortly thereafter.[7]
Ministry
editMaldonado is the co-founder and senior pastor of El Rey Jesús (English: King Jesus Ministry) in Miami, Florida. Maldonado co-founded the church with his wife Ana Maldonado in 1996. It started with twelve members operating out of the Maldonados' living room,[8] and currently hosts 15,000 - 20,000 individuals per week, making it the largest Hispanic church in the United States. The church has several affiliate locations throughout the state of Florida, with additional satellite locations in Georgia and New York.[9] In 2010, the church also opened an orphanage, Casa Hogar, in Honduras.[10]
Maldonado hosts the televangelist program The Supernatural Now, which is aired on televangelist networks TBN,[11][failed verification] Daystar,[12][failed verification] and The Church Channel.[13][failed verification] As of May 22, 2013, his ministry, along with other of his affiliated daughter churches, have a combined membership of 20,000 congregants.[8]
He has written over 50 books and manuals with many of them translated into Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, and French. He speaks Spanish and English, commonly code switching during sermons. His book writing is attributed to most of his personal wealth accumulation, although much of the proceeds of these book sales also go towards his international ministerial activities.
Ideology
editMaldonado teaches that Christian believers need to use the power of God to demonstrate that God is active in the world today just as he was during the time of the primitive church. He believes that without the supernatural power of God, it is impossible to truly know God and receive his blessings of healing, financial stability, deliverance, among others in our life. His teachings also focus on establishing what he calls the Kingdom of God. He explains that the Kingdom of God is not a physical place, but a network of thoughts, lifestyle, principles, laws and fundamentals that govern the entire universe.[14]
Maldonado was given the title "Apostle" by other senior leaders in the Christian movement as Apostles are messengers that spread the word on missions, usually worldwide.,[15] He previously referred to his ex-wife Ana as "Prophetess".[16]
Political activity
editMaldonado is presumed to be supportive of Republican Party activities in the state of Florida, since he hosted several Republican politicians, including President Donald Trump and Congressman Carlos A. Giménez.[citation needed] He invited numerous politicians to appear before his congregation including Democrats, but only Republican candidates took him up on the offer. Maldonado has also claimed Trump's presidency was divinely-inspired, and called his presidency proof of "the presence of the living God".[17] The church had previously hosted Republican candidates Bill McCollum and Rick Scott during the 2010 Florida gubernatorial election.
Maldonado led the opening prayer of the US House of Representatives October 14, 2009, and October 10, 2013.[18][19] He was invited to the White House to witness the signing of an executive order promoting free speech and religious liberty.[20]
Maldonado participated in the inauguration of Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa in 2010.
Controversy
editCoronavirus pandemic response
editThis section needs to be updated. (January 2021) |
During the coronavirus pandemic, Maldonado urged his congregants to show up for worship services in person. "Do you believe God would bring his people to his house to be contagious with the virus? Of course not," he said.[21] He added, "If we die, we die for Christ. If we live, we live for Christ, so what do you lose?"[22]
Maldonado discouraged taking the vaccine against Covid-19: "Do not [take] the vaccine. Believe in the blood of Jesus. Believe in divine immunity."[23]
Finances
editIn a financial affidavit attached to her divorce filing, Ana Maldonado claimed that her husband owned property in Miami-Dade, Sunny Isles Beach, Opa-locka, Hialeah, and The Bahamas; several vehicles including a 2020 model Mercedes-Benz, a Lexus LX, and a Dassault Falcon 50 jet registered under the church's name. She further claimed that he had violated "Inurement Prohibition", an IRS rule which forbids key employees at 501(c)(3) organizations from profiting from a charity, and had hidden assets in Italy, Honduras, and Colombia valued at $120 million.[17] Maldonado's lawyers and El Rey denied the allegations and the IRS found no evidence to pursue an investigation.
Bibliography
edit
BookseditEnglish/Spanishedit
Spanish onlyedit
Out of printedit
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ManualseditEnglish/Spanishedit
Spanish onlyedit
|
Awards
editMaldonado won the Spanish Evangelical Press Association (SEPA) award for the best original books in Spanish which are;[8]
- Maldonado, Guillermo (2012). La gloria de Dios. Miami: Whitaker House. ISBN 9781603744911.
- Maldonado, Guillermo (2012). Cómo caminar en el poder sobrenatural de Dios. Miami: Whitaker House. ISBN 9781603742795.
References
edit- ^ Shellnutt, Kate (January 3, 2020). "Influential Hispanic Apostle Welcomes 'Evangelicals for Trump'". News & Reporting. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Shellnutt, Kate (January 3, 2020). "Influential Hispanic Pastor Welcomes 'Evangelicals for Trump'". News & Reporting. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
The 54-year-old Honduran American...
- ^ a b c "Guillermo Maldonado – The Word Network". Thewordnetwork.org. Archived from the original on February 21, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ O'Keefe, Ed (October 12, 2012). "What do a Miami megachurch, a sea turtle and roasted pigs have in common?". Washington Post.
- ^ Byle, Ann. "PW Talks with Guillermo Maldonado: Experiencing God in the Now". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Our Covering". www.newwinemin.com. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Husband and wife founders of Miami megachurch spar over possible $120M estate in messy divorce". www.christianpost.com. February 11, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c "PW Talks with Guillermo Maldonado: Experiencing God in the Now". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, Warren Bird, A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip: Exploring the New Normal, Zondervan, USA, 2009, p. 141
- ^ "Presidente inaugura casa hogar en Langue, Valle". Proceso Digital (in Spanish). August 19, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "iTBN – The Supernatural Now". Itbn.org. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ "Time for Change with Guillermo Maldonado". Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
- ^ "The Church Channel – Sunday Broadcast Schedule". Churchchannel.tv. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ "The True Gospel of the Kingdom" (PDF). Guillermomaldonado.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ "Supernatural Immersive Experience Online | King Jesus Ministry". Supernatural Immersive Experience Online | King Jesus Ministry. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Profeta Ana Maldonado: Pushing the Boundaries of Paradoxical Domesticity". Perspectivas Online. April 10, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Santiago, Fabiola. "Pastor was a charlatan, but few cared as long as he hosted Trump, pushed GOP agenda". Miami Herald.
- ^ "Congressional Record UNUME PLURIBUS : United States of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 111th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION" (PDF). Gpo.gov. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ "October 10, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE" (PDF). Beta.congress.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ "President Trump Signs the Executive Order on Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty". YouTube. The White House. May 4, 2017.
- ^ Stewart, Katherine (March 27, 2020) "The Road to Coronavirus Hell Was Paved by Evangelicals." New York Times. (Retrieved March 27, 2020.)
- ^ Padro Ocasio, Bianca (March 15, 2020) “‘Demonic spirit:’ Miami pastor rejects coronavirus warning.” Miami Herald. (Retrieved March 27, 2010.)
- ^ Kelly McLaughlin (December 10, 2020) "A megachurch pastor in Florida told his parishioners not to take a COVID-19 vaccine and instead believe in 'divine immunity'" Insider (Retrieved January 30, 2021.)