A Louisiana TV evangelist is asking members of his congregation to donate $54million (Sh5,483,430,000) to pay for a new private jet which he claims God told him he needed in order to spread the gospel.

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Jesse Duplantis, the founder of the Jesse Duplantis Ministries, made his plea in a five-minute long video posted online last week.

In it, the 68-year-old explains that despite already owning three planes which were paid for in cash with donations, he 'needs' the Dassault Falcon 7X, hailed as the 'benchmark of the 21st Century business jet', so that he doesn't have to stop to refuel during missions.

'You know I have owned three different jets in my life and I use them and just burning them up for the Lord, Jesus Christ. 

'Some people believe that preachers shouldn't have jets. I really believe that preachers ought to be able to go on every available voice, every available outlet to get this gospel preached to the world,' Duplantis said. 

He went on to claim that he had been told by God to 'believe for' the plane and that others should too because, as he put it, 'Jesus wouldn't be traveling on a donkey' if he were still alive. 

'He’d be in an airplane preaching the gospel all over the world. Let me just say this. We're believing God for a brand new Falcon 7X, so we can go anywhere in the world in one stop. 

'Now people say, "My lord, can't you go with this one?". "Yes, but I can't go in one stop".

'If I can do it for one stop, I can fly it for a lot cheaper because I have my own fuel farm. And that's was a blessing of the lord. 

Copeland bought a $34million plane earlier this year with his congregation's money and celebrated it with a video where he told followers: 'Do you see this? I hope you do. You bought it. You and Jesus.'

After sharing his pleas for the new plane on his website and on social media, Duplantis was slammed by critics who labeled him a 'fraud' and a 'prosperity preacher'.

It is not clear if anyone has yet contributed to his plane fund. Attempts to reach Duplantis on Tuesday morning were unsuccessful.

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Source: Daily Mail