You have heard of the "Prosperity Gospel".
What is it? What is this prosperity message?
Well, at its core the cliche message of the prosperity gospel is health and wealth - that is, that God wants his children to be healthy - cancer-free, good eye sight, perfect hearing, absent of heart attacks, straight & white teeth, etc...) and wealthy (as big a home as you could desire, a nicer car than your neighbors, and all the fancy platinum, gold and silver that can fit on your wrists). It is a false-promise to an easy life, where comfort and fat wallets are the goal, the blessings of God. It centers in on creating the belief that faith exhibited in a person's life is rewarded with health, wealth, and happiness.
What is interesting to me about this is that it lines up so entirely well with the American Dream pursuits. I heard at the end of a newscast this morning, "Have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year! Good bye." That was the news anchor's sign-off from this morning's newscast. Doesn't that sound ever so similar to what prosperity preaching pastors proclaim?
The answer is YES! yes, wishing someone those things I know is not wrong. It is American, and well as far as I am concerned, I want nothing to do with it, thats just a personal viewpoint. But, when pastors are preaching, proclaiming "God's message" and lying about what God says in the Bible about our health, our wealth, and our happiness ... then I have a massive problem.
Here is the thing. Jesus did not come proclaiming that He desired our lives to be fleshed out in a way that tickled our fancies and satisfied our every last whim!
On the contrary, he promises persecution and hardship - He supported these claims by living out his own life which was full of hardship, leading him to the most treacherous of deaths! His disciples helped us to understand this as most of them were executed for their faith. Paul suffered endlessly throughout his life. Christians around the world (American Christians generally not included) are suffering daily at the hands of those who hate Christ.
So please, don't wish me a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Rather wish me to grow is faith in Christ, and to begin little by little to look more and more to Christ and like Christ. That is the wish I have for my life.
The prosperity gospel is a disguised name for the American Dream, which is so strongly opposed to the Gospel of Christ!
Christianity published a statement developed by a working group from Africa on the prosperity gospel. It is a good, solid, well-reasoned statement. You can find a link to it on my blog. Good article here.
ReplyDeleteI actually saw a shortened version of that statement as I was writing this post ... thanks for the link to the full statement.
ReplyDeletestumbled onto your blog..found your writings compelling.
ReplyDeletethis one in particular strikes a chord...yes, the prosperity gospel is NOT the good news of Jesus Christ...if anyone preaches a different gospel...???
the GOOD NEWS has to work for ALL of God's kids..everywhere.
Healing, Peace, Wholeness, Grace, Mercy....yes.
Mansions, BMW's and Rolex's arent really part of the deal....most of the world would desire a clean glass of water or a loaf of bread and consider themselves outrageously blessed.
Have a fantastic time in CostaRica.
He goes before you and will also be your rear-guard. He will walk with you thru it all, with a full smile on His face and His arm around your shoulders.
Feel Him.
....and have FUN!