Prosperity Gospel

[NitaChantell]

Any thoughts? At first I was opposed, & I couldn't stand watching Joel Osteen, but today someone disagreed and now I'm wondering. He said that God gives us life and more abundantly, and that God wants us to live good lives, & I guess be happy..

My take on this is yes, God is here to give us life and life more abundantly, but we need to remember that even if we go through a stressful situation for MONTHS or even YEARS, that God is still God and He didn't break any promises, and that we should still praise Him. Yes, God wants us to be happy, but sometimes the pain we go through is for the better, and GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.!!!! A lot of my friends are converting to the Muslim faith because they feel like God abandoned them because they're having hard times and whatnot. Jesus suffered and died as the penalty for our sins. No where in the Bible does it say that we are NEVER going to experience pain or heartache.

Feedback?

 

[Guitarhero]

Any thoughts? At first I was opposed, & I couldn't stand watching Joel Osteen, but today someone disagreed and now I'm wondering. He said that God gives us life and more abundantly, and that God wants us to live good lives, & I guess be happy..

My take on this is yes, God is here to give us life and life more abundantly, but we need to remember that even if we go through a stressful situation for MONTHS or even YEARS, that God is still God and He didn't break any promises, and that we should still praise Him. Yes, God wants us to be happy, but sometimes the pain we go through is for the better, and GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.!!!! A lot of my friends are converting to the Muslim faith because they feel like God abandoned them because they're having hard times and whatnot. Jesus suffered and died as the penalty for our sins. No where in the Bible does it say that we are NEVER going to experience pain or heartache.

Feedback?

That's why I don't believe in it. Besides, the gospel is supposed to be referring to the Messiah coming. These folks are all wrapped up in name-it-claim-it mumbo-jumbo magic and abracadabra, wealth pops up on a plate. That's not the good news It's a perk if God decides that it's for you, but it's not the good news. And I think that the only ones truly gaining wealth are those in the pulpit preaching it because they are constantly asking poor folks to give money to get a financial miracle, as in a seed of faith. I didn't know seeds were made of paper.

 

[Laela]

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[NitaChantell]

And what really is your question... are you saying a successful, a wealthy believer isn't a real Christian or that one truly can't live for God if they aren't poor and suffering?

My question is simply what are your thoughts on the Prosperity Gospel. From what I've read and seen, the Prosperity Gospel and Prosperity Preachers emphasize being rich, and that God wants you to be rich. I am not in any way saying that a rich person isn't a true Christian, or that you can only love for God if you're poor and suffering. There's nothing wrong with being wealthy. My problem with this new "gospel" is that believers are starting to think that they're automatically going to be rich and wealthy, and if they're not, something's wrong. We can live from paycheck to paycheck and still have life abundantly. God meant for every situation to happen exactly the way it is. Teaching people otherwise is nonsense in my opinion. We have all we need in Christ, that's my idea of life abundantly.

 

[nathansgirl1908]

Any thoughts? At first I was opposed, & I couldn't stand watching Joel Osteen, but today someone disagreed and now I'm wondering. He said that God gives us life and more abundantly, and that God wants us to live good lives, & I guess be happy..

My take on this is yes, God is here to give us life and life more abundantly, but we need to remember that even if we go through a stressful situation for MONTHS or even YEARS, that God is still God and He didn't break any promises, and that we should still praise Him. Yes, God wants us to be happy, but sometimes the pain we go through is for the better, and GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.!!!! A lot of my friends are converting to the Muslim faith because they feel like God abandoned them because they're having hard times and whatnot. Jesus suffered and died as the penalty for our sins. No where in the Bible does it say that we are NEVER going to experience pain or heartache.

Feedback?

I used to love watching Joel Osteen, but then I started to realize that he was saying the same thing over and over.

But I see the prosperity gospel as being different from what you are referencing. I thought the prosperity gospel was referencing financial blessings, not the lack of pain or heartache.

I don't advocate for the prosperity gospel, but I do think that Christians can be wealthy and SHOULD be wealthy.

 

[Do_Si_Dos]

I go to a church that talks about prosperity and I love it! I know God can and will bless us beyond our wildest dream. My pastor not alone encourages not living in lack but encourages having a good heart with right intentions.

 

[Laela]

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[Ladybelle]

My take on the prosperity message is this:

One of the main things God wants us to do as believers is spread the word. How can one spread the word broke? A broke/poor person only has time to worry about himself and where his or her next paycheck is coming from, a broke person can't effectively spread the word.

Secondly, prosperity is more than just $$$. It's health, it's emotional stability, wellness, successful relationships & every other area of our lives. To be rich does not equate to being prosperous. Being prosperous is the ability to be a blessing to others in your lives in every way.

Jesus himself was RICH. But Jesus was humble and he was meek and he didn't allow the desire for things to consume his existence as some Christians & preachers have done.

I agree with the prosperity message when taught properly, when the main focus is not just getting material things & money but using ourselves & stuff to bless others and recruit members into the body of Christ. How sweet it is to have money to really help others & how sad it is to want to help others but not have the resources to do so.


eta:the prosperity message in my understanding, doesn't teach that one won't experience trials & tribulations. But, being under the blessing of God "none of these things move me." (Acts 20:24)

 

[Guitarhero]

I think she's talking about prosperity gospel as a doctrine, which isn't biblical. There are many of us who aren't poor. Doctrine and focus on that and only that for a christian ministry is flawed IMHO. Of course, I'm referencing those who constantly beg for money and themselves live in mansions by the hands of the poor who do not attain real financial wealth - religious abuse.

 

[Laela]

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[Do_Si_Dos]

My take on the prosperity message is this:

One of the main things God wants us to do as believers is spread the word. How can one spread the word broke? A broke/poor person only has time to worry about himself and where his or her next paycheck is coming from, a broke person can't effectively spread the word.

Secondly, prosperity is more than just $$$. It's health, it's emotional stability, wellness, successful relationships & every other area of our lives. To be rich does not equate to being prosperous. Being prosperous is the ability to be a blessing to others in your lives in every way.

Jesus himself was RICH. But Jesus was humble and he was meek and he didn't allow the desire for things to consume his existence as some Christians & preachers have done.

I agree with the prosperity message when taught properly, when the main focus is not just getting material things & money but using ourselves & stuff to bless others and recruit members into the body of Christ. How sweet it is to have money to really help others & how sad it is to want to help others but not have the resources to do so.


eta:the prosperity message in my understanding, doesn't teach that one won't experience trials & tribulations. But, being under the blessing of God "none of these things move me." (Acts 20:24)

Very well said!!!

 

[Guitarhero]

Doctrine is a body of teachings/instructions. Any teaching pulled from the Word of God is "doctrine" and is therefore, of the Bible or Biblical. Tithing is Biblical. Offerings are Biblical.... Most of these teachers are non-denominational because of "Doctrine," a word so loosely used to divide.

As they form the tenets of the particular faith and define it. I guess dogma, then. There are those who form their religious base along prosperity teachings when they should form them along the Gospel of the Good News. The Good News is redemption, it's not prosperity through material means. That is a separate issue which has no business being called "gospel." Again, I'm talking about the abuses of such teachings and churches which absolutely make it their "doctrine" or focus of their ministry to where it becomes their creed of faith. I am not saying that God cannot prosper people or ministries. Money is not evil.

Well, question. Beliefs, doctrine and practices. Are you saying then that prosperity gospel churches consider those scriptures truly a dogma of your church in that it defines the structure and provides for the basis of the tenets of your faith as unwavering teaching, from which one cannot stray from belief or be considered no longer a true spiritual member of it? I think that what I'm seeing and what some of you are seeing are two different things. Someone can teach that God can prosper but how far do they take it? Is it the main goal of the ministry? That's what I'd like to know.

 

[Laela]

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[Lylddlebit]

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[Guitarhero]

You're stuck on "prosperity" being all about the $$$

Which scriptures are you referring to?

I'm not stuck on prosperity being about money. Material wealth was previously mentioned. Someone else brought up the fact that ministries require money to function and of course and I'm not disagreeing with that. I likewise don't disagree that God wants and can bless us financially, physically, etc. But the realities are that the majority of the world is poor, not monetarily rich. Many of the world's population suffers from physical illnesses. Are those people any less spiritual or knowledgeable about God? No. But then God can and does bless us all, according to His will. Sometimes where there is lack, it's not been prayed about or not prayed about enough.

Scriptures? I hope that those in prosperity gospel churches will provide those scriptures that form the basis of their teachings. We don't have such a doctrine, to my knowedge - not a codeification of such. Of course, scripture does talk about material blessings but they do not make up the teaching codeified faith of where I attend (as in, I do not comprehend it and am asking those who belong to such to explain it. This is not a contest on who's got the bigger bible). There are churches where prosperity and healings are the focus of each meeting. Why they choose to call this the gospel, I don't know. The gospel is the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus, His words and deeds. Why do they choose to focus on gaining wealth? What about redemption?

For us, we have the teachings as taught to us and we don't interpret them individually (so how is it they call this the new gospel because I cannnot myself make sense of it in the extreme??? This is my own understanding).

(I'm talking about those churches who make this the absolute function, focus and running of the church)

 

[Guitarhero]

I want to post an article from Christianity Today. If there are any here to belong to churches who have a prosperity theology, could you point out where this article errs? Um, this is not to flame anyone or any denomination. It's for a basic understanding about those types of churches:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/decemberweb-only/gc-prosperitystatement.html

A Statement On Prosperity Teaching
From the Lausanne Theology Working Group, Africa chapter at its consultations in Akropong, Ghana, 8-9 October, 2008 and 1-4 September 2009
posted 12/08/2009 04:14PM

NOTE: This is a statement, offered as a discussion starter for further reflection (theological, ethical, pastoral and missiological, socio-political and economic) on the phenomenal rise of prosperity teaching around the world at large and Africa in particular. The points below are a digest of many points made in the course of the discussion of three papers at the Oct. 2008 and ten papers at the Sept 2009 consultations.

We define prosperity gospel as the teaching that believers have a right to the blessings of health and wealth and that they can obtain these blessings through positive confessions of faith and the "sowing of seeds" through the faithful payments of tithes and offerings. We recognize that prosperity teaching is a phenomenon that cuts across denominational barriers. Prosperity teaching can be found in varying degrees in mainstream Protestant, Pentecostal as well as Charismatic Churches. It is the phenomenon of prosperity teaching that is being addressed here not any particular denomination or tradition.

We further recognize that there are some dimensions of prosperity teaching that have roots in the Bible, and we affirm such elements of truth below. We do not wish to be exclusively negative, and we recognize the appalling social realities within which this teaching flourishes and the measure of hope it holds out to desperate people. However, while acknowledging such positive features, it is our overall view that the teachings of those who most vigorously promote the 'prosperity gospel' are false and gravely distorting of the Bible, that their practice is often unethical and unChristlike, and that the impact on many churches is pastorally damaging, spiritually unhealthy, and not only offers no lasting hope, but may even deflect people from the message and means of eternal salvation. In such dimensions, it can be soberly described as a false gospel.

We call for further reflection on these matters within the Christian Church, and request the Lausanne movement to be willing to make a very clear statement rejecting the excesses of prosperity teaching as incompatible with evangelical biblical Christianity.

1. We affirm the miraculous grace and power of God, and welcome the growth of churches and ministries that demonstrate them and that lead people to exercise expectant faith in the living God and his supernatural power. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit.

However, we reject as unbiblical the notion that God's miraculous power can be treated as automatic, or at the disposal of human techniques, or manipulated by human words, actions or rituals.

2. We affirm that there is a biblical vision of human prospering, and that the Bible includes material welfare (both health and wealth) within its teaching about the blessing of God. This needs further study and explanation across the whole Bible in both Testaments. We must not dichotomize the material and the spiritual in unbiblical dualism.

However, we reject the unbiblical notion that spiritual welfare can be measured in terms of material welfare, or that wealth is always a sign of God's blessing (since it can be obtained by oppression, deceit or corruption), or that poverty or illness or early death, is always a sign of God's curse, or lack of faith, or human curses (since the Bible explicitly denies that it is always so)

3. We affirm the biblical teaching on the importance of hard work, and the positive use of all the resources that God has given us—abilities, gifts, the earth, education, wisdom, skills, wealth, etc. And to the extent that some Prosperity teaching encourages these things, it can have a positive effect on people's lives. We do not believe in an unbiblical ascetism that rejects such things, or an unbiblical fatalism that sees poverty as a fate that cannot be fought against.

However, we reject as dangerously contradictory to the sovereign grace of God, the notion that success in life is entirely due to our own striving, wrestling, negotiation, or cleverness. We reject those elements of Prosperity Teaching that are virtually identical to 'positive thinking' and other kinds of 'self-help' techniques.

We are also grieved to observe that Prosperity Teaching has stressed individual wealth and success, without the need for community accountability, and has thus actually damaged a traditional feature of African society, which was commitment to care within the extended family and wider social community.

4. We recognize that Prosperity Teaching flourishes in contexts of terrible poverty, and that for many people, it presents their only hope, in the face of constant frustration, the failure of politicians and NGOs, etc., for a better future, or even for a more bearable present. We are angry that such poverty persists and we affirm the Bible's view that it also angers God and that it is not his will that people should live in abject poverty. We acknowledge and confess that in many situations the Church has lost its prophetic voice in the public arena.

 

[Guitarhero]

However, we do not believe that Prosperity Teaching provides a helpful or biblical response to the poverty of the people among whom it flourishes. And we observe that much of this teaching has come from North American sources where people are not materially poor in the same way.

1. It vastly enriches those who preach it, but leaves multitudes no better off than before, with the added burden of disappointed hopes.
2. While emphasizing various alleged spiritual or demonic causes of poverty, it gives little or no attention to those causes that are economic and political, including injustice, exploitation, unfair international trade practices, etc.
3. It thus tends to victimize the poor by making them feel that their poverty is their own fault (which the Bible does not do), while failing to address and denounce those whose greed inflicts poverty on others (which the Bible does repeatedly).
4. Some prosperity teaching is not really about helping the poor at all, and provides no sustainable answer to the real causes of poverty.

5. We accept that some prosperity teachers sincerely seek to use the Bible in explaining and promoting their teachings.

However, we are distressed that much use of the Bible is seriously distorted, selective, and manipulative. We call for a more careful exegesis of texts, and a more holistic biblical hermeneutic, and we denounce the way that many texts are twisted out of context and used in ways that contradict some very plain Bible teaching.

And especially, we deplore the fact that in many churches where Prosperity Teaching is dominant, the Bible is rarely preached in any careful or explanatory way, and the way of salvation, including repentance from sin and saving faith in Christ for forgiveness of sin, and the hope of eternal life, is misrepresented and substituted with material wellbeing.

6. We rejoice in the phenomenal growth of the numbers of professing Christians in many countries where churches that have adopted prosperity teachings and practice are very popular.

However, numerical growth or mega-statistics may not necessarily demonstrate the truth of the message that accompanies it, or the belief system behind it. Popularity is no proof of truth; and people can be deceived in great numbers.

7. We are pleased to observe that many churches and leaders are critical and in some cases overtly renounce and cut the links with specific aspects of African primal or traditional religion and its practices, where these can be seen to be in conflict with the biblical revelation and worldview.

Yet it seems clear that there are many aspects of Prosperity Teaching that have their roots in that soil. We therefore wonder if much popular Christianity is a syncretised super-structure on an underlying worldview that has not been radically transformed by the biblical gospel. We also wonder whether the popularity and attraction of Prosperity Teaching is an indication of the failure of contextualization of the Gospel in Africa.

8. We observe that many people testify to the way Prosperity Teaching has in fact impacted their lives for the better—encouraging them to have greater faith, to seek to improve their education, or working lives. We rejoice in this. There is great power in such testimony, and we thank God when any of his children enjoy his blessing.

However, we observe equally that many people have been duped by such teaching into false faith and false expectations, and when these are not satisfied, they 'give up on God', or lose their faith altogether and leave the church. This is tragic, and must be very grievous to God.

9. We accept that many prosperity teachers mostly have their roots in evangelical churches and traditions, or were brought up under the influence of evangelical parachurch ministries.

But we deplore the clear evidence that many of them have in practice moved away from key and fundamental tenets of evangelical faith, including the authority and priority of the Bible as the Word of God, and the centrality of the cross of Christ.

10. We know that God sometimes puts leaders in positions of significant public fame and influence.

However, there are aspects of the lifestyle and behaviour of many preachers of Prosperity Teaching that we find deplorable, unethical, and frankly idolatrous (to the god of Mammon), and in some of these respects we may be called upon to identify and reject such things as the marks of false prophets, according to the standards of the Bible. These include:

1. Flamboyant and excessive wealth and extravagant lifestyles.
2. Unethical and manipulative techniques.
3. Constant emphasis on money, as if it were a supreme good—which is mammon.
4. Replacing the traditional call to repentance and faith with a call to give money.
5. Covetousness which is idolatry.
6. Living and behaving in ways that are utterly inconsistent with either the example of Jesus or the pattern of discipleship that he taught.
7. Ignoring or contradicting the strong New Testament teaching on the dangers of wealth and the idolatrous sin of greed.
8. Failure to preach the word of God in a way that feeds the flock of Christ.
9. Failure to preach the whole gospel message of sin, repentance, faith and eternal hope.
10. Failure to preach the whole counsel of God, but replacing it with what people want to hear.
11. Replacing time for evangelism with fund raising events and appeals.

First Draft by Rev. Dr. Chris Wright (Chair, Lausanne Theology Working Group); edited by Rev. Dr. John Azumah (Member, Lausanne Theology Working Group); in collaboration with Rev. Prof. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Chair of the Akropong consultations.

This is a collated digest of points made by many contributors, through the written papers and the discussion that followed them.
Related Elsewhere:

Related to "Did Jesus Wear Designer Robes?" by J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu.

 

[Laela]

0-----------------o

 

[NitaChantell]

My take on the prosperity message is this:

One of the main things God wants us to do as believers is spread the word. How can one spread the word broke? A broke/poor person only has time to worry about himself and where his or her next paycheck is coming from, a broke person can't effectively spread the word.

I'm very much broke for all intensive purposes, but I still effectively spread God's word. Through my life, my words, my actions, they see more and more of God in me each day. I think that goes far beyond what money can do.

Also, I'm not worried at all about having no money. I have faith that God will pull me through, and I know that even if I'm broke forever, He's still God, and He's done more than enough for me, so I don't spend time worrying about it.

**I'm not trying to start a debate or argument, I just want you to see things in a new light. I'm listening too, to everyone's responses, as I have a lot to learn. Discussion amongst believers is very helpful when it's productive**

 

[Laela]

This sounds like ANY church to me... including the Catholic Church.

1. Flamboyant and excessive wealth and extravagant lifestyles.
2. Unethical and manipulative techniques.
3. Constant emphasis on money, as if it were a supreme good—which is mammon.
4. Replacing the traditional call to repentance and faith with a call to give money.
5. Covetousness which is idolatry.
6. Living and behaving in ways that are utterly inconsistent with either the example of Jesus or the pattern of discipleship that he taught.
7. Ignoring or contradicting the strong New Testament teaching on the dangers of wealth and the idolatrous sin of greed.
8. Failure to preach the word of God in a way that feeds the flock of Christ.
9. Failure to preach the whole gospel message of sin, repentance, faith and eternal hope.
10. Failure to preach the whole counsel of God, but replacing it with what people want to hear.
11. Replacing time for evangelism with fund raising events and appeals.

 

[Southernbella.]

The prosperity gospel as I've heard it preached is manipulative and exploitative, and I do not agree with it in any way, shape, or form.

***Disclaimer: I can't speak for all churces or preachers, just the ones I've heard.

 

[Laela]

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[Supergirl]

Any thoughts? At first I was opposed, & I couldn't stand watching Joel Osteen, but today someone disagreed and now I'm wondering. He said that God gives us life and more abundantly, and that God wants us to live good lives, & I guess be happy..

My take on this is yes, God is here to give us life and life more abundantly, but we need to remember that even if we go through a stressful situation for MONTHS or even YEARS, that God is still God and He didn't break any promises, and that we should still praise Him. Yes, God wants us to be happy, but sometimes the pain we go through is for the better, and GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.!!!! A lot of my friends are converting to the Muslim faith because they feel like God abandoned them because they're having hard times and whatnot. Jesus suffered and died as the penalty for our sins. No where in the Bible does it say that we are NEVER going to experience pain or heartache.

Feedback?

Yes, Jesus warned us of trouble and the Bible told us to think it not strange when we are faced with trials. I wonder what your friends will do when they experience a trial as a muslim. :scratchch

As for the 'prosperity gospel', I feel that each pastor/teacher of the Word is likely called to proclaim a very specific type of message regarding Jesus Christ. Just because one preaches prosperity and another preaches something else, it doesn't mean that one is wrong. The Word of God is multifaceted and even if every single pastor out there was called to proclaim a different facet of God, we still wouldn't be able to comprehend the half of who God really and truly is! Our earthly minds are only equipped to understand Him to a certain limit--these earthly bodies would probably explode if we ever came into the FULL understanding of God. We'll do that once we're with Him.

Anyway, my point is that different Christian leaders have different roles that they are called to fulfill and different facets of God and His Word that they are called to proclaim and teach. God is not a one-dimensional God, so no way are they all going to be preaching the same thing.

I think the underlying message of the prosperity gospel is that we should:
*have an understanding that our Father is a King

*we should expect to live victoriously in THIS life because He is a king--if it were just about being miserable on earth and then finally being victorious when Jesus comes back, God would've never created us or earth. He would've just kept us in Heaven from jump.

*we should not walk around looking defeated even if we feel that way because a) we are still representing Him b) in Him, there is always Hope c) He is God and He is a deliverer.

*God loves us--it sounds simple, but that's a BIG thing.

ETA: Okay, I've kind of looked through the thread now; I responded not thinking of prosperity gospel as preaching about financial gains. I was thinking more along the lines of living with joy and victory and continuing to hope through trials.

 

[Guitarhero]

Maybe I missed something....

If you will note, those churches are largely non-denominational, not religious. They DO preach the gospel and redemption; what sets them apart is their leaders aren't afraid to preach about ALL aspects of the abundant life. There is no focus on "wealth" (money) but focus on being right with God, and as a result being blessed in all areas of one's life -- a byproduct of living right. God provides for them, because He is their source. How can I go out to preach the gospel if I'm sick and broke? Jesus was neither, he had a treasurer. He always had financial means to get to the next town...

I think so. I mentioned those that are abusing others. Basically, those under investigation and/or fallen from "grace" somewhat. Juanita Bynum? Under question. Benny Hinn, under question. Many others. Is it in looking at what they preach only or is it in also viewing how they live their lives? It's not about the Senator Grassley at all. I'm seeing a disconnect in SOME of the churches that base their whole ministries off of prosperity theology. Allegations by board members and congregants is serious, though. That doesn't mean that I'm expecting you or anyone else to be an actual member of the ones under investigation nor that your church doesn't focus on the true gospel of Christ. I was mainly interested in that as the main doctrine and focus of some churches. I do realize that the bible speaks about prosperity. I have mentioned it twice in this thread.

Here's a difference. X-church preaches about salvation and bettering oneself spiritually and requests money for a building project or that people do not slack up on their tithes. X-church leadership does not live extravagantly and is open about finances. Z-church lightly mentions salvation and spiritual development, focusing heavily on gaining wealth and requests that members offer a seed of faith or operates by a word of faith (name-it-claim-it) in order to receive blessings to counter their financial stresses in life. Z-church leadership lives extravagantly and is not open about the finances. They are not the same.

 

[Guitarhero]

This sounds like ANY church to me... including the Catholic Church.

Any church or any false church?

 

[Laela]

ANY church.

Any church or any false church?

 

[Do_Si_Dos]

I'm not stuck on prosperity being about money. Material wealth was previously mentioned. Someone else brought up the fact that ministries require money to function and of course and I'm not disagreeing with that. I likewise don't disagree that God wants and can bless us financially, physically, etc. But the realities are that the majority of the world is poor, not monetarily rich. Many of the world's population suffers from physical illnesses. Are those people any less spiritual or knowledgeable about God? No. But then God can and does bless us all, according to His will. Sometimes where there is lack, it's not been prayed about or not prayed about enough.

All of what you said is true. God does bless according to his will, but sometimes he uses people to carry out those blessing. God's not going to ride down on a white horse and deliver everyone from poverty. That's why it is so important for believers to be prosperous, so they can have the abundance to help other people in bad situations . Part of being is a Christian is about serving and loving the people on earth. Properity does not nesecarily mean wealthy, it means not operating in a lack or living check to check, having an abundance of resources to help others.

As far as health is concern, the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, so exercising and eating well can prevent some illnesses. Why is so bad to make daily confessions about your health. Especially, if you get yearly check-up, eat right, exercise, and avoid premartial sex. Not saying you won't become sick, but you have already planned the seeds of faith over that area in your life. So now you can stand on his promises, rest in his abiding love, and knowing that everything is going to be all right, whether you live or die. The point is you are being active about faith and knowing the depths of God's love.

 

[CoilyFields]

I toatlly agree that It is a mistake to teach people that spiritual wealth and health = physical health and wealth. God chooses whom He will bless in this way and it falls on the just as well as the unjust. I can't speak on any particular preacher of this "doctrine" but I can say that God is more concerned with us spreading his word than our outward state.

The gospel is the dealth burial and ressurection of Jesus Christ for the redemption of our sins. And "Pure religion and underfiled before God the father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflication and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27.

Theres nothing wrong with recognizing God as Jehovah Jireh, our provider and yes he does want us to live life abundantly. But do not forget, "...ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask and recieve not, because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts." James 4 :2-3

As another poster said...God blesses us to bless others

 

[shinyblackhair]

God knows the intentions in our heart. He knows who can handle material blessings and remain humble and with their faith strong and who will crumble under the problems that money and material blessings can bring. But, then again, the Lord and Him alone decides who He will bless, He sends rain for the good and the evil does He not. So, it can be argued that we can name and claim till we're blue in the face but, ultimately God's hands cannot be forced just because we've claimed it in His name...at least I don't think so (I'm not an expert on this teaching). I just think if your heart is right and God feels that material wealth is for you, than He will give it to you. The rest of us, and the majority of us, need to learn CONTENTMENT. If we have food, and clothes and God has provided the necessities of life than we should praise HIM. If we lack, we can ask and it shall be given, if we ask with a clean heart.

 

[Guitarhero]

ANY church.

But then you are using that list of what prosperity theology is about (the article considering it a falsehood) to describe all churches, even your own. I don't understand. You mean that any church could potentially become that or that some of every sect have demonstrated some of that?