Prosperity Gospel

"Prosperity theology
Prosperity theology or gospel (also known as thehealth and wealth gospel) is a Christian religious belief whose proponents claim the Bible teaches that financial blessing is the will of God for Christians. Most teachers of prosperity theology maintain that a combination of faith, positive speech, and donations to Christian ministries will always cause an increase in material wealth for those who practice these actions. Prosperity theology is almost always taught in conjunction with continuationism.

Prosperity theology first came to prominence in theUnited States during the Healing Revivals in the 1950s. Some commentators have linked the genesis of prosperity theology with the influence of the New Thought movement. It later figured prominently in the Word of Faith movement and 1980s televangelism. In the 1990s and 2000s, it became accepted by many influential leaders in thecharismatic movement and has been promoted by Christian missionaries throughout the world. It has been harshly criticized by leaders of mainstreamevangelicalism as a non-scriptural doctrine or as an outright heresy. Secular commentators have often alleged that leaders of the movement take advantage of their followers and that the movement promotes unwise financial choices.

Opponents of prosperity theology have given the teaching a number of negative labels, such as "name-it-and-claim-it" and "blab-it-and-grab-it".[1]...


In the 1960s, prosperity became a major theme in healing revivals. At that time Roberts and William Branham criticized some of their fellow ministries, alleging that some of the fundraising tactics unfairly pressured attendees. These tactics were prompted in part by the expense involved in developing nationwide radio networks and campaign schedules.[7] At that time leaders of theAssemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination, often criticized independent healing evangelists, in part due to their emphasis on prosperity.[8] In the 1970s, Oral Roberts began teaching that donations were a form of "seed", that would grow in value and be returned to the donor at a later date.[9] T. L. Osborn also often emphasized prosperity at that time. Obsorn became known for his often ostentatious displays of personal wealth.[10]Kenneth Hagin has been credited with playing a key role in the expansion of prosperity theology. In addition to his radio broadcast and publishing enterprises, Hagin founded the RHEMA Bible Training Center in 1974.[11] Over the next 20 years, the school trained over 10,000 people in his theology.[12]

In the 1980s, public attention in the United States was drawn to prosperity theology through the influence of prominent televangelist ministries.Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker each ran large, well known ministries that promoted prosperity theology. However, their influence on American Christianity waned after they experienced high-profile scandels.[13] (Bakker later renounced prosperity theology after being imprisoned for fraud.[14])

The Neo-Pentecostal movement has been characterized in part by a greater emphasis on prosperity theology.[15] In the late 1990s, the movement began to gain greater acceptance withincharismatic Christianity.[16] As of 2006, three of the four largest churches in the United States have been associated with prosperity theology. Joel Osteen has been credited with spreading prosperity theology outside of the charismatic and Pentecostal movements through his books, which have been widely read by adherents of evangelical and liberal Christianity. Osteen's theology has been characterized as a moderate form of prosperity theology.[13] By the 2000s, churches promoting prosperity theology in the United States were most common in the Sun Belt. In the late 2000s, proponents of prosperity theology claimed that tens of millions of Christians adhere to a form of prosperity theology.[17] Prosperity theology has been exported from the United States to Western Europe, as well as less prosperous areas of the world.[18] There is no official governing body for the movement, though many ministries are unofficially linked.[12]...


In 2007, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley opened a probe into the finances of six televangelism ministries that promote prosperity theology. The six ministries under investigation were Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Creflo Dollar Ministries, Benny Hinn Ministries, Bishop Eddie Long Ministries,Joyce Meyer Ministries, and Paula White Ministries. In January 2011, Grassley concluded his investigation and stated that he believed self-regulation by religious organizations was preferable to government action.[19] After the probe was opened, Joyce Meyer Ministries voluntarily joined the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.[20] Only Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn cooperated fully with the investigation; the other groups provided less information than investigators had sought.[19]"

Taken from and more general information here:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology

See also:


"Question: "What does the Bible say about the prosperity gospel?"

Answer: In the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith,” the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite—God uses the believer. Word of Faith or prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God's will. The prosperity gospel movement closely resembles some of the destructive greed sects that infiltrated the early church. Paul and the other apostles were not accommodating to or conciliatory with the false teachers who propagated such heresy. They identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them.

Paul warned Timothy about such men in 1 Timothy 6:5, 9-11. These men of “corrupt mind” supposed godliness was a means of gain and their desire for riches was a trap that brought them “into ruin and destruction” (v. 9). The pursuit of wealth is a dangerous path for Christians and one which God warns about: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (v. 10). If riches were a reasonable goal for the godly, Jesus would have pursued it. But He did not, preferring instead to have no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20) and teaching His disciples to do the same. It should also be remembered that the only disciple concerned with wealth was Judas.

Paul said covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5) and instructed the Ephesians to avoid anyone who brought a message of immorality or covetousness (Ephesians 5:6-7). Prosperity teaching prohibits God from working on His own, meaning that God is not Lord of all because He cannot work until we release Him to do so. Faith, according to the Word of Faith doctrine, is not submissive trust in God; faith is a formula by which we manipulate the spiritual laws that prosperity teachers believe govern the universe. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts.

A favorite term in the Word of Faith movement is “positive confession.” This refers to the teaching that words themselves have creative power. What you say, Word of Faith teachers claim, determines everything that happens to you. Your confessions, especially the favors you demand of God, must all be stated positively and without wavering. Then God is required to answer (as though man could require anything of God!). Thus, God's ability to bless us supposedly hangs on our faith. James 4:13-16 clearly contradicts this teaching: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Far from speaking things into existence in the future, we do not even know what tomorrow will bring or even whether we will be alive. 

Instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:3), are to be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). The love of money leads to all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). In sharp contrast to the Word of Faith emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve both God and money.”

Recommended Resource: Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century by Hank Hanegraaff.

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Related Topics:

Why are there so many televangelist scandals?

Is the Word of Faith movement biblical?

What does it mean to boast in the Lord?" 

From: 
http://www.gotquestions.org/prosperity-gospel.html

With thanks.

More here:

Balmer, Randall Herbert (2002),Encyclopedia of evangelicalism, Westminster John Knox Press, ISBN 9780664224097
Harrell, David Edwin (1975), All things are possible: the healing & charismatic revivals in modern America, Indiana University Press, ISBN 9780253100900 p. 105
Coleman, Simon (2000), The globalisation of charismatic Christianity: spreading the gospel of prosperity, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521660723 p. 187
Hunt, Stephen (2000), "‘Winning Ways’: Globalisation and the Impact of the Health and Wealth Gospel", Journal of Contemporary Religion 15 (3): 331-347

<< Hebrews 5:14 >>

"American King James Version
But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."  ...

"Strong meat - Solid food pertains to those of maturer years. So it is with the higher doctrines of Christianity. They can be understood and appreciated only by those who are advanced in Christian experience.
Of full age - Margin, "Perfect." The expression refers to those who are grown up.

Who by reason of use - Margin, Or, "an habit," or, "perfection." Coverdale and Tyndale render it, "through custom." The Greek word means "habit, practice." The meaning is, that by long use and habit they had arrived to that state in which they could appreciate the more elevated doctrines of Christianity. The reference in the use of this word is not to those who "eat food" - meaning that by long use they are able to distinguish good from bad - but it is to experienced Christians, who by long experience are able to distinguish what is useful in pretended religious instruction from what is injurious. It refers to the delicate taste which an experienced Christian has in regard to those doctrines which impart most light and consolation. Experience will thus enable one to discern what is suited to the soul of man; what elevates and purifies the affections, and what tends to draw the heart near to God.

Have their senses - The word used here means properly "the senses" - as we use the term; the seat of sensation, the smell, taste, etc. Then it means "the internal sense," the faculty of perceiving truth; and this is the idea here. The meaning is, that by long experience Christians come to be able to understand the more elevated doctrines of Christianity; they see their beauty and value, and they are able carefully and accurately to distinguish them from error; compare the notes at John 7:17.

To discern both good and evil - That is, in doctrine. They will appreciate and understand what is true; they will reject what is false."

From: http://bible.cc/hebrews/5-14.htm with thanks.

© 2011. See websites.

Personally, I don't condone prosperity theology.
Lizette De Klerk
201-08-16.
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