I read about this the other day, a snippet out of a fund raising letter from a very prominent tv preacher:
"... we have recently taken delivery on our Gulfstream G4SP plane, which we call Dove One. I have enclosed a beautiful photo-filled brochure to explain more about this incredible ministry tool that will increase the scope of our abilities to preach the Gospel around the globe. Now we must pay the remainder of the down payment, and I am asking the Lord Jesus to speak to 6,000 of my precious partners to sow a seed of $1,000 in the next ninety days. And I am praying, even as I write this letter, that you will be one of them!"
I've read that this man supposedly has a 10 million dollar house as well. This stuff gets me a bit fired up when I am searching for apartments for refugees and just don't have enough money or houses available to meet the need. I dream of having the money and resources to renovate all these trashed homes and provide affordable housing. This prosperity gospel makes me ashamed at times to be called an American Christian. I saw this video and heartily agree with John Piper.
7 comments:
A large component of one of the churches I was a part of was Prosperity Gospel Light. They didn't want to admit that that is what they were talking about. But it was.
It's devastating. It really is. I won't get started here, because I could go all night. I'll just agree with how John Piper put it.
Hatred.
ERIC this is exact! THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!!! AMEN
Prosperity? Oh yes! Soul prosperity. Let me have all the soul prosperity I can have, but few souls increase as financial prosperity increases. There is such overwhelming evidence that in this life we may be abased or abound, that you would have to eliminate huge portions of scripture to believe the prosperity message. Only in America.......
Dad
I agree, but must say there is something in his spiel that bothered me, I know someone that lost a child in a car accident and I wouldn't be so bold to preach his message and use examples that happen to real people and are harder to sort out that just saying God is enough. There are times when God doesn't seem to be enough, and even time doesn't ease pain. I don't think people should have spit forming in their mouths and out of it as they speak about such things. -Matt
I think you miss the point of John's passion and anger.
It's the tragedy of setting people up for an expectation of some type of "pain free" existance that was fueling the fermentaion. Sitting with people who have a concept or a gospel that says...its all good, all the time...and then see their theological world come crashing down when it isnt. Is the point. People suffer more on top of the suffering of this life, when we misrepresent God and His ways. A health and wealth gospel often sets people up for disillusionment. God is enough...so says Job. Getting to the reality though is like you say...one that others shouldn't talk about flippantly. I agree...but I think John's pastors heart wasnt flippant but born out of his own suffering. Learning to praise Him in the pain is a fruit that only God can grow. I remember holding Austin when the doctors said they didn't know what was happening to his little body when he had a mysterious virus and was in critical condition. I remember the horror of thinking of losing him...but finding prayer in the pain. Support in the face of tragedy. I dare to agree...God is enough...even when we might lose Him in our own trail of tears...He holds us and wont let us go. I pray that I will be able to say that through all that comes my way...by God's grace.
Eric, Losing our baby girl was the hardest thing we ever went through in our lives. And it was through her death that brought us closer to God. I know that sounds wierd but we brought our hurts our burdens and our lives to Him even more because we were in need of His open arms, His love, He was enough. Yes we still hurt and still feel her loss, but God brought good out of bad and He was enough and still is.. this touched me. I so related with the pain He wrote about in this. I related on all ends. Death is tragic, and at the time you don't see good out of it, but you reach for God in it.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHARING THIS!
Mary, tough stuff...your words speak volumes...I pray others will be able to find strength through them too.
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