Category: Prosperity Theology
Animism and Corruption
Most people that live around us live in constant uncertainty. They work hard: clear their fields, plant crops, frequently go out as the crop grows to clear the weeds, and hope for a good harvest. However, they never know if their crop will fail due to out of control fires, rodents, torrential rains, thieves, or for no discernable reason in particular. It is crushing when they come to us at a loss, all their efforts and money spent, with nothing in return. So, many turn to witchcraft. They speak to a “witch doctor” and figure out what sort of offering…
The Goodness and God-ness of God in Tragedy
I cannot tell you how I felt when I first heard the news. Like, you know you should be feeling loss, but in reality all you feel is complete disbelief. She was only 36. She was a wife and a mother of six children. And she was gone. Even living here, in Cameroon, this would be surprising. But I am not talking about my neighbor. Lynn Shreve, a young American living in Louisville and attending every week our main sending church died in her sleep Thursday night. This is a tragic loss for her family and for our church, and…
Your Best Life…Now? (Part 3)
by Stacey We have spent the last two blog posts describing the theological basis for the Prosperity Gospel along with its fundamental flaws. In this post we will discuss how to react to what we have learned. In light of the Prosperity Gospel, we should: Actually Help the Poor In serving the poor, the church can offer a real alternative to the deception of the Prosperity Gospel that is sweeping through impoverished nations. Yes, God is a God who does heal even today and is One who has a concern for the poor. But the way in which this is…
Your Best Life…Now? (Part 2)
by Stacey As mentioned in our last post, we are looking at the theological foundation of what has been coined the “Prosperity Gospel.” We previously described the claims of this system and now we will evaluate, what we are persuaded, to be its main flaws. Prosperity Gospel: Where is the “Not Yet”? Did Jesus die to heal of us of our diseases, give us bodies that function perfectly, and ensure our wealth? Well, kind of. The argument of the New Testament authors is that Jesus died for our sins and in addition to forgiveness and a right relationship with God, believers…
Your Best Life…Now? (Part 1)
by Stacey Many of us have seen the Piper video where he expresses his disdain for the “Prosperity Gospel.” But perhaps many are like myself, who do not know the precise theological foundation of this despised message that is sweeping through many developing nations. Since we are going to be ministering in one such nation, I have decided to read the book La Théologie de la prospérité to better understand the underlying beliefs that fuel the Prosperity Gospel (and as an exercise in reading French of course). Thus, we will seek to understand the claims of this gospel in our first blog…
