I’ve recently taken increased notice of fellow believers publicly condemning so-called “prosperity preachers” and those in the “faith movement.” I agree with the basis for much of the criticism, that is to say, I agree that materialism and the love of money is indeed wrong; that the pulpit should not be used for financial profit; that the gospel should not be treated as a get rich quick scheme; that God should not be disrespectfully used as a giant vending machine in the sky; and I agree that some Christians have become more focused on the riches and comforts of this world than on the things of God and His kingdom, though that phenomenon is not limited to adherents of the prosperity message.
I have also taken notice that some of the very ministers that I have heard called out and condemned as being “prosperity preachers,” are themselves preaching against materialistic lusts, misplaced spiritual priorities, and abuses of the prosperity message. A perfect example of this is the quote at the beginning of this article which stands in direct contrast to what is generally attributed to prosperity preachers. Yet, that quote was actually taken from an article by a quintessential prosperity preacher – someone at the very center of the word of faith movement. Continue reading “Are We Hearing Each Other?”
In the weeks following last year’s Presidential election, I heard members of the Christian right referring to Donald Trump’s victory as, “divine intervention,” “an act of God,” and “a miracle.” Article headlines read, “Trump: President by the sovereign intervention of God,” and “Signs Of Divine Intervention In Trump Victory.” One article ended by quoting 1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God” (emphasis mine). The Christian right was on an emotional high that ranged from exalted jubilation to giddy euphoria.
I expect we’re all aware that Christmas isn’t really about Black Friday sales and going to the mall to see how much stuff you can cram into the trunk of your car to haul home and put under a dead tree in your living room. I trust we all understand that Christmas is really about commemorating the first coming of Christ to earth when he came to be the Savior; the Redeemer; the Atoning Sacrifice; “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
As the pundits pontificate, the politicians bluster and blather, and the American public eagerly awaits the opening of Presidential debate season, there are only two things missing from American Presidential politics: 1) A news media willing to ask the real questions that address America’s moral condition, the candidate’s guiding principles, and the rule of law under the U.S. Constitution; and, 2) Candidates who comprehend America’s moral condition, possess guiding principles, and understand the rule of law under the U.S. Constitution.
