I have recently spent a few days exchanging with some in my Facebook about C. Dollar’s (Creflo Dollar’s) unbiblical pleas and poor theology. You know what I am talking about. C. Dollar asked all of his church members to pony up $300 so he can buy a new $65 million private jet for his “ministry” (ahem). (Click here if you missed the story).
Seems to me that this “prosperity gospel” sound like a Ponzi scheme. Those at the bottom give to those at the top (Copeland, Duplantis, Osteen, and C. Dollar), in the hope that as they do, God will move them to the top. It’s multi-level theology. Anyways, these defenders of C. Dollar thought nobody should challenge the man’s request. I’ve had these conversation with several people, in fact. They all think that C. Dollar is beyond reproach and should never be challenged, questioned, or held up to the light of scripture and theology.
I offered theological discussion and biblical passages with THESE PEOPLE (since I cannot seem to get hold of people like Copeland, Osteen, or C. Dollar). I challenge these defender to a simple conversation around scripture. I offered several passages as starting points…or ask them to provide passages to support their claims
After ad hominem attacks (calling me jealous) these folks told me that God would strike me down for challenging him (not sure if he meant C. Dollar or himself). This is straight out of the mouth of C. Dollar’s wife (Mrs. C. Dollar) who stated that God would strike down anyone who speaks out against her husband. Then each of these folks have blocked me. BTW, I am fine with that. Really!
I told them if they didn’t like me challenging the crap that shows up on my newsfeed, they should defriend and/or block me. I’m justa praying that their blocking me is what they meant about being struck down. Oh me oh my, how will I sleep tonight? It seems to me that if you support such nonsense, it comes out of a terrible sense of insecurity and the odd conviction that if you support C. Dollar, God will bless you. These folks desperately want to be like C. Dollar.
This also speaks also to a sense of entitlement, both on the past of C. Dollar, his family, and those who buy into this profanely anti-Christ “theology” They feel God owes them something. Yet the gospel reveals that God gave up everything to give us grace. “God in Christ, emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant and a human being!”
That’s what Paul wrote to the Philippians before telling us to have the same attitude, mindset, approach to life.
Health, Wealth & Happiness: Has the Prosperity Gospel Overshadowed the Gospel of Christ? by: David W. Jones publisher: Kregel Publications, published: 2010-12-17 ASIN: 0825429307 EAN: 9780825429309 sales rank: 694454 price: $7.00 (new), $3.45 (used) The desire for a thriving, healthy, and productive life is as strong as ever, especially in tough economic times. As people become more disillusioned at the state of the economy, they also become more susceptible to the lure of the prosperity gospel and its teachings of health, wealth, and happiness for the faithful. But what happens when the promise of prosperity overshadows the promise of the real gospel–the gospel of Christ? Believing that the prosperity gospel is constructed upon faulty theology, authors David W. Jones and Russell S. Woodbridge take a closer look at five crucial areas of error relating to the prosperity gospel. In a fair but firm tone, the authors discuss the history and theology of the prosperity gospel movement to reveal its fraudulent core biblical teachings that have been historically and popularly misinterpreted, even by some of today’s most well-known pastors. After an introduction and assessment of the movement, readers are invited to take a look at Scripture to understand what the Bible really says about wealth, poverty, suffering, and giving. Theologically sound but acessible to all readers, Health, Wealth & Happiness is sure to become a trusted resource for laypersons, pastors, and Christian leaders.
The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From?: Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation? by: Darryl L Miller publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, published: 2014-06-10 ASIN: 150010325X EAN: 9781500103255 sales rank: 4067419 price: $7.86 (new), $9.54 (used) The historical origins of the prosperity gospel is from an Gnostic source: that of reading “beyond” the mere text of scripture to seek some “deeper,” hidden meanings. Thus, the prosperity theology is a pleasure-seeking religion and utilitarian in nature: that of the avoidance of pain in pursuit of happiness. The proponents of the prosperity theology give a vague, but simplistic “revelational” answers to complex issues. Due to the prosperity gospel association with that of New Thought metaphysics is that of the core of its beliefs and values are theologically flawed in its explicit denial of the essential doctrine of the Christian faith. The Christ of scripture have been made to fit into the cultural context of Faith theology as to wear designer clothes, thus Jesus was a product of God’s spoken word of faith. There is no precedence in the Bible that support the idea of the health and wealth gospels.
Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel by: Kate Bowler publisher: Oxford University Press, published: 2013-06-05 ASIN: 0199827699 EAN: 9780199827695 sales rank: 609350 price: $25.63 (new), $23.82 (used) How have millions of American Christians come to measure spiritual progress in terms of their financial status and physical well-being? How has the movement variously called Word of Faith, Health and Wealth, Name It and Claim It, or simply prosperity gospel come to dominate much of our contemporary religious landscape? Kate Bowler’s Blessed is the first book to fully explore the origins, unifying themes, and major figures of a burgeoning movement that now claims millions of followers in America. Bowler traces the roots of the prosperity gospel: from the touring mesmerists, metaphysical sages, pentecostal healers, business oracles, and princely prophets of the early 20th century; through mid-century positive thinkers like Norman Vincent Peale and revivalists like Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin; to today’s hugely successful prosperity preachers. Bowler focuses on such contemporary figures as Creflo Dollar, pastor of Atlanta’s 30,000-member World Changers Church International; Joel Osteen, known as “the smiling preacher,” with a weekly audience of seven million; T. D. Jakes, named by Time magazine one of America’s most influential new religious leaders; Joyce Meyer, evangelist and women’s empowerment guru; and many others. At almost any moment, day or night, the American public can tune in to these preachers-on TV, radio, podcasts, and in their megachurches-to hear the message that God desires to bless them with wealth and health. Bowler offers an interpretive framework for scholars and general readers alike to understand the diverse expressions of Christian abundance as a cohesive movement bound by shared understandings and common goals.