Should we listen or learn from Christians who are millionaires?

[Yekcidmij]

Some wouldn't even draw the line at "millionaire". Some people think that if you have money saved in a bank beyond what you "need" to pay your bills for the month, you're hoarding mammon and not trusting God.

Sounds pretty unwise to me.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Should we take advice from Christians who are millionaires?

Does this advice result in me being a millionaire christian?

if not, how then could any advice relate to me?

 

[timothyu]

if not, how then could any advice relate to me?

Good, no need to listen to millionaire tv pundits

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Depends on if the advice is wise or foolish. Just as with anyone else.

You shouldnt follow any human being blindly no matter where their bank account sits.

To throw out wisdom simply cause you dont like the source is foolish. To act upon foolishness just cause it comes from a wise source.....doesnt make it wise.

Test the spirit of what they say... and weigh it to scripture.

If a person takes advice from a bad source, even if it turns out to be true once or a few times, that does not mean ALL of their advice is wise to follow because we ultimately know them by their fruit.

 

[sea5763]

Wasn’t Abraham rich for his time? Wasn’t Job rich most of his life? I live in America so if I judge people for having money I’m just going to be a hypocrite. My take is that we should work hard so that we are dependent on no one and maybe can help others, but don’t just work to be rich. Life is too short to only devote to making money to be rich unless you plan on using it to help others. 1 Thessalonians 4:12. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 says that you can reap blessings by using your money to help others. If you are just getting money to make yourself rich and no amount of money is ever enough and you love it more than God then you have a problem. 1 Timothy 6:10. Ecclesiastes 5:10.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Wasn’t Abraham rich for his time? Wasn’t Job rich most of his life? I live in America so if I judge people for having money I’m just going to be a hypocrite. My take is that we should work hard so that we are dependent on no one and maybe can help others, but don’t just work to be rich. Life is too short to only devote to making money to be rich unless you plan on using it to help others. 1 Thessalonians 4:12. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 says that you can reap blessings by using your money to help others. If you are just getting money to make yourself rich and no amount of money is ever enough and you love it more than God then you have a problem. 1 Timothy 6:10. Ecclesiastes 5:10.

I don’t remember Abraham being carried around in a special gold plated chariot or red carpets rolled out for him. Besides, we are are under the New Covenant and not the Old Covenant. We follow the commands that come from Jesus and His followers.

 

[Sparagmos]

Good subject to discuss thanks...

It seems to me that one can become rich without having pursued it.

We should, then, be careful not to judge 'celebrities' on the basis of net worth.

If however they have determined to make financial gain from Christian endevour, I have a problem with that.

Blessings,

Carl Emerson.

But shouldn’t Christians be using extra income to help those in need? It’s not earning the money that is a problem, it is holding on to a lot of wealth that could be feeding or clothing someone in need.

 

[Sparagmos]

Where does it say in the Bible that we're allowed to judge people based on how much money they have? Sure, there are plenty verses about how wealth is dangerous but Jesus never said, "Distrust a person who says that he follows me and yet is a millionaire."

Do I have problems with filthy rich Christians who don't use that wealth to serve the impoverished? Yes, I do. But we can't lump every single Christian millionaire into one category. Some of them may very well be using their riches to do good.

Their relationship with God is between them and Him. We aren't to judge based on how much money they have. We need to look at how they live and whether or not they exemplify Christ in their daily lives. If we're being totally honest, I'm hesitant to take advice from ANYONE except straight from God Himself...

If they are millionaires, they are holding onto more money than they need to live a comfortable life. That money could be given to help the homeless, the sick, the elderly.

 

[sea5763]

I don’t remember Abraham being carried around in a special gold plated chariot or red carpets rolled out for him. Besides, we are are under the New Covenant and not the Old Covenant. We follow the commands that come from Jesus and His followers.

Genesis 13:2 says he had money. You’re right we are under the new covenant not the old. I’m just pointing out that if you work hard and give a lot of money to charity that can be a good thing. Plus like I said I’m an American so it’s not my place to say anything in this department

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Genesis 13:2 says he had money. You’re right we are under the new covenant not the old. I’m just pointing out that if you work hard and give a lot of money to charity that can be a good thing. Plus like I said I’m an American so it’s not my place to say anything in this department

My guess is that he did not hoard that wealth and he helped others with what he had. But again, Abraham is not a part of the New Covenant.

 

[sea5763]

My guess is that he did not hoard that wealth and he helped others with what he had. But again, Abraham is not a part of the New Covenant.

Yeah in Hebrews 7:2 it says he gave 10% to a priest. I don’t think he lavished much on himself in general either.

 

[Foxfyre]

According to Google:

1. Pat Robertson, Networth: 100 Million.
2. Billy Graham, Networth when he died: 25 Million.
3. T.D. Jakes, Networth: 147 Million.
4. Kenneth Copeland, Networth: Although Celebrity Net Worth reported his worth at $300 million, other reports say Copeland could be worth $750 million or more.
5. Joel Olsteen, Networth: 55 Million.
6. Benny Hinn, Networth: 42 Million.
7. Joyce Meyer, Networth: 8 Million.
8. Joseph Prince, Networth: 5 Million.
9. Rick Warren, Networth: 25 Million.
10. Lee Strobel, Networth: 8 Million.

For sure there are preachers who prey on and deceive he people for personal gain. Most of the guys on your list though made their millions honorably by writing books and a lot of them don't take a salary from the church's they serve because they don't need it. But all any of them have to do is write a book and it will be an instant best seller when it is published.

Jesus certainly treated the rich no differently than the poor nor did he suggest that the rich should become unrich except in one occasion where a young rich man's possessions were interfering with his spiritual well being. He was pretty specific that you can't serve mammon and at the same time serve God.

But I think his overall teaching is that it is no sin to be poor It is no sin to be rich. And if God speaks to me through somebody who is poor or through somebody who is a multi-millionaire, I figure the advice is just as valid. Or if it is not God speaking, it would be unwise to take that advice regardless of whether it comes from a rich person or a poor person.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Two words:

King Solomon.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

I don’t remember Abraham being carried around in a special gold plated chariot or red carpets rolled out for him.

There's a difference between wealth and conspicuous consumption. One does not entail the other. Wealthy people can live modest lifestyles. People who are not wealthy may live beyond their means.

 

[timothyu]

The richer you become the more you will be tempted to hold onto or protect what you have. You become defensive of that which is Caesar's and not of God thus moving further away from God and the freedom He offers the world. It is no different than those who get deeply involved in the church. They lose contact with the Kingdom.

 

[RDKirk]

If they are millionaires, they are holding onto more money than they need to live a comfortable life. That money could be given to help the homeless, the sick, the elderly.

Depends on how we define "millionaires." Someone here put out a list of preachers each with a net worth in the millions.

Have to be careful about "net worth." I knew some family farmers in Illionois with net worths in the millions, and they barely paid their bills and taxes. Their net worth was in their farmland and equipment.

I worked with a guy in DC who was a "net worth" millionaire because he still lived in the house in Old Town Alexandria that his family had owned for 150 years. But he was worried about losing the house because the taxes on it were too much for a mid-level Civil Service employee.

So "net worth" doesn't really tell you whether they've simply "built bigger barns." We need to see what they're actually passing down the chain.

 

[RDKirk]

Two words:

King Solomon.

Solomon was wealthy through heavy taxation of the people.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Solomon was wealthy through heavy taxation of the people.

Maybe that, and seems like kings back in those day also received a lot of gifts. But none of that really matters, he was rich and I hear he gave some pretty good advice.

 

[Aldebaran]

There's a difference between wealth and conspicuous consumption. One does not entail the other. Wealthy people can live modest lifestyles. People who are not wealthy may live beyond their means.

These 2 things are often the very reason they are either wealthy or poor. The wealthy become that way by being frugal and living within their means and spending their money wisely. The poor who live beyond their means may even have the same income as the person who is wealthy and frugal, yet they decide to live lavishly via their credit card and end up spending half their income on maintaining debt. It's often how the homeless get into their circumstances. They had an income, but spent far beyond it to the point of losing everything, and even continue clinging to what made them homeless long afterwards.

 

[Jadis40]

We need to be careful how we interpret this. I've seen more than one person on this forum actually claim that going to a job and working 8 hours a day is "serving mammon" because you're working for a paycheck rather than working for God.

Leaves me wondering if they have a family, how they support said family. The reality is, in this life, there are things that take money, and there's no escaping that fact. It could be rent, it could be a mortgage. Medical bills. Unexpected car repairs. Food. Keeping the lights on and the heat on. Getting a college education. And, sometime down the line, retirement.

To say that working 8 hours a day and earning money for a paycheck is "serving mammon" is irresponsible. I have a couple of 401ks and an IRA, and I'm thinking long term to when I can retire, hopefully.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind, and I've learned this in my own life, is proper money management and responsible stewardship. And if someone who is a millionaire can offer sound financial advice, then sure, I'm willing to listen to them.