Prosperity gospel, the wrong motivation?
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topher694
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No I don't. I am a lead pastor and use the Holy Spirit. My mentors are not anyone people usually put in that category. If you look at my first post on this thread it sums my take up pretty well.
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Cis.jd
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It's a good marketing strat. Nearly every church is just in it for your wallet, so one good way for them is to learn the craft of psychology. The tricks that "psychics" use to make their clients believe their words.
It's the same thing here. These churches give a gospel message in where you are the customer, and God is this great Bank that doesn't have any catches such as loans or interests or whatever. No. You, being the star of this universe, you don't need to go to your local 711 to get a lotto, or worry about working your butt off - you can receive the easy lotto ticket from the Heaven-11. Because of all of this, people are highly interested because we all want the happiness. Who doesn't want money, love, and God? Right?
They are great messages because their pastors studied the art of public speaking... just don't be a member too soon because if you are cheap in your tides you will eventually become a 2nd class citizen.
Edit: Have you ever wondered why most churches these days have a bible reading before the tides and offerings? Some even make a story about how much money they received.. #christianity.
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- Mar 21, 2018
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Great questions. It seems they ignore Phil 2:1-11 and Jesus' words about suffering for righteousness as well as Paul's rejoicing in his suffering and poor circumstances. Conspicuously absent is Jesus' command to seek first the kingdom of God rather than material wealth and "don't keep your treasures on earth where thieves break in and steal, and moth and rust destroy." Also passages like "woe to you who are rich for you have received your consolation (Luke 6:4)" don't get preached, I reckon.
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If I'm not mistaken the OP is referring to the prosperity scammers, not the simple term "prosperity". And we all know prosperity, the term itself is not a bad thing, I do anyway, but that wasn't what the thread was about. It seems the word prosperity is being melded with the preaching of prosperity to make it all ok. Or some of the mincing of words here appears a little fishy.
To be clear, just because the word "prosperity" is innocent enough, doesn't mean prosperity preaching is always ok, but it looks like some are trying to work it out that way..
Are you a prosperity preacher in the sense the op is taking about, or do you simply feel it not bad to prosper? If the latter I doubt the OP is about you.
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Cnnsdc63
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I believe god does prosper us in all ways. I came from a very humble beginning and have done very well. As I look back , too many things just fell into my lap. Sometimes things fell into my lap in spite of myself. I can give to my church and others in need whenever I want. I do have a very big problem being asked to give to be blessed or receive a miracle. You give because you have been blessed not the other way around. Always remember, no one can give unless they have something to give. I also believe you are to give quietly and discreetly. Don’t let your left hand know what the right hand is doing.
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topher694
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So, this is why context is so important. Yes, love is the goal, you are not likely to meet anyone who preaches on that more than me, but the principles of God are not adversarial.
In 2 Cor 8, just a few verses before your quote Paul says: "8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others."
A few verses later he says that he is giving them advice to finish what they started. It is strongly implied that they began a campaign to help others and ran into issues and stopped.
Paul's challenge here - to this specific church, not to everyone - is designed to do exactly what I outlined. Learn to give cheerfully. Don't let money be an idol. That paves the way God to transform you into someone who CAN be content with little OR much. The method isn't for everyone, the lesson is.
In reality what we have here is a man of God, the spiritual leader of the church, a preacher, challenging his congregation to give more. To give until it hurts (but not to the point where you are hurting worse than those you are giving to). When that happens today people freak out and shout prosperity preacher. Wait, but this is different you say? Paul is telling them to give to the poor. He sure is - by using another church giving to HIM as the example (see verses 1-6). However, what I have seen and heard in my own experience is this: where the money is going to doesn't matter. As soon as people are challenged to give they stop right there, freak out, and call the minister names. Why? Because the issue isn't money or prosperity. The issue is the LOVE of money. And, poor folks can love money just as much as rich folks, and they can be real mean and argumentative about it.
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Agree,
Simply being Godly, sets us up to prosper, as a general rule anyway.
For instance we don't spend our hard earned income on foolish things, partying, getting laid, doing drugs, and so forth. So not only do we have our money, but we not only keep our jobs because we aren't doing those thing, but our heads are clear to do a better job than some might.
That's just one aspect. and it's huge, just in itself.
The only preaching needed, if any, is to let the people who may not, know money in itself isn't a bad thing but to simply be careful we don't worship it/get carried away.
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topher694
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It's not the test you are saying that it is. You're reading the instructions and calling that the test. People fail it every day. The Corinthians had already failed it at least once. That is why Paul issued this challenge to them.
The test not financial equality - that is the challenge. The test is giving from the right heart. Because of the nature of the challenge, they will only do it if their hearts are right (your aren't going to give that much away if you love money more than God) thus passing the test.
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Here is the Lords command. Note also that both Paul and God are testings others.
Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.
16 This is [l]what the Lord has commanded, ‘Gather of it every man [m]as much as he should eat; you shall take [n]an omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent.’
2 Corinthians 8:8 I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.
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