Dangerous Exports Part Two

As I have already stated: within the next series of posts I have decided to highlight some of the many issues that I am dealing with not only in my own particular part of the world in which I serve however, many issues that are faced by many who are involved in missions all over the world today. In my last post I dealt with the dangerous western export known as the Syncretistic Gospel which is most prevalent within many Muslim countries. However, in this post I want to shed light and my concern in what is also known as the “Prosperity” or “Word of Faith” Gospels.

The Word of Faith movement is heavily influenced by a number of popular pastors and teachers such as those coming out of the Hillsong church/movement in Australia and within many American teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyers, Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch (TBN Broadcast Network), Paula White, T.D Jakes and Creflo Dollar (just to name a few).

The Word of Faith movement grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the late 20th century. Its founder was a man named E. W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical New Thought teachings of Phineas Quimby (considered cults then and still today). Mind science ("name it and claim it") was combined with Pentecostalism, resulting in a weird mixture of both orthodox Christianity and mysticism. A man named Kenneth Hagin studied under E. W. Kenyon and made the Word of Faith movement what it is today. Below are just a few of the many heretical theology in which most Word of Faith teachers espouse and teach.

Word of Faith theology teaches:  

• God created human beings in His literal, physical image as little gods. In a since we are all gods on this earth.

• Believers have the potential to call things into existence by using their spoken words. When this is done in faith and without wavering (doubt) the Lord certainly must and will act. If he does not, it is simply a matter of your lack of faith.

• Jesus Christ gave up His divinity and became a man, died spiritually, took Satan's nature upon Himself, went to hell, was born again, and rose from the dead with God's nature.

• God wants you rich in this world to declare his existence in what he blesses you with. There is usually a huge emphasis given to personal wealth within this movement.

• God wants everyone healthy and without sickness in this world that He may declare his existence in how healthy you are. If you are sick it is because of some sin in your life or once again a lack of faith on your part.

• God expects you to show your level of faith in how much money you give to His work. Usually of course, this means giving money to the works and so-called ministries of these teachers themselves.

• God continually gives prophetic messages and vision today. Often these teachers simply serve as Christ’s messengers for these new thoughts, teachings and visions.  Ironically these teachings and messages often contradict scripture and are of an extra-biblical nature.

The Rub (merely scratching the surface mind you):

As with anything that Satan uses to distract others from the truth of the Gospel, the Word of Faith message often possesses some truth (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). For some it is this mixture with truth that often makes it difficult for those to outright call this movement un-biblical or heretical. However is as Charles Spurgeon has stated;

“If God does not save men by the truth, He certainly will not save them by lies. And if the old Gospel is not competent to work a revival, then we will do without the revival. – Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong, rather, it is telling the difference between right and almost right.”

In the prosperity gospel, the believer is told to use God for their own personal well- being, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is that God uses individuals in order to glorify Himself. Word of Faith or prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be wielded for whatever the believer wants and desires. However, The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God's will and seek His glory. In possessing such thinking prosperity teaching usually prohibits God from working on His own, meaning that God is not Lord of all however, He is bound until we release Him to do so. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm from “His” word.

Countering Word of Faith teaching is simply a matter of reading the Bible and possessing a heart more fixated on Christ rather than ourselves. Instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:3), are to be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). The love of money leads to all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). In sharp contrast to the Word of Faith emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). Simply stated there are just too many flat out contradictions between prosperity teaching and that of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ found in His word.

Within scripture Paul and the other apostles were not men characterized as those accommodating or becoming fans with the false teachers who propagated such heresy. They identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them (2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 John 4:1, 1 Timothy 6:5, 9-11, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Galatians 1:6-10, Matthew 24:24)

Many of you may not already know this about me but, I am no stranger to this movement and its teachings. Before, I was truly converted to Christ I spent two summers in Africa (Botswana and Zimbabwe) with a missions organization known as “TeenMania Ministries”. Ironically this organization boasts of such endorsements coming from Joyce Meyer, T.D Jakes and Myles Munroe (all Word of Faith-ers) It was during this season that I found myself being exposed to much of these thoughts and teachings within the Word of Faith movement. When in Africa I even served and sat under missionaries from Lakewood Church (Joel Osteen). Since then and after my conversion I have also served as a mission’s pastor in the States and was privileged to serve the name of Christ in places such as Kenya, Honduras, Mexico and Australia. Now I have had the blessed opportunity and call to serve in the land of South East Asia and have ministered in many locations/ countries located here.

Sadly, much of what is called Christianity/ Christian in many of these locations fall under the teaching and beliefs of much of what we have come to know as the Prosperity Gospel/ Word of Faith movements. I am continually astonished at how often I am hearing this teaching in the churches here and how continually blitzed these people are with books, speakers and teachings coming out of America and Australia here within this movement.

One such example of this teaching being present here was when I was preaching the gospel in a large city located here and a group of about 50 men and women came forward at the end of the service for prayer. It was at this time I expressed a desire to stop the service and breakup with these folks in smaller groups and have the church leadership share in praying for these folks. The leadership would not have it. They said, “These people have come here for YOU to anoint them”.  I should have stopped everything right there however I went on to pray for each person all while expressing that I was not anointed (as having any power). In doing so I learned really fast that every one of these people (and yes I mean every one of them) merely wanted me to pray that they would receive more money, that they would be healthy, that they would get that new promotion, that they would become more influential at work.

I must admit a huge sickness came over me and frustration soon ensued. Not one of these people asked that they may become better witnesses of Christ and his gospel. No one asked that they might receive boldness and courage to take the message of the gospel to a friend, co-worker or family member. No one asked for prayer that they might grow more and more in the likeness of Christ. No one wanted to grow in humility. No one wanted to profess a desire to serve Christ and seek prayer for such service. All these people simple wanted was what they perceived that they could receive and get from God. Kind of like rubbing the lamp and waiting for the Genie to appear and grant their three wishes. These people were simply products of the Prosperity Gospel in which was coming out of that church and its leadership.

Frankly the Word of Faith movement is deceiving countless millions, causing many to grasp after a way of life and faith that is not biblical in the least. This gospel as with the syncretism coming out from the insider movements are no Gospesl at all. At its (Word of Faith) core is the same lie Satan has been telling ever since the beginning in the Garden: “You shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5). Sadly, millions are still listening and believing in this lie. So, be wary of the Word of Faith movement and any church that aligns itself with Word of Faith teachings.
 

For more great teaching on these subjects check out the ministry of Justin Peters