You’ve heard the clichés—"Money Cometh to Me Right Now!"  "It’s Your Season to Prosper!"  "I’ll Never Be Broke Another Day In My Life!”  “It’s My Season of Overflow!"

You’ve seen it on the televised church services and conferences with people rushing up to the pulpit in the midst of a sermon to cram a check in the preacher’s hand or throw a few bills on the steps. (The only other place I’ve heard of that happening is at the strip club!).

Welcome to the gospel of prosperity!  Where Christians are taught to think that mo’ money, equals mo’ blessings! Where God is presented as a great no-lose lottery in the sky; a cosmic slot machine into which you put in a coin, pull the lever, and wait for your winnings to fall! If that isn’t twisted, I don’t know what is.

In essence, this false teaching emphasizes that if you have enough faith, make positive confessions, and “sow seeds” you will experience a life of health and wealth. If you don’t have health and wealth, then it is because you simply don’t have enough faith. Of course this is an oversimplification, but you get the picture. The notion that God's miraculous power can be treated as automatic, or at the disposal of human techniques or manipulated by human words, actions or rituals is absurd.

On the other hand; true prosperity is different. If you are doing God’s will, if you are content, and you are flourishing in what God has called you to do, then you are prosperous! A lot of preachers get accused of being “prosperity” teachers when they are actually just sharing the whole counsel of God. I see nothing wrong with sharing the goodness of God - as long as it is balanced with economic sobriety, and the inevitable problems that all Christians face in this life. 

A recent Time Magazine poll reported that 17 percent of Christians surveyed said they considered themselves part of the “Prosperity Gospel” movement and 31 percent agreed that if you give your money to God, God will bless you with more money.

Another problem with the Prosperity Gospel is that it treats God like an object, a tool, a means to an end – to get a big house, a dream car, or a fat bank account. They use “faith” as a crowbar to break down the door of God’s reluctance; rather than as a humble attempt to lay hold of His will.

In my own life, I want to continue to be prosperous in my faith, fitness, and finances. I want to be better tomorrow than I am today. The bible shows us that Apostle John wanted this kind of prosperity for Gaius when he wrote, “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers,” (3 John: 2). John was praying that Gaius’ health and finances would prosper in the same manner as his soul, and that Gaius’ external prosperity would match that of his soul.

Some critics have argued that the Prosperity Gospel, echoed in churches across the country, might have played a part in the economic collapse. That’s quite a stretch, but I believe that the once-glamorous Prosperity Gospel has begun to lose its glow, just like the predatory subprime-mortgage game lost its shine. Three main reasons for its demise are:

1. Christians Got Burned
   Some people testify that prosperity teaching has impacted their lives for the better – encouraging them to have greater faith, to seek to improve their education, or employment. I rejoice for those people, but for those who’ve been duped and dismayed by bogus teaching, I am glad to see that it is beginning to crumble. The “Gospel of Prosperity” led many people into false faith and false expectations. When these strategies didn’t work, a lot of people gave up on God, lost their faith altogether and left their church. Instead of building God’s Kingdom of truly faithful servants, this false teaching diminished it.
2. The U.S. Economy is Completely Different
   The “Gospel of Prosperity” machine was based on greed and materialism, much like Wall Street and the sub-prime mortgage industry. In many instances they even fed each other – I’ve heard countless Christians proclaim, “God directed the loan officer to ignore my bad credit,” or “God blessed me with a mortgage on a $400,000 house, with no down payment…although I only make $40,000 a year!” That wasn’t God; that was financial gullibility, ignorance, and greed, coupled with a booming economy! Changes in mortgage and banking policies as well as high unemployment rates have halted the ability to live far above our means.  There are no more booming housing prices or stock market to get intoxicated by. People are going to have to make money the old fashioned way…they are gonna have to earn it!
3. Rules of Personal Finance Have Changed
   In the past if you could prove you were alive you could qualify for a mortgage loan or a credit card with a huge limit. That’s no longer true – today even a 700 credit score might not get you in the door. In the past, it was no big deal to be in a lot of debt; today, almost any kind of debt is viewed as negative. The days of faking your way into perceived prosperity are over. The new focus is on getting out of debt, spending wisely, saving money, and honoring God through tithing.

The path to true prosperity requires that we 1) focus on pleasing God, 2) heed our Call, Purpose, and Kingdom Assignment and 3) live a financially responsible life.