OPINION ON GIVING AND THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL
There is no such thing as the ‘prosperity Gospel’.
The term ‘prosperity Gospel’ was widely used to describe Biblical messages dealing with Scriptures containing principles of prosperity.
Overtime, the term was utilized as a detrimental expression to denigrate preachers and Bible teachers preaching messages containing principles of prosperity and well-being.
There is no such thing as ‘prosperity Gospel’ because the Gospel cannot be reduced to just ‘prosperity’. The Gospel is the Good News contained in the Scriptures and the Scriptures contain subjects related to Salvation, Faith, Holiness, Worship, Obedience, many other topics and the Scriptures also include subjects related to prosperity.
Nobody has the right to judge another person for preaching Scriptural matters related to prosperity because prosperity is in the Bible.
I know that many people like to criticize certain preachers by labeling them as ‘wealth or offering chasers’. Let me surprise you: ‘in my many years of ministry (as a Bible teacher), I have learned that it is not possible for a minister to enrich himself with offerings and donations because on average, church members barely offer money to their congregations or towards ministry work.’ You can go and check out the stats (those stats are all over the internet).
In the USA (a country considered as the first economic nation in the world), only 5% of Christians tithe their income. Out of 247 millions Americans identifying as Christians, only 1.5 million tithe their income (look at the disparity!). American Christians make 5.2 trillion US dollars annually (half of the world income), and yet, only 1.5 million American Christians give their tithes. The mentioned stats can be found in this website: Vanco
Those mentioned stats are pretty similar with many other countries in the world. In fact, in some other countries, Church giving is much lower than in the American Church.
In my ministry (to this date), I minister Bible teachings to over 50 000 people and only only 0,001% support my ministry financially. I don’t make money from my teaching ministry and in fact, I am the biggest giver in my own ministry (to this date). A long time ago, God trained me to serve without elevating money as the first priority of my ministry.
I don’t live on those donations. My money comes from my business activities. I understand the Biblical principles of stewardship and I give money towards both my teaching ministry and other ministries. Consequently and in accordance with the Scriptures, God blesses me. Most financially prosperous ministers do the same thing that I do: “they financially support ministries.”
It is not possible to be financially rich through offerings and ministry donations. People have to stop thinking that ministers are constantly seeking their money.
Why did I have to mention those statistics?
I have to mention those statistics to prove to you that it is not possible for a minister to enrich himself/herself with offerings or donations. In most cases, when a minister is prospering financially or materially, it is because he/she has been running parallel activities to their ministries such as: ‘book authorship, consulting businesses, speaking activities or any other type of businesses..”
It is important that we debunk the main arguments linked against the prosperity Gospel because those same arguments have led many Christians to withhold their tithes and offerings.
To all the Christian skeptics, here is a homework for you: “if you take the time to investigate prosperous ministers for yourself, you will find out that those prosperous ministers have parallel activities from which they make most of their money.”
It is important that we discuss this topic because for 30 years, a group of ‘so-called Christians’ have built their careers by attacking and criticizing other ministers for preaching messages related to well being. As a result of the activities led by those ‘so-called Christians’, we have a large number of Christians who are skeptical towards Scriptures discussing prosperity and well-being.
Giving, tithing or financially supporting a genuine ministry is an opportunity to get blessed by God.
This is what the Bible says:
“Nevertheless, the one who receives teachings in the word should share all good things with their teacher.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
(Galatians 6:6-7)
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
(Luke 6:38)
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
(Malachi 3:10)
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. (Proverbs 19:17)
Many Churches are dedicating a large portion of their finances towards helping and feeding the poor. But even in such cases, many Christians still withhold their money.
Another reason why it is important to debunk certain misconceptions about the critics made against the ‘so-called prosperity Gospel’,is because the world is now sinking towards a global economic crisis. The planned economic crisis has demonic roots. At a certain stage, once the crisis would have deepened, there will only be two ways to escape: ‘either you will have to align with the Antichrist or you will have to apply the Biblical principles of prosperity. There will be nothing in the middle.”
Unfortunately, many Christians, who are skepticals of the stewardship Scriptures, will be caught by surprise with all the economic turmoil. Actually, many are already caught in the current turmoil and more is coming their way.
When my ministry and other ministries receive an offering, it is not to enrich ourselves. Most of us (ministers with experience), we already know that giving stats are extremely low. Therefore, we do not expect to receive a lot of money. ‘Giving materially into the work of ministry’ will empower and increase you.
Satan does not want you to give so that you can remain disempowered, broke, in debt and in desperation.
Ministries ask for an offering and donations so that the givers can receive a blessing.
In my case, I want to give the givers an opportunity to be blessed. I do not need offerings to pay my bills because I use other business methods to make money. (I speak for myself).
Now, more than ever, I realize that the constant criticisms that were made against Scriptures and Biblical messages of prosperity were designed to impoverish and weaken the Church for the end times period. Those critics thought they were sent by God ,while in fact, they were sent by Satan to disempower the Church and to pave the way for the Antichrist.
The current economic world events should serve as a greater motivation for skeptical Christians to adjust their bad attitudes with their finances when it comes to giving towards the work of the ministry.
But, hey, if some Christians want to keep withholding their money (when it comes to financing ministry work), they can keep doing that.
However, the Christians ,who are really filled with the Scriptures, will follow what the Bible says about giving and they will be blessed for it.
The term ‘prosperity Gospel’ was widely used to describe Biblical messages dealing with Scriptures containing principles of prosperity.
Overtime, the term was utilized as a detrimental expression to denigrate preachers and Bible teachers preaching messages containing principles of prosperity and well-being.
There is no such thing as ‘prosperity Gospel’ because the Gospel cannot be reduced to just ‘prosperity’. The Gospel is the Good News contained in the Scriptures and the Scriptures contain subjects related to Salvation, Faith, Holiness, Worship, Obedience, many other topics and the Scriptures also include subjects related to prosperity.
Nobody has the right to judge another person for preaching Scriptural matters related to prosperity because prosperity is in the Bible.
I know that many people like to criticize certain preachers by labeling them as ‘wealth or offering chasers’. Let me surprise you: ‘in my many years of ministry (as a Bible teacher), I have learned that it is not possible for a minister to enrich himself with offerings and donations because on average, church members barely offer money to their congregations or towards ministry work.’ You can go and check out the stats (those stats are all over the internet).
In the USA (a country considered as the first economic nation in the world), only 5% of Christians tithe their income. Out of 247 millions Americans identifying as Christians, only 1.5 million tithe their income (look at the disparity!). American Christians make 5.2 trillion US dollars annually (half of the world income), and yet, only 1.5 million American Christians give their tithes. The mentioned stats can be found in this website: Vanco
Those mentioned stats are pretty similar with many other countries in the world. In fact, in some other countries, Church giving is much lower than in the American Church.
In my ministry (to this date), I minister Bible teachings to over 50 000 people and only only 0,001% support my ministry financially. I don’t make money from my teaching ministry and in fact, I am the biggest giver in my own ministry (to this date). A long time ago, God trained me to serve without elevating money as the first priority of my ministry.
I don’t live on those donations. My money comes from my business activities. I understand the Biblical principles of stewardship and I give money towards both my teaching ministry and other ministries. Consequently and in accordance with the Scriptures, God blesses me. Most financially prosperous ministers do the same thing that I do: “they financially support ministries.”
It is not possible to be financially rich through offerings and ministry donations. People have to stop thinking that ministers are constantly seeking their money.
Why did I have to mention those statistics?
I have to mention those statistics to prove to you that it is not possible for a minister to enrich himself/herself with offerings or donations. In most cases, when a minister is prospering financially or materially, it is because he/she has been running parallel activities to their ministries such as: ‘book authorship, consulting businesses, speaking activities or any other type of businesses..”
It is important that we debunk the main arguments linked against the prosperity Gospel because those same arguments have led many Christians to withhold their tithes and offerings.
To all the Christian skeptics, here is a homework for you: “if you take the time to investigate prosperous ministers for yourself, you will find out that those prosperous ministers have parallel activities from which they make most of their money.”
It is important that we discuss this topic because for 30 years, a group of ‘so-called Christians’ have built their careers by attacking and criticizing other ministers for preaching messages related to well being. As a result of the activities led by those ‘so-called Christians’, we have a large number of Christians who are skeptical towards Scriptures discussing prosperity and well-being.
Giving, tithing or financially supporting a genuine ministry is an opportunity to get blessed by God.
This is what the Bible says:
“Nevertheless, the one who receives teachings in the word should share all good things with their teacher.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
(Galatians 6:6-7)
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
(Luke 6:38)
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
(Malachi 3:10)
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. (Proverbs 19:17)
Many Churches are dedicating a large portion of their finances towards helping and feeding the poor. But even in such cases, many Christians still withhold their money.
Another reason why it is important to debunk certain misconceptions about the critics made against the ‘so-called prosperity Gospel’,is because the world is now sinking towards a global economic crisis. The planned economic crisis has demonic roots. At a certain stage, once the crisis would have deepened, there will only be two ways to escape: ‘either you will have to align with the Antichrist or you will have to apply the Biblical principles of prosperity. There will be nothing in the middle.”
Unfortunately, many Christians, who are skepticals of the stewardship Scriptures, will be caught by surprise with all the economic turmoil. Actually, many are already caught in the current turmoil and more is coming their way.
When my ministry and other ministries receive an offering, it is not to enrich ourselves. Most of us (ministers with experience), we already know that giving stats are extremely low. Therefore, we do not expect to receive a lot of money. ‘Giving materially into the work of ministry’ will empower and increase you.
Satan does not want you to give so that you can remain disempowered, broke, in debt and in desperation.
Ministries ask for an offering and donations so that the givers can receive a blessing.
In my case, I want to give the givers an opportunity to be blessed. I do not need offerings to pay my bills because I use other business methods to make money. (I speak for myself).
Now, more than ever, I realize that the constant criticisms that were made against Scriptures and Biblical messages of prosperity were designed to impoverish and weaken the Church for the end times period. Those critics thought they were sent by God ,while in fact, they were sent by Satan to disempower the Church and to pave the way for the Antichrist.
The current economic world events should serve as a greater motivation for skeptical Christians to adjust their bad attitudes with their finances when it comes to giving towards the work of the ministry.
But, hey, if some Christians want to keep withholding their money (when it comes to financing ministry work), they can keep doing that.
However, the Christians ,who are really filled with the Scriptures, will follow what the Bible says about giving and they will be blessed for it.