Prosperity Gospel: Let's break it down

The prosperity doctrine continues

I first heard the prosperity doctrine preached in 1997. It will soon be thirty years, and I have not heard of one person becoming a millionaire by following the alleged principles. What I have noticed is that people who remain in these churches and continue to give their money are struggling.

The pastors live in affluent neighborhoods, have multiple vehicles, and have big bank accounts, but those who sowed into them are barely making it. I have seen senior citizens who should be enjoying retirement are still working or have returned to work instead of reaping the promised harvest.

I am not judging anyone because we all make mistakes in this life. I am addressing the overall problem of why people remain in these churches with false teaching.

The prosperity gospel is false doctrine

When my first-born son was 19 in 2000, he asked an essential question.. He wanted to know why I and several other women in the church who were faithful were not financially well off based on the teaching.

He pointed out that the first lady who did not attend all services or meetings, clean the church, or serve in any capacity was living large. At the same time, the rest of us who tithed, gave offerings, cleaned the church, served in various ministries, and attended all the services were not.

The prosperity gospel is a false doctrine

I told my son that the first lady lived as she did because her husband, the pastor, had preacher friends who came to the church 3 or 4 times a year and could raise $20,000 for their family in one service. I added that my husband, his father had to work for an entire year and earn $20,000 the old-fashioned way. If a teenager could see and question the disparity, why don't adults make the connection and walk out of these churches?

Week after week, month after month, year after year, church goers are told their blessing is coming. I know people who have died without ever seeing any income except their paycheck or retirement fund. Let's break this down for those who still don't understand.

The prosperity gospel teachers tell you to give extra money to them above your tithes and offerings to the church. Systomatically, they obtain additional income from the people, and over time, they live well. All the while, those in the pews are told to wait for their due season.

Walk away from false prophets

Now that three decades have passed, these false prophets are becoming creative. Some church members call their retirement income or the fact that they paid off their home a blessing from God. Paying a monthly mortgage for 30 years, living long enough to enjoy retirement, and making it to the end is a reason to praise the Lord because not everyone does it. However, some people don't belong to prosperity teaching churches, but do the same.

I recall a woman who retired from an insurance company and said she had received her blessing. I reminded her that the company she had worked for had a retirement package built into the system for 100 years. Everyone who worked long enough to retire would get the same benefit, whether they gave money in church or not. She did not to seem to understand and said, "I know, but I got mine." A retirement fund is neither supernatural or unexpected.

Wolves in sheep's clothing

The teaching is that you will receive unexpected supernatural money, which your company benefits are not. People are going to believe what they choose, but I ask "where are the millionaires?". Thirty years and no one is prospering more and more, except the pastors who teach the message.

I share this information for someone who may be questioning why they have not received a return on all the money they give. These wolves in sheep's clothing who preach the false message can only be stopped when they have no participants to fuel their greed.

If you have given tithes, offerings, and sown financial seeds for 20 or 30 years, look at your life and that of your first family. You have worked hard to earn your money while your pastor and his wife have not worked a job in 30 years and are living large from your giving not a blessing from heaven.

Wolves in sheep's clothing

Your sweat, tears, and efforts have kept the church afloat and resulted in another family living well, while you have to keep working. Use your sanctified imagination to picture the look on George Washington's face on the dollar bill each time someone lays one at an altar expecting to become a millionaire.

This should be recognizable on an elementary level, but it's not. Church members wrongly assume the first family is living a more holy life and God is blessing them when the blessings come out of their own pockets. I will end with this. If you have to give and give to the pastor, why do you have to work to earn your money? Why are people not returning the favr and giving to you?

Where are the millionaires?

Why isn't someone pouring money into your bank account the same way you are giving it out? If you wonder if the prosperity doctrine is a scam, no more. It is. When you and others walk away, you stop the flow of money, and everyone will see what is of God and what is provided by man. Open your physical eyes and pray for discernment that your spiritual eyes are enlightened, and for the strength to walk away.

People will argue that prosperity is more than money, but money is what has been promised. Yes, you are blessed to be living, healthy, and able to work, but you were told there would be millionaires and money would run you down and take you over. That's the million-dollar question no one can answer. Why is no one a millionaire except those you are giving your money to?