Part 1: What Is the Prosperity Gospel?
Definition and Core Beliefs
The prosperity gospel (also called the “health and wealth gospel,” “Word of Faith,” or “name it and claim it” theology) teaches that God guarantees financial success, physical health, and personal happiness to believers who exercise enough faith.
At its core, it claims:
- Faith is a transactional force – If you believe hard enough, God is obligated to bless you materially.
- Wealth and health are divine rights – Poverty and sickness are curses to be broken through faith and giving.
- Giving = Guaranteed returns – Donations (“seed faith”) obligate God to multiply your money
This theology sadly, twists Scripture, turning God into a “cosmic vending machine” where faith is the coin, and blessings are the product
Where Did It Come From?
The prosperity gospel emerged in post-WWII America, blending:
- Pentecostal revivalism (Oral Roberts, A.A. Allen) – these Preached “seed faith” giving, where donations would return “sevenfold” .
- New Thought philosophy (19th-century mind-power teachings) – Claimed positive words and thoughts create reality.
- Televangelism boom (1980s–present) – Preachers like Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, and Creflo Dollar, David Oyedepo and other African preachers turned it into a multi-billion-dollar industry.
How It Spread Globally
- Africa & Latin America: Preyed on poverty, promising “breakthroughs” if people sowed money into ministries.
- Megachurches: Leaders like T.D. Jakes and David Oyedepo built empires selling hope for wealth.
- Social Media: Modern “prophets” sell “financial miracles” via PayPal donations.
Part 2: Why the Prosperity Gospel Is Spiritually Dangerous
1. It Distorts the Gospel of Christ
- False Promise: Jesus never guaranteed wealth (Matt. 8:20; 2 Cor. 8:9). Paul suffered poverty, yet wrote, “I have learned to be content in any circumstance” (Phil. 4:11-12) 26.
- Misused Scriptures:
- Galatians 3:14 (Abraham’s blessings) is about spiritual inheritance, not money
- 3 John 1:2 (“prosper in all things”) was a greeting, not a universal promise .
2. It Blames Victims for Their Suffering
- “If you’re poor/sick, you lack faith.”
- A cancer-stricken woman was told, “Confess healing, or you’re doubting God” .
- In Africa, some pastors demand money to “break generational curses,” leaving the poor bankrupt.
- Ignores Systemic Evil: Poverty isn’t always personal failure, sometimes it’s oppression, injustice, or simply life in a broken world.
3. It Turns Prayer into Manipulation
- “Name It and Claim It” – Some teach that saying “I declare a new car!” forces God to deliver that new car.
- Ignoring God’s Will: Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Yours” (Luke 22:42), but prosperity theology treats God like a genie
4. It Exploits the Vulnerable
- “Seed Faith” Scams:
- A widow gave her last $100 to a preacher who promised a “$10,000 miracle.” It never came
- Televangelists like Robert Tilton were exposed for trashing prayer requests while keeping donations .
- Lavish Lifestyles: Pastors fly private jets while their followers starve; Creflo Dollar begged for $65M for a luxury jet.
5. It Offers a False Hope
- When “Faith” Fails:
- A man with terminal cancer was told, “If you die, it’s because you didn’t believe.” His family left the faith in anger .
- Prosperity preacher Benny Hinn later admitted, “I was wrong… God doesn’t promise wealth”.
How to Spot and Resist the Prosperity Gospel
✅ Biblical Giving: We give out of love, not to “buy” blessings (2 Cor. 9:7).
✅ True Faith trusts God in suffering (James 1:2-4), not just for rewards.
✅ God’s Grace ≠ Money: Salvation is free (Eph. 2:8-9)—no tithe can earn it.
Final Warning
The prosperity gospel replaces the cross with greed and turns worship into a business. True Christianity embraces both seasons of abundance and suffering, knowing our real treasure is in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21).
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).
