The issue of prosperity has also been hotly debated. WoF people believe in prosperity, but their opponents … well apparently they believe in prosperity too. Especially for themselves. A couple of them have even come under fire for their expensive homes and cars while they are preaching against prosperity doctrine. One of them admits that he is conflicted, however. Listen to the audio below.
I heard one guy talking about “these prosperity preachers” on TV, and at the end of his broadcast he made a pull for donations to help his school to prosper. I kid you not. The fact is everybody knows instinctively that prosperity is a good thing. It takes money to feed your family. It takes money to provide your kids with a good education. It takes money to spread the gospel. It takes money to do almost everything we do in life.
Yes, Jesus said that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Mat. 19:24), but we also have examples in both the Old and New Testaments of rich people who served God (Abraham, Lot, Job, David, Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea). When we are confronted with an apparent contradiction of doctrines in the Bible, we accept the fact that both are true and seek to comprehend it.
For example, God is a god of love. (I John 4:8) He loved us so much he sent His only Son to die for us. (John 3:16) At the same time He is a god of wrath (John 3:36) and judgment (Rom. 2:5). How can both be true? We may not fully understand but we accept that they both are.
The Bible says that we are justified by faith (Gal. 2:16; Rom. 3:28; Eph. 2:8), but then it says that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Theologians have grappled with these issues throughout church history, and yet we accept both as true and seek the balance.
And then there’s the doctrine of the Trinity. There is only one god (Deut. 6:4), but He exists in three persons (Mat. 3:16,17; Mat. 28:19). This has been a source of much doctrinal contention throughout church history too.
So we have verses about self-denial and piety, but we also have verses about prosperity and the blessings of God. Why can’t we reconcile the two issues like we have with these other issues? God is our heavenly Father. He doesn’t want us to struggle through life with nothing any more than any earthly father would want that for his children.
But money is a dangerous thing. Handled properly it can accomplish great things. Handled improperly it can be destructive. That’s why the Bible says:
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (I Tim. 6:10)
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5)
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [riches].” (Mat. 6:24)
“Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” (Prov. 28:6)
God doesn’t want us to destroy our faith, which is more precious than gold. (I Pet. 1:7) He knows that most people can’t handle prosperity, so He gives us ample warning about it in His Word.
When I graduated from Rhema in 1984 the WoF movement was exploding. People from denominational backgrounds who had never heard biblical prosperity taught were getting new insight on the subject, just like they were with divine healing. But over the past thirty years so many ministers and televangelists have gone overboard with prosperity that people are running in the opposite direction. I understand that. But the Bible hasn’t changed. It still says “… seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” (Mat. 6:33) If we will seek first the kingdom of God and work for Him we can have things. We can have prosperity. Does that mean that you will live in luxury? No. It just means you won’t want for anything. (Ps. 23:1; 23:10; 84:11) I pray that the church can find the balance here.
“Prosperity Teaching Doesn’t Work in Poor Countries”
The claim is often made that the teaching of prosperity only works in wealthy countries like the US, Canada, and Australia but it won’t work in poorer countries.
Well the fact is we do tell it to people in poor countries. I graduated from Rhema in 1984. One year ahead of me a couple named Bud and Jan Wright graduated and moved to Brazil where they founded Rhema Brazil. At the time Brazil was still under a military dictatorship. It wasn’t as prosperous as it is today, and yet their efforts proved successful and today Rhema Brazil has established churches and bible schools throughout the country, including the poorer areas in the north.
Since they speak Portuguese in Brazil, some of their Rhema graduates have gone to another Portuguese speaking country in Africa – Angola. That school is now graduating hundreds of students a year in a poor country.
As you can see they’re meeting in a fairly modern facility to study the Bible and prepare for the ministry. A similar story can be told of Bolivia next door to Brazil, where another couple who graduated from Rhema, David and Violeta Larsson, began Rhema Bolivia.
And then there’s Rhema Zambia.
And Rhema Ukraine …
Rhema Nigeria …
Rhema Botswana …
I could add more, but you get the idea. The gospel is for all nations, and the gospel includes physical healing. And as believers grow in their knowledge of the Word and apply the principles of faith they prosper. If it doesn’t work in poor countries then it’s not true, I agree. But it does work in poor countries. Does that mean that people in Bolivia will drive a BMW and live in a mansion? No, but that’s not what the WoF is all about. That’s just the misperception that people have, which unfortunately some televangelists and irresponsible ministers have created.
The WoF is about reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The difference with the WoF is that as we take the gospel to the ends of the earth, we don’t give people the impression that they have to be sick and broke to serve Jesus.