Spiritual Fathers and the prosperity gospel
February 28, 2011
By Rodney Kirkpatrick
Recently I saw two scenes while praying for wisdom for a man working with a pastor who is heavily influenced by the prosperity doctrine. The first picture I saw was of a man in a very flashy suit, with a large gold watch, and a toupee that was larger than the man's head. Everything about this picture spoke of material excess. There was no doubt that the Holy Spirit was indicting the "prosperity message" as both an unbalanced teaching and a diversion from what should be the central focus of the Gospel message, Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:1-3 (NASB) says,
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,
The pharisees of Paul's day defined spiritual success by measuring religious performance. They didn't understand that only Jesus fulfilled the Law (see Matt 5:17) and that relationship with Him was the only way to truly attain righteousness ( Php 3:9). Many of today's prosperity preachers teach "confidence in the flesh" by monitoring material wealth. They generally teach that there is a problem with a Christian's faith if financial abundance isn't present. Look at Christ's perspective in these scriptures:
9 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 3:17 (NASB)
17 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
In other words, you can be materially lacking and be "rich" in the eyes of the Lord. Conversely, you can have great financial resource and be completely bankrupt spiritually! The central issue for Christians isn't the presence or absence of money, but whether or not we are trusting Jesus and living according to His desire.
A new insight to an old problem
The second scene involved several men that I knew personally who are also heavy proponents of the prosperity gospel. The pictures of these individuals flashed between men who were full grown and arrogant to young boys who were obviously hurting and insecure. I was genuinely surprised that the Holy Spirit highlighted a wounding based immaturity as the root for why these men were so strongly influenced by these teachings. Many prosperity preachers emphasize attaining wealth because of the praise that it garners for their ministries. This is a compensation mechanism for the lack of affirmation and encouragement they have received in their lives.
As I prayed about this it is clear that the primary means of helping those who are unduly influenced by the prosperity gospel isn't merely to list its scriptural inaccuracy. A brief study of the history of this teaching shows that it has been dissected and shown to be inaccurate in a wide spread manner since at least the late 1970's! In spite of this, prosperity based Churches are among the fastest growing segments of the Body of Christ today.
To deal with this issue, God is going to raise up Father's in the Lord to help heal many of these adult ministers who are really more like wounded children. Look at Paul's example in 1 Corinthians 4:15-17 (NASB):
15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.
17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
The word "tutors" in this passage literally means: a leader of boys. True doctrine alone won't take someone past schoolboy adolescence in the realm of spiritual maturity. A true father takes the time necessary to know and understand the hearts of the "spiritual sons" he has been given. Paul gives Timothy many specific exhortations and instructions (see 1 & 2 Timothy) that he couldn't have done without a personal relationship.
Pray for spiritual fathers to be willing to deal with the wounded souls lost in the prosperity message.
Malachi 4:6 (NASB)
6 "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."