Prosperity gospel is NOT teaching about money/success/prosperity in church. If the four Gospels are to go by, Jesus talked about money more than heaven and hell combined. Eleven of the 40 parables that Jesus used were about money. God has never wished His children poverty. There is not a single verse in the Bible where God wished His children material poverty.
Prosperity gospel is (1) preaching for financial gain; (2) teaching people to bribe God, for instance, give $5 seed, and you’ll get $50 harvest; (3) selling prayers, anointing oil or any other gift from God; and (4) when a preacher cannot preach or pray for people unless they ask for offering – that’s charging the gospel.
There are preachers who cannot pray for you even on Facebook unless you send them an offering. If you must give an offering to be prayed for, that’s trading God’s gifts. Yes, preachers should live by the Gospel but they should not charge the Gospel. The Gospel is too dear to put a monetary price tag. The good news is that the overwhelming majority of preachers are honest servants of God.
I’m a preacher by calling and a career speaker/trainer. I charge conference speaking, corporate training and professional mentorship/coaching/counselling BUT I never ask for money for preaching in any church or any social media platform. Preaching is a gift from God. Freely we receive, freely we give.
Next time you hear someone teaching about money, DO NOT rush to conclude that it is prosperity gospel. The enemy thrives in ignorance and he does not want God’s children to be empowered and prosper. God’s desire is to prosper you spiritually, materially and physically. Don’t settle for anything less.
DR. K. N. JACOB
