A Colossal Fraud
Former NASDAQ chairman Bernie Madoff ran a ponzi-scheme swindle for nearly 20 years, and he bilked an estimated $18 billion from Wall-Street investors. When the scam finally came to light it unleashed a shockwave of outrage around the world. It was the largest and most far-reaching investment fraud ever…
I don’t watch much television, and when I do I generally avoid the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). For many years TBN has been dominated by faith-healers, full-time fund-raisers, and self-proclaimed prophets spewing heresy. I wrote about the false gospel they proclaim and the phony miracles they pretend to do almost two decades ago in Charismatic Chaos (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. See especially chapter 12). I had my fill of charismatic televangelism while researching that book, and I can hardly bear to watch it any more…
Do you think judging someone’s theology is a loving thing to do? Why or why not?
Measuring Oral Roberts’ Influence
Oral Roberts died this week and the obituaries have been abuzz with analyses of his life and legacy. The USA Today headline summed up his contributions this way: “Oral Roberts brought health-and-wealth Gospel mainstream.” The Los Angeles Times gave a similar snapshot of the man: “Oral Roberts dies at 91; televangelist was pioneering preacher of the ‘prosperity gospel'”…
John mentioned the cargo cults in his last post. What do you think about the connection between the cargo cults and the prosperity gospel of the Word Faith movement?
So, which comes first—the bad theology or the greed? Use Scripture to support your position.
The major teachers in the Word-Faith movement, influencing millions around the world, seem intent on demoting Jesus and demolishing His work on the cross. I’ve got a few questions for you…
Still have doubts about what John has been saying? Get a load of this…courtesy of Justin Peters.
Faith and Confession, Prosperity-Style
John’s clear examination of the central Word of Faith premise exposes the complicity of human greed in promoting the doctrines of demons. How do you think this plays out before a watching (and unbelieving) world?
False Prophets and Lying Wonders
Have you noticed that no matter how many times charismatic televangelists make outlandish false prophecies, they never lack for followers, and they don’t stop claiming the Lord has spoken directly to them?
Paul commands Timothy to avoid those who are lovers of money (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-9). And yet the prosperity preachers are not only tolerated within evangelicalism, they are given a platform and sometimes even commended.
Prosperity preachers have exploited inherent weaknesses in charismatic theology, and many people—Christian and non-Christian alike—are left poor and disillusioned in their wake.
Continuationists in the Comment Thread
Throughout our series on the Prosperity Gospel, a number of people have steered the comments toward the cessationism vs. continuationism debate. I asked Phil Johnson (GTY’s Executive Director) about the issue—here’s what he said…
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