Prosperity unGospel by Brian Rice

Grateful for the impact people have on our lives. Arguably the three top difference makers in a leaders life will be the Bible & the work Holy Spirit, an intentional life and mentors who disciple us from from scars, wisdom and experience. We should always have an answer for who is discipling us and who we are discipling.

Enjoy the following post from someone who continues to have a major impact on me as a leader and our area through his life giving direction and guidance. Great word on the prosperity unGospel from a mentor, Pastor Brian Rice www.lci.typepad.com

"The Prosperity "unGospel" (a la Kierkegaard and the Bible)

Prosperity Gospel It is always a pleasant surprise to find wisdom from the past to guide us in understanding the problems of today. One of the big problems (and it is BIG) is what is known as the Prosperity Gospel, or better, the Prosperity unGospel, of which Joel Olsteen is the most well known teacher.

This understanding of the Christian faith, missiologically, is an example of SYNCRETISM. Syncretism is when core ideas from the CULTURE are joined with the GOSPEL. The resulting mixture of culture and gospel is an inevitable "corruption" of the gospel. But . . . this corruption is very appealing to the culture.

Soren Kierkegaard said this about the nominal Christianity of Europe (mid 1800's):
"Nowadays we can become or live as Christians in the most pleasant way and without ever risking the slightest possibility of offense. All we have to do is start with the status quo and observe good virtues (good-better-best). We can continue to make ourselves comfortable by scraping together the world's goods, as long as we stir into the pot what is Christian as a seasoning, an ingredient that almost serves to refine our enjoyment of life. This kind of Christianity is but a religious variation of the world's unbelief, a movement without budging from the spot. That is to say, it is a simulated motion."

I am thinking quite bit about the themes of Christian suffering and sacrifice as "the normal Christian life" these days. In that sense, a prosperity unGospel, which believes that Jesus exists to eliminate suffering, to make us prosperous (wealthy and healthy) is a direct contradiction to the Gospel.

Just for a few texts, do even a cursory reading of these Bible passages. I have been doing lectio divina reflections with them.

Bible Hebrews 5:8
2 Timothy 1:8-12
Acts 5:40-41
Philippians 1:29
Colossians 1:24-25
1 Peter 3:8-22 suffering for doing what is good
1 Peter 4:12-19 suffering for being a Christian
John 15:18-20 the world will hate Christians
John 16:1-4; 33
Romans 5:3-5 the role of suffering in shaping character
Matthew 5:10-12 the blessing of persecution

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com