What gospel is this?

When life hits you hard, you go looking for answers. As a christian I looked for answers starting in my own stream. I found that there were few in my stream who had a healthy theology around suffering.

The main attitude towards suffering in charismatic circles was lacking. Since the eighties, the charismatic movement has long embraced a theology of ‘health and wealth’, ‘name it and claim it’. In the past 30 years there have been different adaptations and variations of the prosperity gospel. They all centre around the idea that you can earn a blessed life (according to modern western norms) from God by doing the right things. If you come across difficulties, this is because you failed to earn God’s blessings. This leads to a sense of condemnation and can even lead to the rejection of God. I have noticed that the most recent variation seems to be the God cares about MY dreams/it’s all about what God has placed in MY heart, line of thought. It’s less about what can I do to help others? And more what brings ME joy? And woe to anyone who gets in the way of ME and MY joy.

I once heard of a person in church leadership meeting evening group discussion stating that they wouldn’t listen to a christian who is either poor or depressed. I wish I could have been there to question this person’s definition of poor. Many church ministers are not wealthy. That must be difficult listening to Sunday sermons. And I would have liked to correct them on their appalling attitude towards mental health, considering as a fellow leader, they knew of my wrestle with depression. So they mustn't be a fan of the book of Psalms then?

Sounds bad that a person with a position of authority in the church would have that kind of attitude (especially toward mental health), but it’s simply the natural result of decades of embracing the prosperity gospel in all its evolving forms.

Wealth and title are seen as God’s approval, and God rewards those He approves of. I don’t know how people reconcile this idea with the devil tempting Christ with the promise of wealth and power. Maybe they don’t realise that wealth and power can be earned without God’s approval. It doesn’t take a whole lot of investigating to discover that there is immense wealth that has been accumulated around the world by a handful of people through ill means.

There is nothing wrong with having money or happiness. But these things are not a measurement of spirituality or of God’s approval of one’s lifestyle choices.

I would argue that the prosperity gospel is a system of religion that keeps adherents weighted down with human imposed rules and regulations. It creates a hierarchy of spirituality where those with “better” lives are higher up the totem.

In its worst form, religious systems like this can be used to control and manipulate people into compliance and conformity. Members within a community that embrace this theology can feel shame about not measuring up. So they work harder to earn more, to tithe more. They perform harder in order to prove their spiritual worth and gain their ‘well done good and faithful servant’ from their leadership and community.

The Prosperity gospel can be used to justify illegitimate spending.

The Prosperity gospel can be used to affirm favouritism.

The Prosperity gospel can be used to produce a culture of shame and performance.

The prosperity gospel can be used to convince people they need to earn God’s love

Simply put, the prosperity gospel is religion.

This must be why this theology doesn’t sit right in my stomach. I hate when people control and abuse others in the name of God.

I have the utmost respect and appreciation for ministers/pastors/leaders who do their job well, because it is often a difficult and thankless one. And when I say well, I don’t mean by being perfect and not making mistakes. I am referring to those who pour themselves sacrificially into loving people, into serving both the powerful and the vulnerable, and empowering those they lead. I count myself fortunate whenever I encounter these people. They are truly the good shepherds.

But I feel a certain sense of revulsion towards those who abuse their position. Who intentionally lie, manipulate and control. Who accumulate cultish authority by preying on the vulnerable through their dangerous charm. These are snake oil salesmen. My heart weeps for every soul who has been damaged by their cruelty. I refuse to make excuses for bad shepherds. Jesus and the Apostles never did.

Religion doesn’t always look like being quiet, dressing in a suit and respectability. Religion could be all volume, torn jeans and a prophecy.

Because religion is about control, not song choices.

The true gospel is about freedom from punishment, shame and psychological warfare. It is about freedom from religious suffocation of manmade dos and don’ts. It is about mutual love and submission. It is about holiness and fire, and also gentleness and kindness. It is about self-control (having the autonomy and responsibility to control your own behaviours and not being other controlled). It is about peace and gratitude, not an exhausting grab for power and position. It is about being in the bonds of unity and not exclusivity and favouritism. The ladders to heaven are for the angels to gracefully descend and not for the humans to painfully ascend.

God loves you and accepts you as you are. No matter the size of your home, your medical record, your relationship status, or whether your kid is a doctor or a missionary. Don’t measure God’s love for you by what is happening in your life. You can trust that his affections toward you are a firm and solid foundation. His affirmation of you carries more weight in eternity than the praises of men (or women). You are worthy of His love. This is not something you have to earn, or prove to anyone else.