A recent issue of Time Magazine asked a question many Americans have been curious about in recent years… “Does God Want You to Be Rich?” It is a rhetorical question designed to address an important issue facing modern Christianity. There has been a movement in recent years in the church that focuses on preaching and teaching about abundance on Earth instead of anticipation of streets paved with gold. The message in its purest form simply fits under the theological premise that God does want you to have the best of everything. The message when diluted, however, simply focuses on financial gain solely. Has the emphasis of the church shifted from salvation to wealth in many of America’s churches? Many churches have begun to preach “the prosperity” message, a message that basically says your level of prosperity determines your level of spiritual growth. What are the implications from associating this particular slant on prosperity as theologically sound?

Imagine a scene…Fast cars, “bling bling,” money, huge “cribs” and women in abundance. Trips all over the world, yachts and island paradise vacations any time you want. Is this the lifestyle of a rapper? a basketball player? a football player? These groups now have to share their limelight with some individuals you would least expect…pastors! Many pastors in today’s society have lifestyles the average individual can only dream off. Their “ministry” is their means to gain the things in life they have always wanted. Are some pastors more focused on the dollar bill than the Bible? Are there messages coming from some churches that put personal financial prosperity over the Biblical principles of service and internal growth? Where does the message of wealth fit in the church?

The good pastors out there will tell you…everywhere! When you do not put restraints on the definition of wealth, by limiting it to money, it falls within the guidelines of “total life prosperity.” “Total life prosperity” is a concept that I learned from Pastor Harold Gentry when he was discussing the flaws with the financial prosperity message. It consists of a person having abundance in every area of their life including health, career, spiritual development and finances. Prosperity is good when it involves the total lifestyle. It is good when it focuses on every area of life. When it is narrowed down to simply financial gain, it no longer is a prosperity message based on theology, it becomes a financial seminar disguised as church! Pastor’s deserve incomes like every other profession, but there has to be a balance between their compensation and the church’s income. The ministries must receive as much proportional financial support as the pastor. The messages must proportionally cover all Biblical concepts, not being limited to just money although money needs to be included.

When the message becomes polluted, the messenger is often misguided. The end result of this misguided teaching has been churches that were formed to simply “pimp” the people instead of spread the Good Word. At that level, the pastor is no different than any other person that utilizes others for their own gain. This emphasis can create negative viewpoints of pastors in general when many of them started churches to teach salvation, hope, and restoration. The church is under scrutiny now because of the polluted messengers. I think people should ask questions about the church and prosperity to keep individuals focused on what is right.

Finally, there are many pastors, including my Pastor (Pastor John Pyles–Tabernacle of Praise Family Worship Center), that are spreading the Good News of salvation, that are uplifting the community, and teaching people “total life prosperity.” We need to salute all of the pastors that are “in the trenches” and serving through “the vocation in which they were called.” We need to salute all of the pastors that keep the balance in the message of prosperity. The balance can only come when the Bible is taught and the Dollar Bill is put into perspective. Simply put, Godly prosperity is not just money, it is a lifestyle of abundance in every area.