Prosperity Theology

• We believe that all matters of faith and conduct must be evaluated on the basis of the Holy Bible (the “Bible” and the “Scriptures”), which is our infallible guide. Because we believe in the whole counsel of God as expressed throughout the Bible, our ministry cautions against taking any one verse out of the context of the whole Bible. Therefore, biblical principles expressed in the Scriptures should be confirmed with other Scriptures to ensure an accurate understanding. The Bible states…

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

• We do not support any concept of “Prosperity Theology.” Prosperity Theology teaches that: (1) every Christian should always be happy, healthy, and wealthy—never in a state of need and (2) that a lack in these areas is due to lack of faith, failure to “sow financially,” outright sin, “negative confession” (e.g., stating, “I am sick”), or lack of “positive confession” (e.g., not stating “I am healthy”). Our ministry does not believe that God’s blessing and favor or a person’s spiritual status can be determined or measured by material wealth, affluence, success, and/or physical health or comfort. Proverbs, the biblical book on wisdom, states…

“Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8).

• We affirm that the Almighty, all-powerful God of the Bible can and will perform any miracle of His choosing—including physical healing—at any time and in any way. However, prosperity theology directly contradicts God’s actions in the lives of both godly believers who lived in biblical times as well as followers of Jesus Christ in today’s world. Scripture repeatedly describes how God uses difficulties, physical challenges, financial dilemmas, and other life challenges to accomplish His will in the lives of His followers. For example, Job—whom God called “blameless” (Job 1:8)—experienced the loss of his children, livestock, livelihood, and even his own health. Notice…

“His [Job’s] wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’ He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’” (Job 2:9-10).

• We also hold that God’s blessing on behalf of His followers is not determined by the “amount” of their faith, but rather by the object of their faith, Jesus Christ, and His will. We fully refute the belief that people may simply “name and claim” what they desire regarding physical healing, possessions, or people and then expect to receive from God what they have already claimed from Him. For example, the Bible presents physical affliction—the normal “wasting away” of the human body here on earth—as natural yet temporal, for that all changes in eternity.

“We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, emphasis added).

• Affliction

Prosperity Theology: It is never God’s will for Christians to be afflicted.
Biblical Truth: God uses affliction for our greater good.

• From the book of Psalms (emphasis added):

◦ “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (Psalm 119:67).
◦ “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:71).
◦ “I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me” (Psalm 119:75).

• Answered Prayer

Prosperity Theology: It is God’s will for Christians to “name and claim” whatever they desire from Him and, if they have enough faith, they are guaranteed to receive it.
Biblical Truth:God can deny the prayer requests of godly people—people not lacking in faith—if those requests are not “according to God’s will.”

• From the apostle John (revealing when a prayer request is guaranteed to be granted): “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15, emphasis added).
• From the Lord Jesus Christ (revealing His will that His prayer request be in submission to and contingent upon the Father’s will):

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me: yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42, emphasis added). [“This cup” refers to the cup of suffering inherent in His crucifixion.]

• From the apostle Paul (revealing when and why his prayer request for physical healing is denied):

“In order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh… Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9, emphasis added).

• Suffering/Persecution

Prosperity Theology: It is never God’s will for Christians to suffer.
Biblical Truth: God “calls” Christians to suffer and endure persecution.

• From the apostle Peter:

“It is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.… But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:19-21, emphasis added).

• From the book of Romans:

“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:3-5, emphasis added).

• From the book of 2 Timothy:

“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12, emphasis added).

• Trials/Troubles

Prosperity Theology: It is never God’s will for Christians to experience trials or troubles.
Biblical Truth: God uses trials and troubles to develop Christlike character in Christians.

• From the book of James—trials produce perseverance and spiritual maturity:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4, emphasis added).

• From the book of 1 Peter—trials prove and refine our faith:

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7, emphasis added).

• From the apostle Paul—trials produce comfort and compassion toward others:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, emphasis added).

• Wealth

Prosperity Theology: It is God’s will that Christians be rich.
Biblical Truth: God prioritizes the pursuit of contentment over the pursuit of riches.

• From the book of Proverbs—be content with the basics (“daily bread”):

“Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8, emphasis added).

• From the book of 1 Timothy—be content with the basics (“food and clothing”):

“Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10, emphasis added).

• From the book of Philippians—be content in every circumstance (“in plenty or in want”):

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13, emphasis added).

• Positive Confessions

Prosperity Theology: It is God’s will for Christians to make “positive confessions” with the absolute faith that speaking positive words will release the power for desires to come true. With enough faith, whatever is spoken will be received or will come to pass. Example: “I will receive the promotion … the new car … the healing—in the name of Jesus.
Biblical Truth: Our faith must be in the person of Christ alone—not faith in our faith—so that our words reflect His heart’s desire, not our own desires.

• From the book of Philippians:

“I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier… Indeed he was ill, and almost died” (Philippians 2:25, 27, emphasis added).

• From the Gospel of Matthew:

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT, emphasis added). [Notice the wording states “everything you need” not “everything you want.”]

• From the Gospel of John:

“Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it’” (John 11:4, emphasis added).

• Negative Confessions

Prosperity Theology: Christians must never make “negative confessions”—never speak negative words or think negative thoughts because any negative words produce negative consequences. Example: If you say, “I feel sick. … I feel troubled” you have caused your negative thoughts and words to become your reality.
Biblical Truth: God recorded in His Word many of the negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences of godly men, prophets, kings, apostles, and even Jesus Himself.

• Job, the godly man whom God called “blameless”:

“I loathe my very life … Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!” (Job 10:1, 18-19, emphasis added).

• Paul, the godly apostle spoke about his illness and his many trials:

“I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, emphasis added).

• Jesus Christ, the Son of God:

“Now my soul is troubled… In this world you will have trouble” (John 12:27; 16:33, emphasis added).

Our Board members, employees, and volunteers must affirm that they do not believe in, promote, or teach prosperity theology, and will not propogate such a view in any manner. Whatever trials or hardships arise, the Bible states “we are more than conquerers” through Christ, when we receive Him as our Lord and Savior and give Him control of our lives.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:35, 37)..

Preamble

2 Timothy 2:15
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Proverbs 30:8
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”

Job 1:8
“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’”

Job 2:9-10
“His wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’ 10He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Religious Beliefs Based on Biblical Positions

Affliction

Psalm 119:67
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.”

Psalm 119:71
“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”

Psalm 119:75
“I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.”

Answered Prayer

1 John 5:14-15
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Luke 22:42
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-9
“In order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Suffering/Persecution

1 Peter 2:19-21
“For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

Romans 5:3-5
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

2 Timothy 3:12
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Trials/Troubles

James 1:2-4
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

1 Peter 1:6-7
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

2 Corinthians 1-3-4
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Wealth

Proverbs 30:8
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Philippians 4:11-13
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Positive Confessions

Philippians 2:25, 27
“I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier … Indeed he was ill, and almost died.”

Matthew 6:33
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

John 11:4
“Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’”

Negative Confessions

Job 10:1, 18-19
“I loathe my very life …. 18Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. 19If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
“But he [Jesus] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I [Paul] will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

John 12:27; 16:33
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? … In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:35, 37
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”