Are Prosperity Preachers During Recession Still Going for Gold?

Prosperity preachers maintain that grandiose living and richness is part of the golden path that God believes good Christians can have if they think, pray and live that way.

The goal is to give more and then get more. The clergy lives high; the parishioners may as well, as long as their wallets are open for the minister to have whatever it takes for style. At least that’s what the critics say and what the websites that represent some of these folks declare. In the world of prosperity preachers say goods are from God and rewards for fidelity. But where are they now that their parishioners can’t pay their mortgages and credit card debts? Let’s first know who these fellows are. Time did an article called “God and Dollars” as a historical overview of some of these guys going for God and the gold. Oral Roberts was on the cover of the essay magazine, with his arms outstretched. Some people may recall Roberts asked for money from the multitudes for his ministry so that God wouldn’t strike him dead. Reverend Ike of Atlanta led by the passage St. John 10:10: "I am come that you might have life more abundantly.” Christians weren’t alone in the prosperity preaching. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a guru and so-called Indian spiritual leader drove a fine Rolls Royce and lived well, with a major center located in Antelope, Oregon. Jim and Tammy Faye Baker were among the most prominent of the prosperity preachers for many years. They raised $1 million a week which allowed them to live lavishly and build a theme park along with having fine homes and cars and fabulous interiors even for their dog’s houses. That all came tumbling down when Jim Bakker was forced to resign over having sexual relations with a former secretary and after two years went to prison for having sold fraudulent memberships to Heritage USA. Benny Hinn now hosts “This is Your Day.” He belongs to no denomination and has no physical church but has vast numbers of people in Africa and Asia with a modest drawing of about $100 million/year. Joel Osteen is another one of the profit preachers with 25,000 people each week and ushers holding buckets for money collected at the gatherings. Texas televangelist Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar, from suburban Atlanta are others. Joyce Lewis from St. Louis is among the ranks of those called prosperity preachers. Many of these folks have been looked at in a Senate probe of their activities. With Osteen you can make financial contributions online, buy books and find videos in a complex array of multi media offerings. Osteen is often featured on Larry King Live, a television talk show on CNN. Olsteen is the most prominent of those who believe that Christian practice and profit are both sides of the teeter totter with God at its center. Still some see the totter teetering more towards profit. Newspaper articles touting the news from the pulpit are featured prominently on the web page. The Christian Sentinel referred to Osteen as the Prosperity Gospel’s cover boy. Osteen’s home was valued at more than $1 ¼ million dollars. These are his ministry goals according to the Sentinel’s listing of Osteen’s sermon titles: ENLARGE YOUR VISION HOLDING ONTO YOUR DREAMS FINANCIAL PROSPERITY HOW VALUABLE YOU ARE IN GOD'S EYES OVERCOMING THE GREATEST HINDRANCE TO HEALING DEVELOPING MIRACLE-WORKING FAITH FAITH TO CHANGE YOUR WORLD BELIEVE GOD FOR THE GREATER WORKS DO ALL YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE LIVING A LIFE OF EXCELLENCE DEVELOPING YOUR POTENTIAL The prosperity preachers are said to be doing well and believe that their brethren should keep on giving, according to the pleas that remain on websites and literature. Jonathan Walton a religion professor at the University of California spells out where they are right now,

“if you want to know where the prosperity preachers are during this time of economic turmoil, one need look no further than the same congregations and networks where they have always resided. Same theology, same sermons, and same results. If folks ever desired to hear a message of health and wealth, they desire it now. And as long as there is a dollar to be given, a prayer cloth to be sold, or a sermon series to sell that will “miraculously change your life,” there will be a prosperity preacher there to proclaim, “Get ready for your breakthrough!” Sadly, it’s the American way.”

The prosperity preachers, it appears, have a plan in place to survive the recession, but relative to grandiose living some of them have had to cut back a little on spending. In Minnesota, Mac Hammond, a high-profile prosperity preacher, has had to put his private business jet up for sale, the money to be raised to be used for the ministry. Perhaps, as some question, the plan ahead for some of the prosperity preachers involves as much preying as praying, as Jim and Tammy Baker once proved and the critics declare. It will be up to the followers to decide whether to follow or to find other paths, as there remains more than one point of view about spiritual direction in an economic crisis.