Prosperity Gospel
The belief that faith, positive speech, and donations lead to material wealth and health
What Is It?
The prosperity gospel (also known as the 'health and wealth gospel') teaches that God wants all believers to be materially rich and physically healthy. It claims that faith, positive confession, and financial 'seed' giving will unlock divine blessings of wealth and healing. This teaching contradicts Jesus' warnings about wealth, the apostles' teachings on contentment, and the reality that godly believers often suffer (2 Timothy 3:12). It turns God into a cosmic vending machine and replaces the gospel of salvation from sin with a gospel of material acquisition.
Key Errors
- Equates faith with material prosperity
- Teaches that poverty is a sign of weak faith or sin
- Uses 'seed faith' manipulation to extract money
- Ignores biblical teachings on suffering
- Replaces Christ-centered gospel with man-centered benefits
Scripture Refutation
1 Timothy 6:9-10
“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.”
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
Luke 6:20, 24
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God... But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”
2 Corinthians 8:9
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
Hebrews 13:5
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”
Historical Context
The prosperity gospel emerged in mid-20th century America through teachers like E.W. Kenyon, Oral Roberts, and Kenneth Hagin. It gained massive popularity through televangelism in the 1980s and has since spread globally, particularly in developing nations where it exploits the poor with false promises of wealth.
Affiliated Teachers
- Joel Osteenfraudulent
- TD Jakesfraudulent
- Kenneth Copelandfraudulent
- Joyce Meyerfraudulent
- Brian Houstonfraudulent
- Creflo Dollarfraudulent
- John Avanzinifraudulent
- Jesse Duplantisfraudulent
- Kenneth Haginfraudulent
- Michael Toddfraudulent
- Juanita Bynumfraudulent
- Bill Winstonfraudulent
- Jonathan Shuttlesworthfraudulent
- Keith Moorefraudulent
- Jeremy Pearsonsfraudulent
- Nancy Dufresnefraudulent
- Keith Butlerfraudulent
- Mike Murdockfraudulent
Continue Your Research
Explore more doctrines and learn to discern truth from error using Scripture.