By Pr. Molino Binywasiki.
It is important to first understand what the observers mean by the Prosperity Message, especially the critics. How do they define it? I am going to provide two definitions which will act as a scope for our analysis.
Definition 1
This views the Prosperity Message as that message that calls people to come to Jesus so they can become rich. This view says, with Jesus, you will be rich. It goes ahead and provides holy objects as pipes through which riches shall be channeled, such as holy rice, holy water, holy bread, etc. There is a mediation of riches through holy hands from pastors, participation in holy activities for riches, activities like, carrying the cross, wearing the cross on one’s body and fasting. All this with a purpose of acquiring blessings to provide riches. Indulging in holy giving as a source of riches, like giving tithe and offerings even observing holy days with a goal of acquiring blessings to make you rich, holy days like, Sabbath, Sunday, and Friday. All this is prosperity message because it involves providing holy objects to mediate God’s blessing to become rich.
Definition 2
This views the Prosperity Message as the teaching of the worshipers, encouraging, challenging, eye-opening and equipping them to become rich. In this, the pastor is always awakening his audience to start seeing the opportunities God has laid around them and get those riches. Here, one doesn’t have to have any holy water, holy bread, observe any holy day or give any tithe to be rich. One becomes rich because he has decided to be rich.
Now, let us begin analysis starting with definition 1.
It is true, at one time God used to be perceived as if he is manifested in holy objects, in this case, the Old Testament (OT) provides many illustrations, where buildings, people, rocks, water are reported as mediating God’s blessing, but as God’s revelation progresses in the OT, holy things were no more. This is one of the gists of the revelation provided by one of the most brilliant prophets (if not the most brilliant) in the OT, Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 10:18-19 illustrates God’s glory departing from holy objects (the temple in this case). God can never be locked up in holy buildings and holy objects, Ezekiel says Yahweh fleed and left the holy container. The new testament worsens the situation and completes the revelation when Gospel writers report that at Jesus’s death, the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom(Matthew 27:21, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:25).
God is now accessible to everyone, everyone can touch him, you don’t need holy hands to touch you to be rich, you don’t need holy water or to observe a holy day to be rich. If there is any favor and opportunity God gives for one to be rich, he gives to everyone freely.
Definition 2 is quite interesting. Here a pastor is wise, he/she acknowledges the poverty among his flock and his responsibility to teach and give the wisdom to break the poverty mindsets so people can practically by strategizing begin to be rich.
Biblical theology supports and has no problem with teaching people to become rich, for poverty is one of the enslavement of man, man is still failing to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:22). To advance and fill the three firmaments that God created (space, land, and sea), and instructed man to fill.
The idea here is basically to be rich, poverty is therefore from this context man’s cause, man’s invention.
Isn’t it plausible, therefore, that some churches have decided to concentrate on educating their audiences on how to become rich? Shouldn’t the youth fill up such churches? And why would a trained professional (clergy/pastor), ignore such an important need. God is not to be disassociated with wealth.
The author of Genesis makes it clear, man has been blessed by his creator to be rich (Genesis 1:22). There is no abomination in teaching people to become rich. In fact, in this case, keeping people ignorant on how to run out of poverty is an abomination to our creator.
The pastors who teach the prosperity message as defined by definition 1. are ignorant of the revelation of God in Jesus. They hold an incomplete revelation to think God can be mediated in holy objects like buildings, water, rice, bread or a human hand placed on one’s head. Their audiences are therefore to be pitied. They are sheep without a Shepherd with knowledge.
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24) 