In the May 19th article, Black Church Memberships Increase-Offerings Decrease by Hazel Edney, Bishop Noel Jones, pastor of the 17,000-member City of Refuge Church in Los Angeles makes profound statements concerning the prosperity gospel’s negative effect on the current economic crisis and the decline in church giving. I truly appreciate his comments. I have heard Noel Jones warn audiences on several occasions over the past six years about the negative effects of the prosperity gospel. It was his willingness to do that that helped change how I saw him, eventhough as he has said, he runs in those circles. I have been praying for his ministry. I have said for some time, that if only certain preachers would repent from prosperity preaching, they would make great expositors of sound biblical doctrine. I hope they are listening to their colleague now.
Below is an excerpt from the article:
In addition to scriptures, tangible know-how to correct and add balance to some of what has been taught in churches over the years will be key, says Bishop Noel Jones, pastor of the 17,000-member City of Refuge in Los Angeles, which he says is down only 6-10 percent on income.Jones says unbalanced teachings in the church are partially to blame for the crisis.
“We have endured 25 years of health, wealth and prosperity preaching and the prophet should have told us that we were going to be in this kind of situation and circumstance since they have such prophetic words,” Jones says. “What happens is the church has capitalized the gospel and we have preached Americanism for gospel and ultimately we ended up crashing because there is no credulity and authenticity in the whole presentation.”
He continues, “The only people who were making any real money were those who were expostulating the theology that left the psychology that debilitated the minds of those who were involved. The debilitation is that everybody expected to bring an offering in church and just get rich though nobody participated and partnered with God. Because at the end of the day nobody receives a check in an envelope postmarked from heaven.
It’s your participation that makes it happen…The ministry and the preachers have taken so much money from the church and lived lavish lifestyles. We need to put something back. We need to equip our people. As James puts it, very explicitly, ‘Faith without works is dead’. We co-create, we perpetuate God’s creation by functioning responsibly.”
Jones said many Christians have basically lived on credit and owned nothing.
“So, what everybody was talking about as God’s blessing was people living on credit. And the Bible says that the borrower is subject to the lender. So, Christian America simply joined the capitalistic bandwagon - and in the name of God - articulated a theology that has no credulity.”
Read two of several related posts on this blog:
He continues, “The only people who were making any real money were those who were expostulating the theology that left the psychology that debilitated the minds of those who were involved. The debilitation is that everybody expected to bring an offering in church and just get rich though nobody participated and partnered with God. Because at the end of the day nobody receives a check in an envelope postmarked from heaven.
It’s your participation that makes it happen…The ministry and the preachers have taken so much money from the church and lived lavish lifestyles. We need to put something back. We need to equip our people. As James puts it, very explicitly, ‘Faith without works is dead’. We co-create, we perpetuate God’s creation by functioning responsibly.”
Jones said many Christians have basically lived on credit and owned nothing.
“So, what everybody was talking about as God’s blessing was people living on credit. And the Bible says that the borrower is subject to the lender. So, Christian America simply joined the capitalistic bandwagon - and in the name of God - articulated a theology that has no credulity.”
Read two of several related posts on this blog:
I Fold At A Hundredfold!
Bishop Noel Jones: Word of Faith Theology Crippling the Black Church
Remember, it is not Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves!
We reap what we sow, what goes up must come down, and other spiritual or physical laws apply to this deceptive theology. The Prosperity Gospel may have been the largest Ponzi scam in history. I agree wholeheartedly with Bishop Jones that it is time now to give back rather than take. That is our current mission.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the article great read...God will never forsake the righteous nor will their seed be begging for bread... When people have the RIGHT MOTIVES for serving and giving to God, then they will see Him take care of them and lead them to the next level in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree, when we are serving God for HIS purposes and not for our own greed, then He will be faithful to provide us our every need! Bishop Noel preached a GREAT sermon on Sunday also talking about how God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus all have different functions operating in our lives and when we submit it ALL to them then they will guide and lead us to our destiny which was written before the foundations of time! GREAT PREACHING BISHOP!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank God for Bishop Jones for speaking the truth. I really think that he should preach this more and go deeper into it. This prosperity doctrine is causing many to walk away from the gospel.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. People are lossing jobs, homes, cars, and I keep hearing that people should keep giving despite their loss, and the church will not be affected by the recession. But people are being affected and its time for church to give back and help folks out.
ReplyDeleteWell I just happen to run acrross the article and the comments are diverse.
ReplyDeleteToday is Nov 02-2009 Santa Monica CA-West -LA
Just wanted to share tat for me to stay true and at peace with the Holy Spirit within, God has died for all sinnerrs to have opportunity to become bor again. Souls Souls Souls are at stake What color are souls??? Some of life pratical challenges are more uniquickly manifesting within our African/American-Black-Brown communities for sure. (within the church and outside) However I agree with the Holy Spirit's leading The Honorable Bishop Noel Jones in that sermon in which I have been present on several occasions to hear.An interresting note is for so many people to run and tag along as if it wasn't them #1. #2 there were also plenty of born again believers, church-goers,spectators whom welcomed anyone offering them a quick fix rather than some isolated heart-filled soul searching in the word and humbleness. There spirits were and some still are, open to GIVE IT TO ME NOW. All will prosper for it is th e written word. We will not however get there the same route. With this being said, some that are maturing will need to admit that they didn't do there praticl parts to create relationships that would be fruitful, benefical and prosperous. There are others whom should be mature and seasoned enough i n th word, the Holy Spirit and Humilty that can attest that evreybody will not be Billionaries nor Millionaires finacially no matter how faithful they are to Our Lord and with ere tithes and offerings etc. It's just just going to be some professed born again believers TRUTH. What is prosperity to you all is the real thruth. The way you trully answer this question with your whole heart is the real you! Some of us might want to try some more THANK YOU MY LORD FOR LOVINVG ME SAVING ME AND PUTTING UP WITH THE WICKEDNESS OF MY THOUGHTS AND MY HEART!!! Try giving good gifts to others just because you are His child and you want it noted that you are just like your ABBA FATHER! Try forgiving because it's the word and your really seeking truth! Try OBEDIENCE! TRY LOVING GOD, OBEYING GOD TRUSTING GOD,for these are some true elements of prosperity. You will have more because finances alone will soon run its course, then WHAT! BALANCE MY CHILDREN! Can you honestlt handle a sudden unexpexted-exspected large some of finances right now??? For How long? What amount what it take for God to show you that your prosperrous in your eyes??? What do you really want form the LORD. What if He did it right now, but told you you had 30 days before you wer going home? How important would the money be, the worrying over when is the LOrd going to bless-your way of ofcourse. God is just and faithful. If He gave it to even the down low- wishing they had big money believers right Now, Would that change how loved you are??? Recieve Him because He is God and don't be jealous and hate on others whom God has risen up. Do you know what they have sacrificed and suffered through to be in a position to reive that which you secretly wishing you had???? NO YOU DO NOT. Unless you are willing to suffer with Him How can you reign with Him? there is in deed a properous place for us all in our respected position s in the natural and spirit. I oly pray that in your private time that you, me. we always examine our Hearts!!! Go love someone today! Bless someone everyday just because lovers give!!! Love you Much in a welcoming way!
Your sis
Prophetess Nele
Good afternoon,
ReplyDeleteMy name is David Rivera and I have received a revelation from the Lord. I am a very big skeptic when it comes to making money on the internet, but I have to be honest with you... one day I was searching google for an assignment I had and my little sister (she is just 5 years old) accidentally typed gdi on the keyboard. So I decided to check this out, since I am always comfirming if the Lord is speaking in any way. And you know what I found? Well, surely something that was very obvious that it was from God.
For a while I had been praying that God might show me a way in which I could be financialy independant so that I am not the slave of anybody in this world but only of Himself.
So this GDI company was selling domain names for just $10 every month. This meant that I could finally start my own website for college at a very low price, without any ads, and I could also preach the Lord there.
But the best thing of all was not this, but the fact that it had an affilliate group. I could refer people interested on having a website and they would pay me $1 for each of them, and the people the refer down a line five levels deep.
So I believe this comes from the Lord, because I know I have a lot of power in the Christian community where I live, so that I can be of an impact to their lives, economically and on their specific ministry.
And I believe that although you do not need a website, you have a lot of followers in your ministry, so you can truly refer a lot of people, and that would benefit all of us. This truly comes from the Lord.
I want you to consider this and please e-mail me as soon as possible so that I can know what is in your mind.
Thank you for your time and may God bless your ministry and prosper us all.
Please think about this. You can come here http://www.website.ws/bisongolo if you want a more in deph explanation of the system God revealed to me. Again, thank you.
You brother in faith,
David Rivera