Piper on “Prosperity Preaching”

Dr. John Piper writes on “Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly”. If you’ve been listening to and ingesting “prosperity” teaching, the teaching that God promises material and financial prosperity for those that have “faith” and “sow their seed”, then you need to read this.

The reason I’m especially exercised about “prosperity” teaching and preaching is because I am convinced it is a deadly cancer, a spiritual disease that happens to be growing unchecked within the Black Church. “Prosperity” has virtually overthrown the Gospel in many churches and ministries, so much so that I believe souls are in eternal danger. Remember, someone who is financially broke and sick can still get to heaven; but you won’t get to heaven without the Gospel:

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Remember, also, this warning from God through His apostle:

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:3-10).