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Megachurch Preacher Creflo Dollar Says 'There's No Such Thing as the Prosperity Gospel;' Says 'Money in My Pocket … It's God's'
By Leonardo Blair , Christian Post Reporter
April 20, 2015|8:21 amAfter coming under fire for asking 200,000 people to donate $300 or more each to raise $65 million to help his ministry purchase a luxury jet last month, popular televangelist Creflo Dollar, who is widely reported to be worth an estimated $27 million, has declared that "there is no such thing as the prosperity gospel" and the money in his pocket belongs to God.
"When we talk about prosperity, and people say it's the prosperity gospel, there is no such thing as the prosperity gospel, it's the gospel of grace. The money in my pocket is not mine, it's God's," said Dollar, in a promotional clip for an episode of "Your World With Creflo" where he speaks with pastor Gregory Dickow of Life Changers International Church.
"It came from Him. He is the source behind everything we have that is good. He loves to be trusted; He loves to be the one that you lean on. He loves to be the one that you rely on and He wants to be the one that you lean on and rely on first," continued Dollar in the clip.
The popular Atlanta, Georgia-based preacher who turned 53 in January, is recognized around the world as one of the most popular preachers of the prosperity gospel that promotes the notion that Jesus wants his followers to be wealthy. It is a controversial concept that religion scholar Reza Aslan has described as a "profoundly unscriptural" interpretation of Jesus.
"The argument of the prosperity gospel, if I can put it flippantly, is that Jesus wants you to drive a Bentley. That is basically what the argument is. That what Jesus wants for you is material prosperity, and that if you literally give, you will literally be given tenfold. That's not a metaphor, as it is in most churches. It is literal. You give me $10 and Jesus will give you $100," said Aslan, speaking at the 2014 Indian Summer Festival in Vancouver about his book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.
"I mean, if there is one thing that is just so clear cut and just not open to interpretation at all of any kind when it comes to Jesus' message, it is His condemnation of wealth," he noted.
"And yet, not only does this version of Christianity exist, as I say, it is honestly the fastest growing version of Protestant evangelical Christianity in North America. That's because Jesus can be whatever you want Him to be, and the Christian message can be whatever you want it to be," he added.
In his messages, Dollar condemns poverty as ungodly.
"Poverty is not the will of God for any believer. However, there are Christians who have taken a 'vow of poverty' because they believe that poverty is a part of being holy and righteous. This is far from the truth," he said in an article on his website titled "Your Inheritance of Wealth and Riches."
"Poverty has nothing to do with godliness, or God — likeness. To be poor, or impoverished, means, 'to be without; in lack; deprived.' You and I don't serve a God of lack and insufficiency. He is the God of the exceeding and the abundant. In fact, He wants to lavish you with His goodness (Ephesians 3:20)," he said.
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Creflo Dollar
Slams Critics: 'If I Want to Believe God for a $65 Million Plane, You Cannot
Stop Me'
http://www.christianpost.com/news/creflo-dollar-slams-critics-if-i-want-to-believe-god-for-a-65-million-plane-you-cannot-stop-me-138010/
Televangelist Creflo Dollar postures as he rips critics for talking about his appeal for million from the public to purchase a luxury jet for his ministry.
After coming under heavy criticism for asking the public for $65 million dollars to purchase a luxury airplane for his ministry last month, popular televangelist and founder of World Changers Church International Creflo Dollar responded in spectacular defiance in a recent message to his church declaring: "If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me."
"Let me tell you something about believing God — I can dream as long as I want to. I can believe God as long as I want to. If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me. You cannot stop me from dreaming," he said in a clip of the message posted on YouTube showing his congregants rising to their feet and cheering in approval.
"You cannot stop me from dreaming. I'm gon' dream until Jesus comes. And here's another thing I want you to understand. … If they discover life on Mars, if you think a $65 million plane was too much, if they discover that there's life on Mars, they gon' need to hear the Gospel and I'm gon' have to believe God for a billion dollar space shuttle because we got to preach the Gospel on Mars," he said.
"I dare you to tell me I can't dream. I dare you to tell me that I can't believe God. If I find Jesus, I'm gonna look at Jesus until it comes to pass, because with God all things are possible to him that believe. And so, I say to you, dream on. Dream on baby, don't dream on what you can have, dream about what the devil says you can't have. Dream for the best. Dream for the best healing. Dream for the best deliverance; dream for the best house. Dream for the best car. Just 'cause the world don't have it, doesn't mean you can't have it. You are the children of the Almighty God. Dream, dream," he told his adoring congregants.
Dollar explained earlier in the message that he felt led by the Spirit of God to address the issue of the plane and other rumors circulating about his life because his critics are determined to discredit his voice and his ministry .
Why Creflo Won't Be Getting My Dollars : After $65 Million Jet Flap, Kirk Franklin Questions Creflo Dollar's Character : 5 Reasons Creflo Dollar Shouldn’t Buy a New Jet
Worshiping mammon while pretending to serve Jesus Christ: When the mammon worshipper took cover: Prosperity Gospel Televangelist Creflo Dollar’s Plea for Help to Buy $65 Million Private Jet Removed After Backlash
Prosperity Gospel pimp preacher Creflo Dollar makes plea for $65M to buy new jet: Televangelist Creflo Dollar Needs 200,000 People to Donate $300 Each So He Can Buy $65M Ministry Plane
Prosperity Pastor Creflo Dollar Requests $65 Million To Buy New Luxury Jet
http://beginningandend.com/prosperity-pastor-creflo-dollar-requests-65-million-to-buy-new-luxury-jet/
March 17, 2015 By
Creflo Dollar needs the most expensive private jet in the world to “spread the Gospel.”
The G650 Project – Shilling For Millions
Pastor Dollar set up a special website specifically to raise cash for his G650 luxury jet campaign.
“…the G650 is the biggest, fastest, most luxurious, longest range and most technologically advanced jet — by far — that Gulfstream has ever built. ” (source).
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; – 1 Timothy 4:1-2.Dollar’s ministry set up a special website just to focus on “Project G650″ its name for its private jet scheme. The site has since been taken down in the wake of a media firestorm but Beginning and End was able to obtain much of the main text:
“The ministry’s current airplane, was built in 1984, purchased by the ministry in 1999 and has since logged four million miles. Recently on an overseas trip to a global conference, one of the engines failed. By the grace of God, the expert pilot, who’s flown with Creflo for almost 20 years, landed the plane safely without injury or harm to any passengers,”Here is the video Dollar’s ministry produced for the campaign:
“Due to this recent incident coupled with the 31 years the airplane has been in service, we believe it is time to replace this aircraft so that our Pastors and staff can continue to safely and swiftly share the Good News of the Gospel worldwide. Believe it or not, there are still millions of people on this planet who have never heard of Jesus Christ and know nothing of His greatness. Our hearts desire to see precious lives changed and snatched out of darkness and thrust into His marvelous light! We need your help to continue reaching a lost and dying world for the Lord Jesus Christ,” the appeal continued before asking supporters of the ministry to sow a $300 seed into the airplane fund, billed Project G650.
“The mission of Project G650 is to acquire a Gulfstream G650 airplane so that Pastors Creflo and Taffi and World Changers Church International can continue to blanket the globe with the Gospel of grace. We are believing for 200,000 people to give contributions of 300 US dollars or more to turn this dream into a reality — and allow us to retire the aircraft that served us well for many years,”
The G650 is the most expensive private jet in existence, with only several hundred manufactured to date. Bloomberg News referred to the G650 as “the holy grail” of private luxury jets and so exclusive that millionaires are “waiting in line” to purchase one. One financial website calls it “the ultimate symbol of wealth.” And this is the plane that Dollar feels is suitable in order to spread the Gospel. This all begs the question: why does a pastor even need a private jet? When questioned about why he could not fly commercial and spend significantly less of his followers’ money, Juda Engelmayer of 5W Public Relations in New York, which represents Creflo Dollar Ministries, said their significant cargo made the jet necessary.
“You’re missing the point. The plane is not so Creflo Dollar can get on by himself and fly. They take a ministry team of 10 to 15 people with them. They take thousands of pounds of food and provisions with them when they go around the world. If he’s coming to the New York church, he’ll hop on a Delta flight; if he’s taking 12 people plus 100,000 pounds of food, it’s not that simple,” Engelmayer explained.
A brief examination of the interior of the G650 shows that it is not a cargo plane built to carry goods and supplies:
The ministry claims the jet would be used to carry “100,000 pounds” of goods.
“The G650 MAX RAMP WEIGHT is 99,600# then add 4,000# for the G650ER. IT CANNOT CARRY 12 PEOPLE AND 1000,000 # OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES LIKE THE COMMENTER SAYS!!!! CREFLO IS A CROOK AND SCAMMIN (sic) HIS CHURCH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!” (source).
The Evil of The Prosperity Gospel
Maybe The Lord does. Maybe He does not. Money is no reflection of your faith.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. – 2 Peter 2:1-3.Beginning and End has provided extensive coverage of the heretical, extremely unbiblical “Prosperity Gospel.” It is a false teaching that is premised on two simple ideas: 1) God wants every Christian to be rich, successful, perfectly healthy and attractive and 2) a Christian secures that blessing by “sowing seeds” of money by paying it to a pastor as proof of their faith. Once the money is received, God will then bless that person with an even greater financial return on their investment. Of course none of this is in the Bible. The purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not turn a person into a multimillionaire flying around in a private jet. It is to save their souls from hell and the Lake of Fire.
The present world we live in is cursed by sin and doomed to destruction. Jesus Christ clarified this in John chapter 18:
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. – John 18:33-36.This current world is not the Kingdom of Christ. Christ will return and establish His Kingdom at the Second Coming. Christians should not focus on acquiring worldly possessions as the ultimate goal of God’s blessing. In fact, Jesus specifically commands true, Bible believing Christians not to put an emphasis on material gain:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. – Matthew 19:19-22.
One of Pastor Dollar’s mansions. “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, [whom] the LORD abhorreth.” – Psalm 10:3.
Rather than focus on eternal life and the forgiveness of sins that was won for every believer on the cross, Prosperity Gospel heretic false teachers preach a message that faith in God is the quickest way to start “living large” by wearing designer clothes, getting big paychecks and driving luxury vehicles. And these same pastors use themselves as proof of “God’s favor.” Creflo lives in a $3M Atlanta mansion, drives a Rolls Royce, in addition to his other properties (source). They actually flaunt their wealth to their congregation as “evidence” that they are “anointed” and receiving their “harvest.” Compare Jesus Christ own words above with the “Daily Confessions” on getting money from Pastor Dollar’s own website:
Like Joseph, I prosper wherever I go and in every situation I am in because the Lord is always with me. I, too, experience preferential treatment (Genesis 39:1-6, 21).These catch phrases which are not from the Bible but instead are just man-made slogans, demonstrate so much of what is wrong with Prosperity Gospel theology. By taking single verses out of context a Word of Faith heretic pastor then applies the verse to the congregation. This is not proper Biblical study. In the Bible there are descriptive passages – which detail historical events, and there are prescriptive passages, which directly speak to and command the reader. This distinction is critical to understanding the Bible.
I associate with those who are blessed and highly favored so that I may increase in every area of my life (Genesis 30:27).
I operate in integrity; as a result, I obtain favor from God (Proverbs 11:27; 12:2).
Because I am God’s “favorite,” I prosper in every area of my life-spiritually, physically, financially, socially and mentally (3 John 2).
Because the favor of God shields me, no sickness or disease has a right to live in my body (Deuteronomy 7:15; Psalm 5:12).
Wealth and riches are in my house because I am empowered with His anointing and favor to draw wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18; Psalm 112:3). (source).
For example, in the book of Genesis we read:
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.” (Genesis 6:14-15).If a pastor came to the pulpit on Sunday, read that passage and said: “Now I want everyone to go home and build an ark with the exact directions that God commands us to!” would that be a correct teaching? Are all Christians required to build an ark? Of course not. In that passage, the Bible is describing an historical event – namely, The Lord speaking directly to Noah about the global flood judgment and building the ark to preserve humanity and animals to restart the population. It was not a command for all Christians to construct a sea vessel and to teach it that way would be ripping it out of its context. Yet this is precisely what Word of Faith, “Name it and Claim” it pastors do every week in their sermons to millions of followers all over the world.
In Genesis 30:27, Jacob was living with Laban and working for him for a time in order to marry Rachel. As heir to the Abrahamic covenant, Jacob was indeed blessed. He was a part of the Messianic bloodline that would lead to the Messiah – The Lord Jesus Christ. Soon Jacob had served his time working for Laban and wanted to return to his homeland. Laban, recognizing God working in the life of Jacob said: “…I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.” (Genesis 30:27). Jacob was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. He received the name “Israel” from God, a sign that he had saving faith in The Lord. So yes, he was indeed blessed. And Laban as his host, was also receiving blessings in the 14 years Jacob lived with him. This is the context of this verse.
In his “faith confessions” Creflo Dollar writes: “I associate with those who are blessed and highly favored so that I may increase in every area of my life (Genesis 30:27).” That verse was not a universal principle that associating and being friendly with those who are “blessed and highly favored” will increase your salary, bank account and social status. It was a historical passage describing Laban’s blessing. This is the trick and deception of Dollar and many false teachers. They use Scriptures out of context and speak with such emotion, passion and charisma, that it “feels” like they are truly preaching God’s Word. In fact, they are twisting it for shameful gain.
False pastors make themselves the star, and not Jesus Christ.
It is Christ who has accomplished all, not us. Bible believing Christians only deserve Hell and the Lake of Fire for the thousands of sins we have committed (this author definitely included). Every blessing a Christian receives is through grace – the underserved favor of God: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God..” (Romans 3:23-25).
A Christian is forgiven or “justified” by the sacrifice of Christ. God’s blessings are not earned. They are given because a born again Christian is given the privilege of receiving the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and thus their sins are forgiven. The many Christians who are today in prison cells for their faith, or tortured for witnessing the Gospel or killed for holding a Bible study are not somehow “unfavored” or “weak in faith” Christians. Christians dealing with illness are not “inferior.” The Bible guarantees no worldly, material prosperity. Our riches, health and prosperity are spiritual until Christ’s eternal Kingdom which all Christians will in fact inherit. But false teachers preach that if you are not making big money today, your faith must be weak. And they point to their own mansions, designer shoes and Bentley luxury cars to back up their claims of their being “blessed and highly favored.”
This is precisely what the Bible prophesied in 2 Peter chapter 2, which goes in depth about the mentality of false, pseudo-Christian pastors who have infiltrated the church:
But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; – 2 Peter 2:12-15.
The Rolls Royce is a “must have” for megachurch false pastors.
This disgusting display hits on Dollar’s main emphasis: tithing. The tithe, which was a part of the Mosaic law, does not apply to Christians today. Just as Christians do not have to perform temple sacrifices, observe the numerous rituals for cleansing one’s body or go to Jerusalem for Passover, the tithe is not a requirement. Christians are told to give as the Holy Spirit leads:
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:7.Notice the verse above says that giving should not be “of necessity”. The tithe in the Old Testament was indeed a necessity – it was a mandatory tax to support the temple. In the Prosperity Gospel the tithe is supposedly, a sign of one’s faith. This heresy teaches people that their work “earns” God’s blessing. This is the exact opposite of the Biblical Gospel that teaches a person can do NOTHING to save themselves – it is the sacrifice Jesus Christ made by laying His own life down and dying on the cross that paid the debt for a believer’s sin and earned all the blessings Christians receive. Ephesians chapter 2 explains this succinctly:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9.Dollar puts such an emphasis on tithing in order to compel and guilt his followers into paying him that he even threatened his congregation with a sermon about his secret desire to shoot and execute followers who do not pay him their tithes. He says as much in the first 2 minutes of this video:
What spirit is leading a man who is so obsessed with money that he would speak this way? Is it a spirit of God or the doctrine of demons? 1 Timothy chapter 6 goes into more detail about money hungry, worldly minded false pastors like Dollar:
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. – 1 Timothy 6:4-11.In past articles, Beginning and End has chronicled the excesses of Prosperity Gospel false pastors. Kong Hee of City Harvest Church in Singapore spent over $20 million dollars of church tithes to fund his wife’s secular hip hop career, including music videos where the pastor’s wife was scantily clad and gyrating in homosexual dances. Houston pastor I.V. Hilliard also sent a special request to his followers to “sow a seed” for transportation money to fund a new helicopter for the church. This after the pastor threw a birthday party for his wife in which he charged church members $100 to attend and gave specific instructions on what gifts were to be given, down to the name brands of the designer hand bags the “First Lady” deserved for her special day. The Hilliards live in a 7 building, 30 bedroom, 36 bathroom palatial compound and of course own a private jet.
Pray For The Modern Church
Our true riches are in Heaven, not here on Earth.
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. – Jude 1:3-4.The fact that anyone takes false heretic preachers like Dollar seriously is a clear indication that much of the church is destined for the prophesied falling away from the faith in the end times. It is time for pastors to speak out not just against Creflo Dollar and Prosperity Gospel heretics, but the many other false teachers who twist and pervert the Bible with corrupt messages for personal gain.
Pray for Dollar to not just remove his website but to repent of all the ungodly, demonic teaching he has been spreading all over the world for decades. And for the many hundreds of thousands of his followers to read and learn the Biblical Gospel and reject false teaching. It is because there is so little emphasis on studying Scripture and its ultimate authority in the church, that so many attendees are captivated by men who teaching messages so blatantly contradictory to the Bible. If you are a Christian or attending a church that preaches in this manner, please, read your Bibles. Listen to the clear words of Jesus Christ which command us to store treasures in Heaven not in Earth. Rebuke and depart from anyone teaching such blatant false teaching. And understand that faith comes from the heart, not your bank account.
Prosperity Pastor Creflo Dollar: Abusing the Gospel
June 26, 2012 By
Guilty as charged: Creflo Dollar has abused sounds Biblical doctrine.
When critiquing a pastor, it is important to distinguish their doctrine from accusations of misbehavior or criminal activity. This site has no judgment or opinion on the accusations against Dollar until the facts come to light in a court of law. However, Beginning and End strongly opposes the false gospel preached by Dollar. Dollar’s theology is primarily based on this idea: that by giving money to his ministry as a “tithe” the giver is demonstrating faith that will connect to an automatic material blessing from God. He bases this primarily on Genesis 14, where Abraham, the forefather of the nation of Israel (who at the time was called Abram, his original name before God renamed him), had just launched a successful military rescue of his nephew Lot and gave a tithe of the spoils of war to the High Priest Melchizidek:
“And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” — Genesis 14:17-20.According to Dollar, since Abram gave the tithe, he was immediately blessed by the High Priest and thus all people should give 10% of their income to his church to receive their blessings. As we covered in our article on the false teachings of Prosperity Preacher Joel Osteen, Dollar also teaches the heresy that God is in Heaven waiting to bless us but He cannot bestow a blessing until the tithe “activates” Him. Nowhere in the Bible was Abram commanded, as a principle, to give 10% of his “increase” to the Lord every week. He chose to do this one time act in faith and thanks to God for the victory in battle. What Pastor Dollar leaves out is that by this time, God had already blessed Abram. Additionally, this was not Abram’s income, it was the spoils of war. Reading a little more in the chapter reveals that Abram did not even want the spoils and gave all of the remaining 90% to the King of Sodom.
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.Abram did not even want these goods that belonged to his enemies. He was leaning and trusting on The Lord to provide for him and nothing else. An idea echoed by Jesus Christ below.
Misusing the Bible for Financial Gain
Christianity is all about faith in Jesus Christ. Not “the Benjamins.”
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” — Matthew 7:16.In the video below, Dollar rips scripture out of context to once again put the focus on money:
The first sign that this is going to be a questionable sermon is that Dollar only quotes from the last two verses of a chapter in the Bible without giving the proper context of the rest of the chapter. This is a classic technique used intentionally and unintentionally by Pastors all over the world to appear that they are making a “Biblical” point because it is very easy to use Bible verses out of context to make any kind of point. When studying scripture and understanding the Bible, context is very important to fully grasp what The Lord is communicating. The verses Dollar cites are:
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. — Deuteronomy 30:19-20The context of Deuteronomy 30 is that God had finished giving the law to Moses to teach the people of Israel. In chapters 28 and 29, The Lord outlines the numerous blessings the nation of Israel would receive for following God’s commandments, along with warnings of curses. Israel was God’s chosen nation to deliver His law to the world. They were to be a shining example of what Godly living on Earth was to be. This came with great responsibility. Since they had the benefit of direct communication with God Almighty, the Israelites were held to a high standard before The Lord. And the earthly, material rewards they received were a product of meeting that special responsibility and sign to the world that God was with them (and would bless other nations as well if they followed Israel’s example). But the most important aspect of Israel’s relationship with God was their faith. In verses 17 and 18, the 2 verses right before Dollar’s quote, the Bible states:
But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.Christianity starts in the heart – with faith. That was God’s final and most important warning. So when God gets to that verses 19 and 20 He is talking about life and death as a result of choosing to believe in the God of the Bible or the false gods of the sinful world. If Israel was going to rebel against God they were going to be destroyed and spiritually lost. But if they had faith, they would reach the Promised Land and be saved. Dollar uses this verse to compare “life and death” to “prosperity and poverty” and tells his audience: “it’s your choice. God won’t make the decision for you.” This passage has nothing to do with “choosing wealth.” It is about faith in God. And then of course, it all comes back to tithing. Dollar says tithing “is the key to Kingdom empowerment. It is the master key..” He then explains that tithing gives a blessing to “have success above and beyond your natural abilities in every arena of life.” The problem here is that none of this is in the Bible. Like Joel Osteen and other false prophets, Dollar misuses the Bible to turn it into a “you can be a success!” book. The bible is about eternal success, not prosperity in the present world. Yet the prosperity Gospel brings it all back to money. It wrongly teaches that it is the tithe that brings blessings. It is the tithe that brings “anointing.” It makes money the key to bring the Kingdom of God.
The Christian life is led by Jesus and what He wants for your life.
Jesus said:
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and [money]”. – Matthew 6:19-24.Does this sound anything like the Prosperity Gospel? The current world is not Jesus’ Kingdom and Christians do not have to focus on material wealth here. The Bible says to not be concerned about money and the prosperity Gospel says “it’s all about money.” Jesus says you cannot serve God and money. The Prosperity Gospel says God cannot act to bless you until you have given money. The true Gospel says Jesus did all the work to earn eternal life, forgiveness and all the blessings a Christian receives. Creflo Dollar says that is on the shoulders of the Christian to not have any strife, envy or unforgiveness in their life in order for the Kingdom of God to operate. What Dollar is preaching is a false Gospel of works. It is requiring the believer to do numerous actions to make God act as opposed to simple faith and God blessing us out of love, not because “we earned it and he owes us.” This is a critical concept to understand. A Christian receives salvation by the belief in their heart, not by any actions. It is faith in the work Jesus Christ did on the cross that leads to eternal life, where all the greatest blessings reside. We are blessed not because we have tried so hard and have been so faithful but because Jesus has earned us those blessings.
Todd Friel of Wretched TV explains more of Dollar’s heresy in this video where cash is literally being thrown at the pulpit.
This embarrassing, awful display shows the heart of Dollar’s ministry: it is money-centered. Clearly this pushing the audience to covetousness. It is making faith all about getting “straight cash.” This is an unbiblical heresy. 1 Timothy 6 says:
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.Clearly, the sermon above is promoting the love of money. And it is wrongly promoting that “faith equals money blessings from God”, which is the exact opposite of what the Bible says. Christians are taught to be content at whatever economic status they happen to be at. And that being content is “godliness.”
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Here is dollar during a sermon at Sunday service, fantasizing about wanting to shoot people who do not pay him their tithes.
Jesus never tithed in the Bible. The disciples never tithed. The Apostles never tithed. Tithing is only mentioned once in the New Testament and that is when Jesus was criticizing the Pharisees for their false piety. The New Testament scripture on giving is clear: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of [out of compulsion]: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7). The tithe in the Old Testament supported the Levitical priesthood, the operation of the temple and provided for national feasts on Holy Days. There is no such command in the New Testament for Christians to tithe. Christian giving should be Spirit-led and done, in joy and not because we are forced to.Yet Dollar is preaching death to non-tithers.
Here Dollar says tithing can even lead to an unsaved person getting saved.
The Bible says: “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” It is the word that gives faith and Jesus who saves those believe in Him, not tithing.
Prosperity Gospel in the Family: Creflo Dollar’s Record Label
Dria Dolla, Creflo’s daughter and artist on his record label, flashing a Satanic hand sign.
While the there are disputed details about what happened at Dollar’s house on the night in question, there is no debate that Dollar is spreading the prosperity message in his family. Pastor Dollar is the owner of Arrow Records (a subsidiary of Universal Music Group), a record label that makes Gospel and secular music. Dria Dollar, the Pastor’s daughter (this is not the daughter who alleged abuse) is an artist on the label and her music is full of the same love of money, flaunting of material wealth and foul language you would find in any hip hop video. Here is her video for “Rack City” (B&E: “Rack City” is a slang term for making a lot of money)”
In addition to bragging about her wealthy lifestyle, private jets and throwing money in the air just for fun, some of the lyrics included:
Don’t try to get on my level
thirsty hoes on my — somebody pass me a bottle.
Until you meet me you don’t know what rich is…
I’m feeling good nothing on my wishlist
not to mention all these diamonds on my necklace,
I see them Ni— slobbing hoping they can get this..”
What needs to be remembered is that this not the product of a “rebellious teen” doing something crazy without her parent’s knowledge. Dollar’s daughter is one of the main artists being promoted by his Arrow Records label. Why would any Pastor promote music like this much less from his own children?
The Bible gives the qualifications for a man to become a pastor:
This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a [pastor], he desireth a good work. A [pastor] then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?). – 1 Timothy 3.From Dollar’s doctrine that is complete focused on money, excess and material gain, we know that he is teaching and preaching his flock to be covetous. And filthy lucre is the fuel of the prosperity Gospel – namely manipulating the Bible to make money.
Continue to pray for Dollar and his family to recover from this incident (once the legal process has properly run its course) and repent of a money-focused false teaching. The tithe is not the “Master Key” in Scripture. There is only one key, one Door and one Way – Jesus Christ The Lord. All salvation, blessings and riches come through our belief and faith in Jesus Christ, not in our own ability to give over 10% of our earnings to a ministry. If you are a follower of this doctrine, consider what Jesus says instead:
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. — John 6:31-34.
“Jesus was rich!” – The Prosperity Gospel Strikes Again
May 12, 2011 By
CNN has a new piece on the prosperity gospel and pastors proclaiming that Jesus was a wealthy mogul during his First Coming to Earth. So the logic of the “Prosperity Gospel” we as followers of Jesus should expect to be rich as well. Now the Bible does not go to great lengths to explain Jesus’ financial situation. We never even see Him buy anything. But that is not the real issue. There is nothing wrong with having money or material wealth, just like there is nothing inherently righteous in being poor. The key point here is where as Christians should place our focus. And the pastors of the Prosperity Gospel are directing it towards wealth and receiving. So let’s look to the Words of Jesus about focusing on wealth:
Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
1 Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
Here the Bible states that we are not to be focused on material gain and that any preacher who is not teaching the words of Jesus Christ and the doctrines according to godliness (the Holy Scripture) is someone not to be followed. He then goes on to lists flaws with these false preachers and among them is that they suppose “that gain is godliness.” This is the Prosperity Gospel. It is diverting the Christian from serving The Lord and drawing it towards the Holy Spirit serving us in the form of material items and wealth.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
The Bible instructions the Christian to let their “conversation be without covetousness.” The word conversation here means your lifestyle or general behavior and it should not involve constant desire. The Prosperity Gospel makes desire one of the main principles of living as faith of the believer is constantly being directed towards obtaining material wealth or items. Again, there is nothing wrong with praying for provision and believing that The Lord will provide for you today, in the world. But at the same time we should be content with our current situation and know that no matter what highs we reach or what depths we sink to, God Almighty is there with us, helping, providing and caring for us.
