LOL. This program on cable just said that Jesus has a lay away plan and that you get your blessings after you've paid 1,000 dollars. LOL. "Put down 50 today and plant the seed for 1,000 dollars and your blessings".
This was my response:
nothing like the prosperity gospel :/
a lot of those people asking for money genuinely believe that people who give to them generously will also reap generously.
i'm most bothered by the fact that these ministries place unreasonable financial burdens on people who aren't really able to afford such a level of giving. I'm also bothered by the fact that these ministries encourage ppl to give solely (most of the time) so that they can have tenfold (or whatever multiple) returned to them.
Christians are called to be Christ-like. Christ gave sacrifically, but he gave expecting nothing in return. Giving with expectation for yourself is nothing more than spiritualizing the human heart's natural tendency to selfishness.
maybe the thing that bothers me most is the fact that these ministries don't practice this same level of giving - but rather they build businesses like the "holy land experience" and live lavish lives. If they genuinely believed that God would bless their giving tenfold, they would be traveling the country and the world seeking to financially bless those who are truly in need with their largess. Every episode would be one of praise to God for how they were able to use what he blessed them with to give "person x" money to afford their groceries and medication for the next 5 years.
i don't want to write these ppl off from the jump (b/c i honestly don't know their hearts), but what seems so logical and most "naturally flowing from the gospel" for me seems to have eluded them.
another opportunity to pray
