Podcasts about prosperity gospel

How can we handle "alternative lifestyle" issues in church with grace? Why are so many Old Testament believers rich? Why did God stop making people rich? Why does James say teachers will incur a stricter judgment if there's no condemnation for us in Christ?

Rick Morton sits down with Pastor Rafael Kajjubi of King Jesus Church in Busega, Uganda, a longtime friend and ministry partner of Lifeline Children's Services. Rafael shares his story of growing up in the aftermath of civil war and the AIDS crisis, his early exposure to the prosperity gospel, and the years of searching, from Dubai to London to the United States, that led him back home with a conviction to build something real.That conviction took root in Busega, a forgotten community on the edge of Kampala, where Rafael and King Jesus Church began reaching children who were deaf and had been cast aside by their families and culture. What started as a school for four children grew into a thriving church and community, built through an unlikely partnership with Lifeline's founder, Herbie Newell, who asked Rafael one simple question that changed everything.This conversation is a picture of what it looks like when a local church and an outside partner walk together with humility, patience, and a shared commitment to the gospel.Learn more about Lifeline Children's Services at lifelinechild.org.

Professor, author, and podcast host Kate Bowler joins Sam to talk about her new book Joyful Anyway, and what the difference between joy and happiness really is. They talk about why happiness is circumstantial but joy is big and bright and hits your reward system. They talk about the Prosperity Gospel, Christian amusement parks, and what on earth the Pope must be feeling right now. They talk about taking wisdom from Taylor Swift, an aversion to gardening, and the need to sometimes take a walk around the block for a quick cry. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Temple Comes to Samaria Acts 8:4-25 by William Klock Remember back in Chapter 5, when Peter and John were arrested and brought before the priests and elders, and Gamaliel, one of the leading Pharisees, told his fellow council members: “Leave them alone.  If what they're doing is of human origin, it will come to ruin.  But if it's from God, you won't be able to stop them.  You might even be found to be fighting against God.”  They let Peter and John go that day, but since then they haven't been heeding Gamaliel's advice.  They stoned Stephen.  And at the end of last week's text Luke told us that Saul of Tarsus was going house to house, dragging men and women to prison and that, while the apostles remained in Jerusalem, everyone else was scattered through Jerusalem and Samaria.  And it turns out Gamaliel was right.  Neither Saul nor anyone else could stop what God was doing.  This new temple, not made with hands, not made of bricks and mortar, but instead of people, purified by the blood of Jesus and indwelt themselves by God's Spirit, this temple was going to fill the earth.  Persecution won't stop it.  Just the opposite, in fact.  Luke writes in Acts 8:4 [Page 1089 in the pew Bibles]: “Those who were scattered went all over the place announcing the word.”  These were people who knew, first hand, the transforming power of the gospel.  Many of them had been eyewitnesses to the risen Jesus.  They had seen signs and wonders, done by Jesus and then done by the apostles.  They knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that God was at work and Israel's hopes were being fulfilled.  There was no stopping them.  If they had to flee Jerusalem, so much the better.  Now the good news about Jesus would be proclaimed all over the place.  Think back to Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin and how he'd highlighted how God works through rejection and persecution.  Joseph's brothers had sold him as a slave, but through their evil God delivered his people.  Ditto with Moses.  Pharaoh wanted all the baby boys of the Hebrews drowned, so Moses' mother put him in a basket and Providence floated him down the river right to Pharaoh's daughter.  And Jesus, the supreme example: The forces of evil and death rose up to do their worst in killing Jesus, but in doing so they played right into God's hands.  They concentrated themselves all in one place, in one great act, allowing Jesus to rise from death to conquer them.  So Saul of Tarsus, threatening the church?  God's going to use that to—to get the gospel out of Jerusalem, to all of Judaea—and even to Samaria. So Philip.  You remember Philip?  He was one of the seven in Chapter 6, whom the church chose and laid hands on to do the work that was taking the apostles away from their prayer and preaching.  Stephen was another of them.  When the church calls people and lays hands on them and commissions them to be servants of the gospel, there's no telling where that may lead.  So “Philip,” says Luke in verse 5, “went off to a town in Samaria and announced the Messiah to them.” I suspect no one would have thought—or wanted—to take the gospel to Samaria—at least not for a long time—even though Jesus had said that his church would take the gospel there.  But in the context of Acts, I think Luke wants to stress that even more than taking the gospel to Samaria, what Philip is doing is taking the temple there.  And that's pretty significant.  Samaria was the piece of land between the two Jewish territories, between Judaea in the south and Galilee in the north.  The Samaritans were the people who had lived there while the Jews were off in exile in Babylon.  We don't really know for certain the origins of the Samaritans.  They claimed—and they still claim, as they're still there to this day—that they're the descendants of what was left of the northern Israelite tribes after the nation was destroyed by the Assyrians.  The Jews claimed that the Samaritans were the people resettled in the land by the Babylonians after they'd sent the Jewish people into exile.  There's probably some truth to both.  Whatever the case, the Samaritans followed their own form of Judaism.  They had their own version of the torah, of the first five books of the Old Testament.  They rejected the Prophets and other books.  They looked forward to their own version of the Messiah.  They called him the Ta'eb or “The Returner”—the prophet Moses promised would come.  But maybe what's most important in the context of Acts, was that the Samaritans had their own temple on Mt. Gerizim.  The Jews would never let them anywhere near the temple in Jerusalem—they weren't real Jews and they had corrupted Israelite religion—but even if the Jews allowed them into the temple, the Samaritans would never go there.  As far as they were concerned, theirs was the real temple.  The Samaritans were a people utterly without God's presence. And now Philip finds his way there and carries the for real real temple to a people who didn't even know the old one.  And when God's temple arrives in Samaria, the people can't help but notice.  Verse 6: “The crowds, acting as one, clung to what Philip was saying, as they heard him and saw the signs he performed.  For unclean spirits came out of many of them, and several who were paralyzed or lame were cured.  So there was great joy in that town.” “But there was a man named Simon, who had lived in the town for some while and who practiced magic. He used to astonish the Samaritan people, giving out that he was some great personage.  Everyone, small and great alike, paid attention to him, and said, “This man is the one called ‘God's Great Power'!”  [Luke might be hinting that the people thought of Simon as maybe being the Ta'eb, the Samaritan “Messiah”.] They had been under his spell for some time, since they were amazed at the magic he could perform.  But when they believed Philip as he was announcing to them the message about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus the Messiah, they were baptized, men and women alike.  Simon too believed and was baptized, paying close attention to Philip.  When he saw signs, and great and powerful deeds, it was his turn to be astonished.” The devil was doing one thing in Judaea in a futile attempt to quash the gospel.  He was doing something else to the same end in Samaria.  He'd been doing it for a long time, leading the Samaritans away from God's torah and God's temple.  Now there's this man, Simon, who has enchanted these Samaritans with his magic.  Maybe it was just sleight of hand magic, but the way Luke, throughout Acts, contrasts magic with the power of the Holy Spirit, it seems like Simon actually did have some kind of power and if that power wasn't from God, it was coming from demonic forces of some kind.  That's just the sort of thing the devil would do to lead people astray.  But Philip, empowered by God's Spirit, it's obvious to everyone—even to Simon—his power was different and it was far superior.  Seeing it, these people believed the good news about Jesus that Philip was proclaiming.  And they did what believers do: they were baptised.  Like Israel following God through the Red Sea and into the promised land, in faith these Samaritan followed Jesus through the waters of baptism and into God's new creation. Samaritans embracing and giving their allegiance to Jesus may not seem like a big deal to us, but it was a really big deal to everyone involved.  Again, Samaritans and Jews didn't mix.  Even though Jesus had said that his disciples would take the good news to Samaria, they had no plan to go there—and probably little or no desire to.  But God had a plan to get them there, and when Philip does end up in Samaria, he doesn't let that hold him back.  It's pretty clear that these early believers thought of the gospel as something for Jews, but—hey—if gentiles came to them and wanted in, if Samaritans heard and believed, that was great.  They saw God at work in these people, even if these people weren't their evangelistic priority. And yet, something odd happens.  These Samaritans hear the gospel, see God at work, they believe, they're baptised, but there's something missing.  I suspect Philip noticed it immediately and sent word back to Jerusalem—excited on one hand, but concerned on the other.  Verse 14: “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received God's word, they sent Peter and John to them.  When they arrived, they prayed for them, asking that they would receive the Holy Spirit, since up to that point the Spirit had come upon none of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Like I said, something was missing.  The Spirit was clearly at work.  Faith in Jesus is a gift of the Spirit and no one comes to Jesus without the Spirit first moving in the heart.  But so far in Acts, when people believed and were baptised, they all had some kind of experience of being transformed by the Spirit  They were obviously different.  The Spirit did a work of new creation in them.  And they typically—and immediately—displayed supernatural gifts.  Some prophesied, some healed, some spoke in other languages, and so on.  Whenever we see God doing something new in the story of redemption, it's usually got miracles clustered all around it and we see this no less in the early days of the church.  Bringing Samaritans to Jesus was very much something new.  But this time the miracles didn't happen.  I expect Philip was surprised.  What was wrong?  So he sent word to Jerusalem and Peter and John decided to go see for themselves.  And, sure enough, something was missing.  These people had believed, but the Spirit—God—hadn't yet come to live in them  They were not yet part of the new temple. I don't know if Peter and John understood everything at this point.  I suspect that they just recognised that these new believers were lacking the indwelling Spirit.  It was weird and inexplicable at the time.  And so Peter and John just did the only thing that made sense: they laid their hands on these people and prayed that God would give them his Spirit.  And God did.  Luke doesn't say how it was obvious, but it was apparently obvious that the Spirit had filled the Samaritans.  And I think as time passed, Peter and John and the others started to figure out what God was doing in withholding the very thing—I should say, the very person—who fulfils God's promises to dwell with his people.  By the time Luke wrote, it all made perfect sense. You see, there was always a danger that the Samaritans would hear the gospel and believe, but that because of the divide between them and the Jews, the Samaritans would end up with a separate church of their own.  A lot of them would have been perfectly happy to have it that way and plenty of Jewish believers would no doubt be happy to have it that way.  But that would undermine the very gospel itself.  God doesn't have multiple people.  He has one.  With all our divisions in the church today, it's easy to forget this, but Jesus was clear: God has one people and one of the essentials of the gospel is that it heals the breaches, heals the divisions, heals the animosity between the people of the world.  We saw the first dramatic sign of this healing at Pentecost as the men there heard the gospel proclaimed in their own languages.  It was a dramatic reversal of the Tower of Babel episode.  And now it happens with the Samaritans.  God withholds his Spirit from them in order to get Peter and John to pray and lay hands on them and in that God makes it clear to everyone that they are all united in Jesus and the Spirit.  The apostles and the Jewish believers can't dismiss the Samaritan believers and neither can the Samaritans—with their long history of doing their own thing and having their own temple—neither can they act as if they have no need of or can be separate from the Jewish believers. We need to be careful we don't mistake Luke's point here.  We often read this passage at confirmations when the bishop lays hands on us and prays for us to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit.  But Luke wasn't thinking about confirmation.  Confirmation is a rite that developed centuries later.  Pentecostals and Charismatics use this passage to explain their experience, arguing that this passage proves that receiving the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace apart from baptism and conversion.  But that's not Luke's point either.  In fact, his point is that what happened with the Samaritans, with God withholding the Spirit, was unique—a one-off thing—that was necessary to ensure everyone knew that there is one church, one body and that our unity in diversity is one of the gospel's most powerful witnesses to God setting the human race to rights.  The whole thing that made this episode stand out was the delay in the Samaritans receiving the Holy Spirit, because the indwelling of the Spirit it not a second blessing or a second work of grace.  It's what happens when we believe and are baptised.  It's what makes us God's temple.  Jesus purifies us so that the Spirit can fill us. And then Simon the Magician. The gospel goes to a new place, but the same old problem comes up again.  In Jerusalem it was Ananias and Sapphira.  The devil crept in.  They let their love of money compromise the purity so essential to being God's temple.  They serve as a warning: Jesus purifies us so that we can be God's temple, but to remain God's temple requires continued purity.  And now the Samaritan believers their own warning about this.  Verse 18: “When Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money.  “Give me this power too,” he said, “so that anyone I lay my hands on will receive the holy spirit.”  “May your silver die with you!” retorted Peter. “Did you really think that God's gift could be bought with money?  You have no part or share in this word!  Your heart is not straight before God.  So repent from this wickedness, and pray to the Lord.  Perhaps he will forgive the scheme you had in your heart.  I can see that you are still stuck in the bitter poison and chains of unrighteousness.”  “Pray to the Lord for me,” said Simon in reply, “that none of what you've said will happen to me.”  After Peter and John had finished bearing witness and speaking the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, announcing the good news to many Samaritan villages.” Simon liked the status his magic gave him.  And now he sees something really amazing, something that clearly and dramatically upstaged whatever it was that he was doing.  And Simon wanted it.  But it wasn't so much the Holy Spirit that Simon wanted.  Tricks were nice.  He'd been doing them for a long time.  But what Simon wanted was the ability to control people.  He didn't want the Holy Spirit.  He wanted what he thought Peter and John had: he wanted the ability to lay hands on people and to give them the Spirit. And in that, Simon was exposed.  It wasn't about Jesus for Simon.  It wasn't about being God's temple.  It wasn't about being purified by the cross.  It wasn't about being part of God's new creation.  Simon was still firmly part of the old.  He wanted to use and control people for his own personal gain and prestige.  His old magic had been upstaged.  No one would be impressed by it anymore.   But if he could be like Peter and John, if he could lay hands on people himself and impart the Spirit to them, well, then he's be back on top of things.  For those who read The Magician's Nephew this month, he's like Uncle Andrew, seeing a new world being miraculously born around him and new life sprouting from the ground, and all he can think of is bring bits of iron to plant so they can grow into factories and battleships to make him rich. He was blind.  He heard the gospel.  He heard the good news about Jesus.  He saw the life the Spirit in these people and he saw new creation being born.  But he wasn't interested any of it.  He just wanted to be in control.  He saw it as a way to get rich.  So he offers to buy this gift from Peter and John—as if it was theirs to sell.  As if it was their power to impart the Spirit. But Peter and John had no such power.  They didn't go around laying hands on people and giving them the Spirit any more than a modern-day Anglican bishop or Pentecostal evangelist does so.  This was a unique situation.  God gives the Spirit, not men, not preachers, not bishops, not even apostles.  This was simply a case in which it was necessary for both the Jews and the Samaritans to understand that they were one people in Jesus and the Spirit. The crazy thing is that we still see this sort of thing despite all the warnings in scripture.  There are far too many people out there, preachers—people calling themselves “apostles”—offering the Spirit or his gifts for money, as if those gifts are the work of human beings and not God.  I expect that when Simon asked Peter and John to sell him this gift—one they didn't even actually have—Peter immediately remembered Ananias and then Sapphira falling dead at his feet.  Because he knew, this false idea needed to die.  If allowed to fester, it would corrupt the church. And so he rebuked Simon—who, by God's mercy isn't struck dead on the spot.  “You're no believer, Simon.  You're still stuck in the bitter poison and chains of unrighteousness.” Luke tells us that Simon asked them to pray for him so that he wouldn't fall under God's judgement.  I have to wonder if they told him about Ananias and Sapphira and left him quaking in his boots.  Luke doesn't tell us what happened to him, whether he eventually understood and actually believed the gospel or not.  What Luke wants to stress here, what we shouldn't lose of, is that the Spirit is not under human control.  The Holy Spirit isn't magic.  Magic is the human attempt to manipulate God.  Humans have been trying to figure out ways to do that ever since our fall.  Magic treats God like a vending machine.  Push B5 to get this or push D2 to get that.  Say this spell, offer this sacrifice—follow the right formula and you can control the divine.  The so-called “Prosperity Gospel” is a modern version of this.  But you don't have to be into the Prosperity Gospel or the Word-Faith movement to be guilty of thinking you can control God.  When we bargain with God, we're doing the same thing.  We think that if we offer God this or that, we obligate him to give us something in return.  Brothers and Sisters, God's been teaching his people from the beginning that he doesn't work this way.  He's sovereign.  He sends his Spirit as a mighty rushing wind and, as Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Those who are born of that Spirit are blown along with it.”  Those who surrender themselves to Jesus and the Spirit are blown into purity, blown into holiness, blown into godliness, blown into ministry and blown into mission.  That's what Luke shows us in Acts.  Jesus purifies us, the Spirit fills, and in those acts God make us his living temple.  A temple through which he will make himself known and through which he will eventually fill the earth with his presence. In this morning's Collect we asked the Lord to teach to us to ask for the things that please him.  Brothers and Sisters, if we understand ourselves to be his temple, his working model of new creation in the midst of the old, I can hardly think of a better prayer.  It's a prayer very much like “on earth as in heaven”.  A prayer that sets aside our own agendas and ask for God to bring us into his.  I'd like to close praying that Collect again. Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your humble servants; and, that we may obtain what we ask of you, teach us to ask for those things that please you, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

In this episode with Natalia Terfa we talk about her book It All Counts, why questions deepen faith instead of eroding it, how to tell human authority from God's, what love looks like when a protest turns ugly, and why the prosperity gospel falls apart at a child's funeral. We get into loneliness and the risk community asks of us, the incarnation as an argument for the goodness of bodies, and how breath and creation return us to who we are.Natalia is a Lutheran pastor, podcaster, and author who lives in Minneapolis with her her loves, Sam and Layla, and kitty babies. When she's not working or writing, you'll find her reading in her couch nest, ideally with a cat on her lap, watching Turkish television, taking walks in the neighborhood, looking at trees, or making good food for the people she loves.Natalia's Book:It All CountsConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeSupport the podcast and the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Support the show

What does the Bible actually teach about money and faith? Dr. John Neufeld tackles the prosperity gospel head-on, tracing five ways Isaac's obedience genuinely led to prosperity—wise stewardship, self-control, work as worship, peacemaking, and compounding blessing. But he doesn't stop there, warning of wealth's danger to the soul and calling for prosperity to be married to generosity, not self-sufficiency.Amazing Promises to Dysfunctional People: In this 20-message series, Dr. John Neufeld walks through the dysfunctional family of Abraham found in Genesis 25-36, uncovering the relational brokenness at its core. Sin leaves human relationships fractured—we long for connection, yet find ourselves divided in so many ways. Listen in, and be challenged to live with integrity even when the world around you feels like it's falling apart.

Streamed live on May 8, 2026 #nephilim #hebrewbible #sabbath #torah #hebrewbible #escatology #torahportion #torahcommunity #torahdiscussion #torahpodcast #paleo #hebrewscriptures #genesis #nephilim #biblestudy #bibleverse #oldtestament #sabbath #sabbathfellowship #sabbathkeeper 2026 TUC YEARLY FINANCIAL GOAL (Paleo Hebrew Scriptures): https://www.givesendgo.com/The-Paleo-... Contact: noelhadley@yahoo.com TUC BOOK CLUB (Patreon):   / membership   PayPal: paypal.me/noeljoshuahadley Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Noel-Hadley TUC Store: https://store.theunexpectedcosmology.... 2026 TUC Catalogue: https://unexpected-cosmology.nyc3.dig... Website: The Unexpected Cosmology Link: https://theunexpectedcosmology.com/ Archives page: https://theunexpectedcosmology.com/ar... TUC Discord Community:   / discord   TUC 2 YouTube:    / @theunexpectedcosmology2   Hebrew Match Dating: https://www.hebrewmatch.com/ Shelves of Shalom Publishing: https://shelvesofshalompublishing.com/ Facebook:   / theunexpectedcosmology  

Janice Rosser Allen is CEO and President of International Cooperating Ministries (ICM), the global ministry founded by her father, Dois Rosser, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. She has served on ICM's Board of Directors since 1986 and has led the organization as CEO since 2008. A graduate of the University of Virginia and Duke University, Janice worked in clinical and academic oncology nursing before God called her into full-time ministry with ICM. Widowed at 51, she is an ordained elder, author of God in the Crossroads, and she's passionate about empowering indigenous Christian leaders worldwide.00:00 — Introduction: How ICM Is Growing the Global Church06:07 — Albert Schweitzer's Missionary Legacy and Radical Faith08:09 — Indigenous Missions: Why Local Church Leaders Matter11:46 — Cooperating with local, indigenous leadership in missions16:12 — How Technology Is Transforming Christian Missions18:07 — How Mission Organizations Vet Trusted Partners22:07 — What the Global Church Can Teach Western Christians29:37 — Powerful Mission Stories from Vietnam and Rwanda34:31 — American Christianity vs. the Global Church41:41 — Church Growth in Iran, Nepal, and Other Restricted Nations45:54 — Why Christianity Is Growing in Thailand47:03 — Prosperity Gospel and Persecution: Challenges Facing the Global Church50:08 — Building local churches with local workers and materials51:20 — Are Short-Term Mission Trips Helping or Hurting?56:56 — How You Can Support Indigenous MissionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many voices today promise that faith will bring money, influence, success, and comfort right now. But in today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that Jesus never promised a life of ease—and the Gospel does not guarantee worldly riches. Psalm 16 points us to a far greater inheritance. David likely wrote this psalm not from a palace, but while running for his life from King Saul. He had no earthly comfort, no secure home, and no access to the land of his youth. Yet through eyes of faith, David could say, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” David understood that true inheritance is not found in money, land, luxury, or temporary success. Those things can be lost—and all earthly promises end at death. But the inheritance God gives His people is spiritual, supernatural, eternal, and kept in heaven. Most of all, David knew that no inheritance would be worth having apart from the presence of God. Like Moses, who refused to move forward without the Lord's presence, David declared, “Apart from you I have no good thing” and “LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup.” The greatest gift believers will ever receive is God Himself—and in His presence, there is fullness of joy and eternal pleasure. Pray with me.  Father God, I delight in Your mercy and goodness—You are my greatest treasure. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

The Bible is crammed full of clear verses about money, yet there are some weird teachings out there even amongst Christians when it comes to finances. I've been wanting to do an episode debunking some of these things I've heard from pulpits and on faith-based podcasts for a while and here it finally is! I'm excited to get this one in your earbuds, friends!You'll hear me share today about:Is God okay with people being rich?What actually is the biblical definition of the Prosperity Gospel?Scriptural ways to think and practically act around moneyWhy it's important for Christians to have moneyBible verses about money Was Jesus poor?Should we only have money to give it all away?Connect with Nyla:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nyla's second podcast, On the Job with God Christian Business Podcast⁠

Did you know that God gets glory when you thrive? Barry Bennett shares how living abundantly reflects God's heart! Discover powerful keys to abundant living and how the gospel promises prosperity on every level.

:Prophetic News Radio examines Katie Souza's bizarre claim that aliens stole eggs from her womb, and takes a hard look at Ron Carpenter's money-tithing teaching. Is mandatory money tithing required for New Testament believers, or has the church turned giving into bondage?In this episode, Susan Puzio compares modern supernatural claims and prosperity-style teaching with the Word of God, warning listeners to test every spirit, examine every doctrine, and stay rooted in the truth of Scripture.Topics include Katie Souza, alien abduction claims, spiritual deception, Ron Carpenter, money tithing, false teaching, prosperity preaching, church manipulation, and biblical giving.#PropheticNewsRadio #SusanPuzio #KatieSouza #RonCarpenter #FalseTeachers #Tithing #BiblicalGiving #ProsperityGospel #SeedFaith #ChurchDeception #SpiritualDeception #ChristianDiscernment #KJVBible #TestTheSpiritsTrue Reformation with an eye on the prize!

By Kevin Powell - The Prosperity Gospel is taught under many different names and is the basis for a variety of philosophies. Is it entirely false, or does it start with some biblical truths that have been misunderstood or taken too far? This message examines where its teachings align with Scripture—and where they

.Prophetic News Radio – Perverts and Liars (Previously Recorded)In this previously recorded episode of Prophetic News Radio, Susan Puzio examines the claims, scandals, and public controversies surrounding several influential personalities in the modern charismatic movement. Topics include David E. Taylor, Paula White, The Elijah List, Kat Kerr, Robin Bullock, and their connections to President Donald Trump and the broader prophetic movement.This program compares public statements and documented events with Scripture, encouraging believers to test every teaching and every prophecy according to the Word of God. Listeners are urged to exercise biblical discernment rather than blindly following personalities or sensational claims."Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God..." — 1 John 4:1 (KJV)#PropheticNews #PropheticNewsRadio #SusanPuzio #DavidETaylor #PaulaWhite #ElijahList #KatKerr #RobinBullock #PresidentTrump #FalseProphets #Discernment #BibleProphecy #ChristianPodcast #KJV #ChristianNews #Apologetics #ChurchWatch #WordOfFaith #NAR #BibleTeachingTrue Reformation with an eye on the prize!

Some of the Apostle Paul's letters in the Bible can be defensive, sarcastic, and even mean. New Testament scholar Scot McKnight says his nasty tone may stem from deep pain. But Paul's trauma wasn't caused by the persecution of nonbelievers but by fellow Christians. He offers Skye an illuminating look into what the apostle can teach us about church trauma today. Mike Erre joins the podcast crew to discuss the declining support for Israel among American Christians, the weird work of VR missionaries, a theory about aliveness that challenges introverts, and a robot that responds when nature calls.   Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: http://holypost.substack.com/p/729-church-trauma-and-the-apostle   0:00 - Show Starts 0:40 - Kaitlyn Was Summoned Away 3:04 -  Sponsor - Rocket Money - Find and cancel your old subscriptions with Rocket Money at https://www.rocketmoney.com/HOLYPOST   4:08- Sponsor - BetterHelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off your first month! 5:17 - Self-Driving Toilets! 11:54 - VR Missionaries 20:21 - Sponsor - Feeding America - Your support puts healthy food within reach, fueling the future for kids and their families. Give now at https://FeedingAmerica.org/SummerHunger 20:54 - Sponsor - PolicyGenius - Secure your family's tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Go to https://www.policygenius.com/HOLYPOST to find the right life insurance for you 22:00 - Sponsor - Access Forge - Go to https://www.accessible.faith/ to unlock the first two Belonging by Design lessons and use promo code HOLYPOST to get $200 off the full program   23:04 - Americans Less Supportive of Israel   28:56 - Prosperity Gospel and Israel   36:10 - Aliveness and Where to Find it   50:19 - Interview   52:30 - Damaged Leaders   1:03:25 - Paul and Trauma   1:15:44 - Prescriptive vs Descriptive   1:27:54 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in News Segment: Aliveness: https://benbyfax.substack.com/p/aliveness   Christian Support for Israel Plummets: https://religionnews.com/2026/07/09/new-polls-show-plummeting-support-among-faith-groups-for-israeli-government-netanyahu/   Other Resources: Traumatized Church: What Paul's Relationship with the Corinthian Church Teaches Us About Helping Those Who are Hurting by Scot McKnight: https://amzn.to/4pltGYx Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

What are the teachings of the prosperity gospel? It teaches that financial success is a direct reward for unwavering faith, positive speech, and religious donations. Today's version of this ancient heresy surfaced in the 1950s. One of their preachers, Reverend Ike, stated, "I don't want pie in the sky when I die; I want cash in the stash here and now!" It interprets scripture as a divine guarantee of earthly wealth, putting the believer's material desires at the center of faith. Some have characterized their teaching as "name it and claim it, give to get, blab it and grab it, profess it and possess it". Also known as the "Word of Faith" movement, it key figures today are Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, John Hagee, Creflo ("Cashflow") Dollar, Paula White, and Joyce Meyer. Past figures included Oral Roberts, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, E.W. Kenyon and Kenneth Hagin.

Join Susan Puzio on Prophetic News Radio for a live discussion of today's top stories affecting the church and the culture from a biblical perspective. In this episode: • Kenneth Copeland's reported illness and the latest developments.• Craig Hagin's guilty plea and the legal implications.• The Charlie Kirk trial and what has been publicly reported.• Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon and the ongoing legal case that could result in significant prison time.• Biblical discernment, current events, and listener discussion. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV)"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Thank you for listening to Prophetic News Radio. Please follow the podcast and share this episode with others who are seeking truth and biblical discernment. Hashtags #PropheticNewsRadio #PropheticNewsTV #SusanPuzio #KennethCopeland #CraigHagin #CharlieKirk #HakJaHanMoon #UnificationChurch #KJV #KingJamesBible #ChristianNews #BibleProphecy #Discernment #FalseTeachers #CurrentEventsTrue Reformation with an eye on the prize!

This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. In his early days as a writer, Heinlein wrote his stories in the context of a shared universe that he called the Future History. These were mostly short stories at first, with the occasional novella. But they include some great stories. The Future History, Part 2 There were a few key themes running through Heinlein's body of work. One we have already remarked upon, individual freedom, which had to be protected from any source of power, including both government and private corporations. This was essentially a libertarian perspective, but unlike many of today's libertarians he was equally averse to the corporate type of power as a threat. But he had a complex view of the world which has resisted some attempts to pigeonhole him. He started out as a socialist, and while he didn't remain one, he never became a knee-jerk reactionary either. In fact, he clearly despised them just as much. One way of looking at his body of work is that he explored the ramifications of different social policies through his stories, but in most cases the needs of a good story came first in the early years. In his later works he often surrendered to the temptation to pontificate, which reduced the enjoyment of them somewhat for anyone who was not already in agreement with his opinions The second major theme you see throughout all of his works is the idea of the competent individual. He admired anyone who could do a job well, and clearly did not care whether they were man or woman, nor black or white. Alexei Panshin writes, in Heinlein in Dimension: “There is one unique and vivid human Heinlein character, but he is a composite of Joe-Jim Gregory, Harriman, Waldo, Lazarus Long, Mr. Kiku, and many others, rather than any one individual. I call the composite the Heinlein Individual. . . . It is a single personality that appears in three different stages and is repeated in every Heinlein book in one form or another. “The earliest stage is that of the competent but naïve youngster. . . . The second stage is the competent man in full glory, the man who knows how things work. . . . The last stage is the wise old man who not only knows how things work, but why they work, too.” Harriman we have already encountered in The Man Who Sold The Moon, and the others appear later. The Heinlein Individual, as he is often referred to, appears in many of Heinlein's stories. A third major theme has to do with morality and religion. Heinlein grew up in what he considered the heart of the Bible Belt, in Missouri, and saw first-hand how the evangelical Christians operated, and despised what he saw. As someone who believed in individual freedom, he could never surrender to someone else's idea of how he should live his life. He saw them as a danger to his ideal libertarian society, and this shows up very early in his work. He personified the good, upright, church-going folk as “Mrs. Grundy”, and while you might want to draw the drapes to keep her from knowing what you were doing, you should never let her dictate how you would live your life. Revolt in 2100 begins the exploration of this in detail. There is a chart of the future history at Baen Books, and in it we see that the 1960s were what Heinlein called The Crazy Years. (Remember, he conceived this in the 1940s and 1950s.) But in 2012 the major thing occurred when Nehemiah Scudder, a backwoods preacher, managed to get elected as President. This would be the last election held under the U.S. Constitution as he established a religious dictatorship that lasted a couple of generations. IS this plausible? Heinlein wrote about this: “As for … the idea that we could lose our freedom by succumbing to a wave of religious hysteria, I am sorry to say that I consider it possible. I hope that it is not probable. But there is a latent deep strain of religious fanaticism in this, our culture; it is rooted in our history and it has broken out many times in the past. “It is with us now; there has been a sharp rise in strongly evangelical sects in this country in recent years, some of which hold beliefs theocratic in the extreme, anti-intellectual, anti-scientific, and anti-libertarian.“ His background in the Bible Belt is what informs a lot of his thinking. He goes on to describe how this might happen: “Throw in a Depression for good measure, promise a material heaven here on earth, add a dash of anti-Semitism, anti-Catholicism, anti-Negroism, and a good large dose of anti-“furriners” in general and anti-intellectuals here at home, and the result might be something quite frightening — particularly when one recalls that our voting system is such that a minority distributed as pluralities in enough states can constitute a working majority in Washington.” As the science fiction author David Brin points out, Heinlein accurately predicted much of what we are going through in the United States right now. There is an emerging dictatorship in the United States, promoted by right-wing religious groups. The “material heaven here on earth” is represented by the Prosperity Gospel, prominent in the Trump movement, and so on. Where the Prophet used a restored Ku Klux Klan as his muscle, we have The Proud Boys, and so on. It really does track very closely. Read David Brin's article for more on this. But nothing lasts forever. Empires rise and fall, governments change, and in this case a resistance movement arises. The revolt is depicted in the novella If This Goes On— (1940), and it is set in the year 2100, giving the title to the book. The main character is John Lyle, who is a young army officer assigned to the group protecting The Prophet in his capital of New Jerusalem. In the beginning he is thoroughly indoctrinated, but then begins to question his beliefs when he falls for one of The Prophet's virgins, Sister Judith. He has an older companion in the military who is not only unshocked when John confides in him about his doubts, but offers to help him. It turns out this companion, Zeb Jones, is a member of the underground group called The Cabal that is working to overthrow the theocracy. In the end they are successful, and in the course of this John Lyle does a lot of growing up. In this we see another common characteristic of Heinlein stories: a young, naive boy meets up with an older and wiser man who helps him to grow. In 2016 If This Goes On— won the Retro-Hugo Award for best novella of 1940. And in a personal note, I have T-shirt that says “Scudder for President 2012”. This baffles most people, but I enjoy the in-joke. What is interesting in this book is that Heinlein doesn't stop with a successful revolution. He then goes on in a second novella to describe the government that arose following the revolution, and this story is called Coventry (1940). The new government that arises after the revolution is called The Covenant, and it is an attempt to make sure that what happened with Scudder in 2012 could never happen again. It is a strongly libertarian government based on an agreement to be non-violent. In this society, scientists can cured criminal or violent tendencies, but any citizen convicted of such must agree to the treatment. The alternative to treatment is that they can be exiled to a place called Coventry. Coventry is outside of the Covenant society, and the Covenant society has nothing to do with them. Our protagonist, David McKinnon, is convicted of assault, and chooses to go to Coventry instead of getting treatment. He imagines it is a peaceful anarchy, but is disabused of this notion when he is robbed of all of this possessions upon entry and thrown in jail. A fellow inmate, Fader Magee, helps him escape, and we learn he is an agent of the Covenant government. They learn that two of the factions in Coventry have joined forces, and found a way to break through the barrier that surrounds Coventry. They plan to attack and overthrow the Covenant government. David and Fader separately work to escape and get back to warn the Covenant government, which they do successfully. And by doing this, David has demonstrated that he is no longer a danger to the Covenant society and no longer subject to treatment. This story won a Prometheus Hall of Fame Award, which is awarded by the Libertarian Futurist Society. And the Covenant society certainly has libertarian features. But this is not the Randian version of libertarianism, as exemplified by the fact that David is restored to the society because he demonstrated his concern for others. Heinlein always promoted individual freedom, but also the idea that people have a responsibility towards others. Finally, Revolt in 2100 contains the short story Misfit, w2hich we have looked at previously. The Past Through Tomorrow (1967) is a one volume collection of most of the Future history stories. I say most because just which stories belonged in this group could change from time to time. It also has the last version of the Chart of the Future History, and a few stories we have not yet mentioned (Methusaleh's Children, and The Menace From Earth). And many of his other works contain back references to these events that imply that they might be set in the same alternate universe. Heinlein gets the last word on this: “I have never been sure whether or not publishing that chart was a good idea or a bad mistake. Possibly it helped to sell some stories later—but certainly it caused me and still causes me to receive a lot nuisance mail from nitpickers. I have never felt bound by that chart; it was to serve me, not the other way around. If I found myself with a good story notion which fitted fairly well into the chart but not perfectly, I shed no tears—I went ahead and let the inconsistencies stand. I want each story to be internally consistent . . . but I won't let myself be painted into a corner through trying to fit that chart perfectly. I may start another “Future History” story tomorrow . . . and find that to make it a good yarn I must violate some item on that chart. I'll give the nitpickers something to pick, for I will not hurt a good yarn for the sake of “logic”—logic is not involved, as that chart is fiction, not Holy Writ.” Links: https://www.amazon.com/Heinlein-Dimension-Critical-Alexei-Panshin/dp/0911682015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151105170345/http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/1439133417/1439133417___1.htm https://david-brin.medium.com/heinleins-future-history-coming-true-before-our-eyes-10356a95556a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22If_This_Goes_On%E2%80%94%22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_(short_story) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prometheus_Award#Hall_of_Fame_Award_inductees https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Past_Through_Tomorrow https://www.palain.com/science-fiction/the-golden-age/robert-a-heinlein/the-future-history-part-2/ Provide feedback on this episode.

This week, Dudley brings us his Monthly Message, Steven's Gospel, and in it he continues the Apostolic Gospel series by examining Stephen's powerful message in Acts 7 and uncovering the core themes of the Gospel of Jesus. Through a sweeping overview of Scripture, he shows how the story of Israel finds its fulfillment in Christ and how the Kingdom of God arrived through Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ascension.Dudley traces the biblical patterns found in figures like Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, revealing how each points to Jesus as the promised Deliverer. He also explores Stephen's bold confrontation with the religious leaders, demonstrating how the early church proclaimed the gospel with clarity, courage, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.Along the way, he challenges modern distortions such as the Prosperity Gospel and highlights why true repentance remains central to the apostolic message. Drawing from the Book of Acts and touching on themes related to the Last Days, this conversation invites believers to rediscover the gospel that transformed the first-century world—and still carries God's power to transform lives today.We pray this message will encourage, challenge, and transform.As always, we invite you to share it with someone who needs it.  Get Dudley's Weekly Word delivered right to your inbox every Friday! Click here to get access ➡️ https://dudleysweeklyword.com/opt-inFor more information and resources, visit https://kerygmaventures.com/podcast/ Follow and subscribe:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/41N9SAP Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3LEIxeo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerygmaventures Watch our "Conversations At The Ranch" series: https://bit.ly/conversations-at-the-ranch Watch our “Dudley's Monthly Message” series: https://bit.ly/dudleys-monthly-message 

Hey Daddy Gang, is Alex Cooper lying to you? That's what Allie Beth Stuckey and other conservatives seem to be saying after Cooper announced her pregnancy. Cooper, who built a career talking openly about sex, dating, and hookup culture, is now married, pregnant, and seemingly happy. For some critics, that happy ending does not fit the story women are supposed to be told. This week, the Podly Women gather to talk about the expectations placed on women. Does doing everything “right” guarantee marriage, motherhood, stability, respectability, or success? And what does doing everything right even mean for a woman? Listen as three women from different stages of life discuss hookup culture, pregnancy rage, purity culture, the conservative and liberal expectations placed on women, and the troubling idea that a beautiful life must be earned. About our panel: Natalie Bruzon is a journalist, editor, and mom of two young kids, a Union Adventist University grad.  Trudy Morgan-Cole is a noted historical fiction author and a recently retired educator and Andrews University grad.  Sofia Lindgren is a fabulous twenty-five year old, office manager of SPECTRUM Magazine, and Pacific Union College grad.

In this episode, I talk with Kristin Lee about what happens when a faith begins to crack, and whether the breaking might be the start of something truer. We get into kintsugi, the art of mending broken pottery with gold, what it costs to ask the questions we've been warned against, and what the church on the margins can teach the rest of us about following a marginal Jesus. What emerges is a picture of faith that doesn't hide its fractures but lets them become the places where the light gets in.Kristin T. Lee is a writer whose work has appeared in Christianity Today and Sojourners, and a primary care physician serving Boston's Chinatown community. She writes about faith, culture, books, and solidarity at The Embers. Her passion all the best books you've never heard of (and some that you have) via book reviews and reading groups on Instagram @ktlee.writes. Lee's work is informed by her experiences as an adoptive mother, host to refugees, and friend to those affected by incarceration.Kristin's Book:We Mend With GoldKristin's Recommendation:The Nights Are Quiet in TehranConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeSupport the podcast and the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Support the show

In this special investigative edition of Prophetic News Radio, Susan Puzio and Jackie Alnor examine the rise, influence, and decline of religious television in America. From the early days of gospel preaching and evangelism to the emergence of multi-million-dollar television ministries, this program explores how Christian broadcasting has changed over the decades.We investigate the history of networks such as TBN, Daystar Television Network, Victory Channel, Inspiration TV, and other influential ministries. The discussion includes prosperity theology, seed-faith fundraising, celebrity preachers, financial controversies, moral scandals, false prophecy, and the biblical responsibility to test every teaching by Scripture.Using documented reporting and the King James Bible, Susan and Jackie examine whether modern Christian television has remained faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ or has been transformed into a platform driven by money, personalities, and entertainment.Scripture reminds believers:"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." — 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV)Topics discussed include:• The origins of Christian television• Paul and Jan Crouch and the rise of TBN• Daystar Television Network• Victory Channel and the Word of Faith movement• Prosperity gospel and seed-faith fundraising• Celebrity pastors and televangelists• False prophets and false teachers• Biblical discernment and apologetics• The influence of Christian media on modern evangelicalismThank you for listening to Prophetic News Radio. Please follow, share this episode, and visit Prophetic News TV on YouTube for more investigative reporting from a biblical perspective.True Reformation with an eye on the prize!

A lot of our everyday lives are shaped by the idea that if we really believe in something, it will happen. But where does that idea come from? And what does it have to do with the American dream? Today on the show, how the prosperity gospel has blended self-improvement, religion and capitalism into an everyday recipe for success – one that any of us can try. To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Millions desperate for hope are enticed by the promise of the prosperity gospel – that God will respond to faith and a financial gift - while prosperity preachers exploit the needy and stockpile their own riches. How can followers of the true Gospel combat this deception? On this edition of Equipped with Chris Brooks, Costi Hinn, nephew of world-famous televangelist Benny Hinn, joins Chris Brooks to reveal the inner workings of the prosperity movement and remind us of the true hope we have in Christ Jesus. Featured resource:God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies by Costi Hinn June thank you gift:72 Questions (and Answers) About Life and Becoming the Man God Designed You to Be by Tim and Mark Shoemaker Equipped with Chris Brooks is made possible through your support. To donate now, click here.  

How did Norman Vincent Peale’s book, The Power of Positive Thinking, pave the way for the prosperity gospel and the law of attraction that still has its claws in today’s culture? That’s what we explore in this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast. Part One explored Peale’s foundations in the New Thought Movement of the nineteenth century and its theological departure from Puritanical Calvinism. Part Two linked Peale’s version of Positive Thinking with the corporate culture of the twentieth century. We saw how it provided bonus benefits to companies laying off workers. In Part Three, we look at links between Positive Thinking and the Prosperity Gospel, and its potential to exploit vulnerable people with promises of great wealth in exchange for willingly giving their money and going into debt because of promises made by those in power over them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJaPrhOSnxw&feature=youtu.be The Prosperity Theology of Positive Thinking This brings us full circle to the ‘theological’ dimension of Peale’s project. One of the most common complaints in reviews of The Power of Positive Thinking is that it unexpectedly contains so many references to God and the Bible. But this is the point of it. Peale builds on the New Thought tradition, using Bible verses to support the law of attraction he proposes, driven by a god who “rates you according to the size of your prayers”, and rewards you if you dream big and visualise having already received the objects you desire. Norman Vincent Peale was a minister who used his position to gain credibility and status in the eyes of his followers. As God’s spokesman, he was taken seriously when he preached. But as we saw in the first part, he was an expert at cherry-picking Bible verses to suit his purposes, stripping them of their narrower and broader theological contexts. The Formula For Peale’s Law of Attraction Peale turns basic psychology into cosmic superstition. As we saw in the previous episode, when he took the story of Job and interpreted his words, “What I feared has come upon me and what I dreaded has happened to me”, as meaning Job invited his fate BECAUSE he feared it. This conforms to Peale’s scientific formula for success (and failure): “Affirm it, visualize it, believe it, and it will actualize itself.” Whether it’s something we desire or something we fear, it will actualise itself if we think about it. “When you expect the best, you release a magnetic force in your mind which by a law of attraction tends to bring the best to you.” Of course, we understand that confirmation bias means that when we expect something to be true, we are more likely to find evidence to support it. As such, we might lead ourselves towards outcomes if we believe something has made them more certain. All Things Are Possible… Peale tells the story of a faith healer who helps a struggling baseball team on a losing streak. They were riddled with doubt and didn’t believe they could win. One day, the coach asked for the team’s bats and then disappeared with them. When he returned, he excitedly told the players that the preacher had blessed the bats. They now contained a power that could not be overcome. “The players were astounded and delighted,” Peale reports. “The next day they overwhelmed Dallas, getting 37 base hits and 20 runs.” “All things are possible to him that believeth”, Peale affirms, implying that God rewards faith. This raises the question: Is God needed in this equation, or is it just a belief in God held by those seeking a change of fortune? And if this is the case, how is this exploited? Televangelism and The Allure of Prosperity In Smile or Die, Barbara Ehrenreich writes about the televangelist and leader of a Texas megachurch, Joel Osteen. She cites a passage from one of his books in which he describes his initial resistance to his wife’s pleas to upgrade to a bigger house. Eventually, he was talked into agreeing. He said it was only because Victoria had used words of faith to persuade him to broaden his vision. This meant God showed him how much more he had in store for him. He presented it as self-sacrifice and obedience to God, rather than an act of indulgence. This is an application of Peale’s core message. It uses God as a justification for desire. The appearance of material wealth and success is presented as confirmation that you are doing God’s work. It is a reward for your faith. This extraction ecosystem encourages followers to give their resources to trusted spokespeople for God. The explicit promise is that doing so will trigger a transactional response from God. The God Complex of The Rich and Powerful Ehrenreich points to the God complex present in the executive mindset. Steve Eisman calls it ‘hedge fund disease’, which he suggests should be included in the DSM-5. It is conspicuous in the symptoms of megalomania, narcissism, and solipsism. It boils down to the more money you have, the more right you feel about everything. And “to think something is to make it happen.” Because of the power and wealth you have access to wield, in a sense, “You’re God”. We see this at play today, with the rich and powerful indulging in projects well outside their areas of expertise. They try to dictate tastes, behaviours, and trends, so they might exploit their followers’ trust. And, much like prosperity-gospel preachers, they persuade people to follow their advice by promising great future returns. We’ve seen this in NFT scams, pump-and-dump crypto coins, and AI investment advice. Some of these figures are delusional. While others are cold and calculating in their efforts to exploit and extract wealth from those who trust them. Breaking The Spell The Power of Positive Thinking reinforces a delusional superstition. Fear itself becomes something to fear, avoid, or eradicate, rather than to listen to and respond to appropriately. It is also delusively aspirational, portraying capitalism as a system that rewards all who believe in it, while ignoring the inherent logic of a system that functions because of inequality. Peale follows in Napoleon Hill’s footsteps, believing that poverty and suffering are simply the result of poor thinking and insufficient passion and desire for wealth. This episode is part of the project I’m working on, ‘looking at notable books and figures in the self-help industry. It is about slowing down to examine and expand my own critical thinking. Get in Touch What else should I read as part of this project? Drop me a message and let me know!

This week we explore Matthew 10:24-39, in which Jesus tells his disciples about the adversity they may face in following him.   © Kate Heichler, 2026. To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Here are the bible readings for next Sunday.

Pastor Josh Cardwell

Revelation | Chris McGarvey

There are many misconceptions and false doctrines regarding prayer. The Prosperity Gospel teaches that if we have enough faith and ask God for material wealth and blessings, we're guaranteed to receive them. Then there are those that believe that prayer has little, to no effect, in this world and things will just happen as they're supposed to happen. As Pastor Ricky continues his in-depth study of the Lord's Prayer we can gather a lot of insight into God's intentions for the gift of prayer."Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

In this episode of Prophetic News Radio, Susan Puzio examines some of the biggest stories in religious broadcasting and modern televangelism. Topics include the ongoing controversy surrounding Daystar Television Network following the death of Joni Lamb, fundraising claims made by Jentezen Franklin, the influence of Kenneth Hagin's teachings on the Word of Faith movement, and the legacy of TBN's fundraising culture.This program compares these teachings and practices with Scripture from the King James Bible and encourages listeners to test every doctrine, prophecy, and fundraising appeal by the Word of God."Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." — 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV)Subscribe to Prophetic News TV for biblical analysis, church history, apologetics, and investigative reporting on religious movements and media ministries.#PropheticNewsTV #JoniLamb #JentezenFranklin #KennethHagin #Daystar #TBN #WordOfFaith #ProsperityGospel #FalseTeachers #Christianity #KJV #BibleProphecy #Apologetics #ChurchWatchTrue Reformation with an eye on the prize!

In this episode of the Fundraising Masterminds Podcast, we're answering the question: Is the Vision Dinner model a prosperity gospel tactic? Tune in to find out!Join us as we talk through the difference between biblical faith, wise preparation, and “name it and claim it” thinking. From big fundraising numbers to genuine donor relationships, we're unpacking why the model is not about guilt or pressure, but about doing our part well and trusting God to do what only He can do.Find out if the Perfect Vision Dinner promotes prosperity gospel tactics. Uncover the myth of the Müller Mentality. Learn why faith without action is holding your nonprofit back. And discover how 92% of trained nonprofits raise $100K or more at their first fundraising dinner! So whether you're skeptical of fundraising strategy or wondering how faith and development work together, tune in today for an honest look at what the Vision Dinner model really teaches. Remember, God owns it all; but we still have a part to play.Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more nonprofit mindset training!ASK US A QUESTION:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/fundraisingmasterminds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NEED HELP WITH YOUR NONPROFIT?Most nonprofits are under-funded. Even if you think your nonprofit is doing well, we've found you could be doing much better. However, most nonprofits don't have a clear development strategy that keeps them grounded. As a result, they "get creative" and "try new things" based on what is popular or trending, or they get comfortable with where they are at and don't realize the dangers they will be facing in just a few short years.The Perfect Vision Dinner Course is a 20-week "live video" course that addresses this problem head on. The course was developed by Jim Dempsey after 38+ years as a Senior Development Director at Cru. After Jim had personally done over 2,500 vision dinners in his lifetime and raised over $1 billion worldwide, Jim and Jason have partnered together to bring you Fundraising Masterminds. Our first course, The Perfect Vision Dinner is a time-tested proven formula that will introduce our development system and grow your nonprofit to its maximum potential.The course includes 20-hours of personalized development coaching from Jim Dempsey and Jason Galicinski and also includes a real-time community group where you have access to everyone attending the course and also our Masterminds throughout the course.The goal for this course is to fully equip you with a Biblical basis for Development so that you can Win, Keep and Lift new partners to higher levels of involvement with your nonprofit. → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://FundraisingMasterminds.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/discovery-callFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:→ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/fundraising.masterminds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠→ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/fundraising.masterminds⁠⁠⁠Episode Keywords:Vision Dinner, vision dinner model, the vision dinner model, prosperity gospel, prosperity gospel tactic, fundraising masterminds, fundraising masterminds podcast, jim dempsey, jason galicinski, fundraising, fundraising numbers, donor relationships, perfect vision dinner, fundraising dinner, first fundraising dinner, fundraising strategy, nonprofit mindset, nonprofit mindset training, mindset training, perfect vision dinner mentorship program, perfect vision dinner course, jim.

Kaitlyn Ugoretz (Lecturer, Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, Nanzan University, Japan; PhD, East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, in progress) is an anthropologist of religion focused on the globalization of Japanese Shinto practices through popular culture such as anime, video games, and Marie Kondo's decluttering. The Associate Editor of The Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, and a member of the Sacred Writes 2021 public scholarship training cohort, Prof. Ugoretz also promotes public scholarship on Japanese religions through her award-winning educational YouTube channel Eat Pray Anime, in podcast interviews, cultural consulting, and her writing for venues including Religion News Service and The Conversation. Ugoretz will conduct a digital ethnography of Japanese tidying guru Marie Kondo. She notes that while Western scholarship tends to consider Kondo to be "spiritual," the Japanese find her to be too "religious," reflecting aspects of Buddhist and Shinto traditions. This leads Ugoretz to argue that our understanding of spiritual yearning should expand---it is neither a new nor an American phenomenon. The boundary between what is "religious" and what is "spiritual" is historically and cultural constructed, and shaped by ideas of race, class, and globalization. She argues that spiritual yearning emerges from human existential needs and concerns, and should be distinguished from the capitalistic patterns of "spiritual consumption" that it often inspires. Visit Sacred Writes: https://www.sacred-writes.org/templeton-working-group Visit Eat, Pray, Anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/eatprayanime  

Professor, author, and podcast host Kate Bowler joins Sam to talk about her new book Joyful Anyway, and what the difference between joy and happiness really is. They talk about why happiness is circumstantial but joy is big and bright and hits your reward system. They talk about the Prosperity Gospel, Christian amusement parks, and what on earth the Pope must be feeling right now. They talk about taking wisdom from Taylor Swift, an aversion to gardening, and the need to sometimes take a walk around the block for a quick cry. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Barry and Jeff Quinto talk about "The Prosperity Gospel" in this episode of Walking with God, Pat and Jeff's Podcast. Note: The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Pat Barry and Jeff Quinto and may not reflect the opinions of the Bethel Bible Series or Bethel Lutheran Church. Soli Deo Gloria!

The ever continuing Year(s) of Mike Flanagan continues with the 2021 Netflix limited series: Midnight Mass. Hear two former Catholics dive into religion, feminism, parenting, folklore, and more. Then Jacki gets to play a few rounds of "Is It A Line From The Bible Or A Horror Movie?" Check out some of the articles Marissa enjoyed: Addictive Religion: Midnight Mass, Dracula, and the Prosperity Gospel by Alyssa Johnson Mike Flanagan and His Women by Cisi Eze Ready to dance the night away with other horror lovers? Come to a prom like no other! June 20th in Freehold, NJ! Get your tickets here! Follow Horror 365 for tickets and details on Instagram and catch all of their latest shenanigans on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do Christians do when church headlines are filled with abuse, corruption, hypocrisy, and moral failure?In this episode of The Caffeinated Christian, we tackle four recent headlines concerning the church:A seminary leader convicted in a child exploitation caseFinancial controversy surrounding a televangelistAssault allegations against a mega-church pastorThe disqualification of yet another known and celebrated Christian authorBut this episode is not about outrage culture, celebrity takedowns, or cynical deconstruction. It's about learning how Christians should respond when sin, corruption, and compromise are exposed inside the Church.How do we hold grace and justice together?What does biblical accountability actually look like?How should churches protect the vulnerable?And how do we keep our faith anchored in Jesus when spiritual leaders fail?This is a hard conversation—but an important one. Because the Church doesn't need better PR. It needs truth, repentance, holiness, and Jesus at the center again.CHAPTER MARKERS:00:00:01 - When Fire Burns Inside Your House00:04:33 - The Church Must Address Its Fires00:09:15 - Real Victims Behind Digital Abuse00:16:43 - True Repentance Requires Exposure and Change00:20:14 - Prosperity Gospel and Financial Corruption00:28:15 - Contentment in Christ, Not Material Wealth00:31:08 - Pastor Accused of Assault During Office Altercation00:33:51 - Life.Church Workplace Assault Allegations00:36:13 - Megachurch Pastors' Hidden Prosperity Gospel Problem00:38:52 - Biblical Manhood and Toxic Masculinity00:41:49 - Social Media as Outlet for Church Accountability00:44:52 - Pastor Disqualified Over Undisclosed Inappropriate Relationship00:49:27- Sam Alberry's Public Struggle and Repentance00:52:25 - Church Leadership and Accountability Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most Christians would never fall for the health-and-wealth gospel. But what about the version that promises comfort instead of cash? Or the one that trades a fat bank account for a platform and an audience? Brian From digs into what Relevant Magazine is calling the new prosperity gospel — and it hits closer to home than a TV preacher ever could. Then: Philippians 4 and the peace that doesn't just reduce anxiety but surpasses understanding entirely — what that actually means and how to access it. Russell Moore on teaching the book of Hebrews 20 years apart and discovering the Bible hadn't changed, but he had — and why that's exactly how a living, active Word is supposed to work. Randy Alcorn on learning to hear God's still small voice, and why abiding matters more than straining. And JD Greear on why generosity isn't a financial test at all — it's a trust test. Three motivations from 2 Corinthians 8 that reframe giving entirely: grace, joy, and follow through.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mega church pastors and teachers of the prosperity gospel like Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis and Leroy Thompson have reached millions with the Word of Faith Movement, even it appears celebrities like Cardi B have been taken in by it. But is it biblical? Joe Kirby from Off the Kirb Ministries tests this doctrine this using the Bible.#kennethcopeland #bible #offthekirb

It's Monday, May 11th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Nigeria's $10 million genocide cover-up A disturbing new report from International Christian Concern highlights how Nigeria's government is weaponizing misinformation to hide a decades-long campaign of violence against Christians. Written by ICC Fellow Justin Joseph, “Nigeria's $10 Million Genocide Cover-Up” reveals how power, politics, and propaganda are fueling a human catastrophe. Since 2009, at least 190,150 Nigerians — 128,750 of whom were Christians — have been murdered in ethno-religious killings, with the slaughter escalating in 2026. Yet, instead of addressing the crisis, officials are spinning a dangerous narrative. During meetings with other heads of state, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu claims the terrorism plaguing his nation stems solely from climate change and regional instability. Researchers have repeatedly debunked this reasoning, pointing to the targeting of Christian communities. Tinubu's administration has launched a $10 million lobbying front to silence human rights accountability in the U.S. and whitewash the genocide of Nigerian Christians. Prosperity gospel champion Joni Lamb died Joni Lamb, a Prosperity Gospel enthusiast and co-founder of the Daystar Television Network, died on May 7th at the age of 65, reports Christian Daily. Lamb had been privately battling serious health issues before suffering a recent back injury that significantly worsened her condition in recent days. Founded in 1993 alongside her late husband, Marcus Lamb, Daystar Television grew from a small Christian television station into one of the world's largest Christian broadcasting networks, with 100 stations worldwide, employing 300 staff, and bringing in $100 million annually. On December 1, 2010, Marcus Lamb confessed on Daystar Television to having had an affair which Joni initially described, reported ABC News. JONI LAMB: “Several years ago, Marcus and I went through a challenge in our marriage. I discovered that he was having an emotional relationship, if you will, with someone. It had turned into an improper relationship.” MARCUS LAMB: “I take 100% responsibility. Joni has no blame. The other person doesn't have any blame. It's all --- I don't even blame the devil. It's all on me. ”I'm so sorry. I've asked God to forgive me. Years ago, I asked my precious Joni. And when with this first came out, I said to her, I said, ‘Honey, I only want us to stay together if we really love one another, not for the ministry's sake, not even for our kids' sake. Ladies and gentlemen, I love this woman.” The reason they announced this affair is because they were being threatened with blackmail. JONI LAMB: “There actually are three people who were not involved in what we're talking about today or affected by our marital challenge. They're now saying, that unless Daystar pays them $7.5 million, that they're going to take our story, that we just shared with you, to the media.” MARCUS LAMB: “You see these three people, that Joni shared with you, they're trying to take our pain and turn it to their gain. Ladies and gentlemen, we're not going to take God's money and pay to keep from being, uh, humiliated, I guess, or exposed or exploited, whatever you want to call it.” Subsequently, Marcus died at the age of 64 on November 30, 2021 after contracting COVID-19. According to MinistryWatch, in 2020, the ministry used a $3.9 million Paycheck Protection Program loan, offered to pay the salaries of employees, to buy a private airplane, which the family used for vacations, reported Inside Edition. That loan was reportedly paid back after Inside Edition began asking questions about it. Over the years, Joni Lamb became one of the most recognizable faces in Christian media.  Unfortunately, Daystar frequently featured prosperity-oriented themes such as: financial blessing tied to faith and giving, “seed faith” donations, and testimonies of material and personal success through faith. Joni and her late husband Marcus Lamb regularly hosted ministers connected to the Prosperity Gospel movement, including: Creflo Dollar Jesse Duplantis Paula White and Benny Hinn James 3:1 says, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” And, in another controversy involving Daystar Television, Joni's son, Jonathan, claimed that his mother covered up the sexual abuse of his 5-year-old daughter by a relative, according to the Roys Report. While Jonathan had been Daystar Television's vice president, he was demoted to a manager position for refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement.  On May 8th, The Economic Times reported that Joni's daughter-in-law, Suzy, who is married to Jonathan, stated online, “We weren't informed of anything,” claiming relatives knew Joni Lamb was dying the night before her death but “didn't call Jonathan to come say goodbye.” Joni Lamb is survived by her second husband, Doug Weiss, and her three children — Jonathan, Rachel, and Rebecca. Pastor Sam Allberry resigns after “inappropriate” relationship with man And finally, a Tennessee pastor and advocate for Christians who suffer from so-called “same-sex attraction” has stepped down after revealing an “inappropriate” relationship with a man some years ago, reports Beliefnet.com. Pastor Sam Allberry, author of Is God Anti-Gay?, stepped down from his position as an associate pastor at Immanuel Church Nashville, a nondenominational, independent congregation after what the church called “a serious breach of trust.” In a statement put out by the church elders, it stated Allberry had informed the church in 2024 of an “inappropriate relationship” with a man in 2022. The statement noted that the relationship had concluded prior to Allberry being called to his position in the church in 2023. At the time, the church stated it conducted a “thorough investigation” of the relationship and concluded that it was not “disqualifying” for the position. In a February 15, 2017 statement, Sam Allberry said this. ALLBERRY: “Sam Allberry, Oxford. I am same-sex attracted and have been my entire life. By that I mean that I have sexual, romantic and deep emotional attractions to people of the same sex. “I choose to describe myself this way because sexuality is not a matter of identity for me, and that has become good news. My primary sense of worth and fulfillment as a human being is not contingent on being romantically or sexually fulfilled, and this is liberating. “The most fully human and complete person who ever lived was Jesus Christ. He never married, He was never in a romantic relationship, and never had sex. If we say these things are intrinsic to human fulfillment, we are calling our Savior, subhuman.” When news broke last week about Sam Allberry's inappropriate relationship with a man, The Gospel Coalition, a group of pastors and churches that “put the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the center of all activities,” immediately announced that it would be removing all of Sam Allberry's content from its website and channels. By contrast, Living Out, the organization co-founded by Allberry to encourage Christians to “live out their sexuality and identity in ways that enable all to flourish in Christ-like faithfulness,” took a different position. In an online statement, they confirmed that Allberry's “many past contributions to this site retain their value, and they will not be taken down”, adding that the organization “exists because of people like Sam, for people like Sam.” Four Christian leaders most closely associated with Sam Alberry include Ray Ortlund, Russell Moore, Preston Sprinkle, and the late Ravi Zacharias. Romans 1:24, 26-28 says, “Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. … “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. “Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, May 11th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

By Warren Cole Smith Megachurches are not going away, of course. But data in recent years suggest their growth and numbers are leveling out, and possibly even declining. In 1970, the United States had less than 20 protestant megachurches, churches with more than 2,000 in weekly attendance. Today, that number is close to 2,000, a 100-fold increase. However, this number has been mostly unchanged for the past 10 years. In other words, after a period of explosive growth from 1970 to about 2010, the growth in the number of megachurches, and the number of people who attend them, seems to have stagnated. Outreach Magazine publishes an annual list of the fastest growing churches in America, and the largest churches in America. I recently compared the most recent list to the list from 2006 — 20 years ago. My analysis was not comprehensive, but it was fascinating. For example, the largest church on the 2006 list was Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, pastored by Joel Osteen. In 2006 and 2026, the attendance listed was 45,000. No growth whatsoever over a 20-year period. The No. 2 church on the 2006 list was Florida's Without Walls International Church, led by Randy White, the former husband of Prosperity Gospel preacher and Trump advisor Paula White. Without Walls had 23,900 attendees in 2006. Today, that church is not on the list. It sold its facility in 2011 following the divorce of Randy and Paula White, not to mention other public scandals. Today, the church still exists, but attendance figures are hard to come by. Attendance is likely in the hundreds or — at most —low thousands. Not the tens of thousands of its heyday. The No. 3 church on the 2006 church is the Second Baptist Church of Houston, which listed attendance of 22,266 in 2006 and still has attendance of 19,564 today. That is a slight decline over the past two decades, but Second Baptist is still a substantial church and a force in the Houston area. Rounding out the Top Five on the 2006 list are New Birth Missionary Baptist Church (22,000) and Willow Creek Church (21,500). Both churches have been wracked by scandal and are now much smaller today than then. In short, not one of the Top Five churches of 2006 grew in the intervening decades, and three of the five had very public scandals that precipitated dramatic declines.  I do not want to overstate my case. As William Bennett famously said, “The plural of anecdote is not data.” I am sharing anecdotes, not data — or at least, not all the data. I will be the first to admit that. And I can think of a couple of good counterarguments to my thesis that the Age of the Megachurch is over. First, while these churches have declined, others have emerged, and some of them are very large indeed. For example, Life.Church of Edmond, Okla., led by Craig Groeschel, now claims 85,000 attendees. That makes it the largest church in the nation. Church of the Highlands of Birmingham, Ala., is led by Chris Hodges. That church claims 60,000 attendees. And Christ's Church of the Valley in Peoria, Ariz., is both the No. 3 church on this year's list and it remains one of the fastest growing churches in the country, with 54,142 in weekly attendance. However, it is worth noting that all three of these churches are multi-site churches. Life.Church has more than 45 physical locations. Church of the Highlands has at least 27 locations. Christ's Church of the Valley has more than 18 physical locations. The multisite phenomenon was rare in 2006 and nonexistent in 1970. It is obvious that if these multisite churches were not aggregating numbers from dozens of sites, their numbers would be much less eye-popping. The growth in multi-site churches, and the anemic growth in the number of megachurches also make obvious that American infatuation with megachurches seems to be in decline. Ryan Burge, my “go to guy” when it comes to church data, notes that the median size of a church in America is about 70 people. Put plainly, the nation's megachurches attract about five to seven million people each week. But non-megachurches attract 10 times that many — 50 to 70 million people. In other words, the megachurch is not now, nor has it ever been, representative of the church experience in the United States. Megachurches feel dominant because they receive media attention, and they can invest in radio, television, and other mass media. But that is an illusion.  Will these trends continue? The answer to that question is, likely, “yes.” First, lots of church leaders, even those in the church growth movement, are growing tired of the megachurch and multisite model. Here at MinistryWatch, we have written about Watermark Church, which abandoned its multisite model in 2021. Most of those sites became independent churches, and they are now thriving. Some of these independent churches have themselves planted churches. Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., is someone who has never embraced either the megachurch or the multisite model. His church has intentionally stayed relatively small, less than 1,000 in weekly attendance, and it has been equally intentional about planting churches in the D.C. area. So far, CHBC has helped plant or revitalize more than a dozen churches in the surrounding area. Secondly, it is important to note that the megachurch is at least as much a cultural phenomenon as it is a spiritual phenomenon. Megachurches are the brainchild of Baby Boomers and the post-World War II industrialization of America and the world. That is why I often refer to the “Evangelical Industrial Complex” to describe what has happened to religious life since the 1970s. The industrial model, with its features of scale and mass production, has proven damaging to the mission of the church, and it has lost its appeal to subsequent generations, who value community and relationships. We can now see that evangelicalism's industrial model is good at empire building, but not as good at kingdom building. So, to return to the question that started this conversation: Is the Age of the Megachurch over? The answer to that question may be that it really never was. The sturm und drang of the megachurch movement has turned out to be just what Goethe's famous expression suggests: overwrought, full of passion, but fleeting. Megachurches will not disappear, but after a half-century of observation, we can say that the legacy of the megachurch is mixed, and includes scandal, spiritual deconstruction, and cynicism. In short, becoming a megachurch is no longer the goal to which even church growth advocates aspire. Many faithful Christians are discovering the wisdom found along the Old Paths, and they can say with conviction E.F Schumacher might admire: “small is beautiful.” The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

Sometimes you go to a pool party. Sometimes, that pool party also has a car with a trunk full of books. This was one of those books.  Resources & References: The Vampire Myth and Christianity by Dorothy Ivey Addictive Religion: Midnight Mass, Dracula, and the Prosperity Gospel by Alyssa Johnson Important Show Update: This episode was mostly edited, but did not go through our final editing process because, most unfortuantely, Scribando's laptop was lost in Canada yesterday. If any of you live in or near Montreal, we wouldn't mind some help retrieving it (seriously)! The show may need to take on a different character for a few episodes while we get our bearings to deal with this major loss of material. We were about to wrap up recording for the entire year in early June, so we may be faced with re-recording episodes or pivoting entirely for now and re-recording them later. In the meantime, we greatly appreciate your patience and sacrifices to Terriblo to remedy this.

2 Corinthians 9:1–15 | Preached by Benjamin Vrbicek

Investigative journalist Bill Lobdell joins Kate to discuss the rise and controversy surrounding Paul and Jan Crouch, founders of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Paul, born in Missouri in 1934 to Pentecostal missionary parents, was an early radio enthusiast, while Jan, raised in Alabama in a strict religious household, brought a rebellious, charismatic energy to their partnership. After marrying in 1957 and moving to Los Angeles, they joined Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker to launch TBN in 1973 as a small, six-hours-a-night Christian station that would grow into the largest religious network in the world, reaching more than 175 countries. Through their flagship show Praise the Lord, Paul—“Poppa”—and Jan—“Momma,” known for her towering wigs, heavy makeup, and emotional on-air presence—became defining figures of televangelism, promoting the prosperity gospel: the belief that giving financially would bring material blessings from God. But behind the scenes, reporting and lawsuits alleged a far more complicated reality, including a strained marriage, separate lives, and accusations that donations funded an extravagant lifestyle—claims the network has denied. Lobdell's Los Angeles Times investigation brought national attention to these tensions, raising enduring questions about faith, money, and influence. Reality Life with Kate Casey What to Watch List: https://katecasey.substack.com Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/katecasey Twitter: https://twitter.com/katecasey Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/katecaseyca Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itskatecasey?lang=en Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/113157919338245 Amazon List: https://www.amazon.com/shop/katecasey Like it to Know It: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/katecaseySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anthropic has sought the help of Christian theologians to make Claude, their A.I. model, more ethical, but they are also meeting with representatives from other religious and philosophical traditions. Should this make us more optimistic about tech companies controlling the future? The Atlantic has a story about the popularity of John Mark Comer even among non-religious young adults. Is his advocacy of contemplative Christian practices the answer to digital secularism our culture has been searching for? Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, co-author of "The Myth of Good Christian Parenting," talks with Skye about the explosive rise of evangelical parenting books in the late 20th century and the prosperity theology behind them. She says the same ideas are still popular today, but they are taking new forms. Also this week—debriefing the Stuckey vs. French debate.   Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/156212705/ Getting Schooled - Feminism 201: https://www.patreon.com/posts/156190692/   0:00 - Show Starts   3:37 - Theme Song   4:01 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to https://www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order   6:28 - Allie Beth Stuckey and David French   27:21 - Sponsor - AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Get the AG1 $76 Welcome Pack for free when you order from https://www.drinkag1.com/HOLYPOST   28:50 - Sponsor - Feeding America - Feeding America, led by neighbors! Give now to end hunger at https://www.feedingamerica.org   29:23 - Raising AI to Be Ethical   40:14 - Are People Turning to Spiritual Practices?   51:36 - Interview   58:42 - Children as Programmable Machines   1:06:11 - Authoritarianism and Parenting   1:15:50 - Christian Parenting and Trump   1:29:03 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in News Segment: David French on the Allie Beth Stuckey Show: https://pod.link/1359249098/episode/YjcxMTA1N2EtMzllZi0xMWYxLThlNzUtZDNiMzYyODYxMjQ1?view=apps&sort=popularity   Can AI be a child of God? https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/04/11/anthropic-christians-claude-morals/   The Atlantic on Spiritual Practices https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/05/john-mark-comer-spiritual-practices/686586/ Other Resources: The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families (Breaking the Cycle of Religious Trauma and Corporal Punishment) by Kelsey Kramer McGinnis: https://amzn.to/4d1A0iv   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

Many believers wrestle with a quiet but important question: If I truly follow Christ, shouldn't life go better for me? It's a tension that often surfaces when life doesn't unfold as expected—when financial strain, illness, or hardship interrupts our plans. At the heart of that struggle is a deeper issue: how we understand God's promises and what we believe the Christian life is meant to produce. In today's conversation with John Cortines, Director of Partnership and Growth at the McClellan Foundation, we explored how the “prosperity gospel” shapes this conversation—and how Scripture offers a better, more faithful perspective. What Is the Prosperity Gospel? At its core, the prosperity gospel teaches that your spiritual standing can be measured by your circumstances—your health, your wealth, and your overall success. It suggests that if you have enough faith, say the right things, or give to the right causes, you can unlock God's blessings in tangible, immediate ways. But here's the problem: while this teaching begins with a partial truth—that God loves us and is actively involved in our lives—it stretches that truth beyond what Scripture actually promises. Instead of seeing blessings as gifts, it turns them into indicators of spiritual success. Blessings Are Real—But Not Guaranteed The Bible clearly affirms that God gives good gifts. We see provision, healing, and abundance throughout Scripture. But it never presents these as guarantees or as proof of God's favor. That distinction matters. When we experience abundance, we should respond with gratitude—not entitlement. And when we walk through hardship, we're not outside of God's care. Our ultimate security isn't found in changing circumstances—it's found in Christ and the eternal hope we have in Him. When Giving Becomes Manipulation One of the most dangerous expressions of prosperity teaching shows up in how it approaches generosity. Instead of being an act of worship, giving can become transactional: Give this amount, and you'll receive a blessing. Your financial hardship may be because you haven't given enough. But Scripture points us in a very different direction. 2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” True generosity flows from gratitude—not pressure or fear. A Distorted View of God At its deepest level, the prosperity gospel shifts our focus away from Christ and onto ourselves. It subtly replaces grace with performance: Instead of trusting in Christ's finished work, we begin trusting in what we do. Instead of receiving from God, we try to earn from Him. Historically, this mirrors ancient systems where people offered sacrifices to secure favor or blessing. The message becomes: Do the right things, and you'll get the right results. But the gospel says something entirely different: Christ has already secured what we could never earn. What Happens When Hardship Comes? This is where the consequences become painfully clear. When someone embraces a prosperity-centered view and then faces loss—whether financial, physical, or relational—they're often left with confusion and guilt: Did I not have enough faith? Did I not give enough? Is God punishing me? But Jesus speaks plainly in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble.” Hardship is not evidence of failure. It is part of life in a fallen world—and often a place where God deepens our faith. Scripture gives us a far more balanced and honest picture of the Christian life. Abraham and David experienced seasons of great wealth. The apostles faced poverty, persecution, and even death. The early church endured hardship. And Jesus Himself—though rich—became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9). Faithfulness is not measured by comfort. It is measured by trust. Finding Joy in the Midst of Trials So how do we respond when life is hard? John Cortines offers a helpful framework using the word JOY: J — Jesus went first. He understands suffering from the inside. He experienced loss, injustice, and pain. O — Orient your heart. Bring your fears and anxieties to God. Anchor your hope beyond this life. Y — Yes to His purposes. Ask boldly for provision and healing—but trust God's wisdom in the outcome. As James 1:2 reminds us: “Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Joy isn't found in escaping hardship—it's found in trusting Christ through it. If you're walking through a difficult season, hear this clearly: Your suffering does not mean God has abandoned you. The cross is the center of our faith—a place where God's love was revealed through suffering, not the absence of it. Often, it's in the hardest moments that God's presence becomes most real. From Pressure to Privilege Finally, for those in seasons of abundance, Scripture offers a beautiful invitation. Generosity is not driven by guilt or obligation—it's rooted in the example of Jesus. He gave everything for us. And when we give—whether out of little or much—we participate in His work in the world. It's not “I have to give.” It's “I get to be part of what God is doing.” The prosperity gospel measures God's love by our circumstances. But Scripture calls us to something deeper: to anchor our hope in Christ—trusting Him in both abundance and hardship. Because following Jesus doesn't guarantee a life of ease, but it does promise something far greater: His presence, His purpose, and an eternal hope that cannot be shaken. Learn More If you'd like to go deeper on this topic, you can read more in John Cortines' article, Joy Through Trials, in the latest issue of Faithful Steward magazine. And if you'd like to receive Faithful Steward each quarter, just consider becoming a FaithFi Partner when you give $35 a month or $400 a year. You can learn more at FaithFi.com/Partner. On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: I have adult children who aren't financially responsible. Should I take out life insurance on them to provide for their children, and how much coverage would make sense? Should I invest more in my rental properties right now or sell and pay off my mortgages? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) Joy Through Trials (Article by John Cortines in Faithful Steward Magazine, Issue 5) Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does following Christ guarantee health, wealth, and success—or something deeper? Many believers grapple with that tension, especially when life doesn’t go as expected. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and John Cortines discuss how the prosperity gospel distorts biblical truth, and how, through Scripture, we are called to trust God in both abundance and hardship. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio. Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.To learn more about Rob West, click here.To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you tired of praying for breakthrough but not seeing it in your bank account, your relationships, or your daily life? In this powerful message, Pastor Victoria breaks down what the Bible actually says about prosperity — and why most believers are only operating at a fraction of what God has for them.In this message, you'll learn:Why your soul must prosper before your finances canThe biblical systems that keep your life flowing (and what blocks them)What Abraham's story teaches us about breaking free from old mindsets and old placesThe truth about tithing, giving, and sowing in the New TestamentWhy education, skill development, and submitted leadership are spiritual actsHow a stony heart creates a stony life — in money AND relationshipsWhether you're stuck in survival mode, confused about tithing, or just know God has more for you — this message will challenge, convict, and activate you.Support the showText encounteratl to 94000 to stay up-to-date on all things Encounter.Worship with EncounterSundays at 11 AM ET | Wednesdays at 7:30 PM ETSupport EncounterText egive to 77977  Connect with EncounterFacebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | WebsiteConnect with Dr. GabeInstagram | YouTube | Website

Welcome to Day 2826 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel: A Biblical Response. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2826 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2826 of our Trek.   The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today's lesson is titled:  The Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel: A Biblical Response. In recent years, two teachings have gained wide popularity both inside and outside the church: the Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel. Promoted in self-help books, social media, and even some pulpits, they promise health, wealth, and success to those who follow their formulas. To many, these messages sound like hope in an uncertain world. Yet beneath their appealing surface, both rest on foundations far removed from biblical truth. The Law of Attraction suggests that the universe responds to human thoughts and desires, delivering blessings when individuals focus positively. The Prosperity Gospel teaches that financial abundance and physical well-being are signs of God's favor. Though they sound spiritual, both movements originate outside of Scripture and subtly reshape Christian faith into a pursuit of personal gain. The first segment is: Roots and Historical Background The Law of Attraction grew out of the 19th-century New Thought movement in America. Figures like Phineas Quimby and William Walker Atkinson blended mesmerism, Eastern ideas, and metaphysical speculation. They taught that sickness, poverty, and failure result from negative thinking, while success comes from visualizing the life one desires. These ideas found modern expression in books like The Secret and continue to influence popular culture. The Prosperity Gospel shares similar roots. In the early 20th century, E. W. Kenyon merged Christian language with New Thought ideas, teaching that believers could “speak” health and wealth into existence through faith-filled words. This laid the groundwork for the Word of Faith movement, further developed by preachers like Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, and others. With the rise of televangelism and global media, the Prosperity Gospel spread rapidly. Both movements also reflect ancient patterns found in pagan religion, where prosperity was seen as proof of divine approval. Fertility cults promised abundance to those who performed rituals or gave offerings. The Prosperity Gospel repeats this logic, replacing ritual with faith declarations and calling it Christianity. The Second Segment is: Wealth in Scripture The Bible does not condemn wealth, and Jesus never taught that having riches is inherently wrong. What Scripture warns against is trusting in wealth or making it an idol. The love of money—not money itself—is the root of many kinds of evil. Wealth can distract, deceive, and distance people from depending on God. Scripture presents wealth as a test of stewardship. Believers are warned not to place their hope in riches but in God, who provides everything. The rich are called to be generous, to care for the poor, and to use their resources to advance God's kingdom. The accumulation of wealth is never condemned, but hoarding it selfishly or viewing it as a sign of spiritual superiority is. Jesus cautioned that riches can choke out spiritual growth and make it harder to enter the kingdom. Yet He also welcomed the wealthy and honored faithful givers. The issue is not how much one has but where one's treasure lies. Storing up treasure in heaven is the mark of a faithful heart. The third segment is: The True Source of Blessing Biblical blessing is not measured by outward success but by one's relationship with God. Paul declared himself content whether in poverty or abundance because his strength came from Christ. He saw hardship, not comfort, as the training ground of faith. God's promises center on salvation, sanctification, and eternal reward, not financial gain. Trials, sacrifice, and generosity are normal parts of the Christian life. The goal is not to manipulate spiritual laws for personal benefit but to seek first the kingdom of God and trust Him to provide what is truly needed. In Conclusion: The Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel appeal to human desires but distort the message of Scripture. Their roots in paganism, New Thought, and self-focused religion expose them as counterfeits. They reduce God to a cosmic vending machine and faith to a technique for self-enrichment. The Bible offers a better way. Trust in God's providence. Seek His kingdom. Use whatever resources you have to serve others. Whether rich or poor, the true reward is Christ Himself. To further your study, consider these Discussion Questions How does the Prosperity Gospel distort the biblical view of wealth and blessing? In what ways does the Law of Attraction contradict the doctrine of God's sovereignty? What dangers arise when Christian faith is reduced to a tool for personal success? Why is it important to understand the historical and philosophical roots of these teachings? How can believers cultivate a biblical view of contentment and generosity? Join us next Theology Thursday to learn J.R.R. Tolkien's Theological Imagination: Rebellion, Redemption, and the Divine Pattern. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of  ‘Wisdom-Trek,  Creating a Legacy.'                    Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly,   I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:                   Liv Abundantly.      Love Unconditionally.              Listen Intentionally.             Learn Continuously.               Lend to others Generously.                 Lead with Integrity.                 Leave a Living Legacy Each Day.                 I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to,   “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day!  Join me next time for more daily wisdom!

Josiah Hesse describes his parents' journey through the apocalyptic 1970s Jesus movement into a prosperity gospel church that resulted in extreme poverty and financial disillusionment. 14.1887 BERKSHIRES