Disturbed... But not at what or who you would suppose.

I am sitting at my computer perusing YouTube looking for clips to the new music project by Bishop T.D. Jakes and the Potter's House Mass Choir's "Grace" CD. I see on the side of the screen clips posted by a certain person of Bishop Jakes preaching for TBN Praise-A-thon a couple of years ago. I happened to watch that WHOLE sermon and thought it was edifying. This person referred to Jakes "pimping". As I was reading his comments along many others I was really disturbed and taking back at the rhetoric. I had come accross this person's blog and his remarks on "prosperity pimps" among other things. I wonder if that's in the Bible (tongue in cheek)? He is not the only person who refers to certain Pentecostal/Charismatic televangelists as "prosperity pimps" (whether warranted or not) on the Web and in Christendom. Many Christians from diverse backgrounds: white conservative Evangelical, Mainline, Black Church traditions, and Pentecostals have had their say in media both broadcast, internet and print. There's even a website dedicated to expose these so-called "pimps".

I am certainly for contending for the faith "which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 1:3), but I believe something terribly wrong about Christian apolegetics done on the Web today. Apologetics is an skilled practice. Men and women spend years training to humbly presenting themselves to God as approved workmen accurately handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Unfornately this person doesn't seem to accurately handle the word in presenting his case against these individuals. Taking pit shots at people and taking their teachings out of context i.e. posting sound bytes on YouTube and given them derogatory epithets for all the world to see is doing more harm than good and the credibility of the accusers are damaged. Sure I have disagreed with some of Bishop Jakes' methods (being a bit too entrepreneurial in church affairs and he's not the only one), but he preaches and teaches the Word. I wouldn't call him or his colleagues' heretics. By the way, his continual affiliation with Oneness Pentecostals doesn't convince me that he espouses Oneness theology either. (Read David A. Reed's essay on Oneness Pentecostalism in the Journal of Pentecostal Theology issue 11 (1997) and Jakes' own church's belief statement at http://www.thepottershouse.org/ to understand why). Honestly I would be disturbed if many people agreed with every preacher who claims to be biblical, whether conservative Evangelical or Pentecostal! We all have to try every teaching by the Word and that takes corporate witness of the Body of Christ.

It is my sincere belief that using terms like "prosperity pimps" doesn't edify the Body of Christ to guard their hearts at real false teaching and it says a lot more about the ones calling these "pimps" out than the "pimps" themselves.

Yes the extremists that came out of the Word of Faith movement have crossed over the airwaves into the homes of Americans and ravaged the Majority World especifically Africa resulting in baptized materialism and have produced more socioeconomic hardships for many people around the word. I believe the essential point of the Word of Faith was to deal with whole man. There is good Word of Faith teaching out there beside the televangelists many see on TV. God is a provider of our needs in every area of this life. So don't get me wrong; I love my Word of Faith brothers and sisters and BIBLICAL prosperity should be taught. I said BIBLICAL prosperity! Prosperity (material wealth and land) was granted to the people of Israel by God after leaving Egypt to establish his covenant with them as promised to their forefathers. God gave them laws on how to manage their wealth and minister to widows, the orphans, and the poor. God commands rich Christians and any other Christian for that matter to minister to the those who have need with their monetary resources. (More importantly, as my brother Antoine Wright taught me, the poor like all of us need hope, that is the Gospel of CHRIST).

"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Timothy 2:26

This doesn't sound like many apologists today, especially my good brother.

The apostles, Paul, Peter, John, and our Chief Apostle Jesus Christ do warn us about false prophets and teachers. Paul admonish Timothy to teach SOUND doctrine.

The Church historically hasn't taught well about money, wealth and financial management. Preachers either taught that money is the root of all evil and it's blessing to be poor (which are abberations of the Scriptures 1 Timothy 6:10 and Mat 5:3). When Isaiah 61 declared that good tidings would be preach to the poor, he didn't mean that the gospel is not for the rich. The rich because are their proclivity to trust in their riches, ARE POOR without God!

There seems to be a lot of carnal-minded Christian apologetics being written on the Web. Though well meaning, it could lead people to not discern for themselves the truth. The apostle John told believers that we have the anointing and know all things(1 John 1: 20)

Preaching the truth about real false prophets and false teachers in the spirit of love will reach people. Christ warns us about that we will give an account for every idle word that we speak on the day of judgment (Matthew 12:36). I pray that we assess our real motives and intentions before we attempt to "expose" false preachers. Dare we expose ourselves?

It's past my bedtime. Peace and God bless.