Prophets or Profits: My Two Cents

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. … Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, … For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.” [2Pe 2:1-3, 15, 18 ESV]

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. … “Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the LORD. … Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.'” … But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds. … Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD.” [Jer 23:1-2, 11, 16-17, 22, 32 ESV]

The United States has many well-trained, Spirit-led missionaries, and I give them much credit for their faithful service. But I have heard of Christians from foreign countries that tell American pastors to not send them our missionaries. On one end of the spectrum, they find them spiritually anemic, so to speak, lacking maturity, weak when faced with temptations or persecution. On the opposite end of the spectrum, they see many of our missionaries as exporting America’s “brand” of so-called Christianity, which majors in hyper-grace and greed. They want, nor need, neither. In fact, I see our country’s lingering attitude on being the greatest missions-sending country in the world as a bit boastful and now, sadly, beyond its zenith. Yes, we have statistics that show great numbers, but I’m thinking more of quality, not quantity. Perhaps we are merely riding on the coattails of past success and not clearly seeing the reality of what a Native American leader had concluded, whom J. I. Packer once quoted: “he finds North American Protestantism, man-centred, manipulative, success-oriented, self-indulgent and sentimental, as it blatantly is, to be 3,000 miles wide and half an inch deep.”⁽¹⁾

Many people here who identify as Christian do not even have a sound, biblical worldview. For example, Gallup reported in 2022⁽²⁾ that only 20 percent of Americans believe that the Bible as the inerrant Word of God is to be taken literally. Of those that identify as Christian, a whopping 58 percent believe that the Bible is inspired, but not literal, and an astounding 16 percent think it is a book of fables. Even if we narrow it down to those who identify as evangelical and born again Christians, still over half of that group does not believe the Bible to be literal, only inspired, and sadly, 8 percent think it is a book of myths! How in the world are we supposed to be its missions leader when we don’t even believe our Bibles, our only source of and test for truth? Even more troubling is that this survey found that 65 percent of all American adults that identify with all other religions or no religion at all view the Bible as a book of myths. One could wonder if we are we neglecting a mission field right in our own back yard! (John 4:35)

What if this downward spiraling trend leads us to question even the gospel’s foundational rock of faith in Christ alone for salvation, the entire reason for missions? A Pew Research study in 2021⁽³⁾ found that 43 percent of all those identifying as Christian think there are other religions that can lead to Heaven. If this is narrowed down to Protestants, they found that 35 percent believe that some other roads lead to Heaven, while almost a quarter (?!) of evangelicals believed in salvation outside of Jesus Christ. We can ask ourselves how this trend impacts missions and what it says about the doctrines taught in our churches. Brothers and sisters, this precipice is steep. Will the next generation see us teeter off? Please pray with me that it will not! Lord Jesus, pray for us! (John 17)

Now, today I’d like to focus on one type of Christianity peddled in this country and ultimately exported overseas. It is full of deceit, hypocrisy, vain ambition, and greed. It is playing out just as Peter foretold in his second letter quoted above. It looks like a never ending supply of new “Christian” books heralded as bestsellers and promising a renewed and vibrant faith if read. It looks like schools of supernatural instruction that will cost thousands of dollars. It looks like the insidious feed of “Christian” pop music’s top ten into our churches. It looks like the teaching of tithing to your local church and the “sowing a seed of faith” appeals by many ministries. It looks like some “Christian” movies that resemble those on the Hallmark channel that lack true substance, give us a feel-good experience, and make Jesus out to be more like us and less like God, and they are marketed to the masses. Brothers and sisters, so much in America is birthed with money, and it bears and multiplies more religious leaders who then become illegitimate sons of faith: Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” [Mat 23:15 ESV]

When I look at the Christian publishing industry, I see trouble for true disciples of Christ. I have been noting that Lifeway, the nonprofit publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, peddles books on the occultic Enneagram, the sloppy theology of The Message translation of the Bible, and a good number of books by popular authors claiming to help you “hear” the voice of God. I have written in the past on the Enneagram, so I won’t delve deeply into it here, but suffice it to say a born again child of God does not need a demon-inspired personality assessment to find out how to serve and/or relate to God and other people. [1 Tim 4:1] Another bookseller, Christian Book Distributors, has oodles of titles by heretical teachers like Bill Johnson and others from the Bethel megachurch in Redding, California, Joseph Prince, Steven Furtick, Mario Murillo, Joel Osteen, Andy Stanley, and so many more. They advertise that “everything Christian” can be found in their store and proffer these false teachers alongside solid biblical teachers like John MacArthur today and Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, in his day. Faith Gateway, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, has similar mixed offerings. It’s like these bookstores are slipping spiritual arsenic in our morning devotionals. Why? Because these authors are popular and their books sell. I am so saddened that many of these books have 5 star ratings! Where has all our discernment gone? This amassing of Bible “teachers” and the plethora of “Bible” study books is alarming because it entices people away from the pure milk of God’s Word. When these books and their authors become more admired and touted than THE Book and its Author, be very wary. The Bible clearly states that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches us not only to love God and others, but also teaches us all things:

“…God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. [Rom 5:5 ESV]

“And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” [1Co 2:13 ESV]

“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie–just as it has taught you, abide in him.” [1Jo 2:27 ESV]

Beloved, these so-called Bible teachers have bank accounts bigger than some small town budgets. Joseph Prince’s net worth is estimated at $5 million,⁽⁴⁾ Andy Stanley’s is around $50 million,⁽⁵⁾ Bill Johnson’s is estimated to be between $5 and $10 million,⁽⁶⁾ Steven Furtick’s around $55 million (and he lives in a 8,400 square foot mansion),⁽⁷⁾ Joel Osteen’s is $100 million,⁽⁸⁾ and Joyce Meyer’s is $8 million.⁽⁹⁾ Please know that these are all estimates from various internet sites whose accuracy is not known, but my point is that these false teachers are at the very least millionaires making gobs of money off of their book writing, television broadcasts, and public speaking activities. This is a far cry from the example of the Apostle Paul, who would at times forgo his right to financial support in many churches, choosing rather to work with his hands so as not create a burden on new believers and to set a good example. He differentiated himself from those who looked to godliness as a means of gain, those who were fleecing the flock. We do not see this kind of loving care and sacrifice for the Lord’s people so often these days. My point here is not to say writing books in and of itself is bad, but rather those with errant theology. Also, it is this: if these false teachers have amassed this much wealth mainly through book writing, what are the publishers and booksellers making? Do they care whether a book is theologically sound, or whether it will supply their “market niche,” whether it will sell? I will let their bookshelves speak for themselves.

Another money-making method of these heterodox churches is to offer “schools” for learning how to obtain and use supernatural gifts. Bethel Church’s School of the Supernatural costs $13,000 over three years. Many charismatic ministries are following suit because they smell the money. One such school, Christian Leadership University, offers course modules that promise you such things as: four keys to hearing God’s voice every day; unleashing healing power through Spirit-born emotions to learn how Kingdom power rides on the waves of Kingdom emotions; and how to fulfill your financial destiny and discover what the Bible really says about money. These are a smattering of the offerings for their Diploma in Applied Spirituality, now offered at the cut rate of $1795. This “Bible College” is “accredited” by two groups–one of which was formed by C. Peter Wagner–that are not recognized by the U.S. government, nor are their teachers certified. This is all rationalized away by stating that spiritual training does not need secular approval, and that if secular approval was needed, why, then Jesus couldn’t even teach!

This is pure smoke and mirrors, beloved. Their entire argument falls apart when we remember that Jesus never started a “formal” school, never offered fake “religious” degrees, and NEVER charged anyone for His blessed wisdom and specifically instructed His disciples not to: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.” [Mat 10:8 ESV] Their website alludes to the scripture in Revelation about the river of life and purposefully leaves out the part about it being free: “And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” [Rev 21:6 ESV] “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” [Rev 22:17 ESV] And remember 1 John 2:27 cited above–true believers have an anointing from God that teaches us everything true. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. [Eph 6:17] Also, there is an account in the Bible when a man named Simon, a magician, offered money to the apostles so that he could have the power to bestow the Holy Spirit, Peter rebuked him sternly: “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!” [Act 8:20 ESV] These false teachers need to quit it with the euphemisms and scripture-twisting that they use to try to justify their money-making schemes.

There seems to be a never-ending flow of money into megachurches from so many sources these days, especially the Christian music industry. Bethel Music, the nonprofit founded by Brian and Jenn Johnson, reported a net income in 2020 of about $692,000 according to the ProPublica website.⁽¹⁰⁾ That doesn’t seem like much, right? Well, upon closer inspection of their financial records, the royalties from their songs rake in a little over $6 million, their net inventory sales a little over $2.5 million, and their program services bring in about $2.6 million. The organization carries almost $5.5 million in net assets. While all expenses are not disclosed, their biggest expense is salaries–a whopping near $4.6 million. Jenn Johnson’s net worth is estimated at around $3 million,⁽¹¹⁾ and Brian’s is estimated to be about $5 million.⁽¹²⁾ Hillsong Worship’s YouTube channel boasts over 8 million subscribers and is estimated to have a net worth of almost $8 million. Based on ad rates, it is projected to rake in almost $2 million a year from their monetized YouTube channel.⁽¹³⁾ Brooke Lingertwood, one of the lead singers, is estimated to have a $1 to $5 million net worth.⁽¹⁴⁾

I could go on. My aim is not to criticize the character of these few people. I am sure they are sincere. My point I’m trying to make is that the Christian music industry is a money-making machine. It is not just your average school lunch allowance. But more worrisome than the wealth of this industry is its ability to export a western worldview and false theology that their mega-church homes teach. The popular songs from Bethel Music and Hillsong United are being adopted by biblically sound churches, too, and the style of musical presentation is being imitated by their own worship pastors. The result is that members will naturally want to look up information on the singers and find out about the churches that promote these songs. It is kind of like a phishing scam in that we we would be clicking on a link to a fake website trying to steal our identity in Christ. Not only that, but churches that use these songs are paying royalties and are unwittingly supporting these heresies. If you would ask any authentic church if they would invite the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to sing there or pay royalties for songs promoted by the Watchtower Society, the answer would be a resounding, “NO!” I don’t have room to examine the pitfalls of most of the lyrics here, but if you listen to some of these popular songs, I urge you to pray and do some research.

Now, how about tithing and offerings? Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church brought in $78.6 million in contributions in 2017 and held roughly $59 million in net assets.⁽¹⁵⁾ Joyce Meyer Ministries received over $101 million in contributions in 2021 and held over $75 million in net assets.⁽¹⁶⁾ Elevation Church raised over $118 million in cash donations in 2022 and held over $264 million in net assets.⁽¹⁷⁾ Now, no one is denying that the money can be used to do good works in the world. My concern is that all of these nonprofits teach tithing, that members are to give ten percent of their income to the church. I will save the space for a lengthy discussion of this in a separate post, but I would like to point out that in the New Testament, it is not the custom of the church leaders to ask for tithes from believers. As a matter of fact, the word “tithe” is only used in Matthew 23 and its parallel passage here in Luke, where Jesus said: “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” [Luk 11:42 ESV] Was Jesus saying to not neglect the tithe? No, He was rather pointing out that the religious leaders of the day wanted to follow strict rules and load them on everyone else, too, and that if they wanted to truly fulfill the law they should do EVERYTHING it says. He was pointing out that the picayune act of measuring out a tenth of your herbs was creating a sense of self-righteousness in them. Their adherence to the rule of law omitted love, love for God and love for others. Remember, those religious leaders crucified their Savior. They loaded heavy religious burdens on others and despised “sinners.” Where was their love for God? Where was their love for others? Their motivation was all wrong. God esteems justice and desires wholehearted love for Himself: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” [Mar 12:30-31 ESV]

It is also true that when the Bible talks about giving, nowhere in the New Testament is any specific amount suggested or a tithe even mentioned. When writing to the Corinthians about a gift they were preparing for the saints, Paul says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” [2Co 9:7 ESV] In the context he wants it to be clear that this should be a willing gift and not given with a sense of an exaction, as if commanded or demanded. We who believe in Christ are not under law, but grace. [Rom 6:14] So many churches teach that tithing is being obedient to God based on Old Testament Law. So, the logical conclusion most people come to is that if you are not tithing, you are being disobedient to God. This manipulation causes many to give out of guilt, not love. Furthermore, so many false teachers, and even some seemingly solid ministries, are using the “plant a seed of faith” logic to get contributions. I recently was listening to a Revive Our Hearts radio episode where they were laser-focused on bringing in their year-end giving campaign goal. Now, I want to say much of what they teach is good. But what I want to point out is that they said (I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!) that maybe if you don’t know how you’re going to pay your next electric bill or provide for some other necessity, just give to our ministry and God will take care of you. They claimed that this was planting a “seed of faith.”

Now, this not only made me angry, but also so sad for the those who struggle with their finances. First of all, the planting a seed of faith principle expects God to give back to you when you give, so that the motive is not to bless another without expecting anything in return, but ultimately to get a return on the investment. The motive is not love. It also guilts people into giving to religious organizations by insinuating that one’s faith is in question if a person doesn’t give (and many times, sadly, people will give and do not see any provision for themselves and lose heart). Secondly, this is in direct contradiction to scripture. Paul taught: “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality.” [2Co 8:12-14 NIV] Clearly, we are not to feel compelled to give when we don’t have enough to pay our bills or meet our needs. Again, we would be giving out of guilt, not love. It is not loving to not pay your electric or phone bill so that you can tithe or give in to these manipulative pleas. Think about it this way: the multi-million dollar ministry is asking someone with modest means to just trust God and have faith and give. I would challenge such a ministry to then have that same faith–forgo paying your bills, give away what you don’t have to give, don’t ask anyone to help you–and see how God provides! If the logic they are peddling is true, they shouldn’t even be asking for your money.

On the other side of this coin (pun intended), giving from the heart out of love is encouraged in scripture. In 2 Corinthians, Paul says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously”. [2Co 9:6 NIV] What he is addressing is not how much is given to support the saints, but how eagerly it is desired. He wants it to be given with a generous spirit, not with a stingy attitude. So many people twist this scripture to justify their money-making schemes, but note in these verses what Paul has in mind for what we reap: seed, bread, and good works. In other words, God will provide for our needs so that we can “abound in every good work.” The Lord does not operate like the stock market and dangle the incentive of a twenty percent return, or an excess of wealth as prosperity teachers promise. Paul is advising equity among the saints, a sharing spirit that sees a brother or sister’s need and provides because he has more than enough. This may mean we give more than ten per cent at times. In seasons of lack, those who have the plenty will supply our lack. It’s a mutual caring for one another that is stressed throughout scripture.

I could write more on giving (imagine that!), and I will also save my comments about popular Christian movies for a later post. While those who back series and movies like The Chosen and Jesus Revolution have very good intentions, I do have some concerns. I have read quite a bit of commentary about them from other sources, but I really want to watch the movies myself and pray first.

To those who read this and come to the conclusion that their belief that religion is poison is justified, I want to point out that there are many false disciples in Christianity today. Jesus predicted it. He told a parable about a man who sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy comes and sows weeds among the wheat. He explains it in this way: “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man (Jesus). The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [Mat 13:37-42 NIV] Please don’t let the weeds convince you that the entire field is a loss. Just like there are people that are ingenuine in any group, it doesn’t mean the whole lump of clay is that way. If you think along the lines of counterfeit things like money, artwork, or gems, the existence of the fake doesn’t prove that there isn’t legal tender, original works of art, or authentic gems. Their existence rather proves the true value of the genuine.

In all these points I have brought up in this post, I want to encourage any reader who finds themselves in a church that is preaching and teaching doctrine that goes beyond the truth in God’s Word or that is twisting scripture to bilk its members to please pray. Pray for discernment and that the Lord would lead you to a church with sound doctrine, loving shepherds, and caring members. Look for a church marked by the love for one another that Jesus said his followers would have: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [Jhn 13:34-35 NIV] I write these things to hopefully spare you from spiritual harm. The Apostle John also showed care and concern for the believers in his day:

“I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him. And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.” [1Jo 2:26-29 NIV] Amen.

Sources:

(1) https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/why-we-need-the-puritans/

(2) https://news.gallup.com/poll/394262/fewer-bible-literal-word-god.aspx

(3) https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/11/23/views-on-the-afterlife/

(4) https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/authors/pastor-joseph-prince-net-worth/

(5) https://www.overlookpress.com/andy-stanley/?cn-reloaded=1

(6) https://oneworldinformation.com/bill-johnson/

(7) https://abtc.ng/steven-furtick-net-worth-tattoo-age-sermons-house-family-salary/

(8) https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/joel-osteen-net-worth/

(9) https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/authors/joyce-meyer-net-worth/#:~:text=Pastor%20Joyce%20Meyer%20net%20worth,worth%20of%20%248%20million%20dollars.

(10) https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/474005681

(11) https://www.idolnetworth.com/jenn-johnson-net-worth-246539