Anti-Gospel

You will not hear about dark nights of the soul from the likes of Benny Hinn and Joel Osteen and Paula White (who, with her husband, is treating their divorce this week like a hiccup that doesn't matter much to their "ministry" aims -- which means keeping the gravy train running).

My money is on the business folding congregation being told that after 18 years, they've been milked dry and they should be all grown up enough to pay their own way in life.

You will not hear about the real world and the real gospel in response to it from these charlatans because they are afraid you might actually become satisfied in Christ and tire of their lies. They need you discontent so that you will still need them to pick you up.

And if you think this crap is limited to the name-it-claim-it crowd, you are mistaken. It has been creeping into our evangelical churches for years, and you see this discontentment with the Gospel every time you hear a message that treats the Bible like an advice column or a self-help quote book or that treats worship like a performance. Any time the purpose of worship is YOU, you might as well be getting the holy spirit pixie dust from Rod Parsley. It's the same false gospel, just packaged for a different crowd....

Dear God, make us crave the gospel, make us desire grace, make us satisfied in and with You alone for Your glory alone. Make us satisfied -- joyously, exuberantly, righteously satisfied -- in Your Son for Your glory.

(H.T. iMonk and Jared and Saint)

Pulpit Pimping for Prosperity

Mega-churches have spawned the inevitable rise of mega-pastors. There is nothing inherently wrong with having a large church or being the pastor of a large church. But the how and why are more important. A lot of churches are being constructed and run more like a business than a church and those in promulgation of the false gospel of prosperity pimping are tainting all evangelical preachers with a similar brush. Soon to be released by Reuben Armstrong is the book Snakes in the Pulpit who highlights four prominent pastors saying they are "deceiving true believers" and "..these four pastors are using the word of God to manipulate the true believers for fame and fortune..." The fame and finances generally don't travel far from the pockets of these style of pimping preachers. Now without trying very hard there are many more high profile names that could go on his list of preachers who are more obsessed with pimping their pulpit. Those pulpit sharing impastors who go on the lucrative preaching circuit (or is that circus - you be the judge) inviting such style of preacher to fleece their flock in return for the reciprocated opportunity to do likewise on prosperity promotion tours.

(H.T. Think Christian)