Our Turn to Prosper
I read a interesting review of a new book entitled: It’s a New Day, Race and Gender in the Modern Charismatic Movement. The book apparently chronicles the success of several influential ministries– ones that have name recognition in the larger Christian marketplace (like Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, and T.D. Jakes to name three). One of the common features of all of these charismatics is that they embrace a prosperity theology and gospel.What’s interesting and ironic about this development is the first generation Pentecostals and Charismatics embraced a counter cultural/ world denying theology and gospel. Now my question is — doesn’t that sound familiar?
It is a fact that the majority of earliest leaders of the Stone-Campbell movement (our forefathers in faith) came from humble origins with highly limited material resources. Our congregation is not charismatic and we do not embrace a message of prosperity. Yet there is no question that we have “crossed the tracks” as we like to say and we’ve made our peace with wealth and affluence.
Here’s the last sentence from the review: “Against all odds, [modern charismatic leaders] have created a faith that affirms rather than challenges the materialism and extravagances of American culture. Indeed, it is a new day.”
Sound familiar?
