The History and Influence of The Prosperity Gospel

The prosperity gospel, also known as the “health and wealth Gospel” or the “Word of Faith,” is a religious movement based on the belief that God wants his followers to be prosperous and successful in every area of their lives. In the words of Kate Bowler (a leading scholar and historian of the prosperity gospel), at its core, the movement claims,

“God will give you your heart’s desires: money in the bank, a healthy body, a thriving family, and boundless happiness.”

Kate Bowler

The Core Claim of The Prosperity Gospel

The “Health and Wealth” perspective is widely preached among Charismatic Christian communities and has become increasingly popular in other denominations over the last few decades. Proponents of the prosperity gospel argue that wealth, physical health, and success are divine gifts and that believers who exercise faith can claim these blessings as their own.

Many prosperity preachers say these blessings are a byproduct of salvation. That is to say, Christ died for poverty and illness as well as for sin. According to Stephen Hunt, the assurance of “divine” physical health and prosperity through faith is at the forefront of the prosperity gospel theology. As Kate Bowler puts it.  

The prosperity gospel looks at the world as it is and promises a solution. It guarantees that faith will always make a way. If you believe, and you leap, you will land on your feet. If you believe, you will be healed.

Kate Bowler

The History of The Prosperity Gospel

The origins of the movement can be found in several ideological trends. According to Kate Bowler,

“the prosperity gospel was formed from the intersection of three different ideologies: Pentecostalism, New Thought, and “an American gospel of pragmatism, individualism, and upward mobility.”

Kate Bowler

Consequently, the origins of the prosperity gospel can be traced back to the late 19th century. However, the ideology only began gaining prominence in the 1950s and 1960s when televangelists like Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin brought it to the living rooms of America.

Oral Roberts

Oral Roberts became one of the most influential and visible proponents of the Prosperity Gospel. He taught that God was interested in the whole person – body, mind, and soul – and that believers could receive healing, financial prosperity, and other blessings if they had enough faith. This message was enormously popular, and Roberts became one of the wealthiest pastors in America through his healing crusades and the broadcast of his weekly television program.

A.A. Allen

Another massively influential force in the early development of prosperity theology was A.A. Allen’s book, The Secret to Scriptural Financial Success. Allen pioneered the concept of “miraculous merchandise.” Some examples from his era are “miracle tent shavings,” and religious prayer cloths dipped in “miracle oil.” These products promised everything from physical and financial help to protection from evil spirits.

Allen’s teaching focused heavenly on God’s miraculous ability to solve financial issues. And when I say miraculously, I mean miraculous. Allen would go so far as to say he once witnessed God turn one-dollar bills into a bundle of twenties to get him out of a pinch. He was also known for promoting the “work of faith” idea. A belief that you can speak or will something into existence, so long as it’s within God’s will.  

Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker

The movement got another boost in the 1980s when Jim and Tammy Faye Bekker brought their message of physical well-being to the stage of popular culture. According to Kate Bowler, they were the king and queen of televangelism. That is until “Their media empire toppled when Jim was convicted of financial fraud…. The scandal cemented in most people’s minds the idea that the prosperity gospel was fundamentally about gold faucets, thick mink coats, and matching his-and-her Mercedes — and very little else.”

Although they were very popular for a time, the financials scandals left a bad taste in the publics mouth. From then on the prosperity gospel would be plagued by suspicions of fraud and dishonesty.

Kenneth Hagin

In 1974 Kenneth Hagin opened and founded the RHEMA Bible Training Center. Throughout its run, it educated over 10,000 students in prosperity Theology. He has been credited with expanding the movement and unifying their teaching. Unlike other leaders, prosperity preachers aren’t governed by any council, doctrine, or creed. However, Kenneth Hagin’s school grounded some of the core teachings. Candy Gunther, says it is the “orthodox” version of the movement.

These and other prosperity preachers captivated millions with their assertions that God offers prosperity and abundance to all who put their faith in Him.

The Prosperity Gospel Today

Today there are still several successful prosperity preachers, including Matthew Ashimolowo, Benny Hinn, Bishop Eddie Long, Paula White, and Kenneth Copeland. Despite the scandals and whistle-blowers, the Prosperity Gospel has only grown in popularity over the past several decades, particularly in the developing world. Proponents of the movement have built mega-churches and led massive crusades in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, South Korea, and Kenya.

However, the true influence of the prosperity gospel reaches far beyond the audience of its preachers.

The Prosperity Gospel in Other Denominations

In a recent study, Lifeway Research found that 38 percent of Protestant churchgoers agree with the statement,

“My church teaches that if I give more money to my church and charities, God will bless me in return.”

Over the years, elements of the Prosperity Gospel have found their way into the teaching of mainline denominations. According to Bob Smietana, the leader of the study,

Churchgoers who have evangelical beliefs (75 percent) are more likely to agree God wants them to prosper than those without evangelical beliefs (63 percent). Pentecostal and Assemblies of God (80 percent), Baptist (74 percent), non-denominational (67 percent) and Methodist churchgoers (65 percent) are among the most likely to agree. Lutherans, however, are more skeptical. Just under half (49 percent) say God wants them to prosper financially.

It’s hard to say if the Prosperity Gospel is directly involved in the American Churches’ proclivity towards the idea of divine prosperity. It’s also possible that it’s a symptom of a more significant underlying cultural change. However, it is worth noting that the material-centered ideas of the prosperity gospel exist in pews everywhere.

Why is The Prosperity Gospel so Popular?

Unfortunately, no simple answer can fully explain why the prosperity Gospel has become the cultural force it is. People are complicated and often do things for irrational reasons. However, there are some specific factors worth considering.  

Materialism

What they wanted was reassurance: that if they prayed, and believed, and lived righteously, they would be rewarded with some measure of comfort.

Kate Bowler: I’m a scholar of the “prosperity gospel.” It took cancer to show me I was in its grip.

Physical and Mental Pain

Their teaching also appeals to those struggling with physical problems, mental illness, and emotional wounds. These kinds of issues are often debilitating and incurable. They also leave people with a sense of powerlessness. Consequently, the prosperity preacher’s claim that physical salvation is only one donation away…. can be gripping.

In an article published by Vox, Kate Bowler described her experience observing the people worshiping in these churches.

Some people wanted Bentleys, but more wanted relief from the wounds of their past and the pain of their present. People wanted salvation from bleak medical diagnoses; they wanted to see God rescue their broken teenagers or their misfiring marriages. They wanted talismans to ward off the things that go bump in the night. They wanted an iota of power over the things that ripped their lives apart at the seams.

Kate Bowler: I’m a scholar of the “prosperity gospel.” It took cancer to show me I was in its grip.

An Easy World View

To all these hardships, the prosperity Gospel offers an easy instant solution. It claims that the power to control your situation is your divine gift from God. You don’t have to struggle through life, work hard, or learn how to be content. If you have faith in God, give financially, and practice confession of positive beliefs, you can miraculously unlock success. This kind of ideology uses a mirage of simplistic solutions to provide people seeking quick fixes with an unrealistic ray of hope.

It’s also a worldview that is easy to understand and get on board with.

The prosperity gospel is a theodicy, an explanation for the problem of evil. It is an answer to the questions that take our lives apart: Why do some people get healed and some people don’t? Why do some people leap and land on their feet while others tumble all the way down? Why do some babies die in their cribs and some bitter souls live to see their great-grandchildren?

Kate Bowler: I’m a scholar of the “prosperity gospel.” It took cancer to show me I was in its grip

Self Help

Another factor contributing to the popularity of prosperity teaching is its emphasis on self-help. Prosperity preachers teach that personal responsibility, and positive thinking are the keys to financial success. And because there is some truth to those ideas, these teachings have enabled many individuals to make positive changes.

The Personalities

Lastly, the prosperity Gospel is popular because of the charismatic personalities of the preachers who propagate it. Popular preachers often have magnetic personalities and use their charisma to attract followers. Their messages are delivered with a sense of authority and conviction that is hard to ignore. The preachers often use personal stories of overcoming poverty and hardship as a testament to the effectiveness of their teachings.

Final Thoughts

Personally, I find the movement disturbing for several reasons. However, my problems with the movement and the people who promote it are probably best articulated by someone intimately familiar with its innerworkings. In an article published by Christianity Today, Costi Hinn, the nephew of the infamous Benny Hinn, described his uncle’s work like this.

 Growing up in the Hinn family empire was like belonging to some hybrid of the royal family and the mafia. Our lifestyle was lavish, our loyalty was enforced, and our version of the gospel was big business. Though Jesus Christ was still a part of our gospel, he was more of a magic genie than the King of Kings. Rubbing him the right way—by giving money and having enough faith—would unlock your spiritual inheritance. God’s goal was not his glory but our gain. His grace was not to set us free from sin but to make us rich. The abundant life he offered wasn’t eternal, it was now. We lived the prosperity gospel.

Benny Hinn Is My Uncle, but Prosperity Preaching Isn’t for Me

Sources

1. Life Way Research
2. Robins, R. G. (2010). Pentecostalism in America
3. Coleman, Simon (2000). The Globalisation of Charismatic Christianity: Spreading the Gospel of Prosperity.
4. Bowler, Kate (2013). Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel.
5. Costi Hinn: Benny Hinn Is My Uncle, but Prosperity Preaching Isn’t for Me
6. Kate Bowler: I’m a scholar of the “prosperity gospel.” It took cancer to show me I was in its grip