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I Am Not a “Prosperity Gospel” Preacher, Trust Me!

I Am Not a “Prosperity Gospel” Preacher, Trust Me!

by The Reverend Dr. Roman D. Roldan on October 13, 2021

October through December are months of intense prayer for me. Truthfully speaking, this intense period of prayer is not for the reasons you think.  Preparation for Advent and the birth of Christ are only part of the for my prayer life during these months. The main reason is money. I find it easier to ask people to contribute to small causes during the announcements at church than to preach about money during our Stewardship Season. Now, to make it clear from the start, I believe stewardship is a deeply biblical concept. The Bible has something important to say about money and the proper use of money. Stewardship has been a beloved practice in our house for many years. But knowing about biblical stewardship and preaching about money are two different things. The issue is one of comfort. I often feel awkward about asking for money.

A few years back, while flipping channels on my television set, God gave me an insight into the reason for my uneasiness with this type of preaching. I came across a stewardship campaign for TBN (The Bible Network.) TBN or Trinity Broadcast Network is the largest Christian network in the world. Founded by Paul and Jan Crouch in 1973, the network is now run by Paul Crouch, Jr. since the death of his father in 2013. Crouch’s sermon was pretty easy to follow, although I found its theology quite repugnant: “The more you give to God, the more you get from God in your life. You don’t have enough because you don’t give God enough!” Since TBN preachers see themselves as speaking for God, then to give to God is to give to TBN. Suddenly, I realized why I feel like a snake-oil salesman every time I try to convince you to pledge to Saint Dunstan’s Episcopal Church. Unconsciously, I have been comparing myself to tele-evangelists and “prosperity” gospel preachers. I once heard a tele-evangelist say, “If the IRS takes 27%, shouldn’t God deserve more?”

Albert Mohler Jr., President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says, “prosperity theology is a false theology. . . . TBN has been a huge embarrassment to evangelical Christianity for decades." This sentiment is echoed by many other church leaders and writers. The Christian Post once quoted an article from the New York Times, which stated, “The prosperity gospel message, is working out quite nicely for the pair (Janice and Paul Crouch) whose TBN brought in $93 million in donations in 2010.” (http://www.christianpost.com/news/tbn-trouble-in-paradise-74542/.) In short, TBN received $93 million dollars in donations at the heart of one of the most serious economic downturns in American history. This pattern has continued over the last 11 years. In fact, during the Covid-19 Pandemic the network has brought in tens of millions of dollars, although it is unclear how they have assisted American families dealing with the effects of this Pandemic.

The challenge for me during this stewardship season is to speak biblically about money in a way that will not make you want to take a Lysol bath. The fear tactics of the “prosperity” gospel work for them, but this is not who I am. I believe in long-term relationships; honoring commitments we have made; and living into our vision, core values, and ministry strategy. I believe God calls us to be good stewards of the resources he has entrusted into our care. All of us, together, whether the wealthiest or the poorest, are called to a life of generosity and radical hospitality. God has called us to be a loving congregation where members care for one another and where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, celebrated, and lived out.

Your financial contribution makes it possible for the lights to go on, the insurance to get paid, our staff to get decent salaries, our outreach ministries to have enough funds to alleviate serious need in our communities, and other ministries to get the necessary funding they need to be viable and healthy. Our goals are to offer God the honor and love God deserves; to celebrate our corporate identity as a loving congregation seeking to unite all people with the love of God; and to extend our arms in love to the least and the lost for Christ.  Without your financial support we would not be able to live into these goals.

We have exciting ministries, a congregation who is returning to our campus after their Covid-19 immunizations, and a busy 2022 program year that will build on our current momentum with new initiatives like Invite/Welcome/Connect, and Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPs.) We need your prayers, and we need your financial support as we develop next year’s budget. Please start praying to God now, because our In His Steps campaign is deeply rooted in prayer. Ask God how he wants you to fund his mission among us this coming year. If you would like to have a conversation about Saint Dunstan’s finances or budget, please feel free to contact our Director of Operations, Laurie Riggs, or our treasurers Rod Leis and Manette Maddox.  As always, feel free to call on me as needed.

May our generous God continue to bless you and your family,

Fr. Roman+    

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