#127 Preachers Corrupted by their Wealth

"Health-wealth" gospel, if you aren't familiar with the pitch, promises financial gain to the donor (or good health). Sometimes donors receive prayed-over trinkets for their money. Completely bogus, in my opinion, especially if you’ve read your Bible or history of the church. These ministries make the pre-reformation medieval churchmen with their schemes for accumulating wealth by bilking believers look like pikers and amateurs.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch ran some hard hitting columns in mid-November on the "health-wealth," "word-faith," "name it-claim it" preachers--Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Marilyn Hickey, Creflow Dollar, the Crouches, etc. All have TV ministries, live in mansions, drive Mercedes and Rolls, own private jets, and keep their adult children within their ranch compounds and on their payrolls, all provided by the donations for “God’s work” from whoever believes that this is why Jesus died.

Most of the articles concerned Joyce Meyer, who lives in the St. Louis area and takes in about $95 million a year. At the bottom of the column discussing hers and others’ ministries are two click-to paid ads for her books and tapes! Now is that marketing savvy or what? Will her devoted fans be irate about the expose, see the ads, and send in even more money?

Then below her ads is an ad for a Christian news service with an article about where believers can send money at Christmas (obviously, not to any of the organizations in the Dispatch article). Before sending money, check out MinistryWatch.