Tough Questions, Man Pleasing AnswersIn Detroit on AM 1500 from 4-6, the broadcast is from a local guy Paul Edwards. Paul is a pretty solid, Reformed guy. He tends to have pretty good guests on the show and covers interesting topics. What follows his show though, not so much. The show is called Tough Questions, Bible Answers by Pastor Jerry Weinzierl from Grace Christian Church in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Pastor Jerry and his wife "Pastor" Joy Weinzierl are proponents of the "prosperity" gospel that has gained so much traction in recent years, driven by dissatisfaction with "merely" being saved (you know you are in trouble when you get a husband and wife "pastor" team). Sure you saved me by grace from an eternal hell, but what are you doing for me now!
Today Pastor Jerry got an a roll about why he preaches prosperity, taking a brief shot at Calvinism with a typical mischaracterization. That didn't bother me, I have come to expect that sort of stuff. What bugged me was the way he apparently sees the Gospel as something to be packaged. I was driving when I heard him and I am only paraphrasing here. The summary of what Jerry Weinzierl was saying was: Some people say we should go about preaching how the Christian life might, and indeed probably will, lead to suffering and persecution in this life
Yeah, like that's going to get the job done.
In other words just preaching the Gospel like Paul and Peter and the other apostles did is inadequate because people just aren't interested in that stuff. Whatcha need to do is explain why joining our church will lead to you making more money and healing your bunions. The Gospel just ain't good enough, because being saved for eternity is not an adequate lure, I need something right here and right now.
What about the work of the Holy Spirit that he is always talking about? I guess it is really about the appeal of the message and the delivery, not the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit that precedes salvation. God is most glorified when we are weakest, when we are broken, not when we are fat and happy and wondering what all the fuss is about. I used to be semi-amused by Pastor Jerry. Not anymore.
After listening to Pastor Jerry tell me that we need to preach prosperity to get people interested in Jesus, this is a great time to a refresher on the "prosperity gospel" from John Piper....
What about the work of the Holy Spirit that he is always talking about? I guess it is really about the appeal of the message and the delivery, not the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit that precedes salvation. God is most glorified when we are weakest, when we are broken, not when we are fat and happy and wondering what all the fuss is about. I used to be semi-amused by Pastor Jerry. Not anymore.
After listening to Pastor Jerry tell me that we need to preach prosperity to get people interested in Jesus, this is a great time to a refresher on the "prosperity gospel" from John Piper....
2 comments:
Like so much else that b at God and Culture Blog says, I just shut my ears to these "wackos". From the day these people started they church in an old Home Depot, I knew they were shysters to stay away from. They came in and took over spending lots of money. If he is following the current formula for mega church growth, I expect is now looking at a biz jet like the rest of his crowd.
Ed in Eastpointe
The folksy aw-shucks stuff really grates at me. I am kind of a glutton for this stuff.
I figure whenever a preacher stops talking about sin and starts talking about prosperity, the prosperity they have in mind in their own pocketbook.
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