The Gospel of Wealth Preachers and Preaching
--Are they practicing a Ponzi Scheme? --

There is a current form of teaching among many Christian ministers that is broadly called the Gospel of Wealth. These ministers are mouthing John the Beloved's words and suggesting that he was preaching the Gospel of Wealth as well. Some ministers have given their entire ministries to that one teaching. Those ministers are the Tony Robinsons of religious wealth seminars.

TV ministers such as Kenneth Copeland, Clefo Dollar, etc., have also given much attention to Christians becoming wealthy, and people are flocking to them and giving money in droves. Instead of old-fashioned revivals, or better yet, religious assemblies, they are holding Wealth Seminars.

It is easy to see why many people would flock to these Gospel of Wealth preachers--Americans flock to the lottery and to Las Vegas gambling tables as well. It is the chance of becoming rich that lures many people; after all, being rich is to live the American dream, which is touted as the dream of all mankind! At least that is the pop culture aired on radio and TV stations and promoted in American magazines and newspapers throughout the world. 

As far back as the Herbert Hoover campaign slogan in 1928, "A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage," unto today, where it has become the dream of Americans to have a Bill Gates rich lifestyle, Americans expect God, the devil, some stroke of luck, or just plain magic will make them millionaires by hook or crook--and there has been and still is more crook than there is hook in attaining wealth.

The remarkable thing about having Bill Gates riches is that he, in real life, as much as I know, worked hard for his money, and did not used some hocus pocus to get it, and now having money, he is doing something meaningful with it: helping others worldwide in significant ways--fighting AIDS, diseases, hunger, illiteracy, etc. Our new dreamers of wealth are only concerned with getting it any easy way they can and helping only themselves. These dreamers simply want wealth--money--to buy things, as if things are the makings of a person or the makings of a life. And because most are untutored in godliness and the higher refinements of life, to them, having things is being someone and the two are life. So once they have acquired a few dollars, they make a line to Mercedes Benz dealerships, and they buy, buy, buy; crudely, grotesquely, and, as E. Franklin Frazier wrote many years ago, they buy for conspicuous consumption: they buy so others can see they have money to buy, and in this society's vulgar class culture, to be able to buy is to be of importance. And in keeping with the current pop American ethos, they are tastelessly loud in their manner, egocentric in their behavior, and unsightly in their deportment. These are the noisy near-do-wells who have no refinement of wealth possession and very little refinement of anything else. Sadly, they are oblivious to the fact that they could experience a reversal of their meager fortunes within a month (or less); for they are built upon sinking sand and are making no provisions for anything but this moment. They are unaware of the dangers of living solely in and for the moment, instead they shout their vulgarity!

Alchemy of the Gospel of Wealth Preachers
Today's preachers of wealth have mixed the name of Christ into their alchemy of wealth, but there is no God in their lives, in their ministries, or in their potions. Most have made a mockery of godliness--many have been caught in all types of corruption that defy the very teachings of Christianity; many are blatant sinners, using the name of Christ and their positions in churches to feather their nests, as it were.

In the Bible, the letter that the Apostle John wrote to Gaius said, among other things, this: I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. These wealth preachers detach prosper from the whole of John's statement, especially from that part about prospering as the soul prospers, and redefine the word prosper to mean money, financial gain, to have this world's goods--and lots of them! That is their corruption of the Christian teaching, as they blindly mix their alchemy of wealth, worldliness and biblical notions to beguile the weakened Christian people of God. And as they have corrupted this writing of John to Gaius to create their own personal wealth, they only promise it to those who provide them wealth.

Ponzi/Pyramid Scheme
In fact, these preachers have built their wealth through Ponzi and Pyramid schemes and Confidence games that promise wealth to all but deliver to a few--those at the top of their pyramid. The definition and origin of the Ponzi Scheme are given below by the US Securities and Exchange Commission:

Ponzi schemes are a type of illegal pyramid scheme named for Charles Ponzi, who duped thousands of New England residents into investing in a postage stamp speculation scheme back in the 1920s. Ponzi thought he could take advantage of differences between U.S. and foreign currencies used to buy and sell international mail coupons. Ponzi told investors that he could provide a 40% return in just 90 days compared with 5% for bank savings accounts. Ponzi was deluged with funds from investors, taking in $1 million during one three-hour period-and this was 1921! Though a few early investors were paid off to make the scheme look legitimate, an investigation found that Ponzi had only purchased about $30 worth of the international mail coupons. Decades later, the Ponzi scheme continues to work on the "rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul" principle, as money from new investors is used to pay off earlier investors until the whole scheme collapses.
[US Securities and Exchange Commission]

The Rev. Ike Effect
One of the most well publicized and blatant forms of religious, church thievery was actually perpetrated by people like Rev. Ike, [Frederick Eikerenkoetter] who took large sums of money from the people or anyone who would give him money, by using prayer cloths, blessed oil, and prosperity plans (paper) and promised them they would get much more back from God by giving to Rev. Ike, and therefore to God. Massively the people sent him money, hoping for their return miracles of money and healing. There were other less publicized ministers who were running confidence games as well, but Rev. Ike was one of the earliest radio and television evangelists, who, without shame flaunted his ill-begotten wealth as early rap stars flaunted their money. He pandered for cash and was openly proud of what he spent it on--sparkling jewelry, new cars, and beautiful women. He went on celebrity shows and had cameos in movies. He lived the high life off other people's money that he got by using the name of God without shame.

Like Jim Jones, Rev. Ike went so far as to reverse the Bible's words as his motto, saying, "The LACK of money is the root of all evil." The Apostle Paul wrote, "The LOVE of money is the root of all evil, which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith…. " Yet the people kept going and giving to him in the name of God and always excusing his transgressions of Christian teachings and behavior.

Ike was raised early on as a boy preacher in a Holiness Church; he never worked, other than being a Chaplin in the Air Force. He received a Bachelor of Theology Degree from American Bible College, which seems to be a legitimate school, but other degrees are from non-accredited schools he created--Honorary Recognition, Doctor of the Science of Living (D. Sc. L.) conferred by United Church, Science of Living Institute, New York. He made himself a bishop and now about 73-years old, he is still receiving money from anyone willing to give it.

From a boy preacher, Ike knew the ways and easy acceptance he would find among Holiness people and others to his fairly good-looks and his smooth voice when he paraded a feigned holiness. Consequently, many Christians found it hard to believe that while using the name of Christ and seemingly still in the church, he would or could preach a gospel that went against so many truths of God. But he did just that, and they paid him to do so, as many are paying him and comparable ministers still.

But Ike was like so many ministers who are running scams today, he started his own church organization, gave himself titles and degrees of no real value, other than to those who are his victims and do not know the difference between real, worked-for degrees from accredited universities and degrees from diploma mills; he had money going directly to himself, without accountability, allowing him to evade income taxes; he defied the sound teachings of the church and had the ability to easily turn an apt phrase that would catch the attention of the unlearned. He left the higher truths for money. This is characteristic of Gospel of Wealth preachers.

Sadly, many Christians cannot or will not believe that ministers, bishops, pastors, preachers, etc., could be liars and scam artists that freely use the name of Christ and the things of God in wicked ways to advance their money-lust, their sexual lust, their egocentric lust, and their carnal desires. But these scam artists are in the ministry and the church is where they ply their trade.

The great Apostle Paul, the most scholarly of all apostles and the major architect of the New Testament Church, warned the church that crooks would come in once he departed: Grievous wolves would come into the flock and not spare it, and also men who are already inside the church would turn from following Christ, and they too will destroy the flock. [Acts 20:29-31]

He also advised Christians "To take heed to yourselves…." [Acts 20:28] But many are not taking heed to themselves; they are not doing the self-examination he advised them to do: "Let a man examine himself and see if he be in the faith." [1Cor. 11:28; 2 Cor.13:5] Resultantly, many ministers are not in the faith, but they still remain in positions of leadership in the church and corrupt and fleece Christians for a profession.

The Gospel of Wealth is a Ponzi Scheme many use to get rich and harm Christians by giving them the promise of wealth. While the con artists preachers have the people's money as their actual wealth, the people have the promise of the scam artist. The preachers of wealth blend flawed Bible reasoning, which is their alchemy, and they take a mixture of Old Testament scriptures and some New Testament scriptures and blend them into a potion that says, God's people should be the head and not the tail of the money pool. And the way that is done is by paying tithes and giving offering to them and God will do the rest in returning money to the giver. They claim a tenth of any money the poor believer receives as sacrifice to God that must be sent to them. Hence, they are God in this instance. Of course, they claim only to be a servant of God to receive his money. 

I have always been amazed at how many Christians allow various types of hocus pocus and sleight of hand teachings from ministers simply because they say they are ministers and  will not question their credentials, port folio from God, or their teachings. Be aware of any Christian minister who says you are to pay tithes. All reputable theologians and studious ministers know that tithing is not for New Testament Christians--I am aware that it is widespread, but it is still not a part of New Testament teaching; the learned, former Pharisee rabbi Apostle Paul delineated another way to support church activities, and not once did he authorized or even utter tithes. To the contrary, he prohibited New Testament Christians from going under the Law, where tithes is! Tithing was an Old Testament doctrine given to Israel because the tribe of Levi received no land inheritance as did the other 11 tribes. The tribe of Levi was to be the priestly tribe, and the way they would live and perform their function was through the other 11 tribes paying tithes to them. And please, don't allow them to bring that old canard about "Tithing was before the Law and under Abraham," as it is often ignorantly argued. Such an argument would stop their cash flow with one giving/paying of tithes. [Genesis 14:20]

We can question, we should, and we are told by Paul to prove ALL things and keep only the good things. [1 Thess. 5:20-21]  A failure to examine what these scam artists are saying and doing will mean that we will act and die as Abner died.

King David of ancient Israel said, Abner died as a fool dies, so died Abner! His hands and feet, David said, were not tied, yet he let Joab kill him; he should have seen Joab's deceit and been on guard against it. Joab was King David's military general, and Abner should have been watchful of him because he had killed Joab's younger brother, Asahel, in a fair fight (but the Jews had a blood for blood code). And since he was not watchful, knowing the conditions that exist between them, Joab, deceitfully, took him  in as a friend, and killed him without a fight or any defense from Abner. King David was disturbed about Joab's action, but lamented Abner, saying,  died as a fool dies--trustful when he should have been on guard. [2 Sam 3:33]

Shouldn't history teach us something? Christians' mental and spiritual hands and feet should not to be tied by any man, certainly not these Gospel of Wealth preachers-confidence men! Christians have the Bible and can read for themselves; they can and are admonished by that Bible writers to question and prove every minister; the Christian Apostle Paul admonished Christians to prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good, not to the bad but to the good! [1Thes. 5:21] Many, however, are too lazy to read; instead, they allow others to read and study for them; many will not ask serious questions of their ministers, but will allow fuzzy answers to fuzzy questions. But those answers  are no answers at all. Modern Christians excuse wicked men in their wickedness and die as Abner died, like a fool and without a dime!

For one to think that he/she can pay a man a tenth of all his earnings and say that he is giving to that tenth to God and God will give it back to him and more, as the Rev. Ikes of this world say, is little more than hocus pocus and a fable!

I am a Christian and have been one for many years, but I must say that many Christians have allowed the foolishness of preachers who have squandered their resources on needlessly expensive cars and extravagant homes, vaunting gaudy and ostentatious behavior too long. We should be demanding accountability and truth! We need to come back to the principles of the doctrine of the church, instead of the foolishness of preachers, who, in their un-sophistication, measure themselves by each other and what possessions they have.

In the Chicago area, a group of church folk decided that they had had enough. They reported a bishop who was not only living higher on the hog, as the expression is, than everyone else and at their expense, and he was not reporting or paying taxes on his ill-gotten church gain. They used the whistle-blower law and reported him. Also, a Roman Catholic priest in that area was also reported to IRS for unreported financial gain, as he took much of the money from the weekly spaghetti fundraisers. Both the Black bishop and the white priest have to account to the IRS in trial. Oh yes, Ike has had his trouble with the law, as other preacher-crooks have, ala Robert Tilton--a white minister who preys on Black Christians, especially on late night BET.*

There is no Gospel of Wealth preached by St. John or any other New Testament Church apostle. The Apostle Paul said, "I have coveted no man's silver or gold, or apparel…these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to those who were with me…that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than receive." [Acts 20:33-35] Those words have seemingly gotten lost among this Gospel of Wealth crowd as their traffic is to your door for their wealth and the things of this world. Normal Christians  ask these questions: Does anyone care about the return of Christ? Is anyone trying to get ready to meet the Lord? Isn't that of more value than the things of this world? Isn't that the hope of the believer? But Gospel of Wealth preachers do not linger long on these questions, instead they play upon American greed that has become Christian greed as well.

God is not in the business of minting millionaire Christians, whether they be millionaire ministers or members, other than through their hard work. The millionaire ministers who are panhandling for Christians' money today were poor when coming into the ministries; they have made themselves rich by taking Christians' money. Not a one of the present group of millionaire ministers who live in their gated communities away from the poor whose money got them there, came from wealth and went into the ministry. Most, if not all, came from poverty and became millionaires after they found tithes (wrongly taught to Christians) and the Gospel of Wealth.** The Apostle Paul set the standard for the present crew of ministers, but they refuse to accept his standard; they have established their own. He said, "I have coveted no man silver or gold, or apparel…these hands have ministered to my necessities and to them that were with me." Paul was a tent-maker by trade; he had a job besides being an apostle, indeed, he was an arch-apostle who worked the ministry as hard as any apostle.

Finis Dake, in his Dake's Bible, notes the following about Paul's job:

Among Jews the boys were all compelled to learn trades. It was considered disreputable not to be acquainted with some branch of handicraft…Paul supported himself in certain places [through his tent-making skills]….

Many of the Gospel of Wealth preachers simply need jobs, something to occupy their con artist minds. Work endears one to a higher calling and purpose in life; work in a broader realm of philosophy is important to the tranquility of mankind because work somehow clears the mind and promotes human transcendence to the image of God. God worked and then He rested. [Gen. 2:2] Many people need jobs to help clear their minds and help them see things correctly.

What does it look like to have ministers who have become millionaires off the gospel or the things of God and not as a result of their hard work? (Of course, they consider their fraud work.) It looks like they are making merchandise of the people of God; it looks like they are defrauding Christians; it looks like they are, as one young man aptly coined it, pimping God's people. But if they are pimping God's people, that makes them pimps, and if Christians pay them their hard earned money, they have allowed themselves to become whores; that is an offense against God!

These Gospel of Wealth preachers get rich as the late night get-rich on real estate infomercials hawkers do: they get rich not off real estate but off those wanting to get rich off real estate. So they allow some to get a crumb or two, but that is to keep the Pyramid Scheme going. This is the nature of these schemes, and Christians are their victims but do not know they are the victims. []

Simond Griote

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* Tilton has been run out of several states and has just completed building a $2.5 million waterfront house in Florida. He comes on BET late at night with Christian buffoonery structured for gullible Christians--he pretends that he sees a vision, after speaking in his own manufactured tongues; his vision is always tilted toward money to be sent to him. Whereas he has been run off other TV and radio stations, he has been allowed to continue on BET. 

**Rev. Pat Robertson did come from money: his father was a US Senator. But, strangely, Pat Robertson invested in the purchase of land in Liberia that could reap up to $1 billion worth of gold. That had nothing to do with Christ, but war profiteering, as the nation was at that time in a state of war. 

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