Gospel Prism

Africa is doubly plagued. When I was in SA, I saw saw many people with Tb (tuberculosis) that it was quite mind-numbing. Since people have contracted HIV/AIDS, their immune system is so weak, that previously dormant viruses and bacteria like Tb, become supercharged and begin to wreak havoc on the body. I saw a 4-year old so struck by active Tb, that he could barely stand. Disease is truly destroying the people.

But there is also a spiritual disease that is destroying the people as well, and it’s called TbN (Trinity Broadcasting Network). Ok, I do not want to throw the baby out with the bath water here. I know there is some programming on TBN that isn’t all bad. Their vision to reach the world with Christian programming is certainly admirable. However, when you have a network that is advocating the views like Creflo Dollar, you are doing a terrible disservice to the Kingdom.

George Snyman of Hands at Work, Africa and I were having a conversation about the local church in Africa. He told me that because of the growing influence of TBN and much of its Word-Faith, Health and Wealth Gospel preaching, African pastors are now mimicking their every move and every word. He told me that many African pastors will wipe their foreheads with their nicely folded handkerchiefs from their breast pockets in the same way those televangelists do. Many are proclaiming prosperity and riches to a congregation that has literally lost half of its family members to AIDS and TB and do not have food on their tables to eat. The church is growing powerless and irrelevant there because the cross is hidden behind the lure of wealth through the guise of Christianity. The American church of prosperity is destroying the African church of poverty. Christians used to validate slavery biblically in the colonial era in regards to Africa. Now Christians are validating economic slavery in the post-colonial era.

The Gospel of Christ is Africa’s (and the West’s) only hope. It really is. We need to remember that we worship a God who suffered and died, and that our ultimate, most gratifying reward is with Him eternally. Though some might have wealth in this world, their hope is never in wealth itself. I am even more convinced that biblical churches that preach Christ crucified is even more critical for Africa than huge swaths of economic aid. And when the church is overwhelmed by the Gospel so much that it will have a passion to serve orphans and widows, we will see the Gospel lived out in dynamic ways.

The African Church needs Gospel teaching that reflects Scripture, not TBN. Listen to some of the teaching of Mr. Dollar and see why the impact of TBN is destroying openness to the Gospel:

“Now here’s what Jesus is trying to do over here in Luke. Go back to Luke, Chapter 4:18. Here’s what Jesus wants to show us. This anointing is available to deliver whoever is without. Wherever you need to be made whole, the Gospel is the Good News about the power of God on Jesus to make you whole and get you out of your poverty, whether it’s poverty in health or poverty in a blind money or poverty in money. This anointing is ready to deal with poverty. This anointing is ready to remove the burden and destroy the yoke. So, honey, you can be healthy tonight and you can be, you have your eyesight and you’re able to walk, but you ain’t got no money in your pocketbook, I’m telling you this anointing is ready to put some money in your pocketbook because He’s ready to remove the burden of lack.” (TBN July 20, 1999)

“You operate by a spirit of poverty if you are critical of those who preach and teach prosperity. You operate in a spirit of poverty if you are, if you criticize those who preach and teach prosperity. My God, man, I told you last night that Bible talks more about money than it does about heaven, and all we got to do is open the Bible up for ourselves and see it instead of sitting there being afraid to hear it.” (TBN, July 20, 1999).

Some people get mad when I talk about money, They says” Whenever I see Dollar he’s talking about Money!’ That’s because you aint got none, I aint talking to you!” (TBN, Praise-A – Thon April 1, 2001)

“People get mad and say ‘All they want is your money!’ Well, you aint got no money anyway” (Creflo Dollar, (TBN, Praise-A – Thon April 1, 2001)

Money doesn’t define my richness. Money doesn’t define my wealth. The money is a result of what’s on the inside of me. Money will come, but you’ve got to give it a reason to come. Whew!”… “All right, let’s call this harvest in. Say it out loud with me. In the name of Jesus, as a child of God, as the redeemed of the Lord, I command the harvest that’s crying out for me, come forth now! Angels go! Bring that harvest of wealth! Bring that harvest of anointing! Bring that harvest of restored things! Bring it to me now! In the name of Jesus, I receive my harvest…NOW! (Congregation shouting) (Changing Your World Sept.16,1998).

One missionary we met there told a teammate that he learned much from Mr. Dollar’s teaching. Pastors’ number one source of training is TBN since there is no one there to teach them the true good news. How Africa needs so desperately a true Gospel-based ministry.

So yes, Tb is killing the people of Africa. But far worse, TBN’s teaching is killing the souls of many (for more on TBN’s problematic teaching, click here).