Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Other money making schemes and is the “Prosperity Gospel” heresy?

I remember the beginning of each year at Light of the World Church, starting at New Years Eve, everyone was required to come to church to pray the new year in. I see nothing wrong with praying as we should continue to pray without ceasing. However, when the members were trying to outdo each other by giving her money as the clock struck midnight and she would wave the cash in the air declaring "Money Cometh to Me Now!" I felt like....so this is the God we serve? The more you gave, the richer you would become in the coming year. Got it and did it for several years. I never got rich at all. There was an unspoken competition who could give her the most money. I didn't pay my bills so I could do this, passed on giving gifts to family, did without meals, all in the belief that by "giving 'till it hurts" was somehow something God wanted me to do. Interestingly, in the last year I stopped believing this lie and gave as the Holy Spirit led, I was blessed and it had nothing to do with shouting and jumping up and down yelling "money cometh to me now"

The first few months of the year was great for Joyce Leiphon as she taught us (brainwashed) us into giving what she said was "first fruit" offerings that went to her directly. So, like obedient sheeple, we gave our first weeks salary, first sales commission, she would wave it in the air then put it in her bank account. Back a few years ago when the government gave everyone a tax credit and everyone received $500-1,000 check, she told us that money belonged to her! Some members actually gave her their tax refund that year. I did my own study about "first fruit offerings" and while there is such a thing mentioned in the old testament, I believe the way it was done at Joyce Leiphon's church was just another money making deal.

I found this very interesting as it is the same gospel preached at Joyce Leiphon's church in Ft Pierce. The exception in the article is that the "Money Cometh" churches are much more in your face with the money message.

Is the “Prosperity Gospel” heresy?