This past week USA Today ran a story where televangelist Jesse Duplantis tells his flock he needs a $54 million jet (USA Today Story). In an email between friends I responded. Below is the exact text - it is in a moment of rawness over this article that I responded. I feel exactly the same way right now.
I have a few responses:
1) This makes me sick to my stomach.
2) His reasoning that Jesus would use private jets shows how completely biblical & gospel illiterate these prosperity guys are. Jesus is God in the flesh. He could do anything. He chose the rocky soil of Roman Palestine to do ministry to a relatively small number of people in an isolated community. He had a greater plan and purpose than fame, recognition, and/or celebrity.
3) These prosperity guys are much more like the devil in Luke 4:1-13 than like Jesus. Jesus rejected worldly material food (see fancy restaurants), power (see political might), and showmanship (see modern healing ministries of health/wealth teachers). Jesus continually went to “It is written.” Jesus wants us in God’s Word more than he wants us on TV screens, talk show couches, political rallies, and celebrities living rooms. We as pastors should be found in pulpits, hospital rooms, prayer gatherings, family meals, congregant living rooms, and sweating alongside people working for the poor (I’m a work in progress…).
4) I have 2 major pet peeves in ministry. One is the prosperity gospel and all the evil it reigns down on our world (Will Jesus one day say to these people, “I never knew you”) and the second is legalistic frameworks of Christianity that completely miss the point of grace.
5) Read this article and weep like Jesus wept looking down on Jerusalem.
6) Continue to work quietly, faithfully, and God-pleasingly in our community, church, and in our families.
Friends and Members of the Rock - we represent Jesus every day. Humbly represent Jesus exactly the way He reveals Himself to us in the Bible. Resist and reject any picture of Jesus that is based on health, wealth, prosperity, and self-centered ideals. Love and follow Jesus as a champion of the poor, needy, distressed, marginalized and sinners like you and me!
"Jesus wept." - John 11:35
- Pastor Curt
Congratulations Duncan Family!
Paul and Jaemi welcome Edison Lily Duncan into their family. If you would like to bless them by providing a meal follow the link below:
Meals For Duncans
Theological Word of the Week: Holy Spirit
One of the three persons of the Trinity whose work it is to manifest the active presence of God in the world, and especially the church.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
Upcoming Events
Children's Ministry
This week Rock Kids will be digging into the story of God helping Gideon win his battle, found in Judges 6-7. The kids will learn the Bible point "God sees the best in us." While some kids might seem confident, all kids have insecurities of some sort. Whether they vocalize it or not, they have moments where they see the worst in themselves. Kids need to know that despite our insecurities, God sees our potential, and how we can be used by him. God sees the best in us. -Cameron
Sermon Topic - June 3rd
Ephesians: An Identity Crossroads
Ephesians 1:13-14
"Blessings of the Holy Spirit"
