Christian Bling

How I came upon pastor Paula White’s story is rather curious. Searching for an acceptable abbreviation for benefits, I stumbled upon some info about White, and Bennie Hinn. Of course Hinn’s style and message has irked me for years, so I jumped on the rabbit trail to reinforce my prejudice.

What I found was the usual controversy surrounding such religious celebrities, controversy that muddies the gospel message and gives Satan cause to rejoice.

As it turns out, Paula White's lifestyle is perfectly consistent with her "Name-It-And-Claim-It" message. If she really believes in that entitlement theology she is at least not a hypocrite.

Though such preachers point to Scripture to justify their opulent lifestyles, I cannot find Biblical justification for such materialism. Yes, many itchy-eared believers embrace the "faith-to-riches" theology, but how many more unsaved and hell-bound souls resist the gospel because high-profile preachers flaunt all that "Christian" bling? That seems neither "Spirit-filled," nor "Holyghost anointed."

I suppose some might criticize my take on TBN-style “ministries” as harshly judgmental, but God told me(through the Bible in 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, and not through some word of knowledge-type utterance) that we are to judge the offenders inside the church, and not outsiders.

How can enough gullible believers buy into the prosperity gospel so that these "televangelists" stay in the chips, despite all the controversy surrounding them? Hoping for their own, personal prosperity-miracle, Christian lemmings continue investing in Faith-Promise-type con games rather than giving to God’s real work through his struggling servants.

Imagine the work God could accomplish if those multiplied millions of dollars went to support true men and women of God, rather than to buying flashy media ministers even more Christian bling.