The Prosperity Gospel has been one of the most talked about discussions of the 21st century, particularly within the Christian Community. The battle line has been drawn by prominent theologians, influential scholars, pundits, and televangelists alike, who are on different sides of this debate and no one is conceding ground to anyone else. The narrow view simply places emphasis and focus on a more capitalistic view of prosperity, such as exquisite homes, fashionable wardrobes, excessive wealth, expensive cars, material and temporal possessions. Things which are tangible and are seen have come to symbolize for many prosperity and achieving the American dream. On the other hand the broader perspective of prosperity is associated with possessing good health, accomplishing ones goals, experiencing a changed life, having a healthy home life, seeing others become productive members of society, and maintaining a perpetual fellowship with the creator. Wherefore, this material will help the reader to be more distinct and precise in defining the different nuisances of prosperity from a historical and theological perspective.

Gospels -- Faith -- Wealth -- Health -- Victory -- American blessing -- Megachurch table -- Naming names.

Be faithful in your giving and God will reward you financially. It's not always stated that blatantly but the promises of the Prosperity Gospel--or the name-it-and-claim-it gospel, the health-and-wealth gospel, the word of faith movement, or positive confession theology--are false. Yet its message permeates the preaching of well-known Christian leaders: Joyce Meyer, T. D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and many more. The appeal of this teaching crosses racial, gender, denominational, and international boundaries. Why are otherwise faithful Christians so easily led astray? Because the Prosperity Gospel contains a grain of biblical truth, greatly distorted. For anyone who knows that Prosperity Gospel theology is wrong but has trouble articulating and refuting the finer points, this concise edition contains all the robust arguments of the hard-hitting original edition in a shorter, more accessible form.

Missional Conversations introduces the reader to key themes in contemporary mission through global conversations between theory and praxis. Exploring emergent themes in missiology, the book takes the form of a conversation between reflective practitioners – both those in academia and with those who are practically engaged. With contributions from: Dave Bookless, Amy Ross, Daniel G. Groody CSC, Amy Roche, Mark Poulson, Richard Sudworth, David Barclay, Ash Barker, Stephan de Beer, Elisa Padilla, Berdine van den Toren-Lekkerkerker, Andrea Campanale, Michael Moynagh, Kyama Mugambi, Harvey Kwiyani, Dennis Tongoi, Paul Bickley, Jonny Baker, Ric Stott, Ian Adams

You were transformed to transform your world! For too long, Christianity has been defined by a false concept of church. As a result, believers have built walls around their lives, keeping culture at a distance. As Christians have tried to keep culture out of the church, unfortunately, the church has kept itself out of the culture. This was never Jesus’ design for the your life! Before church was established as a place that people “came to,” Jesus instituted it as an army that brought transformation to society, starting with salvation and continuing with seven spheres of influence: Church, family, education, government, media, arts, and commerce. Six revolutionary voices in the modern church deliver Invading Babylon. This essential guide will equip you to: Understand your vital role in shaping society. Release God’s will in your sphere of influence. Become an unstoppable citizen in God’s Kingdom. It’s your time to arise and be a light in a dark world.

To some, Christianity and hip hop seem antithetical. Not so in Kenya. There, the music of Julius Owino, aka Juliani, blends faith and beats into a potent hip hop gospel aimed at a youth culture hungry for answers spiritual, material, and otherwise. Mwenda Ntarangwi explores the Kenyan hip hop scene through the lens of Juliani's life and career. A born-again Christian, Juliani produces work highlighting the tensions between hip hop's forceful self-expression and a pious approach to public life, even while contesting the basic presumptions of both. In The Street Is My Pulpit, Ntarangwi forges an uncommon collaboration with his subject that offers insights into Juliani's art and goals even as Ntarangwi explores his own religious experience and subjective identity as an ethnographer. What emerges is an original contribution to the scholarship on hip hop's global impact and a passionate study of the music's role in shaping new ways of being Christian in Africa.

Master's Thesis from the year 2012 in the subject Theology - Systematic Theology, grade: B, , course: Theology - Systematic Theology (Ethics), language: English, abstract: This thesis conducts a biblical and theological analysis of the prosperity theology’s (PT) impact amongst the poor. The main problem is to seek ways of effectively responding to the biblical, theological, and ideological problems raised by PT in Namibia, without overlooking the social issues of poverty and suffering, which this theology claims to be solving. The subject under discussion is found in various denominations but especially amongst neo-Pentecostal churches and it is not a standardised theology. Through interacting with the various views of the proponents and opponents this research proposes that although PT may have certain positive aspects, it is a theology established upon faulty hermeneutics and is not helpful in providing biblically and theologically sound solutions to the problem of poverty. The research aims to show that Christians have a biblical mandate to care for the poor and to work towards assisting the poor to help themselves. However, we do not foresee a time in the here and now when poverty will be totally abolished. Living with this painful reality, we have the duty of continuously pointing people to the future hope in Christ. On the other hand, our looking to the future hope does not exempt us from doing our best in helping people in the here and now as God enables us. The research shows that the gospel is the hope for humanity and we should do away with methods and practices that do not have their roots in Scripture. Moreover, the church has a duty to warn against any theology that is conducted in an irresponsible manner and is given to reductionist arguments when it comes to providing solutions to human problems. Therefore, the research seeks to suggest biblical, theological and practical ways of responding to the issue of poverty and ministry to the poor.