American Capitalist Church Syndrome

Subject:  Beware of the Spirit of Financial Deception in the American Capitalist Church Money Driven System

More on the American Captialist Church & American Capitalist Church Syndrome

Not every church in America, is a part of the American Capitalist Church system. So I thought, why not make it clear, what I have been saying and teaching, with respect to this current trend (for at least the last 15 or so years now).

First of all, Prosperity Gospel teachings(s)l, periodically, resurfaces in the church realm,  just as we have been witnessing in America, over the past 20 or so years. Churches exploded in America, when their leaders returned to or began preaching, 'the money principle'.

'In too many churches today, I've noticed, that the love of money is not a problem, in fact the love of money is being encouraged..  The question that needs to be answered by the leaders of capital-driven churches is this:  Which of the two, is more important, 'money or God'?   I believe that it is the latter'!  

Remember that scripture, 'The end of a thing is better than the beginning"?  America, is all about money and greed; that is the way that it started, and the manner in which it will likely will end.  Sadly, many of its religious organizations, are beginning to follow suit.

A mainland Chinese Christian was asked by Ted Koppel, when he was on location a few years ago, the following question?  Why did he convert, and become a Christian?  The gentleman smiled and said this: "Christians have 'all of the money”!  Similar to many Americans that have returned to or joined the church in the past 2 decades or so, many of of them have done so in order to network, for prestige, political reasons... Similar to the newly money-pursuing Chinese Christian, their motives are not pure either. Many of these new or returning members to the church, believed before that  the church was beneath them, when the congregation was small. 

Isn't it sad when clerics, prelates, bishops, preachers, teachers, revivalists... pimp the church, so that in the end (either them or their families and inner-circles, can enlarge 'their territories and live a good life, while their parishioners suffer')? And that is exactly what we are often witnessing today, in the otherwise impotent Mega Church Movement along with its capitalist component.. More and more, these churches are being sued, ending up in court, scandal-ridden... They shouldn't feel too bad, King Solomon also believed and wrote that 'money answers all things'!

What are some of the signs that you should watch out for, recognize, and ought to inform you that you might be a part of the American Capitalist Church (beastly system)? And btw, in time, I suspect that there will be a correction; and the money train will stop. In the meantime, watch out for this:

• The prelate, minister... lives in a home, as one minister bragged about in this manner in Cleveland Ohio; “My new house has so many bathrooms in it, that I cannot find them all”, when the members of the church were being foreclosed upon, that is a sure sign that something is wrong. .
• When your cleric, keeps repeating this phrase, “give until it hurts, sacrifice...”, you had better watch out, because he or she  will never be satisfied themselves, until they get what 'they want'. Churches need to operate under a budget, one that its members can afford.  
• When you are constantly being told to step out on faith, when it comes to money and nothing else, that ought to be another sign that something is wrong.. .
• When you are being constantly told, exactly what to give.: Ask yourself this question, where is that recorded in the Bible?
  When guilt is constantly laid upon you, when it comes to giving;  'you have to wonder if it is God talking, or the preacher...!
• When the minister regularly comments about his salary, constantly inferring that he or she should be paid more, that is just more sign that something is wrong.. .
• When in nine out of ten sermons... the congregations is being told,  “if you do what I say, you will receive 'mo money, prosperity... " that should the first sign that the money is being requested for all of the wrong reasons. The church was never intended to be a Ponzi Scheme, as some would have you to believe..
• When a church organization, refuses to provide its members with full disclosure, in particular with respect to who gets what and how much they receive? That's a sure sign, that something is amiss!
• When you keep hearing the message, "that God wants you to prosper (only as it relates to money), let that be another sign, that you are in a capital-driven church, with a capitalist preacher.  (Always ask yourselves, what does prosperity mean in a divine context?
• When you continue to be told over and over, to give in order to get back, as opposed to being  told to be thankful, for what you have received:  that is just one reason to be cautious.
• When the purpose of giving is to expand your territory, then the motivation for giving is completely wrong.  .
• When you keep hearing on a regular basis, that God wants you to sacrifice. Take note, something is wrong, and you never be able to satisfy the beggar, the sacrifice according to the Bible, has already been made. .
• When you keep hearing that God wants your money, another subtle example, as opposed to your heart. That kind of manipulation, should speak for itself.
• When there are multiple-fundraisers, to the point of ad nauseam,  someone is trying to keep the church under a financial burden. Some ministers do that as a practice, and some of them, you know! 
• When moneychangers, occupy the main entry to the church, and are always attempting to sell you something. Watch out, you have just stepped into a capital-driven church!
• When you hear this statement being repeated,  'name it and claim it', over and over again - that is not about God, it is all about the preacher.  If you do not prosper, the preacher will explain, "it is because you are not giving until it hurts! .
• When you keep hearing, “give until it hurts”, simply to find that scripture in your Bible.
• When the ministers desires luxury cars, a private airplane, manicures, pedicures, expensive vacations... or his wife a 6K hairdo... run!
  When ministers are trading money in private, in order to stir up the offering pot, when in effect, they tear up each others checks in the back room, when the money is being divided up - something is amiss. .
• When someone; a minister, officer or plant, starts off the offering in order to set a benchmark while insisting that you match it, don't be duped; it's time to find another church!
• When the most frequent activity is raising offerings at the church, for example, the tithe, the offering, the love offering, the poor offering, the offering offering, the sacrificial offering... something is wrong. 
• Even if you have prospered, in the manner that was promised, does that mean that God had anything to do with it? And will God someday say to you, “you have your reward”?

All that I can say is this, and I know from personal experience and warn you to be careful, because someday, the shoe will drop. Always bear in mind the letter that was sent to the church at Pergamos, reminding it, that it had become a church that was settled in the world.  Too many of America's churches, and it's American capitalist church preachers are doing just that.  In other words, Heaven is not longer good enough, they are pursuing their reward on earth..   

Solomon