Prosperity: Doesn't God Want Me to Be Rich?

Connect

As you connect with one another this week, encourage your group to break into pairs or threes and answer this question:

Do you think God wants us to be rich?

Pray

Last week we focused on the idea of Trusting God by asking “where does God rank?”  Invite your group to share with one another how they are doing in that area of trusting in God. 

Then, you can invite them to answer any of the five questions.  I have found that if the group is sizable, that it might work best to do this in pairs or threes:

Passionate: Where did I see God today?

Accepting: How am I building diverse relationships?

Invitational: Who am I connecting with God’s family?

Trusting: Where does God rank?

Active: How am I engaged with God’s work?

Make sure your group prays for one another at this time.

Reflect

This week, Pastor Kevin focused on this idea of prosperity.  Kate Bowler is someone he often quotes, and she is the foremost historian on the prosperity gospel.  We are going to watch her TEDTalk from earlier this year and reflect on it together. 

Invite your group to share reactions and invite discussion.  For some help, here are some quotes from her video that might inspire conversation:

“But I have a son.”

“God wants you to prosper….God wants to reward you if you have the right faith.”

“The prosperity gospel had become the great civil religion…The prosperity gospel worshiped Americans.”

“If you live in this culture, it is extremely difficult to avoid the idea that virtue and success go hand in hand.” 

“my own personal prosperity gospel could not save me.”

“We all want reasons.  We want formulas to see whether our hard work will pay off…We want to live in a world where not one ounce of our hard work…will be for nothing.”

“When I was sure that I was going to die, I didn’t feel angry.  I felt loved.”

“The feelings will go, and there will be no formula to get it back.”

“It is just a gift.”

“There is one kind of prosperity gospel that I believe in.  That in the darkness, there will be beauty and there will be love.”