Your Best Life Now? You Tell Me...

According to Edward Ryan's 'The History of the Effects of Religion on Mankind',
Ethelwold, bishop of Winchester sold all of the gold and silver vessels of his cathedral
to relieve the poor who were starving during a famine.

In doing so, he is quoted as saying:

"There is no reason the temples of God should abound in riches,
while the living temples of the Holy Ghost starve for hunger."

Contrast this account of church activity from the tenth century, with
extravagant expenditures like that of Lakewood Church, led by renowned
minister Joel Osteen.
According to the New York Times and MSNBC, the new facility
of Lakewood Church, the old Compaq Center in Houston, TX was
leased for 30 years for the meager sum of $11.8 million.
Renovations on the new campus cost an estimated $95 million.

Astronomical monetary figures like this are hard to comprehend in spite
of a congregation of 40,000 plus members.
Prosperity ministries today have turned the house of God into
big-box money-making facilities with a non-profit stamp on the paperwork.

Now I'm not making any statements about the charitable nature of Lakewood
Church or lack thereof. What I am saying is this.
How much extravagance is warranted?
Did the early Christians live this way?

I don't think this is the account provided for us in the book of Acts:

(Act 4:32)  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

(Act 4:34)  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
(Act 4:35)  And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

In doing so, they were clearly following the example set forth by the Lord Jesus.

(Luk 18:22)  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
(Luk 18:23)  And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
(Luk 18:24)  And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
(Luk 18:25)  For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

This doesn't speak very encouragingly of prosperity doctrine in general,
or indeed messages such as those propagated by modern ministers such as Joel Osteen.
Consider the title of one of his most popular books:
'Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living At Your Full Potential'.
According to the synopsis of the book on Amazon.com, Joel Osteen shares with us
within the pages the secrets of his own 'rags-to-riches' story.

Is this the Gospel that was preached to us at first?
Has it been relegated to a self-help manual?
Is this is the Good News of the Scripture? "You can live your best life now!"
Is this what Jesus taught?

I have my own firm opinions. But these are really food-for-thought questions meant
to inspire the reader to seek answers by searching the Scriptures for themselves
just as the Bereans were praised for doing.

What made the early church so much different than what the modern church has become?
Perhaps we are lacking some of the 'Divine Movement' I referred to in my preceding entry.
As J.P. Moreland asked in his book 'Love Your God With All Your Mind':

"...Why is our impact not proportionate to our numbers?
If the evangelical community is even one-third the size polls tell us it is,
we should be turning this culture upside down."

I would have to agree. And I can only pray that God has '7,000 who have not
bowed the knee to Baal' with whom He can still accomplish great things in today's
secular overrun society.