Prosperity theology teaches that God will bless with material abundance and good health those who obey Him and lay claim to His promises. “We don’t have to wait for God’s blessing in the life to come,” this ideology claims. “He’ll send it to us here and now.” God is seen as a great no-lose lottery in the sky, a cosmic slot machine into which you put in a coin and pull the lever, then stick out your hat and catch the winnings.
When I first wrote about the dangers of prosperity theology in my book Money, Possessions and Eternity in 1989, not many voices were speaking out against it. I’m glad far more pastors and teachers are doing so today. One such important voice is Costi Hinn, the nephew of faith healer Benny Hinn. I’ve followed his story over the last few years and shared about his book God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel. (Costi has also been my grandson Jake and his wife Richie’s pastor for the past three years, and he officiated their wedding. I love and appreciate Costi and his heart for the Lord and His people.)
Costi grew up participating in his uncle’s “ministry.” He stayed at $25,000-a-night royal suites, flew in a private Gulfstream, and dressed in custom suits. But Costi’s false belief system was dismantled as he studied Scripture. He writes:
What an insult to make Jesus into a lottery ticket! Jesus didn’t die on the cross to provide a steady stream of Bentley’s, Big Diamonds, and Botox. He died on the cross to provide our atonement. We deserved wrath for sin, but He took our place. We deserved an eternity in hell but He ensured heaven would be home for those who put their faith in Him.
As Costi discovered, God has a much bigger eternal plan for us than living a temporary life of self-indulgent luxury! He shares much more about his story in his interview with apologist Sean McDowell, which is powerful. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sean be so quiet, but with very good reason:
A few years ago, I was honored to be guest on Costi’s podcast For the Gospel, talking about living with an eternal perspective. You can listen to the episode here.
And in 2024, I did a series of Q&A videos with Costi for his podcast For the Gospel:
What Does a Christian Who Is Mourning Need to Know?
How Should Christians View Money?
How Should We Think about Giving?
Why You Don’t Need a Bucket List
I encourage you to check out Costi’s website For the Gospel, with lots of great articles, podcast episodes, and other resources.
