© 1984 Don W. King

This essay first appeared in The Presbyterian Journal 43 (May 23, 1984): 14.

As I was thumbing through my junk mail the other day, I came across a letter that promised mental, spiritual, and material prosperity. The writer, whom I'll call Rev. Joe, tries to show how sincere he is by offering to send me, free of charge of course, a gold prosperity cross. After receiving this cross, he assures me, I will be blessed in some material way.

To convince me further, he prints a testimonial by someone who received $7,500 the day after getting her cross. In addition, in order to gain my confidence, he promises that he has "prayed over my address," as if that gave him some kind of sanction from God.

Rev. Joe and others like him are deeply disturbing because they draw many unsuspecting people into their subtle webs of deceit. As Christians, it is our duty to look at such people very carefully and expose them for what they are: religious hucksters.

What is a religious huckster? He is one who uses religion (especially Christianity) to sell himself, his ideas, or his merchandise. Typically he hides beneath a veneer of "religiosity" in order to make money. He may sound sincere, especially since one of his favorite devices is the use of Christian catch words, but his sole purpose in referring to Christianity is to bring an air of respectability to his financial schemes.

The first thing we need to understand is the strategy religious hucksters use. Normally they prey upon lonely, poor, uneducated people, offering false hopes of blessings. They are careful to promise not only spiritual and mental blessings, but financial ones as well. Rev. Joe, for instance, asks: "Do you need help? Do you need prayer? Are you troubled? Are you lonely? Do you need a continuous flow of money blessings?

In addition, testimonials are used to persuade the reader of the huckster's ability to "deliver the goods." Someone calling himself the Georgia Prophet, for example, employs testimonials repeatedly that relate stories of new Cadillacs, TV sets, cash windfalls and so on, all produced as a result of sending away for his "Prosperity Package."

Proof-texting, or using Scripture out of context, is another favorite tactic. For example, Rev. Joe refers to eight different Bible verses in his initial letter. Never mind that the verses are often unrelated to his arguments.

A final tactic is the offer of a free gift that will ensure financial success. This is perhaps the cleverest ploy of all, since few of us can refuse anything free. Of course the problem with sending away for the free gift is that the huckster has now caught our interest. The gift is the bait, we are the fish, and the hook will only be revealed later when we are asked to give money to help the huckster's "important ministry."

For make no mistake: the ultimate design of these people is not our spiritual well-being; it is on our pocketbooks. Money, and lots of it, is their ministry.

Let me add here that there is a place for legitimate Christian fundraising. There are a number of sincere evangelists and preachers who do need to raise money to support their work. They too may make special gift offers and offer to pray for their listeners. What separates them from the Rev. Joes is that they do not use the name of Christ so that they can line their pockets; that is, for a dollar today, they do not promise we will receive five tomorrow.

The central flaw, however, in the work of religious hucksters is this: they imply that faith in Christ insures financial prosperity. But did Jesus promise His followers prosperity? "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

It doesn't sound like Jesus promises financial prosperity, does it? Therefore, when the Georgia Prophet declares that we need "to go from the ghetto to the get-mo," he is perverting the message of Christ, who tells us we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him daily.

What can we do to combat the Rev. Joes and Georgia Prophets? First, we must see clearly what they are doing.

Second, we must re-examine our own priorities and financial goals. Is financial security our sole purpose in life?

Finally, we must attempt to reach the same poor, lonely, and uneducated audience and show them true Christian faith and service; this will be the hardest part because there will be, paradoxically, costs to us-in time, money, and energy. Yet, we dare not fail for the very name of Christ is at stake.

Rev. Joe and others are guilty, in the final analysis, of the love of money. May God grant that we are not.