Rethinking the Gospel of "success"

Since the crisis of 2008, I found myself doing a lot of soul searching. First time, as most people, I had no idea that the accident was about. Who is responsible? Which political party is to blame? And for the love of God, that the world is a credit default swap? yet I have more questions than answers, but now I only had time to reflect, and after reading Jim's book Wallis "Rediscovering values', I recall a successful seminar, I attended some years ago in St. Louis, Missouri.

The stadium was full of events with millionaire traders. The speaker line has been nothing short of amazing. Colin Powell, Suze Orman, Steve Forbes, Zig Ziglar, George Foreman, a real estate mogul, a rich stock trader, and Peter Lowe – the godfather of success. As impressive as the line of speakers, the rich stockbroker who can not leave my mind. To show what easy it is to get rich off the stock exchange, the man asked a woman in the audience to read a map designed to help investors know when to buy and sell. Always there were three green arrows pointing up, the woman has "buy!" When the same action had three red arrows down women shouting "sell! According to the chart, it would have made a big profit in a short period of time if he had spent real money.

After of course, the operator of the outstanding stock-rich on how to get rich off the stock exchange, Peter Lowe made a gospel power point presentation to convince the public their need for a Savior. The presentation clearly showed that we are all sinners and no amount of good works and personal effort can reconcile sinners to a holy God and fair. It was shown that Jesus is the bridge between God and men. Since the event has not been presented as a Christian event, no appeal to the altar that day. But the contents of the message could have easily Lowe's given by Billy Graham. So why am I looking back at the event as something less than Christ-the compliance? In general, I would love that so many people have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel in one sitting. In my evangelical zeal diminished in recent years? I hope not.

This is what bothers me. What does it say about the state American Christianity and the gospel classic gospel has been the norm for decades, when the message of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins can be inserted in the middle of the workshop a how-to-get-rich? KP Yohannan in his book "Revolution in World Mission "said:" Christian magazines, television programs and religious services often focus on famous athletes, beauty queens, businessmen and politicians who "do in this world and that Jesus too!"

In fairness to Mr. Lowe, the day was not only to get rich. There many great speakers to discuss topics worthy. Maybe I'm a little bitter because I have to attend seminars securities dealer – and generously paid for it. Not surprisingly, I became a wealthy stockbroker. I could not find the motivation. Looking back, I'm glad no. If they have not crossed my mind that some of these companies that were just numbers in a table can be a: ) to support dictators abroad b: ) Damage the environment c: ) pay lower wages to its employees or D ) to operate the Third World farmers.

If there is anything that the economic crisis has taught us is that the savings – and I would add people – the basis of their life blood on the financing of speculation the lack of effective, can win the world in the short term, but a day of collection has been presented. I wonder what Amos, Isaiah, Micah and say on the gospel promises eternal life in the world to come and a life of wealth and "success" in the here and now? More importantly, I wonder what Jesus said about this?

About the Author

Aaron D. Taylor is the author of “Alone with a Jihadist” available wherever books are sold. To learn more about Aaron’s ministry, go to
http://www.aarondtaylor.com
Aaron can be contacted at fromdeathtolife@gmail.com

The Great Awakening by Jim Wallis

God’s Politics $10.99 New York Times bestseller God’s Politics struck a chord with Americans disenchanted with how the Right had co-opted all talk about integrating religious values into our politics and with the Left who were mute on the subject. Jim Wallis argues that America’s separation of church and state does not require banishing moral and religious values from the public square. God’s Politics offers a vision for how to convert spiritual values into real social change and has started a grassroots movement to hold our political leaders accountable by incorporating our deepest convictions about war poverty racism abortion capital punishment and other moral issues into our nation’s public life. Who can change the political wind? Only we can.