Dr. John A. King argues that Word-of-Faith preachers on the reality show are driving people away from Christianity. He critiques their misuse of 3 John 1:2 to justify prosperity teaching, and calls for theological pushback grounded in sound doctrine rather than personal attacks. King shares his own Pentecostal healing experiences while holding Reformed theology, showing charismatic gifts don't require shallow faith.
Concerning the preachers of LA, as the quote goes, the greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians. Now, these guys typify that. So for my Reformed and evangelical brothers, let's just accept the fact that these guys are tossers straight off the bat, that they're not doing the cause of Christ any service whatsoever. In fact, they're doing a tremendous disservice. But commit with me to this, is that we will go after them strongly and firmly, but we'll do it on theological grounds. So let's take the personalities aside, because unfortunately they represent the majority of the vocal Christians in America, this Word of Faith prosperity dribble. Now listen, I am a man of faith. I believe in supernatural and divine healings. I've seen blind eyes open. I've seen deaf ears hear. I've seen crippled people walk. And regardless of what friends like Brother John MacArthur might think, I can be reformed in my theology and charismatic in my experience. I have seen the supernatural power of God heal people. Now, if you see a blind person's eyes open, then it's done. You have to move from being a dispensationalist to being a realist in terms of what the power of God can do. But just because I am Pentecostal in my experience doesn't mean I'm a moron. And when I hear preaching like this and I hear see examples like this, I am able to look at it and say theologically this is unsound. What we don't need is another rally or another group of people poking the finger and saying, "Look, look, look, look, look," and not being sound theologically. So let's commit to showing the world why these people are unsound theologically. Let's give me let me give you an example. Here is a clip from the trailer from the show. Very well-known verse that's twisted the same way it's been twisted since the prosperity doctrine started in the 1930s. In Small Town USA. So here's the clip. The Bible says that I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. I believe that. Now, the key to context when looking at the Bible is you read the verse, then you read the verse before, the verse after, the chapter before, the chapter after, and Then you think about who is the audience that the author is writing to, and that'll give you the context to the understanding of the verse. Now, this verse is out of 3 John 1. There is no— there's a verse before says, the elder unto the beloved Gaius, of whom I love in truth. That's it. The verse after says, for I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth, that it is thee that walketh in truth. Now, I'm reading from the old King James. Because that's where they take this verse, and this is where they pollute it. The verse they're talking about is verse two, and it reads like this: I wish above all things that thou may prosper and in be in health, even as your soul prospereth. That's what they say. So in other words, if you feel good about yourself, you should have lots of money. Now, a better translation is from the ESV, and it says, "Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you, and that you be in good health." As it goes well with your soul, as it goes well with your soul. He is very clearly talking about the man's spiritual state. He's not talking about his bank account. Now I look at these guys on this show, and we've got all the tears and the wailing, the gnashing of teeth. Even in the shorts, we've had the highlights of the the marriages that are self-destructing. Their souls aren't prospering. They won't be in good health. Their souls aren't prospering. Their bank accounts might be prospering, but their faith is languishing and their souls aren't prospering. So, fellas, what we need to do is to use this as a, as a fulcrum and a platform to be able to present sound theological exposés and use this show to expose it for what it is: shallow, faithless Christianity. And let's use it as a rally point, not against these poor deluded men, But for the cause of Christ and show this world that there are real Christians who love a real Jesus with all of their hearts. And Christ is not merchandise. What started as relationship in Israel moved to Europe and became a religion, and we've moved it to the West and we've turned it into retail. And this sort of rubbish has to stop. So let's leave the tossers to being tossers. And let's help those people who are looking for it. Just a thought.
