An increasing share of American Protestant churchgoers believe that financial prosperity is part of God’s plan for them and that giving more money to their church and charities will result in blessings from God, according to a recent study by Lifeway Research.
The study found that 52% of churchgoers say their church teaches that God will bless them if they donate more, up from 38% in 2017.
Additionally, 76% believe God wants them to prosper financially, an increase from 69% in 2017.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said, “In the last five years, far more churchgoers are reflecting prosperity gospel teachings, including the heretical belief that material blessings are earned from God,” noting that the financial struggles due to inflation and the pandemic might have contributed to this shift in beliefs.
The prosperity gospel, or the “Word of Faith Movement,” teaches that believers can use God for material gain, a belief that contrasts with traditional Christian teachings.
Christian leaders warn against the focus on material wealth and its potential to become an idol.
The Bible teaches different types of prosperity, and material wealth may not be the most important in God’s eyes. Prosperity teaching also contradicts traditional Christian beliefs about the role of suffering and the promise of eternal prosperity in Heaven.