Popular televangelist, Jerry Savelle, who is known as a proponent of the infamous “prosperity gospel,” has passed away at the age of 76. For those who might not have heard of the prosperity gospel before, it’s a belief that if Christians have enough faith, give enough money to the church, make good investments, they will be healthy and wealthy during their lives. I’m not sure how one can soundly believe this set of doctrine seeing as it’s not truly taught in Scripture and the history of the church, which is full of martyrdom and suffering, certainly didn’t get the memo they were supposed to be rich and healthy.
I mean, Jesus told us that we would need to pick up our cross on the daily and suffer for the glory of the Kingdom. He told us that if we follow Him, we would surely be hated by the world. People have shed blood, sweat, and tears for the kingdom. Some have been forced to live in squalor and poverty. Are we really to believe it’s because these individuals didn’t have enough faith? I just can’t accept that. Nor does the Bible teach such things.
The gospel is about the forgiveness of sins through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus and obeying His commands will bless your life, but there’s no guarantee those blessings will be material in nature.
Here’s more on Savelle’s death from The Christian Post:
Jerry Savelle Ministries International announced on Facebook that the preacher died on Monday, identifying him as “a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, pastor, mentor, and resolute friend.”
“Brother Jerry’s journey on earth was one of immense impact, rooted in the powerful love of Jesus Christ. His life testified to the beauty of grace and power of faith,” stated the ministry.
“As he often reminded us, through God’s hands, ‘nobodies’ are turned into champions, and today, he himself has received the crown of righteousness laid up for all who are called according to His purpose.”
JSMI went on to ask supporters to pray for “Mrs. Savelle, Jerriann, Terri, and the entire family” and to “celebrate his life, remembering and honoring the legacy of character, faith, and integrity that Dr. Jerry Savelle so gracefully built.”
“We will announce the details of Dr. Savelle’s celebration of life as they are confirmed over the next week. Please look for updates, which will be made public at the appropriate time,” the announcement said in conclusion.
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The JSMI website provides some history of Savelle and his ministry, noting that it started back in 1969. Savelle reportedly preached at almost 3,500 churches across 40 different countries, however, the official ministry group is based out of Crowley, Texas with additional offices in Australia, Canada, South Africa, and across the pond in the United Kingdom.
Savelle was a proponent of the prosperity gospel, the controversial belief that faith in God leads to improved health and financial well-being, as seen with such works as his 2014 book, Why God Wants You to Prosper.
“In this book, Jerry Savelle establishes a biblical foundation for understanding the principles of divine prosperity, with a special focus on the reasons why so many of God’s people are in financial bondage,” the book’s official synopsis says. “Based on more than forty years of ministry experience, he then provides a step-by-step explanation of what it takes to walk out of financial bondage and receive God’s promised prosperity.”
The synopsis goes on to state that some have “mistakenly approach biblical prosperity as if it were a get-rich-scheme,” going on to add, “God has already provided the way out of financial bondage and into a lifestyle of prosperity — if you are willing to obey His instructions and apply His principles to your life.”
An article written by The Gospel Coalition’s Russell S. Woodbridge in 2015 takes a deep and critical look at the prosperity gospel’s origins and cites Savelle as an example of this particular kind of theology.
“The prosperity gospel is built on a quasi-Christian heresy, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States, known as New Thought. This philosophy teaches that the key to health and wealth acquisition is thinking, visualizing, and speaking the right words,” Woodbridge wrote in the piece. “The prosperity gospel says you are good and have the ability to bend circumstances to your will. Simply change your thinking and your words, believe, and then God — your personal cosmic bellhop — will give you a push on the road to success.”