2 of 7

But he scoffs at the "prosperity preacher" label sometimes given him. "Our churches are growing," he says, referring to his critics, "theirs are shrinking."

Allan H. Anderson, professor of Global Pentecostal Studies at the University of Birmingham, says African renewalists are, indeed, eclipsing denominationally based churches and missions. "The older churches," he says, "are struggling to keep up with the jet-setting entrepreneurs who head up these new organizations."

"If you're not willing to play that [prosperity] game," says Vince Bacote, associate professor of theology at Wheaton College, "get ready to get steamrolled."

Yet wholesale dismissals of African renewalism as a gospel of materialism—one made possible by Elmer Gantry–style hucksterism and backwater superstition, perhaps—are short-sighted, says J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine. "Many of the renewalist leaders in Nigeria preach prosperity as a biblical concept based on the promises of Deuteronomy," he says, "proclaiming that when people serve Jesus Christ and renounce other gods, God blesses their nation and economy."

Grady stresses the need to distinguish between the various strains of material blessing preached in Africa. Many, if not most, African pastors preach a version of the prosperity gospel. But where some proclaim opulence, others simply uphold God's provision for basic needs. "When you look deeper," Grady says, "you see God moving in the details and in spite of the greed of certain individuals."

The worst brand of African prosperity teaching is, perhaps unsurprisingly, an American export. Experts cite various reasons for the spread of this kind of renewalism, better known as health-and-wealth, including:

• American lifestyles have led African believers to equate Christian faith with wealth.

• Traditional African values often link material success and spiritual success.

• The African "Big Man" ideal honors rich, powerful leaders such as prosperity preachers.

And then there is television. As Pentecostal-charismatic programming has flooded Africa, renewalist numbers have risen from 17 million in 1970 to 147 million in 2005. The continent's largest religious broadcaster is Santa Ana, California–based Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), followed by Europe's GOD TV.

As TV sets grow common in African cities, these broadcasters are gaining huge audiences. People who lack a TV often watch with neighbors, and viewing options are limited. In Zambia, only three stations click on: MUVI TZ, which airs reruns of U.S. shows and old movies; ZNBC, the Zambian National Broadcasting Company; and TBN. Television is becoming the continent's religious classroom.

"People turn it on and assume that TBN is American Christianity, and Americans know everything, so why not listen to it?" says Bonnie Dolan, founder and director of Zambia's Center for Christian Missions, a Reformed school for pastors. "[W]e have Zambians looking to the West for direction, and they associate TBN with the West. And it's killing our churches."

Back in the U.S., TBN broadcasts mainstream Pentecostal and charismatic teachers like Joyce Meyer and megachurch pastor John Hagee alongside health-and-wealth preachers like Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin Jr. But Dolan says the network doesn't bother with mainstream preachers in Africa. Instead, TBN Africa airs wall-to-wall peddlers of plenty.

next page... |  2 of 7

share this page

July 2007, Vol. 51, No. 7