Sermon: "The Original Prosperity Gospel", Genesis 12:1-9 (September 20, 2026)

The first time I encountered the prosperity gospel was in seminary. I remember watching a video about this so-called Christian movement with my jaw on the floor. The idea that God rewards faith, positive thinking, and regular tithing with financial wealth was counter to everything that I’d ever learned about God up to that point. It’s God-as-a-cosmic-vending-machine theology on steroids. By the time a pastor with the actual name Creflo Dollar showed up on the screen to defend this theology, I was convinced that the whole thing had to be either a joke or a cult. Everybody knows that God isn’t in the business of trading blessings for obedience, right?

Sermon: “God’s Embassy on Earth”, Psalm 33:12-22/Hebrews 11:1-10, 13-16 (August 7, 2022)

---------------------------------------------------------

Over the past several years, Christian nationalism has been on the rise. And we here in the United States aren’t the only participants in this trend: the Wikipedia page for “Christian nationalism” lists Canada, Russia, the United States, and Yugoslavia as modern examples of countries that have, to one degree or another, embraced this ideology. In some cases, Christian nationalism emerges out of the best of intentions – a belief that Christian policies and laws would improve life for everyone. In others, it’s a tactical strategy – if an individual controls both the state AND the Church, then there’s very little that can stand in the way of their political aspirations. Regardless of where on this spectrum a person’s motivations lie, the objective of Christian nationalism remains the same: a blurring, if not outright removal, of the line between Church and state.