There are prosperity preachers who will do just about anything for fame, money, and power. One of these things is using over-the-top antics. These acts range from raising people from the dead to having church members take “money baths” in a river to get rich.

One critic called these behaviors outlandish rituals.

But why do “men of God” go to such lengths to appeal to God’s people? Well, I have a few reasons why. And they all have to do with spiritual entertainment, misguided faith, and ego-driven ambition.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

• Listen to Podcast
• When the Move of God Is Fake
• Faith Over Reason Benefits Prosperity Preachers
• Out of Control Egos in the Church
• Summary
• Break Free From the Tithe Deception

Listen to Podcast

When the Move of God Is Fake

Many believers equate extreme religious acts with a move of God. The antics appear as supernatural events.

When these preachers conduct themselves this way, it captures people’s imaginations. It’s like spiritual or pseudo-spiritual entertainment because these things aren’t spiritual.

But they use these antics to draw people to them and persuade them to pay tithes and offerings. Because these are so-called men of God, believers assume these antics are legit and the preachers act under the Most High’s authority.

Faith Over Reason Benefits Prosperity Preachers

The modern-day church suppresses the intellect. That’s one reason why many churchgoers don’t question their religious leaders…and their flashy practices.

Many Christians see everything through a lens of faith with little regard for intellect. Yes, the Bible teaches us to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

But Father Yah also gave us the ability to think, reason, and use logic. Unfortunately, today’s church prefers blind faith over common sense thinking.

The result?

Many Christians become victims of prosperity preachers. They believe anything these preachers say or do is God-ordained.

And these prosperity gospel preachers take advantage of unsuspecting Christians. They know the more outlandish their behaviors, the more godly they appear in the eyes of believers.

So, it makes these preachers look more credible (in a weird way).

Plus, these over-the-top acts appeal to people’s emotions. For example, seeing a preacher supposedly casting out demons is thrilling, engaging, and exciting on some level.

And these feelings fuel their followers’ faith, reinforcing their belief that the pastor is a “man of God.”

So, the combination of anti-intellectualism, misguided faith, and emotionalism helps these preachers. That results in believers viewing them as real men of God.

Out of Control Egos in the Church

Competition drives some prosperity preachers to engage in odd religious tricks. Some preachers compete with one another.

Many of them have huge egos. They have goals of being the most powerful, influential, and wealthy pastors in their city, state, or nation. They strive to have the most prominent church and the largest congregation.

But here’s the catch.

There can only be one person at the top at one time.

Many of these ambitious preachers want that top spot and will do whatever they can to become the HPIC (head preacher in charge).

And this includes using deceptive religious antics to fool God’s people into following them…and supporting them with tithes and offerings.

Summary

Why do prosperity preachers resort to outlandish religious acts, such as raising the dead, casting out demons, and conducting money bath rituals?

I point out three reasons.

One, there’s what I call spiritual entertainment. Churchgoers enjoy the two things most: a demonstration of the supernatural and entertainment.

The most outrageous prosperity preachers entertain their congregations with bizarre religious antics. In turn, the preachers get what they want… tithes and offerings.

Two, the “supernatural” theatrics give preachers a sense of credibility. These preachers use “miracle” gimmicks to prove they are true men of God.

Here’s the irony.

The more outlandish the behavior, the more believers think they’re following a man of God. So believers trust them. Because of this, they have no problem giving that preacher their money.

Finally, many prosperity preachers have big egos. They thirst for money, power, and status. And some will do whatever it takes to reach high levels of success…even if it means deceiving God’s people with ridiculous rituals, antics, and activities.

There you have it…three reasons prosperity preachers engage in outlandish religious acts.

Break Free From the Tithe Deception

Discover the truth about tithes the church doesn’t want you to know. Go here.

Source: ‘Controversial pastors’ on the rise in Nigeria amid economic hardship