A new study has found just how many American Protestants believe in the theology known as the prosperity gospel. LifeWay asked more than 1,000 Protestant churchgoers from across the country several questions related to the controversial teaching, including if their “church teaches that if I give more money to my church and charities, God will bless me in return.” Thirty-eight percent said their churches did.
LifeWay’s executive director of research, Scott McConnell, told Christianity Today, “A significant group of churches seem to teach that donations trigger a financial response from God.”
A quarter of them said that they must do something “for God” in order to get material blessings.
In terms of denominations, Pentecostal and Assemblies of God churchgoers were the most likely to believe the teaching (53 percent).
In total, 69 percent of those asked said, “God wants me to prosper financially.” Just 20 percent disagreed.
