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Churches have made Jesus a 'prosperity fiend'

Ekklesia reports the following; and whereas I do not always agree with Tony Campolo on this he strikes a chord in my heart.

A professor of sociology from the US has challenged Christians in the UK to live more simply and reject a false Christian message of 'health and wealth'.

Speaking at the Evangelical festival Spring Harvest, Tony Campolo, who became well known in the 1990s for his pastoral support for Bill Clinton, said Jesus has been made into a 'prosperity fiend'.

His call comes after churches in the UK launched a report entitled "Prosperity with a Purpose" which extolled the virtues of wealth creation and economic growth.

"Do we worship the Jesus of the Scriptures?" Tony Campolo asked Christians at the festival.

"Every generation gets rid of the biblical Jesus and creates a new one in His place. The Jesus of our culture is a prosperity fiend, a God that promises health and wealth.

"But Jesus spoke with clarity – if you are going to follow Him, it is going to cost you everything that you have."

He went on "The Jesus of scripture is a radical Jesus. He is not primarily interested in getting us into heaven; He came to create a people through whom His will could be done on earth as it is in heaven. But one great theme of the evangelical community is that the world is too evil to be changed. What you believe you can do will determine what you do. It’s time we felt guilty – because if we lived more simply, we could help the poor and oppressed. How seriously do we take the Jesus who calls us to this sacrificial lifestyle?"

The Professor, who is also often described as 'a fiery Baptist preacher' last year delivered a sermon in the world’s first 3D, online interactive church.

He is a regular speaker at the popular Greenbelt arts and music festival.

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