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“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 1
RunningHead: “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry
John’s story of frustration that led him to leave his church.
Jacob Dean Oswald
Wayne State College
Dr. Randa Garden
CAN 462-01: Qualitative Research Design
Fall, 2015
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 2
John’s story of frustration that led him to leave his church
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are
ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15). These words, uttered by
Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago serve as a warning not only to the generation at the time, but
also to those in the future. The illustration is meant to warn others about deceitful people who
will do whatever they can to advance their own agenda. Another passage (1 Timothy 6:4-5) is
similar when describing these false prophets:
He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which
produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people
who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a
means of gain.
The apostle Paul wrote this warning in his first letter to Timothy, who was being
prepared by the apostle to be the leader of the Church at Ephesus. It is important to note
exactly why Paul warned of this kind deceitfulness. Exegetically speaking, Paul’s intention (just
like Jesus’s intention) was to warn others about people who would try to deceive them for their
own gain.
Do the words of Jesus and the apostle Paul have any relevance in today’s society?
Based upon the information that will be provided, the answer is an astonishing “yes.”
Christianity is one of the largest religions in the world, boasting millions of followers. However,
just as there are “knock-off brand” products one can buy at the store, there is also a “knock-off
brand” of Christianity that is being fed to thousands of desperate people every single day. The
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 3
prosperity gospel, also known as the health and wealth gospel or word of faith movement, is a
message that is very popular within the world today, especially the United States, promising
material wealth and health if people just have enough faith (and money).
This theological perspective, which is notorious for its Pentecostal roots, can be traced
back many years, but gained traction with the invention of the television in the 20th century.
Among the most recognized pioneers of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement is the late
televangelist Oral Roberts. He is not well-liked among fundamental, evangelical Christianity, as
one theologian had this to say upon Oral Roberts’s death in 2009: “Oral Roberts’s influence is
not something Bible-believing Christians should celebrate. Virtually every aberrant idea the
Pentecostal and Charismatic movements spawned after 1950 can be traced in one way or
another to Oral Roberts’s influence” (Macarthur, 2013, p. 155). What is, perhaps one of
Roberts’s biggest and most recognizable self-made doctrines was what he called the “seed-faith
message.”
Roberts taught that seed-faith giving was the means to prosperity. Money and material
things donated to his organization were like kernels planted that would produce a crop
of material blessings fromthe Lord. God, Roberts declared, would multiply in
miraculous ways whatever was given to Roberts’s ministry – and give many times more
back to the donor. It was a simple, quasi-spiritual, get-rich-quick scheme that appealed
mainly to poor, disadvantaged, and desperate people. It generated millions for
Roberts’s media empire. (Macarthur, 2013, p. 156)
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 4
Interestingly enough, the University named after Roberts (Oral Roberts University) is the alma
mater of many prosperity-gospel teachers today, including, most notably, Creflo Dollar and Joel
Osteen.
It should be noted that prosperity theology stresses that to receive the health and
wealth that people are looking for, they must have sufficient faith. Self-proclaimed faith-healer
Benny Hinn, one of the most recognizable supporters of prosperity theology (and Oral Roberts
apologist), travels the world declaring the prosperity message, specifically in the area of
healing. Numerous times throughout the year he can be found filling up churches, even
stadiums, for his healing events. He says, “It’s impossible to claimsomething you’re not sure
of” (Peters, 2002, p. 67). In other words, one must have sufficient faith and believe enough for
a healing to happen before it can actually take place. The burden is placed on the ones in need.
He goes further: “Never, ever, ever, go to the Lord and say, ‘If it be thy will.’ Don’t allow such
faith-destroying words to be spoken from your mouth. When you pray ‘if it be your will, Lord,’
faith will be destroyed” (Peters, 2002, p. 67). Lastly, Hinn firmly believes that it is God’s will
that every person be healed, saying, “He promises to heal all – every one, any, any whatsoever,
everything – all our diseases! That means not even a headache, sinus problem, not even a
toothache – nothing! No sickness should come your way. God heals all your diseases” (Peters,
2002, p. 53). Taken as a whole, Hinn creates an alarming, deductive notion: If it is God’s will
that everyone be healed, and people have to have enough faith in order to be healed, it
becomes their own fault if they do not receive healing! Unfortunately, this is how faith healers,
like Hinn, can evade accountability. Additionally, the trumpeters of the seed-faith message are
known for asking for people to give not only their faith, but their money as well for the healing
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 5
to occur. Hinn once said on his Praise-a-Thon television show: “Make a pledge; make a gift.
Because that’s the only way you’re going to get your miracle….As you give, the miracle will
begin” (Macarthur, 2013, p. 166). Hinn is also noted as saying, “Someone came to me in church
recently and said, ‘Well pastor, how much should I give to God?’ I said, ‘Well, what kind of
harvest are you looking for?’” (Macarthur, 2013, p. 166). The unfortunate cycle is glaring: have
enough faith, give enough money, and receive your healing. If your healing doesn’t come, then
you need to have more faith and give a bigger gift. Only then will the healing happen. Also,
quite peculiar is the fact that Hinn and his ministry do not keep a documented account of such
healings that supposedly happen at his events (Brumely, 2006). Moreover, according to Trinity
Foundation President Ole Anthony, at these events, “There are a lot of people who said they
were healed but there was no medical evidence that they were sick in the first place” (Brumely,
2006). This ushers in a host of questions, mainly: Are there any authentic healings that occur
at these gatherings? According to one person who witnessed one of Hinn’s events, upon the
night’s completion, the results were heartbreaking:
Watching the crowds lingering after the service made me ask another question as I
walked out. I had to capture this shot, so I did. One of the last to leave the giant NCCOG
sanctuary was a Latino couple with their child, a toddler whose limp body was plugged
into hoses and respirators and beeping, blinking life support packs hanging off his
walker. I wondered if they asked why their child was leaving the same way he came?
Did his parents agonize over whether they had a deficient and incomplete faith? What
sin might they be asking themselves were they guilty of? What generational curse had
to be seed-faith broken? When Hinn told them to believe God for miracles, why didn't
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 6
God sweep into that place and take that beautiful little boy up in His great nail scarred
hands and quicken his tiny body and spare him the uncertain future he faces ahead? I
couldn't tear my eyes away and I have not forgotten the poignancy and puzzle of
this moment. (Martinez, 2007)
It would be reasonable to think that some people could be so desperate, their circumstances so
dire, that they run out of money to give to these prosperity giants. This appears to be the case.
“The emphasis on debt reduction in prosperity teaching is clearly a response to a serious and
widespread problem” (Gledhill, 2003). The message has expanded. The fact that prosperity
theologians have to address the widespread problem of debt accumulation is telltale in and of
itself.
Perhaps it is no surprise then, that those preaching the message of health and wealth
have plenty of it themselves. “Like the professional pardoners of the Middle Ages who pedaled
indulgences to the highest bidders, they pervert teachings for profit” (Abdul-Jabbar, 2015).
Prosperity teachers Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s ministry nets approximately $100 million
annually (Goodstein, 2009). These numbers seemed to have raised the eyebrows of Republican
Senator Chuck Grassley, who, according to one source, “sought credit card receipts and the
numbers of the church’s offshore bank accounts” (Biema & Thompson, 2007). However, the
Copeland’s are not the only ministry under close surveillance. Grassley’s other targets included
Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Eddie Long, Joyce Meyer, and Paula White. When asked about what
caused this investigation, Grassley cited “Recent news reports regarding the possible misuse of
donations made to religious organizations” (Biema & Thompson, 2007). It seems as though
there may be enough evidence to support Grassley’s sleuthing, as Joyce Meyer reportedly spent
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 7
$23,000 on a commode and Creflo Dollar is the proud owner of two Rolls-Royces (Biema &
Thompson, 2007). Faith Healer Benny Hinn has also been reportedly caught in the middle of a
Ponzi scheme that has bilked people out of more than $160 million dollars. “The defendants
deceived investors, promising to generate investment returns that would benefit Christian
ministries through merchandising and manufacturing business,” the Security and Exchange
Commission said (Olsen, 2004).
However, perhaps the saddest aspect of prosperity doctrine is just that. It is a doctrine,
and it is being used to take advantage of those who are in need. For example, Creflo Dollar,
pastor of World Changers Church International, is adamant in his claims that the Biblical texts
describing Jesus as poor (such as Luke 9:58) are not accurate. In fact, he says quite the
opposite. “Did Jesus have money? Well, the Bible was clear. Kings brought him gold. Did Jesus
have money? It’s clear. He had a treasurer to keep up with it” (referencing Judas Iscariot, the
man that Biblical scriptures indicate carried the money bag for the disciples) (Blake, 2006).
Dollar’s statements seemto be easily refutable as Eric Meyers, professor of archaeology at
Duke University says of Jesus, “He didn’t even have his own tomb. He had to get it from a
friend” (Blake, 2006). Additionally, Sondra Ely Wheeler, an ethicist at Wesley Theological
Seminary in Washington, D.C. overtly dismisses Dollar’s claims: “To call Judas a treasurer is like
looking at two kids who go to the movies and calling the one who holds the money the
treasurer” (Blake, 2006). Dollar’s message is clear: Jesus was rich, and he wants you to be rich,
too. Dollar has also made news headlines more recently in 2015 for asking his congregation to
contribute $65 million dollars for a new jet, saying, “If I want to believe God for a $65 million
plane, you cannot stop me” (Stevens, 2015). As the saying goes, “The rich get richer……”
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 8
The Biblical scriptures seemto speak for themselves in regards to Jesus his wealth, or
lack thereof. After talking to a particular wealthy young man in Mark 10, Jesus told his
disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
Further, the apostle Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy that, “The love of money is a root
of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:10). Lastly, Jesus’s words in Matthew 16:26 would seem
worthy of mention: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his
soul?” The Jesus that is described throughout the Biblical scriptures is exegetically different
than the vending machine-esque Jesus of prosperity theology. This is a con-man’s message and
those preaching it are perhaps no different than the religious elites that Jesus rebuked in Luke
11:46 when he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear,
and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.”
Purpose of this study
The purpose of this narrative inquiry will be to understand the ways and environments
in which religious followers are financially manipulated by their church leaders. In the present
study, it is my hope that my interview with John, a 56 year old Christian, will provide insight and
understanding into the context of his experience of attending a church that was financially
abusive. John’s story exemplifies the already-prevalent problem within society of religious
extortion.
Therefore, my research question, grounded in narrative inquiry is:
RQ1: What features characterize church leaders and their environments in which they
financially manipulate their parishioners?
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 9
Narrative Inquiry Method
In the present study, I used narrative inquiry to understand the experiences of a middle-
aged Christian who previously attended a church that was very audacious in their approach of
manipulating people for financial gain. According to Clandinin and Connelly (2000), narrative
inquiry can be described as “a collaboration between researcher and participants over time, in
a place or series of places, and in social interaction with milieus” (p. 20). Furthermore,
according to Creswell (2013), narrative researchers gather stories from participants about
specific experiences “lived and told” (p. 71). After collecting their stories, the researcher may
analyze and “restory” the stories “into a frame work that makes sense” (p. 74).
I underwent my narrative inquiry by conducting an in-depth, face-to-face interview with
John about his experiences while attending this church which he says embraced prosperity-
theology. Moreover, I accumulated a collection of stories regarding his time spent while
attending this church as well as the quality of relationships he had while being a member. For
this analysis, the interview was audio-recorded and then transcribed.
The transcribing process involved transcribing the interview verbatim. Upon completing
the transcription, I read through the entire transcript to identify specific, emerging themes that
could be arranged into a thematic narrative. According to Riessman (as cited in Creswell, 2013):
“an analysis can be made about what was said (thematically), the nature of the telling of the
story (structural), or who the story is directed toward (dialogic/performance) (p. 72).
Therefore, I have appropriately chosen to perform a thematic analysis of my interview with
John. The analysis is divided into labeled sections that identify themes that emerged during the
interview.
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 10
Participant
Upon IRB approval from my college, I conducted an interview with John, a middle-aged
Christian who felt as though he was financially manipulated by his previous church. John was
selected because he had “stories or life experiences to tell” (Creswell, 2013, p. 74), which
serves as a defining characteristic of narrative research.
After consenting to participate in this study, I worked with John to set up an interview
location. He chose to be interviewed at his home. John also agreed to have the interview
recorded. Furthermore, at the request of my college’s IRB, I ensured John of his anonymity in
regard to the study including the fact that his real name will not be used.
To gain some insight into John’s life, I asked him about his upbringing, specifically in
reference to going to church. He told me that he wasn’t raised in any specific church. “I
attended church a little bit when I was younger, off and on. Um, parents did not…my mom and
dad did not go to church” (J1-8). John did say that when he did go to church, it was with his
grandmother and great-grandmother. After telling me that he “did not actually come to the
Lord” (J1-11) until he was 37 and that he had been in a number of different churches since
then, I asked him if there was one that stood out in terms of dissatisfaction. He indicated that
there was, and this particular church will be discussed along with the many negative
experiences that John had while being a member.
There were five themes that emerged as a result of my interview with John – Control,
Messages about Giving, Promise of Rewards, Extravagant Living, and Personal Suffering. The
following section of my paper begins with the analysis of these emerging themes found within
the interview transcription of John’s experience in this specific church.
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 11
Narratives of Control
Perhaps the strongest theme that emerged during the interview was control. John
reported feeling that the church he attended was very controlling in nature. This is not
surprising, given the variables present in the warrant section of this study.
Telling you what you can and can’t…who you…what you can and cannot do, who you
can see who you can date. Um, more of a controlling…The longer I was there the more
controlling I seen it get to be. (J1-21)
Furthermore, throughout the interview, John made many subtle comments about a
variety of different ways the environment of the church seemed to be controlling. He stated
that the church’s head pastor even told the congregation who they should vote for in elections.
One instance that greatly bothered him was when he was asked to not drive the bus for the
church anymore. The church’s bus program is meant for those who do not have a ride to
attend services. This particular aspect played a large role in John’s decision to leave the church.
They said they fired me from driving bus, but yet they were saying it was because of
insurance reasons, but they wanted me to go work in another area of ministry and my
feeling is if you’re an insurance risk in one area, you’re going to be an insurance risk in
any area that you’d work. (J1-34)
Another area of control that John saw was that of the head pastor in terms of being in
charge of the church. Apparently, he did not like his authority being challenged by other
people.
Well, I mean, they uh, more or less you’d get forced into what they wanted you to do,
and if you didn’t then you’re outcast or, and not with me but of some of the others,
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 12
other people I know, they were asked to leave the church because it got to be where
they started questioning and I, uh, pastor would not tolerate being questioned. (J1-41)
Moreover, many churches have what is called a “board of elders” which serves as the
leadership of the church. They make joint decisions about anything that the church needs to
address such as problems within the church, or its finances. John reported that the pastor’s
desire for control reached the point where he did away with the board because it infringed
upon his ability to be in control.
From what I was told, when they first…When the church first started there was a board
of elders and after a while the senior pastor up and did away with the board of elders
because he did not want anyone telling him what he could and could not do, how the
money was to be spent, or anything else that was taken in – that was taken in offerings.
(J1-105)
Furthermore, John said that at times, the pastor would encourage people to ask him
questions in regard to his teaching, but “he shut them down” (J1-132). Surprisingly enough,
John had also said that this head pastor had his own security team that was with him at all
times. “He had a security team. They ended up developing a security team and he didn’t go
anywhere without at least one or two of the people on that security team following him
wherever he went” (J1-159).
Despite leaving this church, John did note that one good thing did happen while
attending – he met his current wife. However, John communicated that the church was also
exerting their control over their relationship.
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 13
I was driving bus and she was a rider, and at one time we dated and they had an
absolute fit because I was seeing her. We were still going to the church. I even got told
I could not pick her up and even take her to church because she didn’t have a way other
than on the bus. If she wanted to go on a Sunday evening, I was told I couldn’t turn
around and go pick her up, take her, because it did not look right. (J1-243)
Messages about Giving
Related to the theme of control, John had said that the church was very aggressive
when it was time for the weekly offering. He said that many times, the pastor would talk
extensively about giving. I asked him about the emphasis that was placed on giving and if it was
ever incorporated into the sermon for the day.
Yes, on, on the giving end of it, on tithing, um, there’d be anywhere from a 10 to 30
minute lecture or brow-beating of what you uh, about giving the 10 percent, uh giving
your 10 percent. It was like the more you gave, the more they wanted you to give. (J1-
48)
I pressed John a bit more in hopes in that he could further explain the degree of the
church’s efforts. I specifically asked himif the church stressed to give “more.” He went into
detail about how there were multiple offerings for multiple things such as buses, gifts, and even
a new building for the church.
Yeah, they stressed the more, of giving more and more even on the…They’re always
taking up uh, a lot of times they were taking up extra offerings for um…One instance
was buses for the bus ministry. Christmas time it was extra offerings for gifts for the
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 14
pastors, for the senior pastor and his wife. Uh, when they went to build their new
building there was…they…I wanna say they more or less insisted that everybody uh,
everybody had to make a pledge of…towards the building fund. And, in some instances
I heard that some of them, that they got called in and said they had to bump up their
pledge because they weren’t pledging enough for the building fund. (J1-52)
Later on in the interview, John lamented his frustration about the frequent badgering
the church would receive about giving:
It was just, they wanted you to just give and give more. Give as much as you could and
then give more above and beyond what you actually could give. They weren’t worried
about if you had food on your table or not, as long as they had food on their table and
they got what they wanted (J1-79).
He would go on to explain his frustration one more time as he emphasized the church’s
emphasis on giving:
It was always something about giving. Give give give give give. ‘You can’t out-give the
Lord,’ well true, none of us can out-give him. Who can out-give somebody that has
everything and provides for you and sees to it and gives to you? (J1-148)
Promises of Rewards
Pertinent to prosperity-theology is the promise that having enough faith, or giving
enough money will bring about miraculous blessings that far exceed the original investment.
This is what keeps the message going, and the money flowing. I first asked John if he was
familiar with the term “seed-faith,” coined by Oral Roberts. He said he was familiar with that
term, and his church was using it.
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 15
They would push it to where, well, the more seed you sow, the more you’ll reap – reap
back in benefits and, uh…Not directly but very indirectly. It was, well, the more you
sow, when you get to heaven you’ll be rewarded even more when you get to heaven
because you gave more than…more than others. (J1-62)
I wanted to gain more insight into exactly how these church leaders used this message
to gain compliance. John went on to describe that one of the pastors had the audacity to tell
him that the church had helped him pay for his child-support. Apparently, this was one indirect
“reward” of John’s giving. However, John was not impressed.
Yeah, they, they trade as much in promises…say the Lord would reward you more for
giving more. Give you false promises I guess you could say it’d be false promises uh, of
that the Lord would give you more than what you would get. One instance, at the time I
was paying child support and they turn around, one of the pastors made the comment
to me that they helped me pay my child-support and it’s like…Now, they never helped
me pay my child-support. (J1-70)
John went on to further describe exactly where these spontaneous blessings could be
expected to come from:
Yeah, it was, I mean, the more you give, you’ll receive more and, um, you’ll be looked
upon…the Lord would look more upon you and reward you and…on your check
or…pay...bills would be paid off and…um…You needed a new car, different vehicle or
something like that, he would provide it for you and stuff and I never seen any of that. I
didn’t see no special blessings fromany of it. (J1-87)
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 16
Narratives of Extravagant Living
It is not surprising that some of the most recognizable faces associated with the
prosperity message live very luxuriously. While interviewing John, I got the impression that this
was true for the leaders in his church as well. John described specific examples of how the
leaders in his church spent the church’s money, but he also admitted that, at times, nobody
knew where their money was going. According to John, the leaders of the church were very
well off:
Here about five or six years ago the church went through a bankruptcy and it was
actually disclosed at that time what the senior pastor and his wife was drawing in wages
as well as what they were allotted for housing allowance a year, and it was right at
about a million dollars. (J1-99)
John had noted that at one time, the senior pastor seemed to live a moderate lifestyle
consisting of a “very moderate home” (J1-180). However, after the land around his house was
in danger of environmental damage, John said that the pastor and his family moved into a
different, much nicer house. John said that the pastor had stated that the state bought them
the house they currently live in.
Well, they’re out in a very rich area. The house out there, 2 to 300,000 to start with,
and that’s on the cheap end of the homes out there and some of them get up to half a
million. It’s out on a golf course. (J1-190)
Lastly, after already saying that the church took up offerings that were additional to the
regular one, John said that there was one particular offering that was meant to give the pastor
a new car, and his wife, a necklace.
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 17
Again they took up a special offering for it for about two, two and a half months, um,
every week there was a special offering for about that two, two and a half months, uh,
collect money to turn around and buy the senior pastor a corvette. The next year it was
to get his, uh, senior pastor’s wife a very nice necklace. (J1-216)
Narratives of Personal Suffering
The last theme found within the interview was John’s suffering as a result of his
experience in his church. I specifically asked John if he had ever sought professional help as a
result of what he encountered at his church. “I uh, yes, I did for a while, um…go to counselling.
For two or three years I went to counselling” (J1-224). Interestingly enough, the counsellor in
which John consulted also went to the same church at the time, and then ended up leaving,
too. Furthermore, I asked John to go into greater detail into how he was affected by the
practices of his church. I specifically asked himif he had given money to the church and he
responded that he had. He also confessed that he had been stretched to the limit in some
ways.
Yes, I was pushed very much to the limit. I was at the point I ate, well, um, I ate a lot of
tuna fish and hot dogs for meals. If I got…if I had hamburger once a week, that was like
eating a ribeye steak for me at the time. Where my finances and stuff were at, paying
child support and everything – yeah, it was a strain. (J1-232)
Discussion
In the present study, by way of narrative inquiry, I was able to better understand the
experiences of someone of had been religiously manipulated by those who hold to prosperity-
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 18
theology. Clearly, John’s experience frustrated him very much as he is no longer a member of
the church where he encountered these things. His story adds credibility to the issues of
prosperity theology. Furthermore, one Christian pastor says it right with his accusation against
prosperity theology, saying that it “sets the individual believer above God and relegates God to
the role of a genie, or Santa Claus, or a valet who is at the Christian’s beck and call” (Macarthur,
1992, p. 328). Put simply, this message is one of extortion at its finest. Additionally, the
present study provides evidence for the pervasiveness of the central phenomenon.
In light of the contributions to this study, I do recognize limitations and directions for
research to be done in the future. The present study involves a participant who was financially
manipulated by church leaders who promised prosperity as a return on investment. Absent
from the study, is any mention of healing in regard to any physical or mental ailment, which is a
staple of the Prosperity Gospel/Word of Faith movement. Therefore, future research may
expound upon that specific facet of the prosperity message. In doing so, qualitative, in-depth
interviews should be given to those who have been manipulated financially with the promise of
physical healing in return.
Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. John has since left his abusive church along
with his wife. Together, they now attend, and are members of a different church within their
city of residence. He reported that they both are feeling very comfortable and are happy to be
a part of their new church. However, the interview ended with a sharp quip of criticismabout
where he previously attended: “I would not recommend the church to anybody” (J1-238).
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 19
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Gledhill,Ruth.PoorChristiansare deludedby'grabit' gospel.London:The Times,2013. LexisNexis
Academic.Web. 2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>.
Goodstein,Laurie.Believersinvestingospel of gettingrich.Wilmington,NC:Star-News,2009. LexisNexis
Academic.Web.2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>.
Macathur, J. F. (1992). CharismaticChaos(p.328). Grand Rapids,MI: ZondervanPublishingHouse.
Macarthur, John.Strange fire:the dangerof offendingthe HolySpiritwithcounterfeitworship.
Nashville:NelsonBooks,2013.155-176. Print.
Martinez,Rafael D.MiraclesToday? A BennyHinnLayoverin Cleveland,Tennessee Remembered.N.p.:
SpiritWatch Ministries,2007. Web.4 Nov.2015.
<http://www.spiritwatch.org/firehinncrusade.htm>.
Olsen,T.(2004). Ponzi scheme snarescharismaticleaders. ChristianityToday,48(1),23.
Peters,JustinD.AN EXAMINATION ANDCRITIQUEOF THE LIFE, MINISTRY, ANDTHEOLOGY OF HEALING
EVANGELISTBENNY HINN.N.p.:n.p.,2002. 53-67. Print.
Stevens,Alexis.CrefloDollar'dreaming'aboutnew jet.N.p.:The AtlantaJournal-Constittution,2015.
LexisNexisAcademic.Web.2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>.
VanBiema,D.,& Thompson,M. (2007). GoingAfterthe MoneyMinistries. Time,170(22),51-52.
“WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 20
Interview Questions
1. What isyour age?
2. What isthe name of your faith?
3. Talk aboutyourupbringinginregardsto goingto church
a. What denominationwere youraisedin?
b. Was your Familydedicatedingoingtochurch?
4. How hasyour experience inchurchchangedthroughoutyourlife?
a. Have you attendedmultiple churches?
5. Is there one church that standsoutamong the rest intermsof dissatisfaction?
6. What made you feel dissatisfiedwiththischurch?
a. Tell me aboutthe environmentof the church
7. What are some negative experiencesyouhadwhile attendingthischurch?
a. Didyou everfeel likeyouwere beingdeceived?
b. How didthischurch use deception
c. Please explainyourstory
8. What were the sermonslike atthischurch?
a. Was there an emphasisongiving?
b. How oftenwere there messagesaboutgiving?
c. Doesthe phrase “seed-faith”soundfamiliartoyouand how do youunderstandthat
message?
9. What are some commonphrasesthat yourememberthatwere preachedfromthe pulpit?
10. Didyou everfeel pressuredintogivingmoneytothischurch?
a. Didanyone everpromise thatgoodthingswould happentoyoubecause of yourgenerous
gift?
b. If so, please tell me aboutthese things
11. Didyou experience anyspecial blessingsbecause of yourgiving?
12. Were youmade aware of where yourmoneywasgoing?
13. How manypeople doyoustill communicate withfromthischurch?
14. Didyou have a deepconnectionwithanybodyfromthe church?
15. Were there otherpeople withinthe churchwhoexperience asimilareventtowhatyou
experienced?
a. If so, please elaborate
16. Tell me aboutthe relationshipbetweenyouandthe leadersof the church.
a. What kindof lifestylesdidtheylive?
17. Did youeverseekprofessionalhelpinregardtoyourexperience?
18. What wouldbe youradvice to someone interestedinattendingthischurch?
19. Is there anythingelse youwouldlike toaddressregardingyour experience inthischurch?

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Wolves in Sheep's clothing - a narrative inquiry

  • 1. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 1 RunningHead: “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry John’s story of frustration that led him to leave his church. Jacob Dean Oswald Wayne State College Dr. Randa Garden CAN 462-01: Qualitative Research Design Fall, 2015
  • 2. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 2 John’s story of frustration that led him to leave his church “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15). These words, uttered by Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago serve as a warning not only to the generation at the time, but also to those in the future. The illustration is meant to warn others about deceitful people who will do whatever they can to advance their own agenda. Another passage (1 Timothy 6:4-5) is similar when describing these false prophets: He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. The apostle Paul wrote this warning in his first letter to Timothy, who was being prepared by the apostle to be the leader of the Church at Ephesus. It is important to note exactly why Paul warned of this kind deceitfulness. Exegetically speaking, Paul’s intention (just like Jesus’s intention) was to warn others about people who would try to deceive them for their own gain. Do the words of Jesus and the apostle Paul have any relevance in today’s society? Based upon the information that will be provided, the answer is an astonishing “yes.” Christianity is one of the largest religions in the world, boasting millions of followers. However, just as there are “knock-off brand” products one can buy at the store, there is also a “knock-off brand” of Christianity that is being fed to thousands of desperate people every single day. The
  • 3. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 3 prosperity gospel, also known as the health and wealth gospel or word of faith movement, is a message that is very popular within the world today, especially the United States, promising material wealth and health if people just have enough faith (and money). This theological perspective, which is notorious for its Pentecostal roots, can be traced back many years, but gained traction with the invention of the television in the 20th century. Among the most recognized pioneers of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement is the late televangelist Oral Roberts. He is not well-liked among fundamental, evangelical Christianity, as one theologian had this to say upon Oral Roberts’s death in 2009: “Oral Roberts’s influence is not something Bible-believing Christians should celebrate. Virtually every aberrant idea the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements spawned after 1950 can be traced in one way or another to Oral Roberts’s influence” (Macarthur, 2013, p. 155). What is, perhaps one of Roberts’s biggest and most recognizable self-made doctrines was what he called the “seed-faith message.” Roberts taught that seed-faith giving was the means to prosperity. Money and material things donated to his organization were like kernels planted that would produce a crop of material blessings fromthe Lord. God, Roberts declared, would multiply in miraculous ways whatever was given to Roberts’s ministry – and give many times more back to the donor. It was a simple, quasi-spiritual, get-rich-quick scheme that appealed mainly to poor, disadvantaged, and desperate people. It generated millions for Roberts’s media empire. (Macarthur, 2013, p. 156)
  • 4. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 4 Interestingly enough, the University named after Roberts (Oral Roberts University) is the alma mater of many prosperity-gospel teachers today, including, most notably, Creflo Dollar and Joel Osteen. It should be noted that prosperity theology stresses that to receive the health and wealth that people are looking for, they must have sufficient faith. Self-proclaimed faith-healer Benny Hinn, one of the most recognizable supporters of prosperity theology (and Oral Roberts apologist), travels the world declaring the prosperity message, specifically in the area of healing. Numerous times throughout the year he can be found filling up churches, even stadiums, for his healing events. He says, “It’s impossible to claimsomething you’re not sure of” (Peters, 2002, p. 67). In other words, one must have sufficient faith and believe enough for a healing to happen before it can actually take place. The burden is placed on the ones in need. He goes further: “Never, ever, ever, go to the Lord and say, ‘If it be thy will.’ Don’t allow such faith-destroying words to be spoken from your mouth. When you pray ‘if it be your will, Lord,’ faith will be destroyed” (Peters, 2002, p. 67). Lastly, Hinn firmly believes that it is God’s will that every person be healed, saying, “He promises to heal all – every one, any, any whatsoever, everything – all our diseases! That means not even a headache, sinus problem, not even a toothache – nothing! No sickness should come your way. God heals all your diseases” (Peters, 2002, p. 53). Taken as a whole, Hinn creates an alarming, deductive notion: If it is God’s will that everyone be healed, and people have to have enough faith in order to be healed, it becomes their own fault if they do not receive healing! Unfortunately, this is how faith healers, like Hinn, can evade accountability. Additionally, the trumpeters of the seed-faith message are known for asking for people to give not only their faith, but their money as well for the healing
  • 5. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 5 to occur. Hinn once said on his Praise-a-Thon television show: “Make a pledge; make a gift. Because that’s the only way you’re going to get your miracle….As you give, the miracle will begin” (Macarthur, 2013, p. 166). Hinn is also noted as saying, “Someone came to me in church recently and said, ‘Well pastor, how much should I give to God?’ I said, ‘Well, what kind of harvest are you looking for?’” (Macarthur, 2013, p. 166). The unfortunate cycle is glaring: have enough faith, give enough money, and receive your healing. If your healing doesn’t come, then you need to have more faith and give a bigger gift. Only then will the healing happen. Also, quite peculiar is the fact that Hinn and his ministry do not keep a documented account of such healings that supposedly happen at his events (Brumely, 2006). Moreover, according to Trinity Foundation President Ole Anthony, at these events, “There are a lot of people who said they were healed but there was no medical evidence that they were sick in the first place” (Brumely, 2006). This ushers in a host of questions, mainly: Are there any authentic healings that occur at these gatherings? According to one person who witnessed one of Hinn’s events, upon the night’s completion, the results were heartbreaking: Watching the crowds lingering after the service made me ask another question as I walked out. I had to capture this shot, so I did. One of the last to leave the giant NCCOG sanctuary was a Latino couple with their child, a toddler whose limp body was plugged into hoses and respirators and beeping, blinking life support packs hanging off his walker. I wondered if they asked why their child was leaving the same way he came? Did his parents agonize over whether they had a deficient and incomplete faith? What sin might they be asking themselves were they guilty of? What generational curse had to be seed-faith broken? When Hinn told them to believe God for miracles, why didn't
  • 6. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 6 God sweep into that place and take that beautiful little boy up in His great nail scarred hands and quicken his tiny body and spare him the uncertain future he faces ahead? I couldn't tear my eyes away and I have not forgotten the poignancy and puzzle of this moment. (Martinez, 2007) It would be reasonable to think that some people could be so desperate, their circumstances so dire, that they run out of money to give to these prosperity giants. This appears to be the case. “The emphasis on debt reduction in prosperity teaching is clearly a response to a serious and widespread problem” (Gledhill, 2003). The message has expanded. The fact that prosperity theologians have to address the widespread problem of debt accumulation is telltale in and of itself. Perhaps it is no surprise then, that those preaching the message of health and wealth have plenty of it themselves. “Like the professional pardoners of the Middle Ages who pedaled indulgences to the highest bidders, they pervert teachings for profit” (Abdul-Jabbar, 2015). Prosperity teachers Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s ministry nets approximately $100 million annually (Goodstein, 2009). These numbers seemed to have raised the eyebrows of Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who, according to one source, “sought credit card receipts and the numbers of the church’s offshore bank accounts” (Biema & Thompson, 2007). However, the Copeland’s are not the only ministry under close surveillance. Grassley’s other targets included Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Eddie Long, Joyce Meyer, and Paula White. When asked about what caused this investigation, Grassley cited “Recent news reports regarding the possible misuse of donations made to religious organizations” (Biema & Thompson, 2007). It seems as though there may be enough evidence to support Grassley’s sleuthing, as Joyce Meyer reportedly spent
  • 7. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 7 $23,000 on a commode and Creflo Dollar is the proud owner of two Rolls-Royces (Biema & Thompson, 2007). Faith Healer Benny Hinn has also been reportedly caught in the middle of a Ponzi scheme that has bilked people out of more than $160 million dollars. “The defendants deceived investors, promising to generate investment returns that would benefit Christian ministries through merchandising and manufacturing business,” the Security and Exchange Commission said (Olsen, 2004). However, perhaps the saddest aspect of prosperity doctrine is just that. It is a doctrine, and it is being used to take advantage of those who are in need. For example, Creflo Dollar, pastor of World Changers Church International, is adamant in his claims that the Biblical texts describing Jesus as poor (such as Luke 9:58) are not accurate. In fact, he says quite the opposite. “Did Jesus have money? Well, the Bible was clear. Kings brought him gold. Did Jesus have money? It’s clear. He had a treasurer to keep up with it” (referencing Judas Iscariot, the man that Biblical scriptures indicate carried the money bag for the disciples) (Blake, 2006). Dollar’s statements seemto be easily refutable as Eric Meyers, professor of archaeology at Duke University says of Jesus, “He didn’t even have his own tomb. He had to get it from a friend” (Blake, 2006). Additionally, Sondra Ely Wheeler, an ethicist at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. overtly dismisses Dollar’s claims: “To call Judas a treasurer is like looking at two kids who go to the movies and calling the one who holds the money the treasurer” (Blake, 2006). Dollar’s message is clear: Jesus was rich, and he wants you to be rich, too. Dollar has also made news headlines more recently in 2015 for asking his congregation to contribute $65 million dollars for a new jet, saying, “If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me” (Stevens, 2015). As the saying goes, “The rich get richer……”
  • 8. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 8 The Biblical scriptures seemto speak for themselves in regards to Jesus his wealth, or lack thereof. After talking to a particular wealthy young man in Mark 10, Jesus told his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” Further, the apostle Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy that, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:10). Lastly, Jesus’s words in Matthew 16:26 would seem worthy of mention: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” The Jesus that is described throughout the Biblical scriptures is exegetically different than the vending machine-esque Jesus of prosperity theology. This is a con-man’s message and those preaching it are perhaps no different than the religious elites that Jesus rebuked in Luke 11:46 when he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.” Purpose of this study The purpose of this narrative inquiry will be to understand the ways and environments in which religious followers are financially manipulated by their church leaders. In the present study, it is my hope that my interview with John, a 56 year old Christian, will provide insight and understanding into the context of his experience of attending a church that was financially abusive. John’s story exemplifies the already-prevalent problem within society of religious extortion. Therefore, my research question, grounded in narrative inquiry is: RQ1: What features characterize church leaders and their environments in which they financially manipulate their parishioners?
  • 9. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 9 Narrative Inquiry Method In the present study, I used narrative inquiry to understand the experiences of a middle- aged Christian who previously attended a church that was very audacious in their approach of manipulating people for financial gain. According to Clandinin and Connelly (2000), narrative inquiry can be described as “a collaboration between researcher and participants over time, in a place or series of places, and in social interaction with milieus” (p. 20). Furthermore, according to Creswell (2013), narrative researchers gather stories from participants about specific experiences “lived and told” (p. 71). After collecting their stories, the researcher may analyze and “restory” the stories “into a frame work that makes sense” (p. 74). I underwent my narrative inquiry by conducting an in-depth, face-to-face interview with John about his experiences while attending this church which he says embraced prosperity- theology. Moreover, I accumulated a collection of stories regarding his time spent while attending this church as well as the quality of relationships he had while being a member. For this analysis, the interview was audio-recorded and then transcribed. The transcribing process involved transcribing the interview verbatim. Upon completing the transcription, I read through the entire transcript to identify specific, emerging themes that could be arranged into a thematic narrative. According to Riessman (as cited in Creswell, 2013): “an analysis can be made about what was said (thematically), the nature of the telling of the story (structural), or who the story is directed toward (dialogic/performance) (p. 72). Therefore, I have appropriately chosen to perform a thematic analysis of my interview with John. The analysis is divided into labeled sections that identify themes that emerged during the interview.
  • 10. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 10 Participant Upon IRB approval from my college, I conducted an interview with John, a middle-aged Christian who felt as though he was financially manipulated by his previous church. John was selected because he had “stories or life experiences to tell” (Creswell, 2013, p. 74), which serves as a defining characteristic of narrative research. After consenting to participate in this study, I worked with John to set up an interview location. He chose to be interviewed at his home. John also agreed to have the interview recorded. Furthermore, at the request of my college’s IRB, I ensured John of his anonymity in regard to the study including the fact that his real name will not be used. To gain some insight into John’s life, I asked him about his upbringing, specifically in reference to going to church. He told me that he wasn’t raised in any specific church. “I attended church a little bit when I was younger, off and on. Um, parents did not…my mom and dad did not go to church” (J1-8). John did say that when he did go to church, it was with his grandmother and great-grandmother. After telling me that he “did not actually come to the Lord” (J1-11) until he was 37 and that he had been in a number of different churches since then, I asked him if there was one that stood out in terms of dissatisfaction. He indicated that there was, and this particular church will be discussed along with the many negative experiences that John had while being a member. There were five themes that emerged as a result of my interview with John – Control, Messages about Giving, Promise of Rewards, Extravagant Living, and Personal Suffering. The following section of my paper begins with the analysis of these emerging themes found within the interview transcription of John’s experience in this specific church.
  • 11. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 11 Narratives of Control Perhaps the strongest theme that emerged during the interview was control. John reported feeling that the church he attended was very controlling in nature. This is not surprising, given the variables present in the warrant section of this study. Telling you what you can and can’t…who you…what you can and cannot do, who you can see who you can date. Um, more of a controlling…The longer I was there the more controlling I seen it get to be. (J1-21) Furthermore, throughout the interview, John made many subtle comments about a variety of different ways the environment of the church seemed to be controlling. He stated that the church’s head pastor even told the congregation who they should vote for in elections. One instance that greatly bothered him was when he was asked to not drive the bus for the church anymore. The church’s bus program is meant for those who do not have a ride to attend services. This particular aspect played a large role in John’s decision to leave the church. They said they fired me from driving bus, but yet they were saying it was because of insurance reasons, but they wanted me to go work in another area of ministry and my feeling is if you’re an insurance risk in one area, you’re going to be an insurance risk in any area that you’d work. (J1-34) Another area of control that John saw was that of the head pastor in terms of being in charge of the church. Apparently, he did not like his authority being challenged by other people. Well, I mean, they uh, more or less you’d get forced into what they wanted you to do, and if you didn’t then you’re outcast or, and not with me but of some of the others,
  • 12. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 12 other people I know, they were asked to leave the church because it got to be where they started questioning and I, uh, pastor would not tolerate being questioned. (J1-41) Moreover, many churches have what is called a “board of elders” which serves as the leadership of the church. They make joint decisions about anything that the church needs to address such as problems within the church, or its finances. John reported that the pastor’s desire for control reached the point where he did away with the board because it infringed upon his ability to be in control. From what I was told, when they first…When the church first started there was a board of elders and after a while the senior pastor up and did away with the board of elders because he did not want anyone telling him what he could and could not do, how the money was to be spent, or anything else that was taken in – that was taken in offerings. (J1-105) Furthermore, John said that at times, the pastor would encourage people to ask him questions in regard to his teaching, but “he shut them down” (J1-132). Surprisingly enough, John had also said that this head pastor had his own security team that was with him at all times. “He had a security team. They ended up developing a security team and he didn’t go anywhere without at least one or two of the people on that security team following him wherever he went” (J1-159). Despite leaving this church, John did note that one good thing did happen while attending – he met his current wife. However, John communicated that the church was also exerting their control over their relationship.
  • 13. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 13 I was driving bus and she was a rider, and at one time we dated and they had an absolute fit because I was seeing her. We were still going to the church. I even got told I could not pick her up and even take her to church because she didn’t have a way other than on the bus. If she wanted to go on a Sunday evening, I was told I couldn’t turn around and go pick her up, take her, because it did not look right. (J1-243) Messages about Giving Related to the theme of control, John had said that the church was very aggressive when it was time for the weekly offering. He said that many times, the pastor would talk extensively about giving. I asked him about the emphasis that was placed on giving and if it was ever incorporated into the sermon for the day. Yes, on, on the giving end of it, on tithing, um, there’d be anywhere from a 10 to 30 minute lecture or brow-beating of what you uh, about giving the 10 percent, uh giving your 10 percent. It was like the more you gave, the more they wanted you to give. (J1- 48) I pressed John a bit more in hopes in that he could further explain the degree of the church’s efforts. I specifically asked himif the church stressed to give “more.” He went into detail about how there were multiple offerings for multiple things such as buses, gifts, and even a new building for the church. Yeah, they stressed the more, of giving more and more even on the…They’re always taking up uh, a lot of times they were taking up extra offerings for um…One instance was buses for the bus ministry. Christmas time it was extra offerings for gifts for the
  • 14. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 14 pastors, for the senior pastor and his wife. Uh, when they went to build their new building there was…they…I wanna say they more or less insisted that everybody uh, everybody had to make a pledge of…towards the building fund. And, in some instances I heard that some of them, that they got called in and said they had to bump up their pledge because they weren’t pledging enough for the building fund. (J1-52) Later on in the interview, John lamented his frustration about the frequent badgering the church would receive about giving: It was just, they wanted you to just give and give more. Give as much as you could and then give more above and beyond what you actually could give. They weren’t worried about if you had food on your table or not, as long as they had food on their table and they got what they wanted (J1-79). He would go on to explain his frustration one more time as he emphasized the church’s emphasis on giving: It was always something about giving. Give give give give give. ‘You can’t out-give the Lord,’ well true, none of us can out-give him. Who can out-give somebody that has everything and provides for you and sees to it and gives to you? (J1-148) Promises of Rewards Pertinent to prosperity-theology is the promise that having enough faith, or giving enough money will bring about miraculous blessings that far exceed the original investment. This is what keeps the message going, and the money flowing. I first asked John if he was familiar with the term “seed-faith,” coined by Oral Roberts. He said he was familiar with that term, and his church was using it.
  • 15. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 15 They would push it to where, well, the more seed you sow, the more you’ll reap – reap back in benefits and, uh…Not directly but very indirectly. It was, well, the more you sow, when you get to heaven you’ll be rewarded even more when you get to heaven because you gave more than…more than others. (J1-62) I wanted to gain more insight into exactly how these church leaders used this message to gain compliance. John went on to describe that one of the pastors had the audacity to tell him that the church had helped him pay for his child-support. Apparently, this was one indirect “reward” of John’s giving. However, John was not impressed. Yeah, they, they trade as much in promises…say the Lord would reward you more for giving more. Give you false promises I guess you could say it’d be false promises uh, of that the Lord would give you more than what you would get. One instance, at the time I was paying child support and they turn around, one of the pastors made the comment to me that they helped me pay my child-support and it’s like…Now, they never helped me pay my child-support. (J1-70) John went on to further describe exactly where these spontaneous blessings could be expected to come from: Yeah, it was, I mean, the more you give, you’ll receive more and, um, you’ll be looked upon…the Lord would look more upon you and reward you and…on your check or…pay...bills would be paid off and…um…You needed a new car, different vehicle or something like that, he would provide it for you and stuff and I never seen any of that. I didn’t see no special blessings fromany of it. (J1-87)
  • 16. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 16 Narratives of Extravagant Living It is not surprising that some of the most recognizable faces associated with the prosperity message live very luxuriously. While interviewing John, I got the impression that this was true for the leaders in his church as well. John described specific examples of how the leaders in his church spent the church’s money, but he also admitted that, at times, nobody knew where their money was going. According to John, the leaders of the church were very well off: Here about five or six years ago the church went through a bankruptcy and it was actually disclosed at that time what the senior pastor and his wife was drawing in wages as well as what they were allotted for housing allowance a year, and it was right at about a million dollars. (J1-99) John had noted that at one time, the senior pastor seemed to live a moderate lifestyle consisting of a “very moderate home” (J1-180). However, after the land around his house was in danger of environmental damage, John said that the pastor and his family moved into a different, much nicer house. John said that the pastor had stated that the state bought them the house they currently live in. Well, they’re out in a very rich area. The house out there, 2 to 300,000 to start with, and that’s on the cheap end of the homes out there and some of them get up to half a million. It’s out on a golf course. (J1-190) Lastly, after already saying that the church took up offerings that were additional to the regular one, John said that there was one particular offering that was meant to give the pastor a new car, and his wife, a necklace.
  • 17. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 17 Again they took up a special offering for it for about two, two and a half months, um, every week there was a special offering for about that two, two and a half months, uh, collect money to turn around and buy the senior pastor a corvette. The next year it was to get his, uh, senior pastor’s wife a very nice necklace. (J1-216) Narratives of Personal Suffering The last theme found within the interview was John’s suffering as a result of his experience in his church. I specifically asked John if he had ever sought professional help as a result of what he encountered at his church. “I uh, yes, I did for a while, um…go to counselling. For two or three years I went to counselling” (J1-224). Interestingly enough, the counsellor in which John consulted also went to the same church at the time, and then ended up leaving, too. Furthermore, I asked John to go into greater detail into how he was affected by the practices of his church. I specifically asked himif he had given money to the church and he responded that he had. He also confessed that he had been stretched to the limit in some ways. Yes, I was pushed very much to the limit. I was at the point I ate, well, um, I ate a lot of tuna fish and hot dogs for meals. If I got…if I had hamburger once a week, that was like eating a ribeye steak for me at the time. Where my finances and stuff were at, paying child support and everything – yeah, it was a strain. (J1-232) Discussion In the present study, by way of narrative inquiry, I was able to better understand the experiences of someone of had been religiously manipulated by those who hold to prosperity-
  • 18. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 18 theology. Clearly, John’s experience frustrated him very much as he is no longer a member of the church where he encountered these things. His story adds credibility to the issues of prosperity theology. Furthermore, one Christian pastor says it right with his accusation against prosperity theology, saying that it “sets the individual believer above God and relegates God to the role of a genie, or Santa Claus, or a valet who is at the Christian’s beck and call” (Macarthur, 1992, p. 328). Put simply, this message is one of extortion at its finest. Additionally, the present study provides evidence for the pervasiveness of the central phenomenon. In light of the contributions to this study, I do recognize limitations and directions for research to be done in the future. The present study involves a participant who was financially manipulated by church leaders who promised prosperity as a return on investment. Absent from the study, is any mention of healing in regard to any physical or mental ailment, which is a staple of the Prosperity Gospel/Word of Faith movement. Therefore, future research may expound upon that specific facet of the prosperity message. In doing so, qualitative, in-depth interviews should be given to those who have been manipulated financially with the promise of physical healing in return. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. John has since left his abusive church along with his wife. Together, they now attend, and are members of a different church within their city of residence. He reported that they both are feeling very comfortable and are happy to be a part of their new church. However, the interview ended with a sharp quip of criticismabout where he previously attended: “I would not recommend the church to anybody” (J1-238).
  • 19. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 19 References Abdul-Jabbar,K. (2015). KareemAbdul-Jabbar: ProsperityGospelIsWar onthe Poor. Time.Com, N.PAG Blake,John.WasJesusRich?; Swankymessiahnotfar-fetchedinProsperityGospel.N.p.:The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,2006. LexisNexisAcademic.Web.2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>. Brumley,Jeff.ThousandsexpectedtohearfaithhealerHinnatarena; Criticsabound,butothersbelieve they'll see the powerof Godtodayand Friday.Jacksonville:FloridaTimes-Union,2006. LexisNexisAcademic.Web.2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>. Clandinin&Connelly(2000).Narrative inquiry: Experienceandstoryinqualitative research. San Francisco,CA: Jossey-BassPublishers Creswell,JohnW.Qualitative Inquiry&ResearchDesign:ChoosingAmongFiveApproaches.thirded. N.p.:Sage PublicationsInc.,2013. 71-74. Print. Gledhill,Ruth.PoorChristiansare deludedby'grabit' gospel.London:The Times,2013. LexisNexis Academic.Web. 2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>. Goodstein,Laurie.Believersinvestingospel of gettingrich.Wilmington,NC:Star-News,2009. LexisNexis Academic.Web.2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>. Macathur, J. F. (1992). CharismaticChaos(p.328). Grand Rapids,MI: ZondervanPublishingHouse. Macarthur, John.Strange fire:the dangerof offendingthe HolySpiritwithcounterfeitworship. Nashville:NelsonBooks,2013.155-176. Print. Martinez,Rafael D.MiraclesToday? A BennyHinnLayoverin Cleveland,Tennessee Remembered.N.p.: SpiritWatch Ministries,2007. Web.4 Nov.2015. <http://www.spiritwatch.org/firehinncrusade.htm>. Olsen,T.(2004). Ponzi scheme snarescharismaticleaders. ChristianityToday,48(1),23. Peters,JustinD.AN EXAMINATION ANDCRITIQUEOF THE LIFE, MINISTRY, ANDTHEOLOGY OF HEALING EVANGELISTBENNY HINN.N.p.:n.p.,2002. 53-67. Print. Stevens,Alexis.CrefloDollar'dreaming'aboutnew jet.N.p.:The AtlantaJournal-Constittution,2015. LexisNexisAcademic.Web.2 Nov.2015. <http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?>. VanBiema,D.,& Thompson,M. (2007). GoingAfterthe MoneyMinistries. Time,170(22),51-52.
  • 20. “WolvesinSheep’sClothing:”A narrative inquiry 20 Interview Questions 1. What isyour age? 2. What isthe name of your faith? 3. Talk aboutyourupbringinginregardsto goingto church a. What denominationwere youraisedin? b. Was your Familydedicatedingoingtochurch? 4. How hasyour experience inchurchchangedthroughoutyourlife? a. Have you attendedmultiple churches? 5. Is there one church that standsoutamong the rest intermsof dissatisfaction? 6. What made you feel dissatisfiedwiththischurch? a. Tell me aboutthe environmentof the church 7. What are some negative experiencesyouhadwhile attendingthischurch? a. Didyou everfeel likeyouwere beingdeceived? b. How didthischurch use deception c. Please explainyourstory 8. What were the sermonslike atthischurch? a. Was there an emphasisongiving? b. How oftenwere there messagesaboutgiving? c. Doesthe phrase “seed-faith”soundfamiliartoyouand how do youunderstandthat message? 9. What are some commonphrasesthat yourememberthatwere preachedfromthe pulpit? 10. Didyou everfeel pressuredintogivingmoneytothischurch? a. Didanyone everpromise thatgoodthingswould happentoyoubecause of yourgenerous gift? b. If so, please tell me aboutthese things 11. Didyou experience anyspecial blessingsbecause of yourgiving? 12. Were youmade aware of where yourmoneywasgoing? 13. How manypeople doyoustill communicate withfromthischurch? 14. Didyou have a deepconnectionwithanybodyfromthe church? 15. Were there otherpeople withinthe churchwhoexperience asimilareventtowhatyou experienced? a. If so, please elaborate 16. Tell me aboutthe relationshipbetweenyouandthe leadersof the church. a. What kindof lifestylesdidtheylive? 17. Did youeverseekprofessionalhelpinregardtoyourexperience? 18. What wouldbe youradvice to someone interestedinattendingthischurch? 19. Is there anythingelse youwouldlike toaddressregardingyour experience inthischurch?