Creflo Dollar-- a Name that has a Ring to it!

It's unfortunate that being poor is often associated with lack of faith by the prosperity teachers. It's more unfortunate that some teachers use their platform to make people covet because they actually think they are all promised to be rich by God. Creflo and other prosperity teachers by their own theology have changed the teaching of Jesus to it being a lack of wealth (poverty) not the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim.6:10). 

Over the last several years there have been new disciples of the Copeland and Hagin camp that have entered on the scene with the prosperity message. There has been none more blatant or conniving that Creflo Dollar. This man is on the leading edge of star trek Bible interpretations, taking it where no man has gone before. Mr. Dollar has certainly been discipled well under Copeland’s influence. He is preaching word faith to the MAX!

On his web page he has advertised his friends in ministry Copland, Duplantis, Hinn, Avanzini, Hickey, Savelle so there should be no question what camp his tent is pitched in. The ICC ministries conference held Oct. 2,000 was with Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Oral Roberts, John Hagee, Joyce Meyers, T. D. Jakes, Leroy Thomson, Hilton Sutton, Ray Mcauley, Paul Morton senior. They were all pictured with medals and touted as God’s generals, all eleven of them. I’ll let your imagination fill in the twelfth one (similar to the typology of 12 disciples minus one). God does not have generals, He has servants, and they carry a cross. Instead these men lead their faithful to follow them into the world’s blessings casting off the cross. Jesus said if you want to be the greatest of all, humble yourself and be the servant of all. This unfortunately is what one will not hear. Instead it’s all about your authority in words by faith and getting everything you can (for the kingdom of course). Almost everyone of these men and woman featured have some false teaching they promote, of course some teachings are more dangerous than others, but they should all be avoided.

Creflo does what would be called corporate confessions which he believes brings possession. Dollar offers Christians who have let the devil get all their money to take it back. He has the people repeat out loud together at the same time over and over what they need. By others saying the same thing out loud together it can more easily convince someone of a message. When you have thousands saying the same thing it becomes like a mass hypnosis. He tells members to repeat, “I want my stuff” and they repeat, “I want my stuff.” “Money come unto me,” they repeat it. His message that you to can be rich, healthy and without trouble in life does have an appeal to many who want a way out of poverty or debt. He offers to them a Jesus that was rich and claims God wants you to be rich too. As they look at his ministry they are under the impression that if it worked for him it should work for them too, after all he tells them it will. He's comes off as a sincere man convinced what he is practicing is right. His intention is to give the people hope in their life’s that may be broken or destroyed from relationships or financial ruin. However good intentions do not justify the means, and success does not justify that what is taught is biblical. The fact is people are given a most unbalanced view of the Scriptures through the prosperity message.

Creflo’s main message is about prosperity, both health and wealth. He tells people not to wait to get it on the other side God wants you to get it on this side. The church's bookstore is filled with books touting prosperity such as, “Confession Brings Possession,” and “How To Bring Home The Wealth.” He writes books on prosperity too. In an interview with a metro television station, Dollar said he never thought much of preachers. “I didn't like preachers driving their Cadillacs and their shiny suits,” he told WXIA reporter Karyn Greer (from Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer John Blake)

Well he certainly has changed his mind. Creflo thunders to his captive audience, “We established last night that you are not whole until you get your money. Amen.” His church members cheer when they hear him say “Well, you need to hear about money, because you ain't gonna have no love and joy and peace until you get some money!… You got to get some MONEY!” (Creflo Dollar, TBN, July 20, 1999)

“Now, last night we began to deal with the relationship between peace and prosperity, … and we'll look at it again tonight, it says, “my soul is far from prosperity.” Why? “Because my soul's far from peace because I forgot prosperity.” We established last night that you are not whole until you get your money. Amen. Amen” (TBN, July 20, 1999)

The Bible actually says the very opposite; the joy of the Lord is our strength, a promise to every believer whether we have money or not. If we need to depend on our money for joy then we are acting like the world. Jesus said, “my peace I give to you not as the world gives.” Pastor Dollar has his congregation trained to his leading them into a non-biblical worldview. The apostle Paul teaches that we should be content with whatever we have, whether we have abundance or little. This is not the message of Creflo, he tells people to have more and continue to want more, it’s their God given right.

Creflo’s prosperity message also affects the gospel message he preaches. Under the topic Why must I be saved? The website states- “You should be saved because God loves you and wants you to be saved (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:3,4). Jesus died for your sins so that you can have the abundant life of prosperity and health!”  If we are saved to have health and wealth what If a sinner already has these--why would they need Jesus? If Jesus died for our sins to have these things then if one has them are they no longer sinful? This gospel message is probably the weakest I have seen. Creflo’s solution to making sure you go to heaven “where one spends eternity is based on one's decision to live according to God's Word and commandments or to rebel against God.” While the Bible tells to obey we do not go to heaven because of obedience to commands per se. We go to heaven because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross and our trusting in His work of obedience, its called grace, not our work.

Most everything Creflo teaches on has to do with money, that is his message. He will even joke about his own name saying he is happy his mom did not name him Creflo one dollar. However what most people do not know is that Creflo A. Dollar was born Michael Smith according to www.data.org. He changed his name around the same time he began his new ministry 1986.

He believes the anointing is there to make one rich. But you must walk in holiness and the word by faith to be rich. Does this mean those saints and prophets in the Old Testament (Heb.11) were not holy? Because the Bible specifically tells us what they gave up to serve God.

Maybe you can remember far enough back to the first famous black prosperity teacher Rev. Ike who on the Larry King show said, “Money hates hypocrisy, money does not like hypocrites. You say if you don't like it you’re not going to get it? It’s going to cause you to have some kind of problems even if you do get it… Jesus said seek you first, first what the kingdom of God and what, and his righteousness and what happens behind that? All these things- Caddillacs-fine homes-good clothes, then the congregation broke out singing “I say all is mine.”

A catchy tune that is still being sung today by Creflo Dollar and other prosperity teachers. The only difference is that their choir singing it is much larger. The Prosperity Gospel is the main entrance of  worldliness that is brought into Christianity. It reaches into people who are in need and not well educated in the Bible or grounded in Biblical teachings. They depend on these men to lead them into the Scripture. But do they? NO they do not.

Jesus knew what is in the heart of men --The words of Jesus Matt 6:19-2:1: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” They probably would not cheer for this! Since they have been convinced they ALL deserve to be rich according God's word. After all the Jesus they are presenting was rich too.

Creflo says, God wants you to tithe so he can love you, bless you and get the things you want in your life, (healing, pay the bills, education), God wants to cut a deal with you. When you bring your tithe then God can protect you. Creflo states “Whenever God requires you to bring something to him, its so he can get something to you.”

“When you finally get to the place of obeying God with your money, you will find the anointing there. Every time you tithe you should expect an anointing. Somebody says, "My marriage ain't going right, I need to hurry up get to church to tithe." Why? To get some anointing. You ought to be running here to give your tithe. Why? To get some anointing. That tithe replenishes that anointing. That tithe replenishes the anointing. It is an act of obedience which is an exchange for more power. . .” (Changing your World Lesea broadcasting)

I guess God hears the money ring and he sends the Holy Spirit. Low on the Holy Spirit, the solution- give more money. Seems to be no different than getting gas at the gas pumps where the gas station is making money. Creflo teaches that for one to get the anointing they must tithe or God will not give it. Creflo teaches the covenant is the tithe-- the tithe is the covenant. Not according to the Bible, the blood of Christ is the covenant founded upon grace. Tithing is connected to the Old Covenant of law.

Paul knew all too well about bringing people under the law. In Gal.3:1-3 he says, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”

Tithing is of the law. To teach one must give money to get the Spirit (the anointing) is completely detrimental to ones spiritual growth and understanding of grace.

On the website it states- “Tithing is our covenant connector.  Giving determines the amount of our increase.”

On his program he states, “There's a financial harvest crying out for you!  Learn how to lay hold of the wealth that has been stored up for you!” “The tithe is your connection to everything that God owns.  Learn how your tithe gives you the authority to sit where El Elyon sits, and see Him perform mightily on your behalf.” 

All these statements insinuate that one can buy the blessing of God, when I fact we receive all and anything by his grace. Prov.15:8: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.”

If you’re giving so you can get more, that is a wicked sacrifice. Though Mal.3 is often used this passage is not about the people neglecting to give to the Levitical priests their tithe, but the Levitical priest not bringing their tithe into the storehouse. (which was often used for other needs)

He says the origin of the tithing system coming out of the Abrahamic covenant…

“ Its almost as if your power has been turned off for the last 20 years...” He says that the people need to get delivered from not tithing.

Say it out loud “I got somethin’ comin” so he then states they are heirs according to what? They repeat “the promise.” According to what? “the promise.” According to what? “the promise.” What promise? The promise he made to Abraham, you see whatever he promised to Abraham you have a right through inheritance, to say me too” If he said to Abraham I will bless you, you ought to say me too… I will make your name great...me too…I’m gonna make you a great nation, you ought to say me too. I’ll bless them that bless you and curse tham that curse. You oughtta say me too. You’ll be able to say no man made you rich but God only, you oughtta be able to say me too...Whatever God promised Abraham whatever you can find in that covenant … you ought to boldly stand up no matter what color you are and say, Me TOO!” Abraham’s abound … all of his blessings are mine, everything he promised.”

Problem that is evident is if he read the Scripture in context he would not make this error. There are only two places that make mention of the blessing of Abraham. God speaking to the nation of Israel not the church Gen. 28:4 “And give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham.”

Gal. 3:13-15: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.” So Paul makes it clear the blessing is the Spirit himself, not wealth.

As side note I find it is interesting how prosperity teaches say we are free from the curse to be healed by faith via Isaiah 53 but when it comes to the curse of poverty it takes money to get free.

And Paul again states in vs.22 “But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Gal 3:24-26 “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” The promise is Christ by faith not everything Abraham had received.

If Abraham got blessed through the tithing system, why did he do this only once, he doesn’t keep doing it. It is never repeated for the rest of his life, and neither did he teach it to his sons. Why? Because He did not tithe! Tithing does not become a command until Moses’ time under the Mosaic covenant. This is ignored and instead is replaced by a clever teaching on Abraham’s tithing.

Creflo practices much of the accepted Charismatic extremism. In the Word Afire Conference 98’ he walked around laying hands on hundreds of people saying over them they are now free and laughing ha, ha, receive it right now, there it is. He preached on… (guess what), and as he is preaching people responded by streaming forward laying down their tithe and offering envelopes all over the stairs that is adjacent to the stage, which is not an uncommon practice in his meetings.

Creflo further relates the power to heal with people with tithing. “But then the church began to grow it went from 8 people to 500 people but the tithing went from 100 % to 90%. From 500 people to 3,000 people and the tithing went from about 90% to about 80%, from about 3,000 to about 8,000 people the tithing was now down to 47%, we’ve gone up now to 11,000 people the tithing was down to about 25%; to 17,000 people and tithe was now down 17% and the heavens are now closed 17%.”He then tells the congregation some woman’s hip went out of place because of their tithing. “Pastor laid hands on her but she walked back the same way she walked up. And somebody said oh the pastor is not as anointed as he used to be, no that’s not it honey, it is its all the crooks and the thieves that have joined the church throughout the last several years and closed the heavens down from 100% down to 17%.”

So if you ever wonder why no one may get healed in a word faith church, here’s your answer, not enough tithing! We can thank God this is not our gracious Lord’s answer, but a mans opinion. Money makes more than the world go round, it makes some churches go round as well. Round and round and round...

Live and videotaped testimonials and are played in which church members talk about how the law of tithing works as they received unexpected financial blessings. But there are numerous testimonies of people who say the opposite. This is why we don’t use testimonies to validate teachings. I don’t usually quote people’s testimonies as proof of their coercive behavior, but in this case they are necessary. “Demetrius King of College Park…, joined the church in 1991. He said he left two years later after Dollar humiliated him. During a Sunday morning service, Dollar asked church members who tithed to stand. King remained seated.

“King said Dollar pointed to him and the others who were seated and said they were blocking the blessings of the church.

After speaking in tongues Creflo interprets this as God speaking to the people saying… “because I want to cause the Philistines of your time to begin to envy you hohohho they begin to look at you and begin, my God how do those people do it, they make the same salary and amount of money I made but yet still there level of living and quality of living is greater ooh that’s my design saith the Lord…” Remember this is supposed to be God speaking. This is not the God of the Bible giving counsel or a word.

Creflo says I don’t have to rob or con people to get there money, “I am loaded, I’m so loaded there ain’t a bank in the physical world that can keep my money that’s why I’ve got to keep it in the spirit realm.” 

He keeps it in the spirit realm? What he means is that he can confess it to materialize because as he has stated over and over he’s a little god.