The Social Gospel

I have never heard this term before. I have only heard the prosperity gospel used when referring to how a pastor teaches its congregation. This makes sense to me now when I was so annoyed when a MSNBC reporter said Jesus would have been a socialist. Then I about came off the hinges when a member of our old church said that Christ would have been one, and the whole book of acts proves it. He is not going to hold the masses accountable. He is only going to hold the individual accountable.


The below is the definition of this gospel that has been taught and is used by our government now. When Roosevelt passed the New Deal it was based on this form of the gospel.

"The Social Gospel movement was a prominent Protestant movement in the late 19th and early to mid 20th century that attempted to apply Christian principles to social problems. Part of the Christian "modernism" trend with a strong emphasis on social justice, the movement was a rival to evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity. In the United States prior to World War I, the Social Gospel was the religious wing of the progressive movement which had the aim of combatting injustice, suffering and poverty in society. In this context, it is seen as having provided the philosophical underpinning for the New Deal. After the war, the movement shifted its focus to the civil rights arena, and later, became outspoken in its opposition to the Vietnam War. With the ascendancy of the Christian right beginning in the 1980s, the Social Gospel agenda declined in the United States, but examples of its continued existence can still be found, perhaps most notably the organization known as the Call to Renewal. Sometimes seen as a branch of Christian socialism, the Social Gospel movement was especially influential in Canada and led many ministers to become active in the socialist movement in the form of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and later the New Democratic Party. Social Gospel is still influential in Canada's United Church and in the Anglican Church but has less influence in the United States. It also remains influential among Christian socialist circles in Britain in the Church of England, Methodist and Calvinist movements. In Catholicism, the Catholic Worker movement and Liberation Theology both have similarities to Social Gospel."

Every president, congress or leader since the new deal was probably in one way or another taught the social gospel. It is false doctrine, and there really is no other way to put it. Our president in his smooth speeches is undergoing “class warfare” right now and he is winning. He will win because people see this as a way for us to get out of the economic crisis. He is looking for the biggest donors, and people will agree with him. By the way this is stealing. In the book of James it talks about not showing partiality to another; rich and poor.

"My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? "James 2:1-4



In our culture we envy those that have money, because of what they have and what they are able to do with it. We are made to feel guilty that we are able to afford something that another doesn’t have. Our president is a prime example of being taught this form of the gospel. This is what he believes as a Christian. God doesn’t want you to feel guilty about it. That is a misconception. It is what we are willing to do with His money that matters. If we don’t want to give any of it away that is what’s in our hearts to do. That’s why what our leaders are asking of us is wrong. I have used what I have done for another before against them, and that is big time wrong.

Our government is guilty of this as well as the church and the congregation. If your pastor or priest is talking about how much we are to give, or is seeking out the largest donor to the church; run. If someone in the congregation is doing this to another correct them kindly. It is none of anyone’s business about how much money we are to give, or how we spend it. That is between you and God. This is one of the biggest problems I have with some pastors, church boards and individuals. It is no one’s business what we do with our money - ever.

I have heard stories of church board members trying to control what the pastor teaches, because of how much money that member gives to the church. The most extreme case I have read about was in the book “the devil in pew number 7.” the pastor was killed because he was not willing to teach the scripture the way the “biggest” donor wanted him to teach it.

This type of gospel is a lie, and God wants us to run as fast as we can from the teaching of false doctrine. A short time ago I wrote a blog posting about how the United States government has become our church without knowing about this gospel. I have no idea how I missed this, but that explains a lot about what we have been going through in this journey lately.

This is why we left our church. We knew this was happening but we didn’t have a term for it. Our old church is incredible for individuals that are searching for Him. That is where our journey began and we are grateful for that. The church that we have sought is an Acts 29 church. Those are hard to find now. I admit it. Where we have decided to attend was because of one simple reason: the offering. It is the first church that I have ever attended where there wasn’t an offering plate being passed around. If you want to give you just drop it in the box on the way out. This is reflective of the verse do not let someone see what you give, or do not let the right hand see what the left hand gives.

The other reason is you won‘t feel guilty if you can‘t or don‘t want to. walk around this week and see how many thank you's you are searching for, and how you react will be the true motive behind your actions. i am very uncomfortable with thank you's. i don't do anything i don't want to do, or feel led to do. i don't want to hear thank yous.

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:1-4


I have terrible money issues. About month ago I started focusing more on our budget again instead of placing my trust in God regarding our money. My sweet friend that takes beautiful care of me when I am sick said this to me years ago. I started worrying about where our money was going instead of thinking he’ll take care of us. Great things have happened since then. I have to constantly keep myself in check about this. I also have to remember that the money we have is because of HIM, and it is not all mine it is also my husband’s.

We needed that. We needed somewhere that it was ok that we have issues that we need to keep working on. We needed a church home where our hearts could keep changing, and growing as an adult. We can feel that we aren’t being judged for it. My husband and I were sitting there yesterday and we realized that if we hadn’t of started this journey we would not be married. We would not have had the conviction, or commitment to stay married. We would have allowed outside influences to come in and pressure us to leave. It would have been a lot easier to run than to work on it.

It is starting to make sense to me now. There are a lot of individuals leaving the church because of this. They are educating themselves in scripture and they are realizing that this is false doctrine. If we are taught these things then why wouldn’t we think it is scripture? We trust that our church leaders are teaching it correctly. Our government is trying to make us feel guilty because of these principles, and it is really sad. Don’t feel guilty that you don’t want to give more. I have stopped feeling guilty about what I have in my life. It was given to me for a reason.

"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”  Luke 6:38

The above verse is not just about money, because God defines riches differently than the world does. God is trying to train our hearts to become better individuals. We are his greatest creation; man and woman. He created us in is image. Think about that and how worthy he thinks we are. Value what he has given you, because he has a purpose for you.


Our goal this week from our Sunday school class is to sit and meditate on scripture. We are to close our mind off; sit, listen and meditate on his word. If we take the time to just read a chapter we can learn something. We are much harder on ourseleves than anyone else could ever be. He doesn't want that from us. He wants us to realize it and stop doing it. If we remove politics from our relationship with him it will probably change how we view the world.