Is It OK for Christians to be Wealthy? – Ken Rupert pt 1

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Is It OK for Christians to Be Wealthy? – Ken Rupert pt 1

As members of the Church, we’ve all been exposed to various levels of teachings on prosperity and blessings. Honestly, all of the talk gets kind of confusing after a while. There are extremes on both sides—from those who believe that God wants to make us materially wealthy and that suffering means you aren’t right with God, to those who believe that material wealth is evil and we are only guaranteed trials this side of eternity.

What’s tricky is that everyone seems to have a verse to back up their beliefs. So what is the truth? If the Bible says, “We rejoice in our sufferings (Romans 5:3),” and also, “Test me in this … and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it (Malachi [3:10]),” then what can we really expect in this lifetime in regard to prosperity and wealth?

Matthew 19 is often quoted by those who think Christians should not be concerned with wealth. They believe, even if they will not openly admit it, that Christians should be more concerned with NOT accumulating wealth. NOT becoming financially independent. NOT “sowing and reaping” in the financial sense.

Many pastors want their people to GIVE MORE, to their church of course, but NOT to give to other ministries. NOT to worry about what kind of harvest they will be receiving – just “trusting that God will take care of their NEEDS.”

Many people interpret this passage to mean that rich people can’t enter heaven.

But here with us today, is our good friend, Ken Rupert of the “Financial Black Belt” financial management system, Author, Speaker, Producer, & Master Christian Life Coach who specializes in helping his clients achieve Financial Stability and, on top of all that, he is also a Caregiver Coach.

Ken is the author of several books on strategic planning and spiritual development. As a caregiver for his son who has special needs, plus his father who has Alzheimer’s and his mother who is a cancer survivor, Ken is uniquely qualified to work with those who are facing the uncertainty of managing life and providing care for others at the same time. Ken applies his skills at financial management in order to help others to develop strategies to create financial stability.

Ken has a degree in Business Administration and Management and has over 30 years of experience in corporate America. His many years of working as a strategic analyst has positioned him to help others overcome the stresses of life and the pressure of financial problems. Ken is a Maryland native, a US Army and Maryland National Guard veteran and a devoted, loving husband and father.

Help me welcome to the program, Ken Rupert! Ken, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to visit with us today!

Ken, last time we discussed your “Financial Black Belt Management System,” and we will be talking about that some today also.

But before we get into today’s topic of “Is It Ok for Christians to Be Wealthy?” – just for the sake of those who missed our earlier interviews, tell us in your own words, “Who is Ken Rupert?”

Ok. Let me just throw this right out there: Is it OK for Christians to be wealthy?

Why do so many denominations and pastors preach AGAINST wealth?

You heard my radio program where I taught on this subject. You would not believe the number of complaints I received for teaching that it was ok to accumulate wealth – in order to further the Kingdom of God and to take care of your family. THEN, the “Inside Edition” aired a video where they cornered Kenneth Copeland and edited the video to put him in the worst possible light.

Now, moment of disclosure here: I have been following Kenneth Copeland since 1992. I’ve partnered with his ministry from time to time. I may not agree with some of the things he teaches or advocates. BUT – I have been associated with his ministry long enough to know he does share with many, many organizations and has used his wealth to change the lives of others around the world. He catches a lot of flak because he has nice airplanes and a big house.

Is it ok for Christians to have nice things?

Is it ok for a pastor or minister of the Gospel to have nice things?

What amount of money SHOULD a pastor or minister receive from their ministry work? Should it be a percentage of the income taken in by the church or ministry? Like 10% or something?

That’s all the time we have for today. For Ken Rupert and myself, this is Pastor Bob reminding you to BE BLESSED IN ALL THAT YOU DO!