Friends:
I believe one of the greatest challenges to 
Evangelical orthodoxy and biblical faith is something called PROSPERITY THEOLOGY!
Here’s a short video from Pastor John Piper which you might find interesting:
Questions:
1. How does a poor theology of suffering support the Prosperity Gospel?
2. What books or sermons have influenced you in this area of theology?
Dr. Larry Dixon
larrydixon.wordpress.com 
Brian
April 15, 2012 at 9:38 am
Well, there is only one true gospel and that is the gospel of the kingdom. That is the message that Jesus preached and which the apostles preached. But it does not mean that a Christian must be poor. To preach that true Christians in this life must be poor is just as much a false gospel as preaching a health wealth gospel…….Christians can be wealthy and be healthy. Jesus said, seek first the kingdom of Heaven and the rest will be added to you. As long as we have the right attitude towards wealth, and is willing to use it as a tool for God’s glory it is fine. God is not poor and the City that God’s people are going to be living in on the Earth will not be a poor city…….it is described as looking like transparent gold, and the sized of it unlike any City that man has ever built.
But the gospel means good news or good message…….but it’s not a message about Jesus, but a message about God’s kingdom…….it’s a message that God is giving all and anyone that believes that gospel His kingdom, and that they will rule with Him over all things…..the gospel is about Jesus coming back to this Earth and that He will sit on the throne of His father David, and those who overcome will rule with Him over the Earth, and eventually the entire universe.
Jim Virtue
April 15, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Amen! I don’t see how you can read the New Testament and come away with the idea that we’re going to sail through this life with out any pain, suffering, tradgedy, sickness etc. In fact, we’re promised just the opposite. I love Pauls assurance in 2Cor 4:17 ” that momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory. ” I have to believe that there is some eternal significance to our suffering, and our response to it, that has yet to be realized.
What has influenced me most in this area of theology? It has to be the experiences that the Lord has brought me through….Mark Twain once said something like “a man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that he could never learn any other way.” It’s true. Between 1986 and 1989 a bad break-up, the tragic death of a 16 year old girl in our youth group and the failings of some influencial men in my Christian life, caused me to take a closer look at the world and the people around me (in hind-sight I should have been fixing my eyes on the author and perfector of my faith). I questioned God’s faithfullness I just walked away until I could sort out the issues I was struggling with on my own….it took about 10 years and looking back, the providencial hand of God was on me whole time.
A defining moment came in the middle of the night on March 2, 2000 when I watched from our neighbor’s house, with my wife and kids as our home burnt to the ground. Everything was gone. I thank God that we all got out. I had recevied a letter from the insurance company about two weeks prior..the premium payment was late, and our coverage was about to lapse. I had no idea if we were going to be covered for anything. I remember making a conscious decision to just trust the Lord.
Long story short…yea, we went through a tough time; but the good that came out of that experience so far out weighs the tragedy. I would not want to go through it again, but there is a part of me that can not say “I wish it never happened”. These are the lessons that they just can’t teach you in Bible College.
Karen Abbotts
April 16, 2012 at 10:47 am
Poor Theology says no one should suffer which a straight out lie of Satan. Christ Jesus came to suffer and die for sin for which we deserve death. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7 NIV) We all have troubles now and will until the Lord takes us home. Romans 8:35 also says Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? On down read in verse 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
There is no sermon or book that has influenced me to believe this lie. The Lord Jesus is my Savior and His blood gave me eternal life and these things here are passing away.
Don’t feed the body, but share Salvation in Christ alone through faith in His death and resurrection that is what the poor need first. They may not have long to live and we wish them to be safe in the arms of the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ.