What well are you drinking out of?

The other day I had a conversation with a person who started to quote a well-known "prosperity preacher." Over the last few years, teachings that God wants you health, wealthy and prosperous have been sweeping through the American church. The best known modern preacher accused of this probably Joel Olsteen, pastor of America's largest church.

This isn't a post against Olsteen and friends. I am not 100% against what they have to say. I do believe God wants to bless us, I'm just not convinced it's going to be in a material way that we can easily label.

Anyway, I was caught off guard when I heard this individual "amening" something that, to me, smelled like a few more hours of sitting outside the fridge could rot into heresy. I tried to balance their argument by reminding them that, while God wants to bless us, he also wants us to pick up our cross.

I was thinking about explaining to this person why their new favorite preacher was a dangerous well to be drinking from, when I started to think about what wells I drink from on a regular basis. I listen to about half a dozen sermons every week, not as many as I did when I had a working iPod (any readers who want to donate, just send me a quick email.) They range from pop-postmoderns like Rob Bell, to neo-Calvinist in your face types like Mark Driscoll. Of course I have to have my weekly dose of pragmatism from Andy Stanley, and I mix it up with some of the justice-heavy open-theism of Greg Boyd.

Now, there are some things from each of these that I love, but I disagree with each of them on a number of theology points. The scary thing is, I spend so much time with them -listening can be a very intimate activity- that their words have found root in my thoughts. I hear their opinions coming out when I teach formally or when I'm just hanging out with friends.

This isn't a bad thing: I've learned a ton from these guys. But you have to be careful of what you drink. A diet of soda pop will just give you fat. Fruit juice can deliver vitamins, but is packed with sugar, too. These are okay if you digest them in moderation and exercise regularly. If not, it's pretty unhealthy. Likewise, it's good to listen to these teachers, when it's balanced out, theologically, stylistically, and most importantly, is a far second to your person time with God and his Word.