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Heart and Soul: Prosperity Gospel: Prosperity Gospel

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Prosperity Gospel

06/07/2013 GMT

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Prosperity Gospel, Prosperity Gospel

Why has Prosperity Gospel and its bling style of worship become so popular in the UK?

Prosperity Gospel is on the rise in the UK and its worth millions. How has its brash, bling style of worship become so popular?

Prosperity Gospel is a movement within Christianity which says that if you believe, you will be blessed with prosperity. Or, in other words, Christianity will make you rich. The last time Nigerian-born writer Dotun Adebayo returned to his country of birth, he saw a church pastor driving a car through poverty stricken streets, with a bumper sticker that read 'God is great, life is sweet!'

In Nigeria, prosperity and the Gospel are apparently not in conflict. In this programme, Dotun sets out to discover why the prosperity Gospel of his Nigerian upbringing, is flourishing in Britain. He visits the fastest growing church in Western Europe and hears powerful sermons mixing theology, finance and self-help. He meets people who claim their lives have been transformed by the message and others who were left feeling cheated, lied to and lost. 

With congregations in their thousands and bank balances in the millions, Dotun explores how the churches raise vast revenues through donations from congregations. Perhaps you can't subject God's work to a financial audit but Dotun seeks to uncover where the money goes and what those that give, receive in return?

Heart and Soul: Prosperity Gospel

BBC World Service

Prosperity Gospel is a movement which says believers will be blessed with prosperity. Dotun Adebayo explores its growth.

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