FR LAZAR ARASU: The “God Business” exposing how prosperity preachers profit off the faithful

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda published an opinion essay by Fr. Lazar Arasu SDB arguing that some prosperity-focused Christian leaders exploit believers’ hopes for wealth and healing. The piece says independent evangelical and Pentecostal ministries can build large followings by promising divine financial breakthroughs, while using sermons, dramatic preaching and selective Bible quotations to support a message centered on money rather than spiritual discipline.

The author says this kind of teaching can pressure followers into repeated giving through seed offerings and miracle donations, even when they are already struggling. He argues that when promised blessings do not arrive, adherents may be left ashamed, vulnerable to spiritual abuse and at risk of losing confidence in their faith. The essay also criticizes what it describes as the public display of pastors’ wealth and the use of church resources in ways that resemble a commercial enterprise.

The article places the debate in a wider religious context, saying Christianity should emphasize service, endurance and care for people facing hardship instead of presenting faith as a transaction for material gain. More broadly, the argument reflects a recurring critique of the prosperity gospel in parts of Africa and elsewhere, where churches tied to wealth, miracles and fundraising have drawn both large audiences and strong criticism.