Kenneth and Gloria Copeland are among the most prominent figures in the Word of Faith movement. Their ministry, Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM), has a global reach through television, books, conferences, and online platforms. They are well-known for teaching doctrines related to faith, prosperity, healing, and positive confession. However, their teachings diverge significantly from confessional Christianity, especially in the areas of theology, doctrine, and the nature of faith.
Key Beliefs and How They Differ from Confessional Christianity
1. Beliefs about Faith and “Positive Confession”:
- Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's View: The Copelands teach that faith is a tangible force that believers can activate to bring about desired outcomes. According to them, faith works like a law, similar to the law of gravity, and can be used to access health, wealth, and success. They emphasize the power of "positive confession," suggesting that by speaking words of faith, believers can create their reality. For instance, Kenneth Copeland has often taught that words have the power to bring life, death, prosperity, or poverty, and that believers should avoid negative confessions because they can bring undesirable results.
- Confessional Christianity: Reformed theology teaches that faith is not a force but a trust in the promises and character of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). It emphasizes that faith is a gift from God, rooted in the finished work of Christ, not a tool to manipulate circumstances. Confessional Christianity teaches that God is sovereign and that believers are to submit to His will, trusting Him regardless of life’s circumstances (James 4:13-15; Matthew 6:10).
2. Prosperity Gospel:
- Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's View: The Copelands are leading proponents of the prosperity gospel, which teaches that God desires all believers to be healthy, wealthy, and successful. They frequently claim that poverty, illness, and suffering are contrary to God’s will and that believers can "name and claim" their blessings by exercising faith. Financial prosperity is often linked to giving, with the Copelands encouraging their followers to sow "seed" offerings into their ministry as a way to receive financial blessings from God.
- Confessional Christianity: The Westminster Confession of Faith and Reformed theology reject the prosperity gospel as a distortion of biblical teaching. The Bible teaches that God’s blessings are not always material and that suffering, trials, and even poverty can be part of the Christian experience (Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-10). True prosperity, according to confessional Christianity, involves spiritual growth, sanctification, and contentment in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
3. Teachings on Healing:
- Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's View: The Copelands teach that physical healing is guaranteed in the atonement of Christ and that believers can claim healing as their right. They often claim that illness is a result of a lack of faith or negative confession, and they encourage followers to declare their healing by faith. Kenneth Copeland has even claimed that believers should never be sick and can live in divine health if they exercise enough faith.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that while Jesus’ atoning work on the cross provides the ultimate promise of future resurrection and healing (Isaiah 53:4-5; Revelation 21:4), physical healing is not guaranteed in this life. The apostle Paul, for instance, experienced illness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) and instructed Timothy to use wine for his stomach ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). Reformed theology emphasizes that God can heal according to His will, but believers are to trust His purposes even in suffering and illness.
4. View of the Nature of God:
- Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's View: The Copelands have taught views that suggest God is subject to certain spiritual laws, such as the law of faith. They have also promoted teachings that imply humans are “little gods,” made in God’s image with the ability to create reality through their words. Kenneth Copeland has famously stated that God created humans to be in the same class as Himself and that believers have divine power within them.
- Confessional Christianity: Reformed theology teaches that God is sovereign, transcendent, and not subject to any external laws or forces (Isaiah 46:9-10). The Bible clearly distinguishes between the Creator and the creature, emphasizing that humans are made in God’s image but are finite, dependent beings (Genesis 1:27; Romans 1:25). Confessional Christianity affirms the uniqueness and supremacy of God and rejects any notion that humans possess divine attributes or powers.
5. View of Scripture and Interpretation:
- Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's View: The Copelands often interpret Scripture in a way that emphasizes personal empowerment, success, and victory. They frequently take verses out of context to support their teachings on health, wealth, and positive confession. Their approach to Scripture tends to be selective, focusing on passages that seem to affirm their prosperity message while neglecting the broader biblical teachings on suffering, humility, and submission to God’s will.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that Scripture is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It emphasizes the importance of interpreting the Bible within its historical, grammatical, and theological context. The Westminster Confession of Faith insists that all doctrines and practices must align with the clear teaching of Scripture, and it rejects any interpretation that distorts or manipulates the text to support unbiblical ideas.
Summary of Differences
Why Kenneth and Gloria Copeland should be regarded as false teachers and why their teachings should be avoided:
1. Prosperity Gospel and the Distortion of God’s Promises
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland are prominent proponents of the "Prosperity Gospel," which teaches that God desires all Christians to be financially wealthy, physically healthy, and successful. They claim that faith is a tool believers can use to get whatever they desire, especially material wealth. However, Scripture does not teach that God guarantees health and wealth to believers in this life. Instead, Jesus warned, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19). The Bible calls us to be content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5) and warns against the love of money, stating that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils" (1 Timothy 6:10).
The Prosperity Gospel preached by the Copelands leads people to pursue worldly riches rather than Christ Himself, distorting the true message of the Gospel, which calls us to take up our cross and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). Paul makes it clear that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6), and the Christian life is characterized by spiritual riches, not necessarily material wealth.
2. Word of Faith Teaching: A Misrepresentation of Faith and God’s Sovereignty
The Copelands teach that faith is a force that believers can use to "speak" things into existence, asserting that God has given Christians the power to create reality through their words. This teaching is often referred to as the "Word of Faith" movement. However, the Bible teaches that God alone has creative power (Genesis 1:1-3). Nowhere in Scripture are believers instructed or empowered to "speak" things into existence. Instead, faith is about trusting in God's promises and submitting to His will, not attempting to manipulate circumstances through declarations.
Hebrews 11, the great chapter on faith, highlights that faith is about believing in God's Word, not creating our own reality. Moreover, James 4:13-15 warns against presuming upon God's will, reminding us that we should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." The Copelands' teachings elevate human words and desires to a level of authority that only belongs to God, contradicting biblical teachings on God's sovereignty.
3. A Misunderstanding of the Nature of God and Christ
Kenneth Copeland has made statements suggesting that humans are "little gods" and that we have the same nature as God Himself. He teaches that when believers exercise faith, they operate as gods on earth. This is a gross misrepresentation of the nature of God and a dangerous error. Scripture makes a clear distinction between the Creator and the creation. Isaiah 43:10 declares, "Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me." The Bible is clear that there is only one God, and we are His creation (Psalm 100:3).
Furthermore, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the unique, eternal Son of God, who alone possesses the fullness of deity (Colossians 2:9). The idea that believers are "little gods" is not only unbiblical but also echoes the lie that Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden: "You will be like God" (Genesis 3:5). By promoting this teaching, the Copelands lead people into error and away from the true understanding of God's majesty and holiness.
4. False Promises of Health and Wealth That Contradict Scripture
The Copelands frequently teach that God guarantees physical healing and financial prosperity if believers have enough faith. This doctrine contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture, which shows that even faithful servants of God experience suffering, trials, and sickness. The apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament and displayed great faith, endured many hardships, including illness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Paul also told Timothy to "use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments" (1 Timothy 5:23), indicating that even faithful believers can experience ongoing health issues.
Moreover, Jesus Himself said, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The Bible never promises a life free from suffering; rather, it teaches that God uses suffering to produce endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:3-5). By teaching that health and wealth are guaranteed for those with enough faith, the Copelands distort the Gospel and set up false expectations that can lead to discouragement and doubt.
5. Exploiting the Vulnerable and Preaching for Financial Gain
The Bible warns against false teachers who exploit others for financial gain (2 Peter 2:1-3). The Copelands have amassed enormous wealth through their ministry, often by encouraging followers to give sacrificially with the promise that God will return their gift many times over. This kind of exploitation is condemned in Scripture. Paul, for example, refused to be a burden to the churches he served and worked to support himself (2 Corinthians 11:7-9). The Copelands' lavish lifestyle and focus on financial prosperity stand in stark contrast to the example set by Christ and His apostles, who lived lives of humility and service.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible repeatedly warns believers to be on guard against false teachers who distort the truth for their gain (Matthew 7:15, Acts 20:29-30). The apostle Paul urged Timothy to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions" (2 Timothy 4:2-3). The teachings of Kenneth and Gloria Copeland align with this warning, as they present a message that appeals to human desires for wealth, health, and power rather than pointing people to repentance, faith, and submission to God's will.
By promoting doctrines that are contrary to the clear teachings of Scripture—such as the Prosperity Gospel, the Word of Faith movement, and the "little gods" theology—the Copelands lead people away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. They replace the biblical call to deny oneself, take up one's cross, and follow Christ (Luke 9:23) with a message that exalts self, materialism, and personal gain.
Therefore, based on the authority of God's Word, the teachings of Kenneth and Gloria Copeland should be rejected. Believers are called to "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3) and to remain grounded in the truth of Scripture, which alone is "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Christians should avoid the Copelands’ teachings and instead seek to follow Christ faithfully, embracing a life of humble obedience, contentment, and trust in God's sovereign will.
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