Covid-19 has exposed Prosperity preachers for what they really are: heretics not healers. They are Corona Cons.

They are proud and arrogant and tremble not before God (2Pt. 2:10). They are womanizers, thirsting insatiably for sin (2Pt. 2:14). In their greed and faulty view of suffering, they prey upon new converts (2Pt. 2:20). They hunt gullible women (2Tm. 3:6) — the King James calling these women “silly”. Is there a better word to describe TB Joshua’s message?

Void of blacks masks, they steal the truth. Free of firearms, they rape and pillage the Church. In broad daylight they expose God’s people with false words. Any rational person would think these so-called healing churches would not only stay open, but have 24-hour access. Forget trillion dollar government packages. Let’s use the money to ship the sick to Nigerian healing centers.

Instead, these prosperity churches are shutting their doors. One example is infamous healing center Bethel Church. Its senior pastor once said: “How can God choose not to heal someone when He already purchased their healing?” Most of the Prosperity Elite in Africa have cancelled their services as well. Even the prosperity shack next door to us has closed their services. Some years back the pastor there dreamed a double-story building was just around the corner.

This has not surprised thinking Christians at all. In our rural African village, prosperity preachers never visit the hospitals. They want to keep their healing services within the confines of the church walls. It’s all about control. They cure things like headaches and AIDS, like heart problems and depression. Always for a fee, always in public and never with medical authentication.

Thinking Christians and prosperity churches agree on one central point: neither wants any part of the other. Thinking Christians don’t go to prosperity churches and prosperity churches don’t want thinking Christians. This is why TB Joshua and Chris Oyakhilome and Steven Furtick and Benny Hinn and Shepherd Bushiri put so much emphasis on mindless emotion. The more they can work the audience into a frenzy, the more smoke, the more mirrors, the more dancing, the more miracles, the more demon casting, the more shouting…the lessthinking. This is what they want. They don’t want careful Bible meditation. They like Scripture references–just as long as you don’t ponder its true meaning.

Corona Cons have a Satanic view of suffering. For them, it is always God’s will to heal on earth. Adrian Wommack, a popular Corona Con in the US, has said, “God is not the author of sickness. He is the author of healing.” Contrast this with God’s words:

“Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” – Ex. 4:11

Wommack has also said: “God will heal you and keep you healthy. It is always God’s will to heal!” Contrast this with 2 Corinthians 12, where thrice God denied Paul’s prayer for healing. My grace is sufficient in your suffering, the Lord said.

The church needs to know that there are many kinds of Corona Cons. They use different strategies, different arguments, and different lies to deceive the church. But they all share one view in common: suffering is always bad and prosperity is always good. Who are these Corona Cons? We shall see.