In Does God Promise Me Health, Wealth and Happiness?, Femi Adeleye offers a much-needed biblical corrective to one of the most pervasive distortions of the Christian message in Africa today—the prosperity gospel. With pastoral sensitivity and theological clarity, Adeleye addresses the core promises touted by this popular health and wealth movement, measuring them against the true promises of God as revealed in scripture.
Adeleye measures the promises of the prosperity gospel against God’s.
The prosperity gospel teaches that God guarantees, indeed, that he promises material wealth, physical health, and unbroken happiness to all who have enough faith. In a continent marked by poverty, illness, and hardship, such teaching offers an appealing but ultimately misleading hope.
Adeleye, a Nigerian who serves as Africa Director for Langham Preaching, notes that the prosperity message has “become widespread. Sometimes people teach it, or hear it without realising there is anything wrong with it” (p2). For this reason, he doesn’t merely critique this theology in the abstract. Instead, he engages it from within the African context, carefully exposing both its appeal and its dangers.
A Gentle, Firm Correction
As someone who’s personally come out of the prosperity gospel movement, I found Adeleye’s tone especially refreshing. One of the book’s greatest strengths is his ability to correct with clarity and compassion. He writes as a shepherd—not with harshness or condemnation, but with grace and firmness. His words are full of care, offering both correction and gentleness.
Does God Promise me Health, Wealth and Happiness?
Femi B. Adeleye
Written by an experienced African Christian leader, Femi Adeleye, this book addresses some of the important questions many Christians struggle with. Does God promise health, wealth and happiness to all Christians now? What about Christians who aren’t healed or who live in poverty? Do they lack faith? Has God rejected them? Is what prosperity preachers proclaim true Christianity?
Does God Promise me Health, Wealth and Happiness? takes us back to the Bible to look carefully at what God means by prosperity. What does the Bible mean by words like health, wealth and happiness? The answers will be surprising to many, and give hope to all Christian believers.
Adeleye walks readers through scripture, showing how the Bible defines blessing, success, and the Christian life—definitions that stand in stark contrast to those of prosperity-gospel preachers. He doesn’t deny that God blesses his people, but he’s quick to point out that God’s blessings aren’t transactional or guaranteed in the way prosperity preachers claim.
One of Adeleye’s greatest strengths is his ability to correct with compassion.
He reminds us that, “we need to understand the character of God in order to understand prosperity from his perspective” (p11). God is truly good and generous, but the prosperity he desires for us is nothing less than our relationship with him. And it’s in the context of this covenantal bond that we gain the assurance of his provision for our needs.
This is an important corrective in a world where prosperity is often equated with material abundance. As Adeleye rightly notes, “while God’s provision and sufficiency are clear in the Bible, our understanding and trust in God is often undermined by the pressure to view prosperity only in material terms” (p13). When we define prosperity by human standards rather than by God’s promises, we open ourselves up to anxiety, disillusionment, and the risk of being misled by those who distort scripture to offer quick and easy paths to the so-called “good things of life” (p13).
Exposing the Misuse of Scripture
Adeleye also challenges the selective and shallow use of scripture that characterises much prosperity preaching. He critiques the cherry-picking of verses like Luke 6:38, often cited without regard for their broader biblical context, thereby misrepresenting God’s promises to his people.
The prosperity message ultimately fails to grasp the gospel of Christ.
“Those who teach that God promises health, wealth, and freedom from suffering,” he writes, “do not pay enough attention to the reality of living in a sinful world and the experiences of faithful believers who do not ‘prosper'” (p27). Scripture clearly shows that trials, suffering, and seasons of lack are a part of the Christian life, as modelled by Christ and his apostles. Therefore, the prosperity gospel, Adeleye argues, is actually “unhelpful and unkind to those who, through no fault of their own, face suffering and poverty” (p27). In response, Adeleye raises probing questions to help readers see how the prosperity message ultimately fails to grasp and communicate the gospel of Christ.
The Dangers of Materialism
Adeleye also highlights how the desire for material gain has long plagued God’s people, from Gehazi’s greed (2 Kings 5) to the deceit of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). “Such temptations are common,” he writes, “and the Bible explicitly warns us of the dangers of building our lives on material things that will not last” (p35).
Thankfully, Jesus himself sets the ultimate example by resisting Satan’s offers of power and material gain. “Through his example, his word, and his Holy Spirit, we can be able to resist these temptations too” (p39).
Adeleye casts a positive vision for how Christians should view wealth.
Adeleye doesn’t stop at offering a critique but casts a positive vision for how Christians should view wealth and possessions. He challenges believers to cultivate what he calls the “Be-attitudes”—not to be confused with Jesus’ Beatitudes. These are Christlike attitudes formed through studying God’s word, praying dependently, and obeying God consistently (p51). These attitudes, marked by gratitude, contentment, and generosity, shape how believers think about money and material things, helping them become all God desires them to be.
He also presents a refreshingly biblical view of work. Adeleye shows the reader that, far from being a curse, labour is a God-given responsibility and a way to serve others, contribute to society, and reflect His image. In contrast, prosperity preachers often present work as unnecessary if one has “enough faith.” Adeleye reaffirms the dignity of work and cautions against spiritual shortcuts that promise reward without responsibility.
A Book That Exposes and Encourages
Before I conclude, I have to say that reading this book not only helped me to better understand where the prosperity gospel goes wrong, but it also exposed my own heart. Adeleye doesn’t just critique false teaching; he shines a light on the attitudes and desires that live within all of us. His words challenged me to examine my own struggles with covetousness, greed, and worry.
This book challenged me to examine my own struggles with covetousness and greed.
And it’s worth noting that these aren’t issues limited to those who follow prosperity preachers; they’re universal temptations that every Christian must fight against. I’m confident that any believer, regardless of their background, will benefit from this book. It strikes at the heart of our idols, especially where money is concerned.
What makes this book even more impactful is its accessibility. Adeleye uses plain, everyday language and avoids theological jargon, making his message understandable even to readers who may be new to biblical discernment. Its rich theological insights will edify any believer who seeks to understand and live out the true gospel.
A Critical Book for Our Continent
In this way, Does God Promise Me Health, Wealth and Happiness? becomes a concise yet powerful tool for church leaders and lay Christians alike—indeed, for anyone who longs to uphold sound doctrine and faithfully shepherd others. If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about God’s goodness in the midst of suffering, or struggled with your own desires for wealth and comfort, this book will speak to you. It invites us to embrace a faith that endures.
