Lawrence Welk is to blame

Lawrence Welk may well be to blame for the Prosperity Gospel and PMA movements.

I was emailing a friend earlier today, and as I typed this is what came out:

"...and yet there are some who think God doesn't want us to have trouble. Life is to be all Lawrence Welk bubbles and nothing else."

Lawrence Welk bubbles.

Yes, I think so.

Wasn't Lawrence Welk the first to promote this "always happy" image, complete with the bubbles and the galvanized smile you couldn't wipe off his face even if he was sitting on the john?

And wasn't Lawrence Welk the first one to use widespread national media to project this perpetual image of "everything is bliss" into the minds of Americans?

Yeah, Mr. Welk, I think you're it.


And look how the body of Jesus has embraced and made your approach largely our own! I browse church websites, and my gosh if not every stinkin' person on the sites has this Lawrence Welk-ish smile on their face.

I mean, look at your picture on this post, sir. Look at it! Life is just all dainty and gay, isn't it?

That was uncool, Mr. Welk. What more powerful tool to give the devil, to make people think that if they become a follower of Christ that their life from that point forward is to be enjoyment and blessing and happiness and bliss...and nothing else.

This was like putting fish in a barrel for the devil to shoot at, Mr. Welk.

This must be why so few even mention Romans 5 and James 1 anymore.

"let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us." (Romans 5)

"Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing." (James 1)

This is extremely unpopular in the Body. Brushed over, shushed and not touched by so many.

Today's teaching is Jesus will lift us up out of our circumstances! There is no mire we must stay in. No, no, no--that is not of God!

Today's teaching is not that hope come from trials. That is absurd. Hope comes from God's blessing!!!

God wants to bless us. God loves us and has a WONDERFUL plan for our lives!

Wonderful.

Just like everything on your show. Wasn't that the most widely used adjective on your show, Mr. Welk?

Thanks for kicking this all off.

You didn't do it in a Jesus-based way, but you made it real easy for the Body to take a popular societal image and make it the Body's own.

This has occurred, to the frustration and confusion of the Followers who face hardships, trials and wildernesses in their lives.

How dare you.

Thanks. Thanks, Mr. Welk. Thanks a lot.