The Joseph Company Delusion

By: Steve Hill

Several times over the past thirty-five years I have heard voices proclaim the raising up of a "Joseph Company" that will be given great wealth in order to "fund the end time harvest". Proverbs 13:22(b), "the wealth of the sinners is stored up for the righteous",  is used to build faith for a miraculous transfer of wealth to create this Joseph Company.

Some past manifestations of the Joseph Company have been outright frauds with individuals and churches losing millions to religious con artists. At best this teaching only benefitted the ones proclaiming it as they manipulated others to "sow into the vision". But we are assured again by one of the latest voices, C. Peter Wagner, that this time God is really going to do it and that the purpose really is the end time harvest.

Aside from the fact that there is absolutely no New Testament scripture to support such a notion, the whole idea is at best Alice in Wonderland nonsense and at worst an attack on the Holy Spirit and the commandments of Jesus. In Luke 10:4 Jesus actually commanded us to go into the Harvest without our wallets. The hindrance to bringing in the Harvest is not the lack of finances but the lack of obedient laborers who will go trusting the Master for all things.

More money will not make you more obedient.
Mammon does not control your destiny.

Have you ever thought about the concept of wealth transfer? Proverbs 13:22 is the only scripture that even suggests such a thing while the whole thrust of Proverbs is about wise choices, frugal work and the gradual accumulation of wealth. Talk about cut and paste dogma! The only wealth transfer going on in these conferences is the wealth from the pockets of the people, who gained it through hard work, into the pockets of those preaching the conference. This does not fund harvest. It funds lifestyles and more conferences.  And can you imagine what wealthy unbelievers think of this?

 That there will be some kind of wealth transfer that we have to wage spiritual warfare to receive is the same kind of magical thinking that drives people to "sow" a thousand dollars when promised a hundred fold return. If the "faith preacher" really did have the authority and faith to decree that all who give the thousand will receive one hundred fold, why do they not give out their own thousands in order to receive themselves? They do not do so because they know it is a lie. Why do people give to such a blatant lie? It is the same magical thinking that drives the lottery- maybe this is my time, maybe this time the preacher is telling the truth, maybe the anointing is strong enough, maybe there is enough faith, and just maybe there is another way to wealth besides working, saving and sacrifice.

Have you ever really thought about Joseph? Yes, faithful through many difficulties and thus promoted to second in the land of Egypt. Yes, in place to save his family from starvation. But would you really like what he did if you were an Egyptian farmer? During the seven good years he confiscated 20% of your harvest. Then during the bad years he sold these same food stocks back to the you for your money, your livestock, your land and then your body. He transformed Egypt from a land of free holders to a land of slaves. That is wealth transfer all right- into the hands of Pharoh!

The Joseph Company delusion is driven by our arrogance and lust for power.

We want the concentration of power and privilege that comes with wealth.

 The harvest will come in the same way it always has. It will come through the sacrificial obedience of those who will go across the street or across the nations in dependance upon the Holy Spirit. The needs will be met by those blessed to give whether they give from large resources or small. They will give as such have always given and that is without fanfare and without recognition. Those who give in secret will be rewarded openly by the Father.

We are not those who live under a religious poverty mentality. There is true entrepreneurship and working with God for resources and harvest. One of the best voices in this is John Garfield at www.releasing-kings.com .

The obedient will go whether they must supply their own needs or not. By precept and example in Acts 20:34- 35, Paul lays down self support as the normal, even preferred method of going into all the world. He did not wait for a Joseph Company member to turn up and fund his ministry.

 Eugene Peterson's translations of Ephesians 5:5 & 6 and then I Corinthians 10:14 are very strong:

 "You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them- the usual variations on idolatry- will get you nowhere, and certainly not near the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of God. Don't let yourself be taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with Him. Don't even hang around people like that."

 "So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can."

For Harvest

Steve & Marilyn