In the Gospels, Jesus, who was poor and lived as poor, summarizes his ministry as he reads the book of Isaiah in the Synagogue:

"'The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.'" (Luke 4.18,19)

Indeed, in the Kingdom described by Jesus, the poor and those who hunger are happy. The ministry of Jesus was full of miracles in favour of the marginalized by the society of the day.

Latin America and Africa are the places where Christianity grows the fastest currently. Among the Christian groups, the neo-pentecostals grow the fastest, mainly among the poor. The neo-pentecostals differ from the pentecostals for emphasizing the Prosperity Theology. The Prosperity Theology states that the believer is predestined to riches and material prosperity here on Earth.

The Prosperity Theology has a series of problems. Our master didn't live to demonstrate how to become rich. On the contrary, living as poor, he left us the command: "do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal" (Mat 6.19) and also that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Mark 10.25) The Bible is full of stories condemning coveting. Gehazi (2 Kings 5) was punished by God with a skin disease for wanting to receive a reward for the miracle. When he was inquired about what to do to earn eternal life, Jesus told the man to sell everything and give it to the poor (Mark 10.17-23). Paul states: "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." (I Timothy 6.8-10a)

In the Prosperity Theology the believer is the recipient of the blessing. However, the believer is not invited to be the agent of the blessing in the community. Jesus, in turn, said "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20.28) In other evangelical circles the Prosperity combo, which more often than not comes with a bonus puppet-god, indulgences that recall medieval times, superstition and coercion to tithe, is condemned with certain indignation.