Steven Furtick, the founder and lead “pastor” of Elevation Church, has become a household name among modern megachurch prosperity gospel frauds from Joel Osteen to T.D. Jakes to Carl Lentz. But beneath his polished exterior and motivational speeches lies a deeper issue—like these other clowns, Furtick is a false teacher, a prosperity charlatan whose primary goal is to amass personal wealth at the expense of the gospel. His strategy? Like all false teachers, he exploits the Scriptures when it suits him and conveniently ignores them when the truth becomes inconvenient.

Furtick’s sermons are filled with feel-good messages of false hope, success, and personal empowerment. Yet, despite his extensive platform and influence, he has conspicuously avoided addressing some of the most pressing moral and social issues of our time. Not once has he ever preached or spoken out against abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, or any other controversial moral issue that the Bible speaks clearly about. I have been researching Furtick for years, and not once have I ever seen him tackle such issues head-on. His sermons are notably devoid of any meaningful discussion of sin—unless, of course, it’s framed in the context of not having enough faith to get something you want from God.

The Bible is abundantly clear on all of these issues—and they are clear about the endgame of those who practice such things or even give approval to them (Romans 1:32). Abortion is murder, homosexuality is an abomination, and transgenderism is a smirking lip-smack to God’s created order. Yet, Furtick remains silent.

Why?

The answer is simple and damning: his church is filled with people who practice and tolerate such things—and addressing these issues would drive them away, costing him and his organization a significant amount of money. Furtick’s “church” is a sanctuary for those seeking affirmation rather than repentance—a place where the truths of the gospel are sacrificed on the altar of financial gain and popularity.

The Scriptures warn us about false teachers, and Furtick and his ilk fit the bill perfectly. Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16), and Furtick’s fruit is undeniably rotten. His teachings distort the gospel, replacing the call to repentance with a promise of prosperity. He preaches a gospel of self-help and success—not the Gospel of Jesus Christ but the broad way that leads to destruction.

Think about it. Elevation attracts tens of thousands of attendees, all of whom are drawn by the promise of a better life and the allure of Furtick’s charismatic personality. In this kind of setting, addressing sin—whether it be sexual immorality, killing innocent babies, or any other widely accepted form of systemic sin that roughly half or more of the population supports—would be extremely bad for his business.

It’s much easier to build a megachurch on the back of watered-down theology and feel-good messages that teach that God is your personal genie-in-a-bottle rather than an all-consuming fire who hates evil and crushes His enemies—the ultimate fate of Furtick himself. The truth is that Furtick’s congregation is filled with people who are living in unrepentant sin and they are not hearing the call to repentance because Furtick is not preaching it.

The Bible makes it clear that true teachers of the Word will preach the whole counsel of God, not just the parts that are convenient or popular. Paul admonished Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). This is the exact opposite of Furtick’s approach. He avoids reproof and rebuke, choosing instead to tickle ears with what people want to hear to their lavish applause.

It is obvious that Furtick’s concern is not the spiritual well-being of his congregation but the financial health of himself and his organization. This makes him not just a false teacher, but a ravenous wolf in sheep’s clothing—a predator who exploits the gospel for greedy personal gain. The Bible warns us repeatedly about such people: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3). Furtick is one of today’s most notable embodiments of this warning, a teacher who has built an empire by telling people what they want to hear, rather than what they need to hear.

Steven Furtick’s silence on controversial social issues is not an oversight or a coincidence—it is a calculated strategy to maintain a large and financially lucrative congregation. His refusal to address these critical issues reveals the true nature of his ministry—a ministry that prioritizes the world’s luxuries over truth, popularity over faithfulness, and comfort over conviction.