Men's Bible Study · aligned to Presbyterian / Reformed
Name It and Claim It? Faith, Money, and the Promises of God
The "name it and claim it" promise of guaranteed financial blessing trades a sovereign, gracious God for a vending machine. True faith trusts the God who has already made us rich in Christ, and it produces contentment and generosity rather than a formula for getting wealthy.
Review & safety checks
This lesson plan is well-aligned with Reformed evangelical theology and the Westminster Standards. It correctly treats the prosperity gospel as a departure from sound doctrine, grounds its rebuttal in Scripture (particularly 1 Timothy 6:6-10), and emphasizes God's sovereignty, grace, and the true spiritual riches of the gospel. All Scripture references are accurate and properly cited. The tone is pastoral and charitable. The activity and discussion questions invite honest self-examination without condemnation. No plagiarism, theological error, or unaddressed sensitive material detected. The plan is ready for use.
No theology, sensitivity, or plagiarism issues flagged. Reviewed against the Presbyterian / Reformed Statement of Faith.
Lesson plan
Gather the men and open with prayer, asking God for honest hearts and discernment. Frame tonight's question without an icebreaker game: "Have you ever heard a preacher promise that if you have enough faith—or give a certain amount—God is obligated to make you wealthy and healthy?" Briefly name the teaching commonly called the 'prosperity gospel' or 'name it and claim it,' where believers are told they can speak or claim financial blessing into existence by faith. Set the tone: we are not here to mock anyone, but to test every teaching by Scripture (Acts 17:11) and to ask what God actually promises His people about money.
Work through four movements. (1) THE APPEAL: Why is 'name it and claim it' attractive? It takes real biblical truths—God is good, God is generous, faith matters—and bends them into a transaction where we control God. (2) THE PROBLEM WITH THE FORMULA: Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10. Paul does not promise riches to the faithful; he warns that the DESIRE to be rich is a snare. Read James 4:3—God does not bless prayers aimed at our own self-indulgence. The prosperity message makes godliness 'a means of gain' (1 Tim 6:5), the very error Paul condemns. From our Reformed convictions: God is sovereign, not subject to our claims; He gives and withholds wealth according to His good wisdom (Job 1:21), and salvation comes by grace alone, not as a payout for performance. (3) WHAT FAITH ACTUALLY YIELDS: contentment, not guaranteed cash. Read Philippians 4:11-13 and Hebrews 13:5. Paul learned contentment in plenty AND in hunger; the secret is Christ's strength and presence, not a full bank account. Read Proverbs 30:8-9—the wise prayer is for neither poverty nor riches, but daily bread. (4) THE TRUE RICHES: Read 2 Corinthians 8:9 and Matthew 6:19-21. Christ became poor to make us rich—in forgiveness, adoption, and an inheritance no thief can touch. The gospel doesn't promise to fill your wallet; it gives you a treasure that money can't buy and death can't take. Land the big idea clearly before moving on.
Open the floor with the discussion questions below, moving from observation to honest self-examination. Keep the group focused on what the texts actually say, and gently steer away from caricaturing people who hold prosperity views—the goal is to love them by holding out the better promises of Scripture. Affirm that wanting to provide for a family is good; the issue is making wealth the measure of God's favor.
Hand each man an index card. Ask them to write two short lists: (1) one way they've been tempted to measure God's love or their own worth by money/possessions, and (2) one concrete step of contentment or generosity for this week (e.g., increase giving, cancel an envy-driven purchase, thank God daily for 'daily bread', help a brother in need). Have men pair up and share one item from their card and commit to a quick text check-in midweek. Cards stay with them as a reminder, not collected.
Close by reading Hebrews 13:5 aloud as a benediction over the men. Pray that God would free them from the love of money, fill them with contentment in Christ, and make them generous like their Savior who became poor for them. Send them out rich in Christ.
Discussion questions
- warmupIn your own words, what does the 'name it and claim it' teaching promise, and where have you encountered it—TV, books, friends, your own thoughts?
- digAccording to 1 Timothy 6:6-10, what does Paul actually say comes to those who 'desire to be rich'? How is that different from what prosperity teaching promises?
- digPaul says he learned the 'secret' of contentment in Philippians 4:11-13. If contentment can be learned, what habits or truths do you think God uses to teach it?
- digHow does 2 Corinthians 8:9—Christ becoming poor to make us rich—reshape what we mean by 'blessing'?
- applyBe honest: in what area of life are you most tempted to read your bank balance as a measure of God's approval of you?
- applyWhat is one specific step of contentment or generosity you can take this week to treasure Christ above money?
Scripture
1 Timothy 6:6-10 (BSB) — Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
James 4:3 (BSB) — And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
Philippians 4:11-13 (BSB) — I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Hebrews 13:5 (BSB) — Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said: "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."
Proverbs 30:8-9 (BSB) — Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (BSB) — For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
Matthew 6:19-21 (BSB) — Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Job 1:21 (BSB) — saying: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."
Leader notes
Prep checklist
- Read 1 Timothy 6:6-19 in full so you can handle follow-up questions about whether wealth itself is sinful (it is not—the love of it is).
- Pray for the men by name, especially any facing financial stress or job loss, so the lesson lands pastorally and not abstractly.
- Prepare to define 'prosperity gospel' plainly and charitably; have one or two real examples ready without naming/attacking specific people.
- Review the four teaching movements and rehearse stating the 'big idea' in one sentence.
- Decide how you'll handle disagreement—some men may have benefited from positive-thinking teaching; aim to win them with Scripture, not argument.
- Set up a midweek check-in method (group text or app) so the application commitments are followed up.
Materials
- Bibles (BSB preferred to match quoted text) or printed passage handouts
- Index cards—at least one per man
- Pens or pencils
- Whiteboard or flip chart to write the four teaching movements and the big idea (optional)
- A quiet space arranged so 9–20 men can pair up easily for the activity
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