Fred K.C. Price (1932–2021) was a well-known prosperity gospel preacher and founder of the Crenshaw Christian Center in Los Angeles, California. He was one of the leading voices in the Word of Faith movement, which emphasizes the power of positive confession, financial prosperity, and physical health as signs of God’s blessing. Price's television program, Ever Increasing Faith, reached a wide audience and popularized the "name it and claim it" theology. Despite his influence, Fred K.C. Price’s teachings are fundamentally contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, making him a false teacher who should be avoided.
The Core Problem: The Prosperity Gospel and the “Name It and Claim It” Doctrine
Fred K.C. Price taught that God’s will is for every believer to be wealthy, healthy, and successful, and that the key to obtaining these blessings lies in the power of faith-filled words. According to Price, believers have the ability to "name" what they desire—whether it be financial prosperity, physical healing, or material success—and "claim" it by speaking positive confessions in faith. He often argued that God is obligated to fulfill these desires if a believer exercises enough faith. This teaching fundamentally distorts the biblical understanding of faith, prayer, and the nature of God.
The Bible, however, does not teach that God guarantees health, wealth, or material success to believers in this life. In fact, Jesus warned His followers that they would face trials, suffering, and persecution (John 16:33). The apostle Paul, who suffered greatly for the gospel (2 Corinthians 11:23-28), wrote that he had learned to be content whether in abundance or in need (Philippians 4:12). Paul also prayed for relief from a "thorn in the flesh," but God’s response was not immediate healing; instead, God told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Price's teaching contradicts this biblical truth by promoting a gospel centered on earthly gain rather than on the sufficiency of Christ and the eternal hope found in Him.
Misrepresentation of the Nature of Faith and God’s Sovereignty
Fred K.C. Price’s "name it and claim it" doctrine elevates human will and desire above God’s sovereignty. He taught that believers can manipulate their circumstances and even control God’s actions through their faith-filled words, essentially reducing God to a cosmic vending machine who responds to human demands. This idea is in direct opposition to the biblical teaching that God is sovereign, and His will is not subject to human manipulation (Isaiah 46:9-10; Daniel 4:35).
The Bible teaches that faith is not a force that compels God to act but a humble trust in God's character and promises, regardless of circumstances. Biblical faith is exemplified in passages like Hebrews 11, where many of God’s faithful servants suffered greatly and did not receive earthly wealth, comfort, or success. Instead, they “desired a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16). Fred K.C. Price’s teachings distort this biblical understanding of faith, leading believers to place their hope in temporal blessings rather than in the eternal promises of God.
The Danger of a False Gospel
Price’s prosperity gospel is a false gospel because it shifts the focus from Christ’s redemptive work to the pursuit of material gain. Paul warned in 1 Timothy 6:5-10 about those who imagine that “godliness is a means of gain,” emphasizing that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” and that those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and destruction. The true gospel calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24-26), finding our ultimate satisfaction in Him rather than in earthly possessions or wealth.
The prosperity gospel also deceives believers into thinking that financial success and physical health are indicators of God’s favor, while suffering and hardship are signs of a lack of faith. This teaching is not only unbiblical but also cruel, as it burdens believers with guilt and doubt when they face trials. Scripture teaches that God uses suffering and trials to refine our faith, draw us closer to Him, and conform us to the image of Christ (James 1:2-4; Romans 8:28-29). Price's teaching contradicts this truth by promising blessings that God never guaranteed, ultimately leading people away from a genuine relationship with Christ.
Lack of Accountability and Materialism
Fred K.C. Price’s ministry was marked by extravagant wealth and materialism, which stood in stark contrast to the lifestyle of humility and service demonstrated by Jesus and the apostles. Price owned multiple luxury cars, private jets, and a multimillion-dollar mansion, all of which he justified as evidence of God’s blessing on his life. This is contrary to the teaching of Scripture, which calls believers to be content with what they have (Hebrews 13:5), to avoid the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10), and to set their minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2).
Jesus Himself warned against storing up treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19-21) and cautioned that it is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:23-24). Price’s lifestyle and teaching not only undermine these biblical truths but also serve as a stumbling block, leading others into the trap of greed and covetousness.
Conclusion: Why Fred K.C. Price Should Be Avoided
Fred K.C. Price was a false teacher because his teachings distort the gospel, misrepresent the nature of faith, and lead people to pursue material gain rather than a genuine relationship with Christ. The apostle Paul warned in Galatians 1:8-9 that anyone preaching a gospel contrary to the one he proclaimed should be accursed. Price's prosperity gospel is a different gospel that focuses on earthly wealth and health rather than on the riches of God’s grace and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Believers are called to test all teachings against Scripture (1 John 4:1) and to be wary of those who “peddle the word of God for profit” (2 Corinthians 2:17). Fred K.C. Price’s message of “name it and claim it” is dangerous because it places the focus on temporal blessings, leading people away from the true gospel of grace that is found in Christ alone. By emphasizing material prosperity, Price neglected the biblical truth that our greatest treasure is Christ Himself, and that our ultimate hope is not in this world but in the eternal kingdom of God.
For these reasons, Fred K.C. Price's teachings should be avoided, and believers should cling to the true gospel, which offers the unsearchable riches of Christ and the promise of eternal life for all who trust in Him (Ephesians 3:8; John 3:16).