I read this article about Joel Osteen in the Orlando Sentinel. Now the Sentinel is not christian puff paper. It has lots of critical articles about some of the many mega ministries in Orlando. The article details Joel Osteen’s less than lavish lifestyle. The article got me to thinking.
I find it amusing how many preachers speak ill of Joel Osteen out of one side of their mouth’s then admonish their congregations not to gossip about the pastor out of the other side. I find it almost hilarious that in many of these same churches you will hear worship dominated by songs his church puts out.
Its like the cessationist churches that play Hillsong music. There is a term for this - double minded.
I don’t live in Houston. I don’t know anyone that is being pastored by Joel Osteen and you probably don’t either. If I had a tv show it would be radically different then his and in fact I have only watched it a handful of times. But I have never once seen his show and rolled my eyes in bewilderment or shook my head in disbelief like I would at a “Christian” telethon, or “share-a-thon” or “missions week” or whatever misleading term they want to call a pledge drive.
I have never heard the man promise blessing in return for money and in fact he seems to have a humility that makes him the Elijah of this tv preacher generation. People hate him, but thats what happens when you cut against the grain.
No matter your position on his church beware of the temptation to gossip and criticize. They are traps of the enemy.
Popularity: 8% [?]
Here here…
It’s truly distasteful when we bite at each other like this. Some times I feel bad for Creflo’s last name (considering the ministry God has called him to).
But the truth really is… when you step out into a ministry of any kind, you need to have the support of those you trust around you and expect than there will be those who will be critical… then forge on ahead, releasing blessing and forgiving liberally!
Dave
Way to go Carl - good point - massive kudos man
I’m glad to see this post. I used to think he was ‘like all the others’ in asking for money & such, until my father was watching him when I visited family over Thanksgiving. He mentioned to me that Osteen never asks for money like the other televangelists do, & I also enjoy what I saw of his message on that particular airing. I wish I could watch more of him, but I don’t think we get whatever channel he airs on here.
In response to some who have emailed me about Joel Osteen’s first appearance on Larry King I just want to point to the open letter Rev. Osteen wrote after the interview:
I am not endorsing Joel Osteen’s church or ministry. Neither do I condemn it. I just wanted to point out how it is popular to hate a man who has given his life to ministry and has avoided many of the same pitfalls his accusers have fallen into.
I enjoy Joel every Sunday and since he shows up on three different stations throughout the day, I usually enjoy him more than once. He is the great “encourager” Whether you are Christian or not, his message will apply.
And I also understand why Joel needs to be clear about his beliefs whether he chooses to express them on his broadcast or not. Based on the quote after the Larry King interview, he is obviously a born again Christian who beleives and accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Many of us are like him.
But many God-Loving people are not. Can we not somehow accept the fact that people who live their lives in love and who do not follow Jesus can somehow achieve heaven? Can there not be integrity within other belief systems not Christian? Is it necessary for us to make others wrong so we can be right? Maybe the true intrepretation of the words of Jesus that say “there in no way to the father except through me”, was merely to remind us to live the way Jesus did? To follow his example?
The greatest amount of pain and suffering in this world has been inflicted in the name of God. Relgions that claim the “exclusive” path to God and Salvation create the greatest division within humanity. As such religion is not only anti-God, it is anti-Christ. If Jesus saw the wedge being driven between his Church and the rest of humanity, he would be amazed.
I am a Christian but I follow the message and try to ignore the myth. The message is to love God and our neighbor as ourself. This love is of the unconditional kind for there is no other. It does not require anyone to change or us to change anyone. If any person follows this commandment, whatever it means to them, they will achieve heaven. That is what I believe.
And the world would be served far greater if religious leaders would admit that an infinite God would not create one path toward heaven. Each person walks his/her own path and they all lead to God. God Speed..
Each person walks his/her own path and they all lead to God.
This statement concerns me. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is the only true path to God (see John 14:6 as already mentioned & quoted again below).
Jesus declared in John 14; I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me [Jesus].
Belief in God alone won’t get us to Heaven — even demons believe in God, & rightly so!
Jesus Christ is the only way/path to God the Father & therefore, to Heaven (belief confessing that His death & sacrifice for us is the only way we will be allowed into Heaven by God).
As such religion is not only anti-God, it is anti-Christ. If Jesus saw the wedge being driven between his Church and the rest of humanity, he would be amazed.
Yeah, I gotta agree with Amanda on this one. Neither Jesus nor Christians created the wedge, satan did. It is the sin of man that causes division and this division can only be fixed through the shed blood of Jesus.
As Amanda said,
Jesus Christ is the only way/path to God the Father & therefore, to Heaven (belief confessing that His death & sacrifice for us is the only way we will be allowed into Heaven by God).