1 Corinthians 2:9 - Joel Osteen Version
In today's devotional message Joel quotes 1 Cor. 2:9 and writes:
Because God loves you, He has supernatural blessings in store for you; increase, favor, good breaks, supernatural opportunities. His dream for your life is so much greater than you ever imagined. You haven’t seen anything yet! You may have a dream to get well again, or to be able to walk without pain, but God’s dream for you is not only that you will walk, but that you be able to run and play like you did when you were a child. Your dream may be just to keep your marriage together, but God’s dream is that your marriage would be happier, healthier, and more fulfilling than you ever thought possible!
Your dream may be to just pay your bills and make it through each month, but God’s dream is that you have an abundance, that you be totally out of debt, pay your house off, pay your credit cards off, and have so much overflow that you can be a blessing to everyone around you! Get ready because God has greater blessings in store for you that you ever imagined. Open you heart today and keep an attitude of faith and expectancy and you will live the abundant life the Lord has prepared for you!
But what does Paul say in 2 Cor. 2:6-10?
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
Although many Christians use this to point to what God has prepared for us in eternity, Paul is quoting from an Old Testament passage that was pointing forward to the plan of salvation. No doubt we can also use it to describe God's future plans, but one thing we can say for a certainty is that the Joel Osteen interpretation is pure fiction.
As an aside, you can read my review of Osteen's current best-seller, "Become a Better You," in the current
Christian Research Journal.
Labels: Joel Osteen
On TBN's Praise the Lord program on April 30th, 2008 Joel and Victoria Osteen were the focus. During the show this conversation took place between Joel Osteen and host Phil Munsey:
Phil Munsey: This is why I’m glad that you allowed us to be on TBN tonight, to be able to let our brothers and sisters and pastors from around the world to know that this is a God thing, that the Good News is still the best way to bring people to repentance.
Joel Osteen: Amen. I believe that. I mean, that’s what the Gospel’s all about, and we see people respond. I mean, you know, I found most people already know what they’re doing wrong. But when you come back and tell them that, you know, no matter the mistakes they’ve made or where they are, that they can recover, they can go further, that God’s still got a plan for their lives. Victoria told you how these arenas that we go to, half the people stand up, so I think it is the goodness of God, and we’ll continue to put it out.
Phil Munsey: Absolutely. Somebody said when someone’s drowning you don’t need to describe the water. You just need to throw them a rope of hope. And I think that’s something that is very strong, that comes from your ministry, and that is people know they sin, they know they’re sinners. They don’t need somebody describing the water. They need a rope of hope.
As reported in an earlier blog entry, in the
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel on May 28, 2008 Osteen shows that repentance isn’t a priority with his ministry. He was asked to compare himself to Billy Graham. He said in response:
Osteen: I like to be inspired by Dr. Graham. He's been a hero and a mentor and a friend to me. But we have different races to run. He fulfilled his calling.
Interviewer: What's your own calling?
Osteen: It's the same in a sense: leading people to Christ. But he brings them to repentance, and mine is more focused on hope and encouragement.
According to C.F.W. Walther the Herrnhuters were an 18th century group (Moravians) who "preferred not to have the Law preached at all....We shall readily admit that the Herrnhuters have made an impression on many, but it was a mere surface impression. Their hearers were never made to realize that they were enemies of God, worthy to be cast down to perdition rather than to be saved." (
The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, p. 90, C. F. W. Walther)
That sounds remarkably like the teaching of Joel Osteen and countless other churches today in the 21st century - including some facets of the LCMS! So does the Gospel come first? A few Scripture verses might clarify the situation:
Mark 1:15 "The time has come," he [Jesus] said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
In Acts 2:14-38 Peter makes the Jews aware of the fact that they had crucified Christ (v. 23). They were convicted (v. 37) and Peter told them to repent and be baptized (v. 38) They didn’t “already know what they were doing wrong” as Osteen would suggest.
In Matthew 5 Jesus teaches 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” And 27 “You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Why would Jesus teach this if people were already fully aware of their sins?
Labels: Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen's Calling?: It Isn't Repentance!
In the
Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) yesterday Joel Osteen was interviewed by James D. Davis. During the interview he was asked:
Q. When a preacher reaches prominence, people often ask if he's the next Billy Graham. Do you think you have a shot at it?
A. I don't think about it much. I like to be inspired by Dr. Graham. He's been a hero and a mentor and a friend to me. But we have different races to run. He fulfilled his calling.
Q. What's your own calling?
A. It's the same in a sense: leading people to Christ. But he brings them to repentance, and mine is more focused on hope and encouragement.
And that is one of the main problems with Joel Osteen's teachings. Osteen runs a church. Thousands consider Lakewood to be their home church. Even more watching on TV look to him for their spiritual nourishment.
But what does he offer them? Or rather, what
doesn't he offer them? The message of repentance. The message that they are sinners in need of a Savior.
Does he offer them the Gospel? Not really. He says that in every service and broadcast he "gives people an opportunity to receive Christ."
But why would I want to receive Christ? To live a better life? To live my best life now? There are lots of other ways to live a good life too! That isn't the Gospel. The Law and Gospel consist of the fact that I am a sinner doomed to an eternity in hell - except for the fact that Jesus Christ died on a cross for my sins. If all I'm doing is accepting Christ to live a better life I've missed the message of the Gospel.
Now, if Lakewood Church was my church where would I turn to hear the real Gospel? Should I run to another church to hear the message and then run back to Osteen's church so I could feel good? - or doesn't Osteen think a message of repentance is important enough that he needs to teach it?
Labels: Joel Osteen
My Visit to Lakewood Church
Well, not my visit - the visit of
Rev. Dr. Matt Tittle, minister of Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church in Houston. You can read his review here. He gives us a very revealing list of positives and negatives. They include:
Positives:
- Joel Osteen's sermon. It could have been one of mine.
- Victoria Osteen's Bible interpretation. She uses the same method I do.
Negatives:
Parking!!!! Getting in and out was worse than any sporting event or concert I've ever attended.
- The theology of the praise music and the prayers conflicted with the theology of the sermon.
Joel, when a Unitarian Universalist says your sermon could have been one of his, doesn't that raise any alarm bells?
When Victoria interprets the Bible the same way this minister does, shouldn't that concern you?
And when the theology of the praise music - which may
accidentally actually contain a little bit of sound theology - conflicts with the theology of the sermon, isn't that a cause for concern?
I know, that's not your calling!
Labels: Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen's message for today:
Something Out of Nothing
Today's Scripture
“The earth was formless and void…and God said, Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:2-3).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Are you believing God for something today that seems impossible? We serve a great and mighty God. and He can create something out of nothing. He can make a way when there seems to be no way! Genesis tells us that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. But before He spoke the world into existence, it was formless and void. If God can make the world out of nothing, He can take the empty places in your life and create something beautiful, too! He can speak light into your darkest hour. He can take your formless dreams and give them shape. He can resurrect your dormant gifts and talents! He can make your crooked places straight! Remember, you are created in the image of almighty God. There’s power in your words, and there’s power when you’re in agreement with Him. Start saying what God says about your situation. Speak life to your broken dreams, today. Stay in an attitude of faith and expectancy. As you do, God will take you places that you’ve never dreamed, and you’ll live in victory all the days of your life!
Labels: Joel Osteen, Word Faith
I thought I'd seen every possible way to twist the meaning of a passage, but I was wrong. Joel Osteen found a new way in Wednesday's version of "Today's Word with Joel and Victoria":
Now Faith
Today's Scripture
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
What are you hoping for in your life today? The Bible says that faith gives substance to the things you hope for. Notice this verse starts by saying, “Now faith…” It’s not “later” faith or “one day” faith.
Sort of reminds me of the Jehovah's Witness twist on Jesus' promise to the thief on the cross, "I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise."
Labels: Joel Osteen
From Monday's
Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
Patricia Sheridan: Historically, religion has been used as a tool for war. You know, "My God is better than your God" sort of thing. How is your church different?
Joel Osteen: We try to focus on what we have in common rather than what we disagree on. We don't claim to know it all. We believe what we feel in the Bible is the truth. We're not about arguing and debating doctrine.
Well Joel, if you believe what you
feel is true, and since feelings are notoriously unreliable and are no measure of truth, then your beliefs about the Deity of Christ, salvation, etc. may change in the future, correct?
As for not arguing and debating doctrine, what happened to Jude's admonition?
Jude 3-4: "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord."
What do you do with Paul's statements?: "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
4nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies....Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 1:3 and 4:16)
I know - you probably don't feel that it has been interpreted correctly.
Labels: Joel Osteen
Redefining God
Joel Osteen's morning message today says:
Today's Scripture
“According to Your faith, be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
A lot of time people think that when they have a need, that if God wanted to, He could just automatically meet it. But Jesus didn’t say, according to your need be it unto you; He said, according to your faith.
Really? You mean God is limited in what He can do? He can't provide us with our needs unless we believe He can?
Going back three chapters to Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus said:
25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus says nothing here about having to have enough faith
before God can supply your needs, although He does ask us to have faith and not to worry. He tells us to seek His kingdom and God will supply your needs. However, even the pagans would have nothing unless God permitted them to have food, clothing and housing.
As for the passage Osteen quoted, Jesus did ask the blind men if they thought Jesus could heal them, and then responded in the affirmative. Jesus healed them based on their confession. However, just a couple of verses later we read:
32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
There is no indication here that the demon-possessed man had any faith at all. Jesus acted out of pure grace in this case. So it is apparent that God can act independent of whether we have faith or not.
Labels: Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen on Theology
In in interview in the
Kansas City Star this weekend Joel Osteen was asked this question:
You have said you are not a theologian and your sermons are not deep in theology. So how do people who come to your church get deeper into the Word of God?
I believe God has a plan for each one of us. I wasn’t trained in seminary; I was trained by my father. (Osteen attended one year at Oral Roberts University before leaving to work with his father.) I put a lot of effort into my sermons. Wednesdays 
through Saturdays I’m getting ready for Sunday.
At the church, Wednesday nights we have Bible study lessons. Plus we have a whole list of classes and seminars. We have a New Beginnings class for people who make decisions for Christ. God didn’t make all of us alike. What I’m called to do is teach people how to live their everyday lives. When we can make the Bible practical; we can help people live abundant lives.
Lakewood Church has a weekly attendance of 45,000 people. That's in addition to the millions who watch him every week on TV, many of them making his broadcast the only "church" they attend. Now, if he has 45,000 attending Bible classes, then maybe some of them are getting deeper into God's Word - although I would wonder what they are actually teaching them. And what about the viewers who don't go to church at all? For them Osteen's gospel-lite is no Gospel at all.
Labels: Joel Osteen
God's Promise of Prosperity?
Joel Osteen's words of inspiration for today:
Today's Scripture
“This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success” (Joshua 1:8).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Did you know that when you speak the Word of God, it activates power in your life? In fact, this verse says do not let it depart from your mouth. In other words, keep speaking and confessing the Word of God—no matter what your circumstances seem like. When you keep God’s Word in your mind, heart and mouth, it empowers you to obey all the Lord commands. Do you need strength today to overcome temptation? Do you need to be empowered to walk in love? Get the Word of God in your heart and declare what the Word of God says about your situation. Declare that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Declare that you have God’s grace for all things. And notice what this verse says will happen when you are walking in obedience to God’s Word: The key to having abundance and success in every area of your life is found in the Word of God. As you continue to speak the Word of God, you will be empowered in every area of your life, and you will live the life of victory the Lord has in store!
I must say, Joel Osteen is certainly a much more godly person than myself! He is presumably able to keep everything that God commands! That means he's keeping the 10 Commandments - perfectly. As a result, he has everything materially he could ask for.
So what is the context of this passage that supposedly promises us prosperity? Moses has just died and has been succeeded by Joshua. It then becomes his task to lead God's people into the Promised Land. They were promised abundance, plenty of land, and success in all they do. However, this was on the condition that they obey everything in the Book of the Law. The passage says nothing about
us becoming prosperous if we obey the Law - which we can't do perfectly anyways. It's time Osteen stopped treating the Word of God as though it was a book of magic where you say the magic words and health and wealth fall into your lap.
Labels: Joel Osteen
A Master of Scripture-Twisting
One thing Joel Osteen does VERY well is misinterpret Scripture. He does this regularly in his newest book,
Become A Better You. Today his e-mailed daily words of inspiration tackled 2 Cor. 4:18.
Today's Scripture
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Every obstacle in your life is subject to change. It doesn’t matter what you may be facing, there is an answer in the unseen. The unseen is the spiritual realm where the promises of God exist. Your faith brings those unseen things into this natural realm. When you are fixed on something, you can’t be moved. There’s a determination that fuels your focus. When you fix your eyes on the unseen—the promises of God—your faith will not be moved by your circumstances and you’ll eventually see those promises come to pass. Make the decision today to fix your eyes and mind on the promises of God. Meditate on His promises until they become more real to you than the air you breath. Declare that His promises will come to pass in your life. Declare that you have His favor. Declare that you are more than a conqueror. Don’t allow fear and doubt to change what you are speaking over your life. As you continue to fix your spiritual eyes on the unseen promises of God, you will see those things come to pass in the natural and you will move forward into the abundant life the Lord has for you!
This passage, of course, has nothing to do with picturing the things we want in this world in preparation for God giving them to us, but has everything to do with fixing our eyes not on the things of this world, but on what is eternal, Jesus Christ and our home in heaven.
2 Cor. 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Labels: Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen and Asbury Seminary
Looks like Osteen is the flavour of the month on this blog. Don't know much about Asbury Theological Seminary other than the fact that they're supposed to be conservative, but "Faith-Based Blog Videos" has posted a welcome from Joel Osteen to the students of Asbury Theological Seminary who were visiting his church recently. You can see it
here. I hope this was a fact-finding mission on their part to see how NOT to conduct a church service!
Labels: Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen: Mormons Are Christians!
The discernment of Joel Osteen, or rather, lack thereof, came out yesterday on Fox News Sunday in this interview with Chris Wallace:
Chris Wallace: And what about Mitt Romney? And I've got to ask you the question, because it is a question whether it should be or not in this campaign, is a Mormon a true Christian?
Joel Osteen: Well, in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior, and that's what I believe, so, you know, I'm not the one to judge the little details of it. So I believe they are.
And so, you know, Mitt Romney seems like a man of character and integrity to me, and I don't think he would -- anything would stop me from voting for him if that's what I felt like.
Chris Wallace: So, for instance, when people start talking about Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, and the golden tablets in upstate New York, and God assumes the shape of a man, do you not get hung up in those theological issues?
Joel Osteen: I probably don't get hung up in them because I haven't really studied them or thought about them. And you know, I just try to let God be the judge of that. I mean, I don't know.
I certainly can't say that I agree with everything that I've heard about it, but from what I've heard from Mitt, when he says that Christ is his savior, to me that's a common bond.
Yeah, why get hung up on those little details?
Rev. Rafael Martinez has a three part series on Joel Osteen on his Spirit Watch website
here.
Labels: Joel Osteen, Mormonism
Joel Osteen: Why Jesus Came
In today's inspiring message from Joel in my inbox, he writes:
From before Jesus’ birth, His name was Champion. He was marked to be your Hero. And not only did He come to save you from the eternal punishment of sin, He came to save you from sickness, shame, fear, poverty, and anything that would hold you back in this life.
So if you aren't healed from sicknesses, if you aren't delivered from poverty, if you aren't successful in this life, the logical conclusion is that "Maybe Jesus didn't save me from my sins either!"
Labels: Joel Osteen
The Gospel According to Joel Osteen
Labels: Joel Osteen
More on Joel Osteen - God's Best
Wolf Blitzer: All right. What about many evangelicals would call the moral issues whether abortion or gay rights? Do you get involved in trying to express your opinions on those sensitive issues?
Joel Osteen: You know, I would say this, Wolf, I don't crusade against them or crusade to make my opinion known. Again, I feel like my calling is to bring hope and encouragement and teach people how to live their everyday lives. But I'm not for abortion and I don't think homosexuality is God's best but I just try to 
stay in my calling and the main thing is we're for everybody to bring them hope and encouragement and not to exclude a certain group from our following.
Wolf Blitzer: Explain why you think homosexuality is not God's best because homosexuals believe that was the way God created them. They were born this way to either love women or love men and they had no choice in the matter and this is simply the way, the way God created them.
Joel Osteen: You know, Wolf I can't say that I understand it all. I don't. When I read things like that, I don't know that I understand it all. I just go back to the foundation of my faith. It's based on the truth that I found in the Bible and I only see, you know, relationships between men and women is the way God created us to be. I'm not saying I condemn them. I'm not saying I understand it all, but I just, I have to say this is my core belief on the inside.
Wolf Blitzer: And what about same-sex marriage or same-sex unions. If two men love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives with each other or two women love each other, should they get the benefits, the rights that heterosexual couples have?
Joel Osteen: You know, Wolf, I'm not up to speed on all that. I just - I don't believe again that it's God's best for us to say that a marriage is between a man, I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I don't know about all the technical issues. I'm certainly for everybody having a chance in life and being kind and respectful to everyone. But I just don't know if I'm up to speed on it all. (CNN, The Situation Room, November 9, 2007)
I'm glad he opposes gay marriages and abortion, but to say it isn't "God's best" is like saying murder isn't God's best. When did "sin" become a four-letter word?
Labels: Joel Osteen
Joel Doesn't Teach Prosperity?
Joel Osteen has repeatedly denied that he teaches a prosperity, name-it-and-claim-it gospel. From "Today's Word with Joel & Victoria," November 15, 2007:
In the natural realm, we exchange money for the things we want and need. But in the spiritual realm, faith is what we exchange. The Bible tells us that when you pray, have faith, and you will receive it. Faith moves mountains. Faith pleases God. Faith is what opens doors. What is faith? It’s believing in God and His goodness. It’s knowing that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith is believing that the promises of God are true. It’s obeying His Word. Faith causes you to act. Where does faith come from? Everyone is given a measure of faith. Romans tell us that faith grows by hearing the Word of God. The more you hear the Word of God, the more real it becomes in your life and the easier it is to believe His promises. It doesn’t matter how much faith you have today, begin investing your faith by choosing to obey God’s Word. As you hear and obey the Word, you will be empowered by faith, and you will move forward into the abundant life God has in store for you!
So Joel is clearly teaching that if you have enough faith while praying for something God will give it to you. In addition it seems as though he adds works as part of the definition of faith when he says faith is "obeying His Word." John makes it clear that God knows better than us what is good for us and what isn't and that if what we pray for is in accordance with His will
then we will receive it.
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." (1 John 5:14-15)
Labels: Joel Osteen
Is There Hope For Joel?
From the
Early Show on Wednesday:
Hannah Storm: Do you find it surprising that so many people find fault with that message, that they say, `Why are you so positive? Why are you providing hope? You're Christianity-light. You should be talking about suffering and sin and all the real, you know, things that happen to people'?
Joel: Well, I do find it interesting, but, you know, I see their perspective at times.
Unfortunately, he then added:
Joel Osteen: Our whole message is that Jesus came to help us live a great life. And some people are not going to agree with that.
It's my personal view that, unlike a lot of other preachers that are popular today, eventually Joel is going to see the light and start preaching a more balanced view of the Gospel. Of course, he may have to sell his current facilities once he does.
Labels: Joel Osteen
The Great I AM! - ME, That Is!!!!
From last night's Glenn Beck show. No need to say any more:
Glenn Beck: My father was -- he is a great man. I just love him to death. And he`s non-denominational. And one of the -- he said the most powerful words ever spoken are in the Bible, and they are, "I am." And the concept of don`t take the lord`s name in vain, that`s when he says I am what I am. When you say, "I am successful, I am able to conquer this, I am a happy person," is that God stuff, is that Norman Vincent Peale stuff, is that Tony Robbins? What is that?
Joel Osteen: Well, I feel like it`s God stuff. To me, God has created every one of us to be over-comers. I mean, every week we hold up the Bible and it says, "I am what it says I am." So if God -- you know, in the scripture, it says, we are, you know, like I said, more than conquerors, and we are blessed, and I think we have to see ourselves like that.
I don`t think God ever wanted us to drag through life being defeated, depressed, discouraged, bound by addictions, and having terrible relationships, so I talk to people about, you know what? I am -- I say I am anointed. That means I am called, I am chosen, I am equipped, I am talented, I am creative. I think we`re supposed to say that about ourselves. We are God`s creation.
Labels: Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen on Larry King Live
A few quotes and comments from Osteen's appearance on Larry King last night. King really pressed him on what the critics say:
Larry King: Victoria, when Joel is criticized for not being the pastor who hangs the cross behind him, how do you react?
Victoria Osteen: Well, I just look at all the fruit and all the people's lives that are being changed and are being touched. And that's what we really focus on, because we hear -- every day we get mail, we visit with people and their lives are being changed. And I just think, you know, if they would come in, they'd hear our message, they'd see what's going on. I just believe that they wouldn't have that criticism.
Peoples' lives are changed by the cults as well. Their lives may even seem to improve - for awhile. Just because people go away feeling better that isn't evidence of God's blessing on their work.
Larry King: How do you react to the critics who call your message theology lite?
Joel Osteen: Well, I've heard that before. It's interesting, Larry, every week in our services we deal with people that are -- have children that have cancer, people that have a husband or a wife that left them. We deal with the real issues of life. I talk about forgiveness and how to have faith when bad things happen and, you know, how to overcome and, you know, love your enemies and things like that. So when they say it's gospel lite, I think, you know, we're helping people where the rubber meets the road.
I mean last Sunday, there was a little girl there. She was 2- years-old. She has cancer. She's at our MD Anderson Cancer Hospital. And you know what? We give them hope. We pray for them. We say God's going to give you strength. I mean we don't know exactly what the outcome is going to be. We hope they -- we hope she'll live. But, you know, how can that be gospel lite to me?
He is giving people hope - but is it a false hope? He tells them about forgiving others and having faith - but what about salvation?
Larry King: All right, a critic -- this quote to -- from Reverend Robert Liichow: "Joel Osteen has absolutely no biblical training or experience to be a pastor. Would you allow a surgeon to operate on you because he felt that he should be called a surgeon?"
Joel Osteen: Well, I would think two things, Larry. One, I spent -- I grew up in a preacher's home. I spent 17 years working with my father. The second thing is the disciples that Jesus chose -- his main 12 -- one was a fisherman, a tax collector. They didn't have any formal training, as well.
First, Joel Osteen spent 17 years working with his father - who was a Word Faith preacher. Secondly, I would venture to say that spending three years or more in the physical presence of the Creator of the universe was probably pretty good theological training.
Larry King: OK. No crosses on display at your church.
Joel Osteen: Yes...
Larry King: The only church that I know -- the Mormons don't display crosses.
Joel Osteen: Well, Victoria grew up Church of Christ. They didn't, either. It's never -- I mean, Larry, our whole message is the fact Jesus came, he died on the cross, he rose that we might have an abundant life.-----
He got that right - that IS Osteen's entire message. No, Joel, Jesus came and died in payment for our sins so that we could obtain eternal life, not just so we could prosper in this life.
Larry King: What about the critics who say where is the fire and brimstone? Why don't you pound the lectern -- the devil is coming?
Joel Osteen: Yes, you know, I don't know, Larry. It's just, you know, it's different ways to present it. The gospel is translated good news. And to me, good news is letting people know that God loves them, that Jesus came, that we can overcome any obstacle, that we can -- we can be forgiven for our mistakes. And I don't see how beating people down every, you know, every time they get in front of me how that helps them to grow closer to God.
Why was it that Jesus spoke so much about hell and repeatedly warned people against going there? That isn't a positive message Joel.
Joel Osteen: Well, I think it's easy to get delusioned maybe is the word just with all of that fame and notoriety at such an early age. And sure, I think Britney Sears can be helped by that -- by this book. I think anybody could because it's the principles of the bible. And I think that she's -- these are good people at heart. And they just need some good guidance and good people speaking into their lives.
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
Larry King: How do you feel about Mitt Romney and being a Mormon? Would that affect whether you vote for him or not?
Joel Osteen: Well, you know what? I look at people, their character, their values, what they stand for. And I know only Mitt from watching him on your program and reading a couple of articles about him. And I don't think that that would affect me. I've heard him say that he believes Jesus is his savior, just like I do. I've studied it deeply, and maybe people don't agree with me, but I like to look at a person's value and what they stand for.
Politics aside, which Jesus, Joel? Are you suggesting that his savior is also your savior? I hope not.
Labels: Joel Osteen
