Posted on 09/04/2006 4:08:05 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
He's the most popular preacher in the country right now - a best-selling author and the "most watched minister" in America.
But when asked yesterday about gay marriage during a trip to the bluest state in the land of the free - and the only one where same-sex nuptuals are legal - the Rev. Joel Osteen suddenly got sheepish.
"I don't think it's God's best," the handsome Holy Roller said of homosexuality. "I never feel like homosexuality is God's best."
When pressed on the issue, Osteen said, "I don't feel like that's my thrust . . . you know, some of the issues that divide us, and I'm here to let people know that God is for them and he's on their side."
Known for his positive preaching, the 43-year-old Osteen heads the biggest church in the country and has garnered rock star fame in the world of television evangelism.
In 1999, Osteen took over as senior pastor of the nondenominational Lakewood Church in Houston after the death of his preacher father. Since then, the congregation has exploded, with Osteen's weekend services attracting some 40,000 people. Services are held in the former Compaq Center arena, where the Houston Rockets basketball team used to play.
His weekly TV broadcast is the "No. 1 inspirational program nationally," his Web site boasts.
In Boston yesterday, more than 400 fans - most of them fawning females - lined up to meet Osteen at a book signing at the Prudential Center's Barnes & Noble. Only a visit by former President Bill Clinton drew a bigger crowd, book store employees said.
Osteen and his pretty, blonde wife, Victoria, sold out the TD Banknorth Garden last night with their two-hour worship service, which fetched $10 a ticket. The couple's visit came a month after controversial faith healer Benny Hinn came to the Hub.
Gushing fans of all ages snapped pictures and brought their $19.99 copy of Osteen's best-selling book, "Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential."
While TV evangelists often conjure up images of financial scandal, Osteen said yesterday he never asks for money on television and doesn't take a church salary.
"We're not trying to sell something or trying to make money," Osteen said.
But the big bucks come from his books. Osteen reportedly got an unprecedented $13 million advance for his next book, which is due out next year.
Ole Anthony of the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation, an organization that exposes phony TV preachers, said there's never been any indication of fraud with Osteen, but said Osteen doesn't have any theological education.
"He has pretty teeth," Anthony said.
The first was (if I'm reading it right) that Osten charged $10 a ticket for a worship service at Boston's TD Banknorth Garden. The article claims it was a worship service, but checking the Garden's website for the event on Sept 1, I don't see it being billed as such. If that's what it truly was, I'm shocked. But then again, this article isn't exactly friendly to Osteen.
The second is that Osteen is said to be 43 years old. I'd have thought him to be at least ten years younger than that.
Obviously the Boston Herald is trying to marginalize Osteen in this article. They imply that he and his wife's good looks and his lack of theological education somehow diminish the message.
But they cannot deny the fact that his engagements sell out stadiums everywhere he appears.
Meanwhile the Dixie Chicks cancel dates due to weak ticket sales.
Osteen is simply part of the cult of worshiping the "pastor" at many of these megachurches. This is a common, common theme that we see time and time again.
We have several along the north side of San Antonio where the name of the church doesn't indicate anything remotely Christian - and the name of the pastor is placed in nearly as large a font as the name of the "church."
I honestly can't imagine it being diminished any further than what Osteen's done with the Gospel already, but that's just me. IMO Rick Warren's message comes off as Calvin's Institutes when compared to Joel Osteen's, if you want to talk about diminished messages.
I'm shocked that I'm agreeing with you on something...
Yeah, like John Hagee of San Antonio.
Dead on for that one.
Are you in SA?
I drive past that temple to the ego of John Hagee a couple times a week, as it's close to the HEB grocery store where I shop. The guy is the biggest fraud! Lives the life of a millionare, while demanding that his "flock" drop tons of money on the "church" that exists only to further his own ambition.
I think I read recently that the CBA markets to 40-something females, so this would fit.
CC&E
Joel is a good guy to get people interested in Christianity. He always has a positive message, he is just too afraid to say anything that would offend anyone. He is trying to be all inclusive when that is not what Christianity is all about. There is a right and wrong and on homosexuality the Bible is clear.
The church where I attend Weight Watchers meetings used to be "Lutheran Church of the Saviour." (Not sure why they used the British spelling.)
They moved to a new location, and the building was bought by something called "Next Level Church." Who knows what they believe ... but they have a massive array of amplifiers!
Would I be right in identifying this as a "Seeker-Friendly Church"? Fascinating - I've seen the term on FR, but I had no idea what one looked like! Lots of amplifiers ...
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