Posted on 04/17/2008 4:05:11 AM PDT by Gamecock
HOUSTON, TX - At this Easter Sunday celebration, Lakewood Church had something special in store for its audience. Along with the normal new praise choruses, drama, puppet ministry, and man-centered preaching, Pastor Osteen announced that Lakewood Church would begin using a new slogan.
Pastor Osteen proclaimed, "I have said time and again what a big fan I am of John Piper. He is just such a good preacher and teacher. I still don't know where he gets all of his material. Anyway, he has a pretty good slogan. Pastor John says, 'God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.' Now that's a pretty good slogan.
"Even though I have great respect for Pastor John, I think we at Lakewood can do better. After all, God has given us a little different vision here at Lakewood than they have at Bethlehem Baptist. We live in a different part of the country, so it makes sense that our vision, focus, and new slogan would be different from theirs. We must be relevant to our people.
"The bible tells us that God wants what's best for us. For example, Romans 8:28 says, 'That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good' (Message). Paul is telling us that God is pleased and thrilled with you when you are most honored and have the most success you can in this world. God just loves you so much that he wants for you what you want for you. He is happy when you are happy. He is overcome with joy when you are joyful.
"Solomon in the Proverbs tells us that God helps those who help themselves. Isaiah said that God helps us pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. Peter told us that if we believe it, we can do it. John promises us that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives.
"Because of verses like these, we decided to take Pastor John's slogan and tweak it just a little bit. You'll see that the words are the same, but the ordering is somewhat different. Our new Lakewood slogan is, 'God is most satisfied in us when we are most glorified in him.'
Popcorn anyone?
I make it a point to stay away from any “church” that has (or thinks it needs) a slogan.
Osteen says he doesn’t like to focus on “negative” Christianity, i.e. fire and brimstone etc. But original sin is the thing that separates Christianity from feel good new age Oprah-style pap. He’s a great speaker but with half a message.
“Have it your way.”
“Hold pickles hold the lettuce special doctrines don’t upset us.”
“Where’s the belief?!”
“does he ever “focus” on the “negativity” that Jesus preached about extensively”
I don’t think so, he said on Larry King or someplace that the Hindu’s “sincerity” will get him to Heaven.
Then you ARE familiar with all his teachings.
As the White Horse Inn guys (http://www.whitehorseinn.org)n said the other week “Joel Osteen has one sermon.”
I think that statement is only half true. The last half. ;-)
The only thing that makes his speaking 'great' is that he can keep smiling through it and is swallowed whole hogg by the junk food religious crowd.
DING! DING! DING!
WE HAVE A WINNER!!! NO MORE CALLS, PLEASE!!!
I laugh when I see churches that feel they need slogans or “mission statements”. Their only slogan or mission statement should be “Win the lost”.
This man is dangerously misguided. He is guilty of what many “Health and Wealth” ministers are guilty of: Perverting the Gospel to fit their worldview.
In Olsteen’s case he believes God wants everyone rich and healthy. He is wrong. This is evidenced in the New Testament accounts of the life of Christ and the lives of the disciples. None of these men led lives of fortune. These were the pillars of the Christian faith and ALL of them (save John the Beloved & Judas who killed himself) died the death of a martyr.
Olsteen does not know Scripture. This is evidenced in his gross interpretation of Romans 8:28. Also, the Proverbs make no mention of “God helps those who help themselves”. This is actually a quote from Poor Richard’s Almanac of 1757.
Lakewood’s new slogan is a mockery of the Gospel. It has placed man as the recipient of glory that is due only to God.
God is not necessarily concerned with our health and wealth in this world. That does not mean He doesn’t care for us. It is just that His concern is that humankind come to know Him and that none perish.
Y’all do realize that the source is a SATIRE BLOG, don’t you?
oops meant to hit the private reply link doh!
BWAAAHAHAHAHA!!! That is too funny!
Well no that’s too vague... PREACH THE GOSPEL. (whether the lost respond to it or not!) Then you have to define the Gospel because people like Rob Bell and Tony Jones and their gaggle of heretics have redefined it to mean “Participating fully with God in what he is doing in the world” — which means “living green” and “stopping the bulldozers in palestine” and other nonsense.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.