He actually talks about and personally demonstrates a surrendered life, a committed life to the Lord, and living by faith in God's grace.
Many confuse a Philadelphia church with a Laodicean church. We are living in the lukewarm Laodicean era where Christ's return is imminent. Many who view Mr. Osteen from a distance and/or don't read his books confuse his ministry with the lukewarm Christ-less, faithless, cross-less, bloodless message of the apostate church. (I wasn't sure about him either until God helped me to take a closer look.) His ministry is biblically based, founded on scriptural doctrine, anointed, and infused with faith, hope and love.
The Pharisees of Jesus' day hated him because he didn't condemn people the way they did or follow their religious dictates. They also envied him because so many followed him. Crowds or the lack thereof neither qualifies nor disqualifies a ministry. "By their fruits (not leaves) you shall know them." Inspect Osteen's fruit and see what you come with. Pharisees are notorious leaf inspectors. No different with the Pharisees of today. Our notion of holiness isn't necessarily God's holiness. Jesus is the revelation of the Father and his holiness.
The cross is a symbol of suffering. I'm reminded of a passage from the Book of Wisdom; “If you want to know God, prepare yourself for an ordeal.”
According to Joel......"prepare yourself for the good times".
I don’t assume Joel is perfect.
However, I find his sermons Biblical.
I find his small groups work at maturing people in discipleship relationships in authentic Christianity.
I find the rock throwers petty, prissy, often hypocritical, pharisaical and usually rather mean-spirited.
I’ll take the Biblical fruit of Joel’s ministry over the fruit of such bad heart attitudes any day.
As a life long born again Christian myself, Joel Olsteen is class 1-A huckster new age fraud.
Amen and Amen!
Anyone who’s eyes are constantly blinking is lieing. That’s a fact.
The guy talks about nothing but money and if people didn’t give him their money he’d find another way to get it. And if it isn’t about money why does he pass the hat? I have a problem with any so called man of God taking a 12 million dollar advance. Give it all away, Joel, and I might believe your b.s. P.T. Barnum would be proud of him. This way to the egress!
In fact, Joel, give me a million bucks of your money and God will bless you! What’s that? It only works one way?
The founder of the SLA said “If you want to get rich don’t start a business. Start a religion.”