Posted on 12/23/2005 4:39:24 AM PST by truthandlife
Victoria Osteen, the wife of Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen, said an incident that delayed a Continental Airlines flight for two hours earlier this week was "a minor misunderstanding."
Osteen posted a "Letter from Victoria" on the church's official Web site Wednesday, saying the Monday incident resulted from her choice "to remove myself from the situation."
Osteen left the plane, Continental Flight 1602, with her husband and their two children. The family took another flight to Vail, Colo., where they are taking a ski vacation.
A church spokesman said the family left the plane voluntarily.
However, FBI Special Agent Luz Garcia has said that the Osteens were asked to leave the jetliner after "an altercation."
Garcia also said that Victoria Osteen "failed to comply" with instructions from a flight attendant.
The FBI said the airline contacted the agency about the incident. The agency decided not to investigate.
Continental Airlines spokeswoman Julie King declined any further comment about the incident Thursday.
"There have been various accounts of an incident that occurred on one of our flights, and I have issued earlier statements about that," King said. "We can confirm that there are no remaining issues between Continental and those passengers. ... Both parties feel no further comment is necessary."
King declined to comment on Victoria Osteen's explanation of the incident.
In her letter, which can be read at at www.lakewood.cc, Osteen stated:
"Regardless of how some have portrayed the situation, please know that it was truly a minor misunderstanding and did not escalate into what you saw or read in the news. Contrary to those reports, it was my choice to remove myself from the situation. Nonetheless, it was a most unfortunate event and I truly regret that it happened."
Osteen's letter continued, "The last thing I would ever want to do is let any of you down. And I promise you that I did not act in any way that would cast a bad light on you, my family, Lakewood Church or our Lord Jesus Christ. I value the position that God has placed me in and I can assure you that I will always walk in love and integrity. While I am not perfect, I will always seek to be a peacemaker and seek the high road."
The incident apparently stemmed from a spilled liquid on Osteen's seat in the first class section of the airplane. A church spokesman said the spill was not cleaned up to Osteen's satisfaction, and the family left the plane voluntarily.
Joel Osteen is a nationally known author of self-help books, including the best-selling Your Best Life Now. He became pastor of Lakewood Church in 1999. The church, in the former Compaq Center, is one of the nation's largest with more than 30,000 weekly participants in church services.
I doubt that the Apostles had a salary, traveled on first class donkeys or lived the good life. They went without purse or script (money) and depended upon the goodness of people to find food and shelter. I find religious millionaires are at best repugnant creatures. What was it that Jesus told the rich man? "Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."
I don't think so, loosing your job isn't worth it over something like this.
"EXCELLENT POINT, the media has us trained like Pavlov's dog, to salivate at every breaking story; and the stories are always negative!"
You're absolutely right - we don't seem to be able to discern anymore! We judge everyone the same.
Here are some of the ministries Lakewood Church is heading up and that the pastor (Joel) is in charge of overseeing:
BEYOND THE WALLS
Lakewood Church encourages its members to share the love of Christ with the
Houston community through volunteerism, evangelism, and ministry. Regardless of your interests, spiritual gifts or talents, there is a place for you.
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:12
ANGEL FOOD MINISTRY
Angel Food Ministries provides a “hands on” opportunity to meet the physical, financial, and spiritual needs of people at Lakewood Church and the Houston community. Specifically, Angel Food provides groceries at low cost.
These are fresh quality products provided by the same distributors that supply our local grocery chains! The food is not outdated or damaged.
There is no limit to the number of boxes an individual can purchase, and there are no applications or qualifications, everyone can participate in the program.
Food purchased as a donation for someone in need, is a fully tax-deductible charitable donation. This is a great opportunity to bless someone in need.
URBAN EVANGELISM
Each month, Lakewood Volunteers visit and minister to the lost, hurting and those in need. Ministry locations will vary from parks, the downtown area, shelters, and apartment complexes to the homeless on our streets. Training is provided before each outreach.
SATURDAY COMMUNITY OUTREACHES
Different outreach events as planned.
HOSPITAL & NURSING HOME MINISTRY
The Hospital and Nursing Home Ministries are committed to ministering the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. Our dedicated volunteers bring encouragement, prayers of faith and the healing touch of Christ to those who are hospitalized, homebound, or reside in residential care facilities.
COMFORT MINISTRY
Assisting with funeral arrangements;
Officiate funerals, wakes or memorial services; and
Providing comfort and support to family members following the funeral.
The Comfort Ministry also offers a Grief Recovery Support Group, which meets bi-monthly. This class is designed to be a relaxed time for discussion and support where people who are recovering from traumatic events or are walking through the process of bereavement can find love and hope. The Grief Recovery Support Group is lead by facilitators who share scripture, resource materials and prayer to help people as they grieve in an atmosphere of safety and peace.
STEPHEN MINISTRY
Stephen Ministry provides one-to-one care to those who are experiencing grief, separation or divorce, serious illness, loss of employment, or any other painful life situation or crisis.
RECOVERY CLASSES
The Recovery series are open to the public and are designed to assist individuals through biblical teaching and instruction. They will help you regain health and vitality in your relationships, finances, vocation, personal well-being, and aspirations.
Various provided courses include Addiction Recovery, Anger Management, Breaking Strongholds, Boundaries, Divorce Recovery, Fidelity, and Search for Significance, which give direction and a pathway to achieving your best life!
They also help people every month with job loss - to write resumes, learn how to do an interview and get career ideas to help them get employed.
OUTREACH MINISTRY
The pastor, choir members, musicians, and other members of the church do evangelism concerts to reach out to the lost as well as other Christians. And many have come to the Lord through these concert outreaches.
****
Victoria is young, and whether or not she did anything wrong, I believe she has learned a very hard lesson - that people in the public's eye have to be much more careful in words and actions than any of the rest of us!
I just believe that just as President Bush is maligned by people who do not know him, Chrstian leaders's actions will also be distorted...especially the image of those who are pro-life. And many of you have been there! So consider that when you judge!
whatever happened, they shouldn't have made the other passengers wait 2 hours while they got their luggage off the plane.
Oh man was I off! I know I read it somewhere though.
I believe that man should be paid more than that though to run a nationwide organization of the scope of Salvation Army!
If he has a family, he can't provide any college education for them on that! God Bless him......
If they were asked to leave - or that is what has been reported - then the decision to keep people waiting for two hours was the captains decision - I would think -because he would have been the one to make that decision...
Thanks for the info. I used to belong to Second Baptist headed by Ed Young when I lived in Houston. They also do so very much for the poor, especialy during the hollidays. Ed Young was a very inspiring preacher!
God doesn't need gimmicks, marketing, or sugar-coating to draw people to Himself. The pure Word is enough..which in my opinion, is not happening in Osteen's preaching.
The Lutheran Church has the largest food donation organization around the world
Not to disparage the Lutherans, but the LDS church has the largest food donation organization, I believe. They own cattle ranches in Florida, farms in the midwest, England and various other nations. The welfare complex in Salt Lake sits on 13.6 acres and includes grain silos, a 178 foot grain elevator, a 22,000 square foot cannery complex, a 50,000 square foot milk processing facility, and a bakery, not to mention sorting and storage facilities for clothing, medical supplies, etc. In 1985, the church had 199 farms and ranches, 51 canneries, 27 large grain storage facilites, and 36 small grain storage facilities, and the program has continued to expand as membeship has increased. Since 1985, the church has shipped over $450 million worth of food to the needy. During famines in Ethiopia in 2003, the church shipped 250 tons of atmit in addition to its other humanitarian efforts.
It really is an amazing organization. The church doesn't trumpet about it too much, so most people are unaware just how vast and expansive it is.
"There's a lot more MUCH MORE IMPORTANT...than Victoria Osteen. How ridiculous is this. Enough already...ALL YOU MORONS.."
Why the eff are you posting on this thread then? Don't YOU have anything better to do, wise one?
That truly is wonderful, let's leave it at that (my Lutheran info was about 10 years ago, perhaps they've been surpassed).
Amen, Mrs. Tiggywinkle. Less us walk in the light as He is in the light and honor Him with all we have. Only by His Word can we know Him and walk in obedience.
Thank you for your encouragement,
She started a fuss that lasted 2 hours. It was ridiculous for Continental to amuse Her Majesty for that long. Pompous and arrogant is what I called her in an earlier posting.
Merry Christmas.
The Osteens are Christians? Who knew?
Wow, I never heard anything about all that.
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.