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Posted on 12/26/2013 8:44:20 AM PST by Gamecock
Joel Osteen, megachurch pastor and New York Times best-selling author, was pressed during a recent interview about his stance on homosexuality and asked if he would ever come out in support of same-sex marriage. The Texas minister, who leads America’s largest congregation, explained that he refuses to “harp” on such issues and was “for everybody.”
In his appearance on “Katie” this week, the Break Out! author was asked to state his core message in a nugget, which the Lakewood Church pastor said was that “God is good, He’s for you, He’s on your side.”
“When you put your trust in Him, even when you have difficult times, you can rise higher. You can excel, you can be leaders. It’s an empowering message, not one that pushes people down,” he added.
Host Katie Couric suggested that the popular minister does not “spend a lot of time in (his) sermons talking about good and evil, sin and redemption. It is a very overall positive message.” She asked, “Why don’t you give people more of a moral template?”
Osteen insisted that he does, but “in a positive way.”
“There’s enough pushing people down in life already,” he added. “When they come to my church, or our meetings, I want them to be lifted up. I want them to know that God’s good, that they can move forward, that they can break an addiction, that they can become who God’s created them to be.”
The Houston, Texas, pastor was also asked about the “prosperity gospel” that he preaches, which Osteen said was a term he “never liked.”
“What it connotates is that you just talk about money,” he said. “I don’t do that, I don’t do that on purpose because so many people are skeptical of TV preachers to begin with.”
As he defines it, “Prosperity is having good relationships, having peace in your mind, being able to sleep at night. But I do believe God wants you to be blessed. He wants you to excel in your career. He wants you to go further than your parents. There’s a tradition that says you’re supposed to take a vow of poverty if you’re going to be a Christian, but I don’t believe that.”
“But there are your critics, Joel, who feel like you put too much emphasis on materialism,” Couric countered.
Osteen clarified that he believes God blesses people so that they in turn can bless others. “That’s the whole key. It’s never about just what can I get so that I can be so rich and wealthy. It’s not that. It’s how can I be blessed to do good for other people,” he said.
Osteen spoke further about his ministry objectives when asked if he considers himself a theologian, since he does not have any “real formal training,” despite leading a flock of 45,000 at Lakewood Church and his messages reaching millions worldwide.
“I’m ordained by my church. I don’t have a seminary degree,” explained Pastor Osteen.
“I wouldn’t consider myself a theologian, and I don’t debate the Scripture. I feel like what I’m good about, and I think this is the one reason the ministry is successful, I talk about how do we live the Christian life, how do we forgive, how do we have a good self-image.”
He suggested that although he might touch on doctrine in his messages, he believes an emphasis on doctrine may be what is contributing to low attendance at other churches. “These days, people want to know, ‘If I come to church, how’s it going to help me to live my life?’” he added.
The second half of Osteen’s interview on “Katie” focused strongly on the “sea change of attitudes in this country, especially toward gay rights and gay marriage,” as Couric put it.
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This guy is an idiot. A false teacher. He needs to get his so called message correct. He has had many opportunities to do the right thing and stand up for God. He refuse. He tap dances around the issues and does not come right out and say that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination before God. God is NOT going to be for anyone that does this abomination. God is going to send them straight to hell unless they repent of this abomination. Osteen needs to get off his hip pockets and stand up for God or he is going to be severely surprised when he stands before the Lord on Judgment Day! He might be surprised at which he will appear. The one for the lost and the one for those that deny God is the Great White Throne judgment for the lost! Osteen needs to repent of his refusal to say that sin is sin. He never says this.
Herman Cain wrote a book entitled “They Think You’re Stupid”.
I’m working on my own book in the subject having a working title of “THEY’RE RIGHT”.
He does not seem able to make the distinction between “loving the sinner” and being able to identify sin when he sees it.
Also trying to make nice with Katie Couric in order to sell books.
Put on your flame suit. It’s about to get hot!
They want you to prosper so you can give to them. Personally I don’t believe these preachers believe in God. And that’s why they’re not afraid to use Him. Many of them say they don’t ask for money. But the message is subtle.
And being ordained in his church is no different from Jesse Jackson being ordained. Flip Wilson being ordained by the Church of What’s Happening Now. Or getting ordained on the internet.
To avoid misunderstanding, my reference to “You’re” goes to the misled idiots who fill Osteen’s pews (and POCKETS) at his “church” as well as those who practice sodomy and support “leaders” who do (like obozo and Osteen).
Says Scripture: "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:1-4, ESV)
False teaching is all about man. Truth is all about God.
No sin is greater than another. If a homosexual accepts Christ as their savior, it's up to God to lay judgement. We may not like it but it's Jesus' ever-redeeming message. If that homosexual proudly sins after salvation, that's not a conversation I wouldn't want to have with God to explain myself when I die.
Im not condoning that sin just like I would never condone theft, sexual deviancy, idolatry etc etc.
I am ashamed to say 8 or 9 years ago I bought and read Your Best Life Now . Made me feel good, like eating a box of chocolates, except the “hangover” lasted a lot longer.
I agree. He just decided to start preaching. No education in the ministry. Thus, he does not know the Bible and starts this prosperity stuff. Same as this Chrislam garbage that Rick Warren has going. We all pray to the same God. Hogwash. There is only one GOD! And it ain’t Al-Bundy-la.
Joel sells sugar-coated turds.
You are 100% right. That is what Phil from Duck Dynasty said.
Osteen won’t even give the sinner that much.
Roger the sell books. Someone else writes all these books. He does not have the time. Just like ole Joyce Meyer. She has a ton of books, has written her version of the Bible, lives in a multi-million dollar compound. Rides around in Mercedes or limos, flys in her private jet, stays in 5 star hotels. You can google her compound and see where she and her family has the fenced compound with several huge houses in it. All that money. These folks are going to get a big surprise on Judgment Day if they don’t repent this sin and straighten up and do for the Lord, not for their pocket books.
Ping to the Osteen crowd.
How can you follow this guy’s teachings?
We all are, to some degree, swept into popular but false movements. You realized your error, so don't be ashamed. One of the biggest heresies is Warren's Purpose Driven series of products. Just as deceptive.
Why does Joel Osteen even get put on FR?
I wonder who ghost-writes his "books."
From the article: The Texas minister, who leads America’s largest congregation, explained that he refuses to “harp” on such issues and was “for everybody.”
This snake oil salesman and others like him are the reason our country is in moral decline.
He doesn’t fear God or believe in Him...He doesn’t love people. If he did, he would tell them the TRUTH in love.
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