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.
Good question.
What's amazing is that the same poster also posts the highly thought provoking, deeply biblical devotions of Oswald Chambers. I don't know if it's possible to get any more disparate in views.
????
One I never heard of.
He doesn't preach the gospel. He's a false prophet.
He smiles all the time.
Even Benny Hinn has issues with Joel Osteen.
Now, mind you, I’m no fan of either, but this video shocked me with the stand Hinn took. He doesn’t actually confront Osteen face to face, but this is a clip from a message where he addresses Osteen Larry King interview. And he shreds Osteen for it.
It’s only 10 minutes ling.
Benny Hinn Confronts Joel Osteen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThnD7G9tlZc
Flee from the wrath to come.
This “feel good” preaching is worthless. There is JUDGEMENT coming. He’ll and punishment were taught by Christ.
If doing your best was enough why did Christ die on the cross and suffer God’s wrath taking our punishment for sin.?
Wouldn’t watch this dude if he preached in my front yard.
He smiles all the time.
If you had his money you would too.
18000+ people tithing 10% is a whole lot of dough
The grinning one is the biggest hypocrite of all the TV “evangelists”. Jimmy Swaggart has no use for him whatsover because he never preaches the Cross. It’s all about giving somebody money (him) and you will always be rewarded with more money coming in than you already have. I like the part about him having no training whatsover to “preach”. He says his church has “ordained” him. What church? His church!! He
“ordained” himself. I’d like to knock that those buck teeth down his throat.
Indeed.
I like watching Mike Murdock best, he talks 100% sowing your seed. I can’t believe people are really that gullible.
My daughter heard him preach live once and said that his preaching is awful. He couldn’t stay on one topic for more than 2-3 minutes at a time and bounced all over the place.
She thought he was awful.
He smiles all the time.
If you had his money you would too.
His smile always strikes me as that “Terrified” uncomfortable smile. His wife got the “Crazy Eyes!”
A few years ago my brother went to a Benny Hinn crusade where after the service Benny Hinn baptised him. He passed away from small cell lung cancer not longer after. No doubt in my mind that the minute he left this world he was with the Lord. I miss him every day.
Zowie. That’s quite a video. As I recall, in his bestselling book, “23 Minutes in Hell”, the author says the actual opening into hell is only about 35 feet wide - about the size of this hole in this video.
““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. “
Right Joel, The Bible was very clear showing Jesus as a rich man and also all of his disciples. The core message was about acheiving material plenty. /sarc
But why is Jesus Christ needed to achieve the blessings Osteen lists? If he took Christ out of his sermons could you still preach the same message? Probably.
Christ is needed to save us. He alone brought salvation into this world and offered it up freely on the Cross. He did this to atone for our sins. That is what people need to hear. That is the unpopular truth that Christians are called to tell others.
Nothing, nobody, no action, no belief, will ever, ever take the place of Jesus Christ when it comes to the fate of our souls. He is Lord. Preachers that gloss over that message are deceiving people.
Yes. Agree with God about sin. I’m suspicious of anyone who doesn’t and then reverts to “well, I can’t judge”.
What a disservice to any unbeliever it is to lie to them about their lost condition, WHATEVER form the manifestation of sin takes in their lives. The hardest ones to reach are the self-righteous “good” people. Unfortunately today so many “bad” people have the attitude of the proverb:
“The adulteress eats, wipes her mouth, and says “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Still, anyone who is thirsty can come to Him and drink! It is the Spirit who convicts of sin, causing thirst for Him. He freely gives.
I’ve seen him a few times on TV. Can’t stand to watch him for more than a few minutes. My gut tells me there is something off with him. Would not be the least bit surprised to find him mired in some weird scandal down the road.
The end of this age is coming, and for those like Osteen, Crouch jr etc., it would ruin the party if Jesus returned today,
If he preached the truth he would never fill up that stadium every week,
The Church of Laodicea is going strong,
If you had his bank account, you’d do the same.
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