Joel Osteen: Man of God or Man of the People?

[LastSeven]

Joel Osteen begins each of his "sermons" with the following creed, encouraging the audience to recite it along with him.

“This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive; I'll never be the same. In Jesus name, God bless you.”

What a way to open the hearts and minds of your audience to whatever it is you're about to sell them, having them believe that they are about to hear the word of God.

I haven't watched a lot of Osteen's preaching but what I have seen is deeply disturbing. The focus in his message clearly is on positive thinking and "happy thoughts", which in itself is not necessarily a bad thing if you're a motivational speaker at convention centres around the country, but he delivers his message from the pulpit, whence people expect to hear the gospel, and that is a misrepresentation of the faith.

Not only is he using a church, but he is literally using the word of God to sell his own message, rather than the message of the gospel. He is a motivational speaker who references scripture to support his points, but even in doing so incorrectly applies scripture to suit. Like when he said Colossians 3:2 says "set your mind on higher things" and then explains that "higher things" means "positive things". So not only did he misquote Colossians 3:2 but also twisted its meaning.

He is teaching you to focus on yourself, rather than on God. He even, with his creed above, makes the Bible sound like it's a book about you, rather than a book about God. If he promoted himself as simply a motivational speaker who believes in God, then that wouldn't bother me in the slightest, but he actually sells himself as a preacher of the word of God and then proceeds to sell his books espousing his own personal life philosophy, all while standing at the pulpit, and that makes him a fraud. He is literally our modern day version of the money changers in the temple of God, selling his books from the pulpit rather than preaching the word of God.

Matthew 21:13 It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.

This type of man does more harm to the kingdom of God than any outside influence, because he decays the church from within and the church doesn't even realize it. His message is cancer being delivered to your doorstep by the devil himself disguised as an angel of light.

 

[rockytopva]

I had a video of Joel on my Youtube site called, "Being Good to People." I made no money off this video. I also paid my brother in law $1,000 to close caption that video. Not to mention over $2,500 a year in ministry support to the Joel Osteen ministry.

Well, Joel Osteen files copywrite infringement against me, almost shuts down my web site, and then his lawyer talked really ugly to me. I tried explaining that I was not doing this for the money and they got even madder.

So.... I took the videos down and stopped supporting his ministry. About a year later I get a phone call from the Joel Osteen ministries. Before I could explain my predicament I get a recording from Joel telling me how much he loves me and is praying for me. Then I get bumped to a male voice on the other end. I then explain the predicament and he says quite ugly to me... So I guess you want taken off this list.

I am like... Listen sir,.... Joel Osteen does not love me! That man and his wife are the most money hungry and covetous as two people are. And if you think he loves you just go down to Houston, stand in the line after service to shake his hand, and then let him give you the smile with no charisma.

Joel Osteen is more worried about the False Profit than he is about the False Prophet!

 

[LastSeven]

Thanks for sharing. I'm really not surprised in the slightest, but your story reinforces my perception of him as a slick two faced salesman. You're right, he doesn't love you. He loves your money.

About that smile, I've always thought it seemed forced.

 

[LaSorcia]

The impression I've gotten the very few times I've listened to his speaking is that he's a motivational speaker with a God-theme rather than a preacher.

 

[abysmul]

I'm unwilling to say what God thinks of the man. I can say that most of the time I've seen Osteen on TV he sounds like a pop psychology, feel good, book seller, and carnival barker, more than a pastor.

 

[brightfuture2172]

I have a hard time listening to his sermons, almost like there's a check in my spirit. I have definitely felt that on occasion. I generally do not listen to him. A friend gave me one of his books, knowing I was a Christian and thinking I would like it. I skimmed through it. It was okay. But tooo cheery positive like you said.

 

[Four Angels Standing]

Joel's very careful about saying who goes and doesn't go to Heaven.
Someone prosperous buy this man a Bible. I've got a dollar for the cause! *waves cash*

Feel good materialist worldly guru. He's not a pastor of the word of God. Watch the double talk in that clip. Joel believes his way. But he says he believes what the Bible says. Then you'll note how many times he says, he doesn't know. He doesn't know. He doesn't know, who enters Heaven. And who doesn't. But the Bible he says he believes is very clear. Joel doesn't seem to know that.


And this is just an extra to show how far Osteen goes and in concert with the other false teacher, Oprah.

 

[John_O]

The thing I've noticed the most about him is, I've never heard him so much as stumble or stutter on a word or sentence! Never seems to make a mistake! Almost robotic like! Pretty wife though.

 

[LastSeven]

He seems to stumble when asked if Jesus is the only way.

 

[BadHabit]

I've always cast a suspicious eye at Joel Osteen. Something about him just doesn't sit right with me. His interviews, his sermons, the things he says in his books - all of it just doesn't sit right with me. I don't want to throw out the label of "false prophet" since I am not in a position to judge, but...

 

[ClothedInGrace]

I don't think I've ever heard him say "sin" before. Our problem is not a lack of money or earthly blessing; it's our sin and the death it requires! This guy owns the largest church in America and doesn't even preach the Gospel in it! Such a shame, but I don't expect any different from this world; everyone is so comfortable with lies.

 

[BadHabit]

I read someplace that Jim Bakker hadn't ever read the Bible cover to cover until he was incarcerated. I have also read someplace that somewhere north of 85% of "christians" have never read the Bible. I kind of wonder if Joel Osteen has read the Bible or if he's just memorized a few passages and relies on his staff to write his sermons?

 

[LastSeven]

I think a lot of Christians rely on their pastors to tell them what the Bible says. Many also rely on people like John Hagee, James Dobson, C.S.Lewis, Chuck Swindoll, Hal Lindsey and Joel Osteen.

Some of these guys have undoubtedly read the Bible (although their understanding of it may be questionable) but, as you say, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Joel Osteen hasn't read the entire Bible. I guess all he needs is some key verses that he can use to support his prosperity gospel. The rest don't matter.

 

[rambot]

He's a man of money I think. That doesn't mean he can't spout the gospel, but "by his fruits..."

 

[Razare]

Joel is one of my favorite pastors.

The "happy thoughts" are called hope in scripture. That's what he preaches. It's right up there with faith and love, and one of the 3 things which last for all eternity.

It's what spiritual treasures are made of. Legalism, scoffing, and speaking ill of other ministers isn't found on the list of eternal treasures.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. - 1 Cor 13:13

And no, just because love is the greatest, does not mean we are supposed to ignore faith and hope. We are supposed to have all 3 in our life. In fact, we can't even love properly, unless we have hope:

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. - 1 Cor 13:7

I did not really appreciate Joel's sermons until I understood God's kind of hope, and how he was trying to encourage us to hope as God hopes. When I did realize this, his sermons immediately made sense.

People in our society do not hope, they have dark thinking, so when a pastor preaches hope properly, we think he is sinning. But this thought that he is sinning by preaching hope, is from the devil, not God.

 

[ClothedInGrace]

Joel is one of my favorite pastors.

The "happy thoughts" are called hope in scripture. That's what he preaches. It's right up there with faith and love, and one of the 3 things which last for all eternity.

It's what spiritual treasures are made of. Legalism, scoffing, and speaking ill of other ministers isn't found on the list of eternal treasures.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. - 1 Cor 13:13

And no, just because love is the greatest, does not mean we are supposed to ignore faith and hope. We are supposed to have all 3 in our life. In fact, we can't even love properly, unless we have hope:

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. - 1 Cor 13:7

I did not really appreciate Joel's sermons until I understood God's kind of hope, and how he was trying to encourage us to hope as God hopes. When I did realize this, his sermons immediately made sense.

People in our society do not hope, we have dark thinking, so when a pastor preaches hope properly, we think he is sinning. But this thought that he is sinning by preaching hope, is from the devil, not God.

Hope is fine Razare, but he forgets what our true hope is--the Gospel! There is no hope for people if they aren't given the Gospel, and if he is a great pastor then he should certainly have at least one sermon explaining the Gospel. I've tried looking, but I can't find one.

 

[rockytopva]

Joel is one of my favorite pastors.

The "happy thoughts" are called hope in scripture. That's what he preaches. It's right up there with faith and love, and one of the 3 things which last for all eternity.

It's what spiritual treasures are made of. Legalism, scoffing, and speaking ill of other ministers isn't found on the list of eternal treasures.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. - 1 Cor 13:13

And no, just because love is the greatest, does not mean we are supposed to ignore faith and hope. We are supposed to have all 3 in our life. In fact, we can't even love properly, unless we have hope:

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. - 1 Cor 13:7

I did not really appreciate Joel's sermons until I understood God's kind of hope, and how he was trying to encourage us to hope as God hopes. When I did realize this, his sermons immediately made sense.

People in our society do not hope, they have dark thinking, so when a pastor preaches hope properly, we think he is sinning. But this thought that he is sinning by preaching hope, is from the devil, not God.

Yes... I thought so too. I was a supporter of the guy and listened in live to all his programming. My first warning sign was when I visited Lakewood to get him to sign my IPad leather cover. He really did not want to do this and basically scribbled on it. His security guard gave me a strange look as they hurried past me. The people there were not at all friendly. This was my first warning.

But... I continued to support the guy. I uploaded a few videos of the Lakewood service and paid my brother in law a thousand dollars to caption them to English. I made no money off these videos. One video went hot and the next thing you know the Lakewood church files copywrite infringement against me. The whole situation turned ugly with his legal team.

Joel Osteen... Much more worried about the false profits! Not at all worried about the false prophet! This guy is all about the money. Don't let the persona fool you!

 

[Razare]

But... I continued to support the guy. I uploaded a few videos of the Lakewood service and paid my brother in law a thousand dollars to caption them to English. I made no money off these videos. One video went hot and the next thing you know the Lakewood church files copywrite infringement against me. The whole situation turned ugly with his legal team.

In general, enforcing copyright is just sort of what you do these days. It's not like Joel is even the one doing that, it's out of his hands, unless he wants to make a policy not to enforce copyright and make his content public.

I wouldn't view it as a commentary on you or Lakewood.

I tend not to believe in copyrights for moral reasons, but then the higher morality from Christ to follow the absurd laws comes into effect... so as not to offend! I've tried to stop violating copyrights as of recent.

It's a shame it happened to you, though.

 

[Razare]

Hope is fine Razare, but he forgets what our true hope is--the Gospel! There is no hope for people if they aren't given the Gospel, and if he is a great pastor then he should certainly have at least one sermon explaining the Gospel. I've tried looking, but I can't find one.

He ends every sermon with a call to be born again.

I get what Joel is doing by not preaching the divisiveness of the gospel. As soon as you say "Jesus is the only way", you shut a lot of lost people's ears off to what you're saying. And while us Christians in a corner can say, "Fine and good! As it should be!"

If your purpose is to get lost people saved, and not preach to the choir, sometimes a different approach is needed. Christ, for example, would not always give the gospel or reveal he was the Messiah, such as with the rich young ruler. In that case, Christ gave the man lesser truths to help lead him toward the ultimate truth for one day in the future.

Joel's church is big. From what I hear, he has people from other religions attending.

If he tries to go deep into Christian theology, deep as the gospel even, you're going to be talking over the heads of 20% of the crowd most likely. The gospel is actually advanced theology. Before I could accept it I had to first learn "There is a God!" then I had to get to, "Good vs. Evil (the law)"... then I had to realize I couldn't accomplish the law. During this time I learned about faith and how to pray to God and believe God for things. Then after I learned how to believe God for miracles and good things, then I got saved.

But I could have never got to the salvation end where I arrive at the gospel and my need for it, without the ground work being laid. The Jews in scripture had the ground work laid already. They knew all this stuff, even the law, and many knew that salvation was only by the grace of God.

But many people today, have trouble with Genesis 1:1. To begin with the gospel can work, but if so, only by miracles signs and wonders, certainly not because anyone understands it.

So I view Joel as a good person to teach about how to believe God for something. And then he gives the call to make Christ your Lord. Then after he is your Lord you can learn the theology of the gospel on your own so you can make sense of it. But how do you have faith to believe to be saved, if you have never had faith before? You got to start somewhere I think.

 

[rockytopva]

In general, enforcing copyright is just sort of what you do these days. It's not like Joel is even the one doing that, it's out of his hands, unless he wants to make a policy not to enforce copyright and make his content public.

I wouldn't view it as a commentary on you or Lakewood.

I tend not to believe in copyrights for moral reasons, but then the higher morality from Christ to follow the absurd laws comes into effect... so as not to offend! I've tried to stop violating copyrights as of recent.

It's a shame it happened to you, though.

I wrote them and told them what I was doing and sent in like $10,000 in ministry donations. They did this out of pure meaness. You ever try to get close to those people you will find new meaning to the words greed and hatefulness. He says on thing, but lives another.