Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church received $4.4M

Tree of Life said:

They were able to keep a lot of people employed.

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While how many mom and pop stores went bankrupt because they were forced to remain open during a pandemic and couldn't get the money because churches and billion dollar companies got them instead?

Ronita said:

Because they are all cut from the same cloth. They scam people who have very little to sell them a piece of afterlife. They go after the most vulnerable. Copeland bought his own plane, he has his own airport. Yet, during the pandemic, he stressed that people had to pay their tithe. No job, no money but he wanted the shirt off their back.

They are the enemy of Jesus because they make a mockery of what he preached. Instead of giving to the poor, they exploit the poor and make them poorer.It is not Christianity, it's satanic.

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Oh ok I understand now, so if your a preacher with a lot of money your not allowed to teach your congregation about the benefits of giving to God first and foremost. Only poor people are allowed to preach this message. Like for example it was ok for Paul to preach this message because he was not a wealthy man but any preacher who has a lot of money cannot preach this same message? One thing I’m still not exactly clear on is how much money does a person have to have before they can be justly ridiculed for teaching this message?

Arc F1 said:

It's not about having wealth its how you use it to help others.

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How is Joel using his money to help others? How much does he give to charity and to spread God’s word?

Sparagmos said:

We know that they have $100 million that they haven’t given to others. If you give most of your wealth away, your net worth isn’t large.

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That’s an assumption. Joel Olsteen has been preaching for how many years now? Your assuming he’s hoarding when the Bible specifically says that “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:6‬ ‭NASB

Maybe he would have $300 million if he hadn’t gave so much in charity. Maybe it’s just me but when I tend to speculate about a fellow brother I tend to give them the benefit of a doubt rather than assume they’re guilty of ungodliness. Especially if I don’t have any evidence against that brother.

Andrewn said:

Net worth is the value of the assets a person or corporation owns, minus the liabilities they owe.

I don't advocate for people not have savings. But why should a Christian keep $100-300 million in assets when there are so many brothers and sisters of Christ in need around the world?

It's only a question, I judge no one.

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Saving it for a rainy day? Assets includes any possessions he owns that worth value including homes, property, investments investments, cars etc. Why was King David so wealthy? As long as Joel is giving to God the rest is his to do with as he pleases. We don’t know how much he does give.

Redwingfan9 said:

You do realize that most of the major figures in the Old Testament were very wealthy don't you? Abraham, Job, Issac, Jacob, David, Solomon etc. were all incredibly wealthy and faithful, if flawed, servants of God. There is nothing Godly about poverty just as there is nothing Godly about wealth. The problem that some with wealth face is that they trust in their riches more than God. The sin in that case doesn't lie in their wealth, there's nothing sinful about being rich. The sin lies in their heart.

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I agree with this.

I still want to make it radioactive though. *snickers*
I think that would discourage any inappropriate use.

Andrewn said:

Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church received $4.4M COVID-19 PPP loan

Joel and Victoria Osteen have a combined net worth of $100 million.

Victoria Osteen Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth.

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Based on what I have seen and heard from HIm, He may not even know the Lord! At best He is one of the chief name it and claim it wealth prosperity snakeoil salesmen.

He has assumed teh mantle first worn by N.V. Peale, then Robert Schuller.

If you cannot remember everything, instead of everything, I beg you, remember this without fail, that not to share our own wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life; we do not possess our own wealth but theirs. If we have this attitude, we will certainly offer our money; and by nourishing Christ in poverty here and laying up great profit hereafter, we will be able to attain the good things which are to come, by the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom (be glory, honor, and might,) to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen (On Wealth and Poverty). - St. John Chrysostom

Wealth will be good for its possessor if he does not spend it only on luxury, or on strong drink and harmful pleasures; if he enjoys luxury in moderation and distributes the rest to the stomachs of the poor, then wealth is a good thing. But if he is going to give himself up to luxury and other profligacy, not only does it not help him at all, but it even leads him down to the deep pit”

vs

I'll get you everything you wanted
I'll get you everything you need
Don't need to believe in hereafter
Just believe in me

Won't find me practicing what I'm preaching
Won't find me making no sacrifice
But I can get you a pocketful of miracles
If you promise to be good, try to be nice
God will take good care of you
Just do as I say, don't do as I do - Genesis - "Jesus He knows me"

GreekOrthodox said:

If you cannot remember everything, instead of everything, I beg you, remember this without fail, that not to share our own wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life; we do not possess our own wealth but theirs. If we have this attitude, we will certainly offer our money; and by nourishing Christ in poverty here and laying up great profit hereafter, we will be able to attain the good things which are to come, by the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom (be glory, honor, and might,) to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen (On Wealth and Poverty). - St. John Chrysostom

Wealth will be good for its possessor if he does not spend it only on luxury, or on strong drink and harmful pleasures; if he enjoys luxury in moderation and distributes the rest to the stomachs of the poor, then wealth is a good thing. But if he is going to give himself up to luxury and other profligacy, not only does it not help him at all, but it even leads him down to the deep pit”

vs

I'll get you everything you wanted
I'll get you everything you need
Don't need to believe in hereafter
Just believe in me

Won't find me practicing what I'm preaching
Won't find me making no sacrifice
But I can get you a pocketful of miracles
If you promise to be good, try to be nice
God will take good care of you
Just do as I say, don't do as I do - Genesis - "Jesus He knows me"

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As long as tehy know Christ as Savior.

Like Paul wrote:

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Philanthropy is a good thing, but not necessarily a godly thing. Feeding th epoor is something god commends, but if our motive is less than honoring God, it profits us NOTHING> We have done a good thing, but we profit not at all not are blessed at all.

Andrewn said:

Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church received $4.4M COVID-19 PPP loan

Joel and Victoria Osteen have a combined net worth of $100 million.

Victoria Osteen Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth.

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Not a fan of him, but to be fair, he’s a very successful author, so if that’s where he gets his wealth from, that’s no big deal.

BNR32FAN said:

Why is being blessed with wealth a disgrace? Job, Abraham, Jacob, David, and many more servants of God we’re very wealthy because of God’s blessings.

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Osteen is no Abraham.

Kenny'sID said:

Osteen is no Abraham.

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I keep hearing opinions to this effect but haven’t seen any evidence to support them so I really don’t know.

Yeah, I really couldn't say either. In general, I'm not a fan of 'prosperity gospel' interpretations, I think that's a scam, though some believers may become prosperous along their walk. But I honestly haven't done any sort of due diligence on him personally to make anything other than an uninformed and amusing comment which might not apply at all.

Petros2015 said:

Yeah, I really couldn't say either. In general, I'm not a fan of 'prosperity gospel' interpretations, I think that's a scam, though some believers may become prosperous along their walk. But I honestly haven't done any sort of due diligence on him personally to make anything other than an uninformed and amusing comment which might not apply at all.

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I came to Christ in a reformed church and now I reject reformed theology. So I disagree with a lot of Joel’s theology but I don’t see this as a reason to call him a fraud or phony preacher. People come to Christ in all denominations and theologies of Christianity. I honestly think he’s doing what he believes and serving God and unless someone can produce something conclusive that suggests otherwise I think I owe it to him as a fellow brother in Christ to give him the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think we should jump on the bandwagon of rumors making unsubstantiated claims and accusations. If he is dealing unfairly the God will take care of that, but if we judge our brother unjustly and and falsely accuse him then we are far worse than what we’re accusing him of being.

nolidad said:

Based on what I have seen and heard from HIm, He may not even know the Lord! At best He is one of the chief name it and claim it wealth prosperity snakeoil salesmen.

He has assumed teh mantle first worn by N.V. Peale, then Robert Schuller.

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What have you seen and heard?

Ronita said:

They are not serving God. They are serving themselves and everyone knows this except those who somehow can't see it.


I repeat:
Trump's spiritual advisor Paula White asked people to not pay their mortgage and electricity and to send her the money instead. During a pandemic.

Tax free donations from people who are usually sick and elderly and anxious about their afterlife. It's a despicable crime to exploit these people for money.

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Hi its clear you didn't listen to what she said. She said what I believe most preachers say. First 10% goes to God. I can find it in the word. You say tax free donations from people who are usually sick and elderly. Did you notice what Jesus didn't do? Well when He said she gave all she had. He never said NO STOP! You keep it. So we have no control over people.. we don't control others. They don't care what you do with your money. Thats between you and God. People can talk about this all day but He already spoke. Get that plank out of your eye then go help your brother with that SPEC in his eye. So what you said was not true.. it was a lie. Being saved or not no one has a right to attack Children that belong to a GOD. To easy to call them email go to them talk face to face. I've done it and I am no one. How I would want to be treated. They are not here to defend them selfs. HAHA as if I so much better. NOPE! Washed in the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST! Like every other believer.

This was about Osteen. Most I believe don't know all the GOOD that Church does. Strange how some know what comes in but not what goes out. I will pray for them. Well they don't answer to me. I am not their God and when I if I start to Judge them not in love not to help.. then what WILL HAPPEN like it or not GOD will then judge me the exact way I was judging them. There are many reasons why we have problems. To many times we blame on the enemy which is true but.. many times its US our selfs. We are not walking in love...if we don't like what was see as someone is in error of false..what if it was you? Yeah PRAY for them love them. Sow on good ground and it will come back to you.

So praise God for President Trump praise God for Paula White and Olsteen.

My message is a message of hope that God is a good God, and that no matter what we’ve done, where we’ve been, God has a great plan for our lives... Most people already know what they're doing wrong. And for me to get in here and just beat 'em down and talk down to 'em, I just don't think that inspires anybody to rise higher. But I want to motivate. - Joel Osteen

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. - St Paul

They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect. - St Paul to the Hebrews

Joel Osteen and the prosperity message (for I will not call it the Evangelion) does not preach Christ crucified but "all these things I will give you if you worship me."

Andrewn said:

Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church received $4.4M COVID-19 PPP loan

Joel and Victoria Osteen have a combined net worth of $100 million.

Victoria Osteen Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth.

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God is good. I'm happy for them.

Ronita said:

Because they are all cut from the same cloth. They scam people who have very little to sell them a piece of afterlife. They go after the most vulnerable. Copeland bought his own plane, he has his own airport. Yet, during the pandemic, he stressed that people had to pay their tithe. No job, no money but he wanted the shirt off their back.

They are the enemy of Jesus because they make a mockery of what he preached. Instead of giving to the poor, they exploit the poor and make them poorer.It is not Christianity, it's satanic.

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What is wrong with them asking? What is wrong with giving to them? What is wrong with buying a plane or an airport?

The bible says to ask and you shall receive.

Ronita said:

It's obscene that he pressured people to pay their tithe during a pandemic when they has lost their income.

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Isnt tithes, in the popular view, 10% of income? If you have no income, what do you take 10% of? And if you get unemployment, how would giving 10% of that, be much different than 10% of income from a job?

Do you have evidence of them asking people to give tithes with no income at all?