Posted on 01/30/2005 11:57:09 AM PST by Zack Nguyen
HOUSTON -- The pastor once startled his own mother by exhorting the women in his congregation to shop at Victoria's Secret to improve their marriages. Last weekend, his glamorous musical director led four services in a hot pink coat and black spiky boots, stomping around the stage and singing the praises of Jesus in rousing, original rock sounds.
No one needed to know the words. The lyrics scrolled high above, across three gigantic screens, as a dynamic 10-piece orchestra and 100-person choir shook the church. The captivated flock of 8,000 stood singing for 30 minutes.
And then, not unlike in a Las Vegas production, the stars of this show bounded up to the pulpit of Lakewood Church. Pastor Joel Osteen and his wife, Victoria, were greeted like royalty.
Osteen is called "the Smiling Preacher," and he is perhaps the hottest commodity in the world of multimedia religion these days. His is the new face of Christianity, upbeat and contemporary, media-smart with a heightened sense of entertainment and general appeal.
The charismatic, nondenominational church he inherited from his late father six years ago has quadrupled in size, and today is the largest and fastest-growing in the country, welcoming upward of 30,000 visitors a week, according to Church Growth Today, a research center that follows church trends. Osteen's television broadcast is shown in every U.S. market, reaching 95 percent of the nation's households, and in 150 countries.
This summer, he will move his church into Houston's 16,000-seat Compaq Center, former home of pro basketball's Houston Rockets. The $92 million renovation is, Osteen says, "a leap of faith" that if he builds it, they will come.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I should say that the Washington Post title was: "'The Smiling Preacher' Builds on LArge Following."
Watched him this morning Very nice sermon.
Good for him, if he's sincere.
As a former Houston resident, I can tell you that he has a HUGE following.
I don't get the appeal of the churchertainment type congregations, but that's just me.
What I found puzzling, though, is his message is less Billy Graham and more Tony Robbins. Uplifiting and inspirational, perhaps, but light on the theology.
To me, all that really matters in "church" is this:
1) Is Jesus Christ glorified?
2) Is the gospel preached?
3) Are the lost getting saved?
4) Is there fiscal responsibility and financial accountability?
If so, the rest (when it comes to "church") is just detail. I have not attended this church nor seen this pastor preach.
Yes, that concerns me as well. I've watched him on television several times. A sincere Christian no doubt, but I wonder about the lack of meat in his sermons.
I saw his interview on BOR a couple of weeks ago and have watched some of his televised services. As a Baptist I was not particularly impressed. During the interview with BOR he was asked whether people who did not accept Christ as their personal savior, ie. being "saved", would be damned to hell or not. He completely "spun" the issue by saying that he wasn't there to condemn anyone, or some similar pap, and then went on the answer some unrelated question that was never asked. Also, I've noticed that during the portions of his services that I've seen on TV he rarely mentions Christ specifically. IMO, the services come across like a self help, or motivational, session rather than a Christian church service. He refers to God often and generically but I haven't heard him speak about the Lord and Savior and Salvation much at all. Could just be bad timing or could be that I was raised southern Baptist.
Throw your money in the air and God will take what he wants. The rest belongs to the preacher.
His preacing is biblically based and he has no problem with telling the truth even if it steps on some toes.
MASS media and MASS marketing employeed in the name of God and everyone leaves with a MASSive ego MASSage. The worldly church is oh so comfortable in the temporal.
Mmmkay.
Hmmm. Is that a quote for Dr. Gene Scott?
He is a Bible based motivational speaker who almost never quotes scripture. If that is your idea of Church Joel is your boy. I prefer to hear the Gospel like John Hagee preachs it.
Nice guy with a positive message. However, he is too New Age for me. Just a lot of talk about the power of positive thought and speech and very little about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nothing about sin and the need for repentence.
Mark 9:38-39
John said to Him, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we tried to stop him because he is not of our company. Jesus said in reply: "Do not try to stop him..."
Check out the characteristics of the New Age movement. This is not Christianity.
I have visited this church for years. Since the late 80's. It use to be called the Oasis of Love. (*The command to love God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.) For such a large church, it is very warm and friendly. When TS Alison flooded Houston, this church took the lead in helping needy citizens. I have never been to a service where an invitation to salvation was not extended.
houston ping
This kind of thing puts a bad face on Christianity.. one of the "televangelists" that the left often complain about and in my opinion, rightly so... One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs says it all... "It's not about me, it's all about You".. Many of these big name preachers seem to forget that.
Joel Osteen: The Prosperity Gospel’s Coverboy
The younger Osteen lives the life of prosperity that he preaches. A 2001 Real Estate Guide (http://north-valley.com/realestate_board/messages/157.html ) valued his home at $1,265,500.
His sermon titles give clues as to the focus of Osteen’s ministry:
ENLARGE YOUR VISION
HOLDING ONTO YOUR DREAMS
FINANCIAL PROSPERITY
OVERCOMING THE GREATEST HINDRANCE TO HEALING
DEVELOPING MIRACLE-WORKING FAITH
FAITH TO CHANGE YOUR WORLD
DO ALL YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE
LIVING A LIFE OF EXCELLENCE
DEVELOPING YOUR POTENTIAL
Looks like Mother Teresa had it all wrong. /sarcasm
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