But Pastor Osteen, where is Jesus?

timesunion ^ | 18 Mar 2012 | Delaney McDonough

[Cronos]

Over 12,000 people rushed into a crowded Times Union Center to hear “Pastor” Joel Osteen’s message of feel good, Broadway style contemporary worship and many came out changed according to an article in yesterday’s paper by Paul Grondahl. A star among the Christian world, Osteen claims the nation’s largest congregation in Houston, Texas with over 30,000 members

Aside from being a good looking man with a deep southern accent and a warm welcoming voice that draws many in, what qualifications does this man have to be preaching to stadiums packed full of vulnerable people?

The best selling author and televangelist had only attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma for a two year period without receiving a degree. Now something doesn’t seem quite right about this. Why can a man with virtually no higher level training in religious matters or Bible studies waltz onto a stage in hundreds of stadiums and speak on the matter? Why does a man with no qualifications have such a great following? (Osteen receives around seven million viewers world wide through his televised sermons.) I’m not entirely sure whether or not I feel comfortable with someone preaching the word of God, if they don’t know the word of God.

Just from watching a few of his sermons on television and online, I see that Osteen makes no reference to any pages of scripture and speaks only from his memory. I have also noticed from Grondahl’s article that Osteen prefers not to speak of sin, and likes to focus rather on the goodness of God. Now, I’m not trying to rip the man apart. As a Christian myself, I try to see the good in all of God’s creations but I am simply trying to bring this forward in a manner that can hopefully help others recognize and distinguish the difference between a Christian message and a self-help, motivational one.

In an interview with Larry King ( below), Osteen speaks of what he does and what many are calling “Christless Christianity“.

[Drumbo]

If it sounds anything like The Jimmy Carter Study Bible, it's probably not such a good idea.

[onedoug]

Smiley

[Hebrews 11:6]

What about the heroes of faith of Hebrews 11?

Well said.

[melsec]

Not a good idea at all!

[CatherineofAragon]

"I haven’t heard an entire Osteen sermon but flipping through the channels I have heard him say at the end of his message, that he would not finish before he asked those watching to make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior of their lives. That’s it I have nothing more to add - just a comment"

I've seen a few of his broadcasts. His ending invitations to accept Christ come across almost as an afterthought to me.

Also, if a pastor doesn't talk about sin and damnation, you have to wonder----do the people he's preaching to even understand the urgency of why they should accept Him?

[CatherineofAragon]

"Look, the man does not even have the convictions of his so called beliefs. On Larry King, he could not, or would not say that Jesus is the only way! I question him being truly Born Again."

He did the same thing on O'Reilly's show. When Bill asked if Jesus is the only way to God, he stumbled and hemmed and hawed. Every preacher of the Gospel---every Christian, for that matter---ought to be able to answer that question quickly and firmly.

[daniel1212]

This might be news to you, but it is not limited to Protestant churches: http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/Ancients_on_Scripture.html#Remarks

[melsec]

Thanks Daniel - it’s not necessarily news to me but it is still not pleasant.

Blessings

Mel

[circlecity]

seductive words for itching ears.

[ravenwolf]

I suppose he may have studied ( how to become a millionaire )but i really do disagree with you about the idea that one would have to go to college to become what he is to be, in fact i distrust the educated socalled servants of God if i distrust any one.

It is not that i have anything against education, it is just that if that is the only thing they have done where did they find time to develop any common sense?

[ravenwolf]

He preaches on the love of God and how to live a Godly life. Jesus didn’t go screaming and yelling at people either. His message was one of love and faith.
I remember somewhere reading judge no that ye be not judged.

---

I don,t think any one was doing any judging, we might say back biting, but i think griping would be a better word.

---

Jude1:22
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

---

Some people are saved by compassion, some by fear.

At any rate the Gospel has already been preached so how hard would it be for any preacher to just read the Bible to people who do not know how to read it or just don,t want to read it for them selves?

[MarilynBr]

Joel Osteen preaches Gospel Lite just as Robert Schuller did.

[Cronos]

“i really do disagree with you”....err... i didn’t write the article...