1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Joel Osteen question

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by SolaSaint, Mar 5, 2010.

  1. SolaSaint

    SolaSaint Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2009
    Messages:
    2,834
    Likes Received:
    29
    Hi All,

    I'm not sure what ever ones take on Joel is, but if you are like me, I feel he is of the WOF family and he preaches prosperity gospel. By his own confession, he doesn't and hasn't studied the bible much at all. I put him in the category of motivational preacher who is caught up in popularity. I'm not sure I would classify him as a heretic, but he is very close with his claims of speaking words of faith to make ones own reality.

    Here's my question: if you were to meet someone in your church that goes on about how wonderful Joel is and pushes his books or TV program, would you confront them or not?
     
  2. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2002
    Messages:
    8,136
    Likes Received:
    3
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I would.
    The Bible says we are to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.
    Motivational faith sure isn't what was delivered to the saints.
    At the very least, he is a false prophet, like other WOF's.
     
  3. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    4,521
    Likes Received:
    43
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Since I have mentioned him a few times in sermons, I doubt they will go on about him to me.

    He is more of a motivational speaker than preacher. He doesn't really use the Bible except to make his speaking seem "spiritual".
     
  4. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2006
    Messages:
    13,103
    Likes Received:
    4
    And he's creepy.
     
  5. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I would encourage them to read this interview with Larry King (it also has a video with it.

    This way, you can read word for word what Joel said, and more importantly read it in context.

    Salty
     
  6. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2006
    Messages:
    52,013
    Likes Received:
    3,649
    Faith:
    Baptist
    He is using God to pursue his self help career.
     
  7. Jedi Knight

    Jedi Knight Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,135
    Likes Received:
    117
    Candy Store Theology.
     
  8. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2005
    Messages:
    9,031
    Likes Received:
    2
    If you hear praise, ask your friend if he's ever heard Joel preach a sermon calling on the lost to repent of sin and trust Christ. The little short Sinner's Prayer tacked on at the end of his speech doesn't count.

    The answer likely be no, because he doesn't see his calling to be labeling people as lost and needing Christ. His calling, he says, is to preach positive messages.

    Ask your friend if he has ever heard Joel preach a sermon on the pre-eminence of Christ Jesus, God in the flesh. It's doubtful he can remember one.
     
  9. donnA

    donnA Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2000
    Messages:
    23,354
    Likes Received:
    0
    I've talked to women before about Jyce Meyers and the bad teachings of hers, even telling them what she teaches. They didn't care because they haven't heard ehr say it, and my favorite line is,,' well, when she reads the bible it's really in there', never caring what they are teaching about it. I just quit trying, no one would listen, or care about false teachers.
     
  10. SolaSaint

    SolaSaint Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2009
    Messages:
    2,834
    Likes Received:
    29
    I read what Salty posted from Larry King and I have to come to the conclusion that Osteen is heretical. When asked by King is Jesus is the only way, Osteen basically answered, I don't know. I'm paraphrasing. He did say he believed what the bible taught, but then again promotes he doesn't know if Jesus is the only way.

    Are there any genuine Christians that can say Jesus is only one of many ways? This reeks of postmodern pluralism. However I see and hear many church goers boast about him. I feel that there are many today who will just trust anyone who speaks in the name of Jesus without any discernment at all. Have we all become Christians playing in the shallow end of the theological pool? Doesn't correct doctrine matter anymore?
     
  11. donnA

    donnA Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2000
    Messages:
    23,354
    Likes Received:
    0
    not to many apparently
     
  12. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2004
    Messages:
    7,406
    Likes Received:
    101
    lol...something about this strikes me as hilarious right now...:smilewinkgrin:

    Well, this has been going on since the time of Jesus. The reality is that a smile, a light touch, and flowery language will get you in good with many people. The greatest lacking in the modern evangelical church is discernment. I can't tell you how many people I talk to who list off their latest, greatest author and I smile and move along wondering, "Really? I mean, really? But..."

    Well some of it is they've been shown the deep end. Also, we as church staffs have done such a bad job helping them find their swimmers legs. How many people honestly believe church is a safe place to ask questions about faith? Not many.

    Correct doctrine is essential, but helping people see the need for it and then discover it for themselves is hard. It doesn't help that we've too often confused the peripheral for the essential.
     
  13. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2004
    Messages:
    7,406
    Likes Received:
    101
    btw, Loel Osteen...I keep thinking to myself, "Now what if Joel had a slightly more energetic and articulate brother?"
     
  14. SolaSaint

    SolaSaint Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2009
    Messages:
    2,834
    Likes Received:
    29
    PiJ,

    You said, "I can't tell you how many people I talk to who list off their latest, greatest author and I smile and move along wondering, "Really? I mean, really? But..."

    That is what I meant in the OP. What are we to tell them, or are we to even say anything? I really feel moved to warn people about false teachers and I do often. I was wondering if many in here felt the same way and experienced the same.
     
  15. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2004
    Messages:
    7,406
    Likes Received:
    101
    PJ's cool with me...I left off the g for personal reasons years ago when I set up my first AOL address. :smilewinkgrin:

    Well I usually try to do an evaluation of the situation. I hate being Mr. Gloomy and Doomy all day long and since my default disposition is jerk I try really hard to hold my tongue. Basically, if I don't know the person well I will encourage them to continue growing in Jesus and, if I see an opening, I'll recommend a better resource for them. There is absolutely no reason for me to force a detailed analysis on someone I barely know, if for no other reason than you can attract more flies with honey or something like that. I like flies, I want more flies, and to get them I can't just jump up and down on them the first time they come around.

    Now if the person is someone I have known and cultivated a good relationship with than I will press in a little more (if it is appropriate) and try to lead them to a teachable moment. Then I will (as best as I can) gently show them why Brother Joel (for example) isn't the best resource for them. Since I have a relationship with them I can do this in a loving way that helps encourage them to look deeper into their spiritual lives. One of my things I do pretty well is stay on top of most major reading and curriculum resources out there. So I can usually find out what the person is really looking for and suggest a far better resource.

    It is hard these days. Every time I walk into a Lifeway or Mardel or _______ Christian bookstore I see rows and rows of drivel. You know I find it deeply ironic that we have more printed resources about growing in Christ that say nothing today than ever before. Most of it is foolishness. But I know a lot of good, Christ honoring Christians who get a lot out of it. Thus when I look in the mirror I realize there is a lot more wrong with me than with the people who are genuinely trying to connect with God better.

    That's a lot of text. Basically I'm gonna sum it up here: Jesus called us to be salt and light. I think we've nailed the light part. But we've failed at the salt part. Our light is so good though that sometimes for a lot of people in our chairs and pews they show us something from a vantage point of darkness and we blind them with flaming halogens of crassness. Light is good, I like light...but if you've been sitting in the dark or semi-dark for a long time it hurts to walk out int the sunlight.

    My pastoral obligation is to try to slowly open the shades for people. Maybe I'm wrong. (Yeah, I know who thinks I am around here) But I think the only people Jesus turned the bright lights on for were the church staffers anyways. :tongue3:
     
  16. Peggy

    Peggy New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2009
    Messages:
    285
    Likes Received:
    0
    Everytime I see a picture of the smarmy Joel Osteen I am tempted to draw a goatee and horns on it.

    He is a flaming heretic, like other WOF preachers. It's terribly sad how they deceive the sheep and possibly lead souls to hell.

    I always wonder how prosperity preachers and their followers deal with real problems, like cancer, when it affects them. How do they handle adversity when they preach that you will prosper if you have enough faith? How much faith is enough when you face a terminal diagnosis, bankruptcy, and job loss? Does that mean God really doesn't love you? Or you are not in his favor? Or you don't have enough faith?

    Oddly enough, it seems that only the WOF preachers are the ones getting rich.
     
  17. SolaSaint

    SolaSaint Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2009
    Messages:
    2,834
    Likes Received:
    29
    I just listened to an old sermon by John MacArthur and he said that Osteen is getting his best life now. We know our best life is after this life.
     
  18. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2004
    Messages:
    11,139
    Likes Received:
    1
    Been there, done that, got the T shirt. I know exactly what you mean when it comes to trying to tell women about Joyce Meyer. They don't seem to care what she has taught as long as they think she helped them.
     
  19. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2004
    Messages:
    11,139
    Likes Received:
    1
    I had not been to the BB all day and had just finished reading the first part of a long article in the UK's "Guardian" about Osteen being the "new face of Evangelical Christianity" and I clicked onto the BB and saw your thread. I couldn't believe it! I thought at first you had seen this article.

    I certainly would say something to someone at my church about him. I've been asked about him there but so far no one at my church "has gone on about him" although I have met people at a few other churches who have. I always say exactly what he is: He's a WoF preacher but he's glibber and smoother than Copeland and the others and his style is more motivational. He thinks talking about sin is "negative" and he thinks you have to speak God's promises aloud to "claim" them. I start off with that and go on with more. My goal is to dent their admiration of Osteen and expose him for what he is.

    The article, btw, says that Billy Graham has endorsed Osteen.
     
  20. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2004
    Messages:
    11,139
    Likes Received:
    1
    Here's the article:
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/07/joel-osteen-america-pastor
    Notice the last part here:
     
Loading...