Joel Osteen - Digivangelist

Thousand Hills · May 10, 2013

Long article, but an interesting read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/...d=maing-grid7|main5|dl4|sec1_lnk2&pLid=311263

Here are some of the scariest bits I found

They are absorbing Osteen’s “Night of Hope,” a gathering of evangelical Christians aimed at strengthening people's commitment to Christ, swaying non-believers and spreading Osteen's message of self-improvement through Christianity.
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Swaying? Osteen's message?

Osteen's staff has instructed online congregants to post prayers to his Web site or phone prayers to a 1-800 number. They've also provided an email address -- [email protected] -- assuring digital participants that the church has dedicated prayer partners on hand who will field their missives and pray for them.

But at this moment, those emailed entreaties have no prayer of reaching anyone. The email address Osteen's helpers have supplied is the wrong one. It's an address that doesn't exist -- the staff was meant to offer up "[email protected]." Thanks to the error, an automatically generated email reply is informing the faithful that delivery of their prayers has "failed permanently."
“It bounced back,” types one of the people in the chat room, who has tried to email from her home in Canada. “I need your prayers.”

She tersely summarizes her feelings about the situation: “=(.”
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Uh Oh, now just how are those prayers going to get through?

Osteen has long harbored aspirations of reaching enormous numbers of people. Early in his career, when he published his first book, Osteen's public relations team pitched him as “Billy Graham meets Tony Robbins.” His message of positive thinking and attaining personal prosperity through Christianity has attracted both devout followers and strident critics, who argue he preaches a watered down version of the Bible that overemphasizes material wealth. But his breed of self-empowerment evangelicalism -- “Be a victor, not a victim,” “[God] wants us to enjoy every single day of our lives” -- has proved so popular, Osteen delivers his song-filled sermons to traveling Night of Hope events held monthly in different cities around the world. He’s also authored several bestsellers and reaches 10 million homes a month via his weekly TV broadcast. He has a passion for television and doesn’t seem to have ever met a camera he didn't like. “TV is Joel’s heart,” notes Madding.
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Hmmm... Okay

In his telling, social media enables him to “impact more people in a positive way” -- an impact he no doubt hopes will ultimately tether believers and non-believers closer to his congregation (and maybe even sell some of his books or DVDs along the way).
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“There are thousands of comments a second,” she tells another team member. “It’s just a massive undertaking. It’s exciting because his fans are excited, and so nice, and they’re so happy to be a part of it and they’re so enthusiastic.”
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“I eat, breathe and sleep Joel at times,” says Vo. “I speak Joel now … You pick up the voice and it’s like, ‘Oh, God bless you’ and ‘Would love to pray for you.’”And yet, much like the majority of the congregants who will gather here tonight via social media, Vo knows Osteen primarily as a digital experience: She has met him in person only once -- the day before.
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Vo breaks from her Twitter work to scan through the 400-odd comments on Osteen’s most recent Facebook post, systematically “liking” some and answering questions about the Night of Hope. That personal attention, says Vo, helps endear Joel to people by assuring them he’s hearing their prayers and praise -- even if it’s from the “JOM Team,” not Osteen himself.
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“Joel is there. He’s touchable, he’s interactive. You don’t feel like he’s just a TV,” she says. “The followers know he’s there, he’s listening, he’s a pastor and he’s watching, so they get the interaction.”
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I don't know whether to :laugh::laugh: or :BangHead::BangHead:

glazer1972 · May 12, 2013

I remember reading an interview where they ask him if he believed in hell since he never mentions it. Iirc his response was that there was a hell he just didn't want to talk about it.

Mexdeaf · May 12, 2013

Osteen- modern day Robert Schuller.

Yeshua1 · May 13, 2013

Mexdeaf said: ↑

Osteen- modern day Robert Schuller.
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Amen!
As Schuller had his 'reformation" for the Church being the Gospel of self reformation/self estee, Olsten has his to be think and act positive!

maybe a dose of norman Vincent peale also!

Joel Osteen - Digivangelist

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Joel Osteen - Digivangelist

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