Are Joel Osteen and his wife really Christians?
- Thread starter Soverign Grace
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JohnPaul
Soldier of Jehovah and Christ
Many of times I wish that I could hit the power ball or mega millions, not for my own comfort, but so I could help the needy, feed the hungry, house the homeless and cloth the ones in need of clothes.
Okay, that's it...it is going to be early to bed for me tonight! The brain is taking a bit of a sabbatical
: Lol.
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
The whole thing about the flood was a misunderstanding. They weren't opening the church yet because they hadn't received word that the routes getting to the church were open and safe. He eventually did open it once they knew they were.
But in all honesty, I do actually worry about the state of Osteen spiritually. The message he preaches is SO self-oriented, and encourages a very self-absorbed form of Christianity rather than one that encourages focus upon God. It's psychological and motivational speaking with a Christian veneer. The God he preaches appears to be preoccupied almost exclusively with human beings operating in "favor" and blessings in this life, unlike the God of scripture who continually laid stress on spiritual matters and the state of the eternal soul after death.
It never ministers to me, which is what makes the fact that he pockets so much money in the name of "ministering to others" even more troublesome. In the name of "giving and receiving," he is receiving millions annually (even if only from the sale of books) while giving virtually nothing of true spiritual value back to those who truly live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
If he does make Heaven, I wouldn't want to be him, that's all I can say. He may be found to be among the least in the kingdom of God despite receiving compensation in this life as if he were among the greatest.
I know some may not like this post, but if I were telling the truth, this would be my response to the OP.
@Soverign Grace ..I concur with your estimation of this subject couple. It is one way of presenting it. To drive home a point that many need to hear from time to time.
It is courageous of you to bring this subject up. I suspect the spirit within, might have persuaded you. Blessings...
If one has the spirit of truth within them they also are capable of discerning the spirits of God versus the spirits of the world, over time. This couple represent a false spirit of compromise.
Christ and the apostles did mix with these spirits and worse, to present their errors and instruct them, to guide them to the truth. They never supported their errors and never condoned them.
The subject couple represent two faces: one of the world, and the other of Christ.
YHWH hates a lukewarm spirit that is neither hot nor cold for the truth.
This couple are part of the emergent false church where intolerance of the spirits of error in the near future, shall be regarded as act of heresy; and even followed by excommunication on many levels to those on the narrow path of the truth.
I see these types of '2-faced' Christians and their followers, already, in many venues and media forums, labeling those with spirit of truth as those without love, compassion and peace for their fellowman..etc. And what kind of love, compassion and peace are they speaking of anyway? I suspect it is what the world only offers..not for me..IMO...
Bless you,
APAK
It is courageous of you to bring this subject up. I suspect the spirit within, might have persuaded you. Blessings...
If one has the spirit of truth within them they also are capable of discerning the spirits of God versus the spirits of the world, over time. This couple represent a false spirit of compromise.
Christ and the apostles did mix with these spirits and worse, to present their errors and instruct them, to guide them to the truth. They never supported their errors and never condoned them.
The subject couple represent two faces: one of the world, and the other of Christ.
YHWH hates a lukewarm spirit that is neither hot nor cold for the truth.
This couple are part of the emergent false church where intolerance of the spirits of error in the near future, shall be regarded as act of heresy; and even followed by excommunication on many levels to those on the narrow path of the truth.
I see these types of '2-faced' Christians and their followers, already, in many venues and media forums, labeling those with spirit of truth as those without love, compassion and peace for their fellowman..etc. And what kind of love, compassion and peace are they speaking of anyway? I suspect it is what the world only offers..not for me..IMO...
Bless you,
APAK
Taken
Well-Known Member
Yes. It is sad when preachers fail to preach the true Gospel and do what they are commanded to do.
Although I get what you are saying Nancy, I must admit that what Stranger wrote, I was thinking when I read the opening post last night. SG is questioning someone's faith - isn't that what many of us get mad at on this forum!?
I use to listen to Joyce Meyer, and Joel Osteen - I can't say I agreed with everything, but certainly didn't feel they were not Christian. It doesn't mean I agree with how much money they make, I don't - I have never agreed with selling sermon tapes or using them as a marketing tool to get people to donate. Christians make wrong choices all the time- it doesn't mean they are not Christians- it just means that they can be ' unwise ' like the rest of us. Shouldn't we let God be the judge, and allow the Lord to work - Gods timing in bringing people under judgement , or bringing them down and humbling them isn't always instant.
I think I find it kind of worrying the SG seems to spend so much time ' looking at others ' and forming judgments about them.
So, on this occasion I must admit that I disagree with the OP- it bothers me !
Rita
Yes, that was my point. Couldn't all of us, instead of looking at Joel Osteen, look the other way and see others who are destitute and who look at us the same way as we see Osteen.
Osteen always gives an invitation to receive Christ. He encourages people (a lot of people) to read and bring their Bibles to Church. And today, there are a multitude of Christians who don't take their Bibles to Church.
This always has caused me to wonder, if a Christian doesn't take their Bible to Church, do they read their Bible at home?
Stranger
i myself am not a Osteen fan the independent baptist tear him up. the proper out look of him , would be this. there will always be wheat and tares that are grown together. come harvest time God will separate the real from thee fake . you see i been told darnel wheat {tares} look so much like the real thing it is hard to know.. even if we did know and we pulled them out.the real wheat would be harmed. saying all that i dont care for the man nor do i trust his ministry . it is not for us to judge lost and saved . if something dont seem right look right leave it alone see i know a man from my home town always had followers he lifted weights he partied . always had women been married about 4 or 5 times. several years ago he said he got saved ..started a street ministry he went to the homeless.i know tim pretty Good i have heard him preach several times.. there are things i see with my spirit .i am just not sure of. so i just stay to myself if i say anything.it would create a backlash . what i am saying if he is not the real thing come judgment he will be exposed. if his works are Not God ordained they will burn up
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I don't see anything wrong with rock as long as it doesn't have demonic overtones and bad lyrics. I'm a romantic and like romance novels - I've been reading them before I was saved since a young woman. Some of the plots are really good. My pastor visited me in the hospital and I had two books on the bed: The Bible, and How to Write a Romance Novel. The nurse came in and we were talking, and it prompted my pastor to witness to her so he picked up the wrong book and held it up and told her that she should put her faith in this book. Good Lord was I embarrassed. But like everything else there are levels - I would only read the mild ones with good story plots.
But it's everything put together about Osteen that makes me wonder about him. How can he justify taking such a high salary while I'm sure there are people who live in the area - and even in his congregation - who are poor? I watched a show where one of the big name pastors had a congregant who got cancer and she kept donating to his church, apparently hoping to be cured of it. He had a runway built next to his house so he could fly to wherever. The woman died and they interviewed her daughter, who was angry that she thought that pastor took all her mother's money.
I didn't know any believers when I sought God. I was raised in the Catholic church and there was nothing there when I tried to find God. So I began listening to the radio preachers who all asked people to "send in their seed faith gift for a blessing from God." I actually believed them and sent donations because I didn't know any better. So I was badly misled - and they didn't help me to find God. I just wonder how many in Osteen's church are really seeking to know God and they're getting a "happy message" instead?
I guess like Episkopos pointed out, he may help someone early on who needs an uplifting message.
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He preaches the prosperity gospel, name it claim it, blab it and grab it. That was my first Church experience...and they all seem to have the same talking points like "You don't want to be a Pauper! You are a child of a King!" and so on. But, when I saw him on Larry King one time, he could NOT say for CERTAIN that Jesus is the ONLY way to God...when Larry asked Him about, Buddha, Mohammad and such, Joe's just said, in so many words that only God can tell if they are saved...only God can know their hearts. He danced around that one for awhile and NEVER claimed that knowing God is only going to come through His Son.
Follow the money...and you will see where one's heart is truly at - NOT that every single televangelist is teaching error but, in my own opinion (does not mean much, lol) no preacher/teacher of the things of God should be so filthy rich. And, how often do we see preachers/prophets/teachers so popular with the world? They sure weren't in the bible!
♥
In all honesty SG that could be the same in any large church- my first church had loads of wealthy Christians in it, I certainly did not expect them to give hand outs. All of us are in different situations financially, and we can go through good times and bad times. In most of the churches I attended it was the congregation that set the wages of the pastor - much depended on how many people were members- you have some very large churches in the US , so the amount agreed on would be based on that.
Also you have no way of knowing whether or not he contributes to the needs of others. I am not into prosperity Christianity, but if you are going to judge someone being a false teacher, then why not bring his teaching to the forum to evaluate - does he proclaim prosperity Christianity ?
In every ministry there are carrots dangled to send money, it drives me nuts- I think everything has gone a bit topsy tervy with regards to how churches collect money. Over here they have special days to raise money, last year I listened to a sermon of one of the churches I like in Brighton- it provoked emotion so that you would ' want to give ' I felt it was wrong, not trusting God to provide. It doesn't make me question their ' faith ' but more there ' faith in Gods promise to provide '
Then I look at my own life and realise so often I do things ' for myself ' and are not trusting in God myself !!
Rita
Also you have no way of knowing whether or not he contributes to the needs of others. I am not into prosperity Christianity, but if you are going to judge someone being a false teacher, then why not bring his teaching to the forum to evaluate - does he proclaim prosperity Christianity ?
In every ministry there are carrots dangled to send money, it drives me nuts- I think everything has gone a bit topsy tervy with regards to how churches collect money. Over here they have special days to raise money, last year I listened to a sermon of one of the churches I like in Brighton- it provoked emotion so that you would ' want to give ' I felt it was wrong, not trusting God to provide. It doesn't make me question their ' faith ' but more there ' faith in Gods promise to provide '
Then I look at my own life and realise so often I do things ' for myself ' and are not trusting in God myself !!
Rita
I tend to think that too. They seem phony.
There is something for everyone like someone pointed out but there is something about him that makes me wary. But then I was misled badly early on so I tend to be wary now.
Hi SG,
I also was raised in the CC!
I also had to leave, many years ago, because there was nothing there for me.
I've always used this same expression just like you do. I needed more...I needed to know what I had experienced and no one there could explain it. What's even worse is that I've come to find out that priests believe in being saved by Jesus...they should have let everyone else know this too.
Of course I agree with what you've said about music, books, etc. Common sense always.
As to the salary of these rich pastors. To be honest I don't have a problem with it.
What they do is take a percentage of what they take in every year. If, at the beginning, they start out with, let's say 10% of earning, and then those earnings go sky high, as long as they keep to the 10%, they ARE being honest with God.
I mean, I don't expect them to live like I do and I'm sure they also help the poor a whole lot more than I ever could.
I think modesty is nice. I hate when they flaunt it. Those gold watches make me sick...I don't believe Joel does this. His wife dresses nicely, but what is she supposed to do? Shop at the same stores I do?
Let's not begrudge them their hard work and the people they bring in for God.
I don't see his ministry as being the same as the Word of Faith ministry,,,although he slightly touches on it now and then.
I'm just happy we both came to know God's love and truth somehow....
:)
Thanks Nancy, you answered my question.
I remember him proclaiming Gods promises - and teaching that we should trust in those promises- which I do agree with. However the passages about prosperity are often talking about being ' rich spiritually ' they have nothing to do with money. Although it could be argued that God does give back if we bless others.
Rita
I remember him proclaiming Gods promises - and teaching that we should trust in those promises- which I do agree with. However the passages about prosperity are often talking about being ' rich spiritually ' they have nothing to do with money. Although it could be argued that God does give back if we bless others.
Rita
Unsure what you mean but I live in a modest house, and we made a decent living. I live very frugally. The difference between us and Osteen was that he drew a salary from the church and he obviously draws a salary in the hundred-thousands to be able to live in a mansion and pay the taxes. "The worker is worthy of his wages" but there are probably people like the woman I spoke about who got cancer and are pouring their money into his church.
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