AIN'T TRYING TO BE MEAN ,BUT HAS ANY BODY EVER SEEN THE T. V. PREACHER JOEL OSTEEN PREACH THE "GOSPEL"? WHEN I SAY GOSPEL I MEAN PREACHING BOUT JESUS BEING BORN A VIRGIN,DYING ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS AND BEING RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY OUR FATHER?ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS AND ASKING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST INTO OUR LIVES AND BECOME OUR LORD AND SAVIOR! THERE IS SALVATION IN THAT,BUT NOT HEARING HOW SUCESSFUL YOU CAN BE !SUCESSFUL MONEY WISE ON THIS EARTH? IS IT NOT DANGEREOUS FOR A PREACHER TO NOT TELL THE GOSPEL? HOW CAN A PERSON BECOME A CHRISTIAN FROM SUCH "PREACHING"? "IF A MAN GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSES HIS SOUL...." BILLY GRAHAM [WHO ALWAYS GAVE THE PLAN OF SALVATION WHEN EVER I HEARD HIM} HAD HIS PICTURE WITH JOEL,BUT DID HE KNOW WHAT JOEL PREACHED? HE IS PRETTY OLD AND MAY HAVE NOT KNOWN. WE HAVE ALL HEARD HOW MANY DIFFERENT SINS WILL BRING DOWN THE USA,BUT HAS ANY BODY HEARD ONE PREACHER TALK ABOUT GREED AND THAT "THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL"? I AM NOT AGAINST A CHRISTIAN HAVING MONEY! JUST DON'T SAY ALL CHRISTIANS SHOULD HAVE LOTS OF MONEY ETC CAUSE THAT IS GOD'S WILL ,OTHERWISE SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THE WAY YOU BELIEVE! ! I PRAY THAT THE LORD WILL HELP JOEL KNOW TO PREACH THE GOSPEL ! GOING TO HEAVEN IS ALL IMPORTANT! ,MAY THE LORD TAKE JOEL OSTEEN AND MAKE HIM A GREAT PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL AND MILLIONS COME TO KNOW OUR LORD AND SAVIOR ,EVEN IF THEY LIVE ON THE STREETS! AGREE- DISAGREE? LET ME KNOW! JAMIE
Well said bro. Joel Osteen has blessed my life with many of his messages, but I am already saved, so I can sit back and use the encouragement.
However I feel His ministry is not as effective for the lost, for the reasons you have already mentioned. He is a great preacher to motivate the House of the Lord and I do not doubt some have come to truly know the Lord from his preaching, but I am always left with the thought after his messages of what a great service and servant he could be for the kingdom if he preached true Repentance with a biblical emphasis.
Anyways, just thought I throw my two cents here. :)
I have listen to Joel Osteen and at the end of his sermons he always invite people to receive Christ as their personal Savior. I just believe that he was called to preach the power of positive thinking and having faith in God. As I put in my previous post, the first sermon that I heard from him was about life and death... and God's timing. In that message, he didn't mention "worldly" as many people have put it.
I have read his book "your best life now" and that book helped me so much in my thinking. I also have his bible, and some of the commentaries in his bible speaks about salvation and accepting Jesus Christ.
There are so many different preachers and each one has their own style. Pastor Hagee preaches a lot about sin and prophecy, Joyce Meyer is another motivational preacher, David Jeremiah talks a lot about prophecy. So there are many different preachers that speaks a different word to everyone.
I know that God wants us to be aware of the plan of salvation, but there are other aspects to life that he wants us to know about as well.
THE THING IS IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE"FAITH COMES BY "HEARING" THE WORD OF GOD. DOES THAT MEAN ANY SCRIPTURE PREACHED AND HEARD WILL BRING ABOUT SALVATION? IT WOULD SEEM ANY PREACHER WOULD BE TO WIN SOULS TO CHRIST ABOVE ALL OTHER THINGS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF CHRISTIANS TO DO OTHER THINGS LIKE ENCOURAGE,BUT IT JUST SEEMS A PREACHER SHOULD PREACH EACH AND EVERY SERMON TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO KNOW JESUS AS THERE SAVIOR. ALL THE REST CAN COME AFTER THAT ONE CRUCIAL THING! I GOT TO AGREE WITH CHARLES.. . I WILL LISTEN TO JOEL MORE DEEDEE AND I AM THE FIRST TO CORRECT MYSELF IF GIVEN THE CHANCE,I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT AS I AM 55.BEEN SAVED SINCE 17 AND KNOW I AM WRONG IN MANY THINGS WAY MORE THEN BEING RIGHT! I AM NOT ABOUT BEING RIGHT,BUT AM ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT! I JUST DON'T REMEMBER HAVING HEARD MUCH COMING FROM JOEL CONCERNING SALVATION,WHICH AS STATED IS ALL IMPORTANT TO ME AS HEAVEN OR HELL IS IN THE BALANCE! NEXT TIME ANY WATCH HIM REALLY LISTEN FOR THE GOSPEL! THE BEST ENCOURIGING MESSAGE TO ME IS JESUS DIED,SHED HIS BLOOD,ROSE AGAIN AND IS NOW SITTING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER BEING OUR ADVOCATE! I WANT TO LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN,NOT HERE. AS MY MOM WHO DIED ON THE 18TH THIS TIME LAST YEAR SAID EVERY DAY FOR TWO YEARS WITH HER "BAD "MIND" "I WANT TO BE WITH MY LORD AND SAVIOR ,JESUS CHRIST"! MAN SHE IS RIGHT NOW!! PRAISE THE GOD THAT IS NOT A GOD OF THE DEAD ,BUT THE GOD OF THE LIVING!! THAT IS ENCOURAGING,UPLIFTING AND SO MUCH MORE!! IF YOU ARE HELPED BY JOEL I AIN'T KNOCKING YOU OR HIM ,JUST ASKING! I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT! LOVE! JAMIE!
I respect everyone's opinions, everyone has a different opinion especially when it comes to the word of God. I see TV evangelist just like Church's. Not every church is for everybody.. what works for one does not work for the other. Maybe the messages that Joel Osteen preach is not for you at this time in your life, maybe God wants you to listen to someone else at the moment. There are so many pastors, preachers, and evangelist out there, each one with a different purpose, motive and message. There are some out there that I don't particularly agree with and some that I do.
Joel Osteen did not lead me to Christ, every since I was little my mom took me and my brothers to church so I grew up knowing about Jesus Christ. It was when I got older was when I strayed away and started getting confused about my life, spirituality and God. Somedays I still get confused and wonder where is God in my life that is a total mess.
Actually it was Joyce Meyers that I started listening to that really turned me back on to God and the word. I started watching her on TV and I started buying her books. I came to a point where I knew that I was making my life a mess and only God could help me... I am still here at that point.
There are so many pastors, preachers, and evangelist out there, each one with a different purpose, motive and message
The above is taken from what you stated. Sadly it points out what is often wrong within Christianity that causes many to reject the Gospel of Christ. Too many purposes, motives, and conflicting messages.
The answer comes from developing a real and personal relationship with Christ yourself. I John 4: 1 can be a guide.
Even then, if someone preaches a Gospel that suggests you need Jesus plus ________ then your alarms should go off.
We should never forget that the church, preachers, evangelists, etc. should only be an extension of your Romans 12: 1-2 commitment to the Lord and not the reason that you believe.
You say that you grew up knowing Jesus but have you ever confessed romans 10:9? Knowing about Him is not enough then the sacrifice on the cross was in vain; it's about a personal relationship...God bless4ever&everr
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT HIM I KNOW JESUS AS MY "PERSONAL SAVIOUR" YOU UNDERSTAND? IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME ASK HIM ABOUT ME.JUST ,BECAUSE YOU KNOW HIM THOUGH DON'T MEAN YOU WILL BE "RICH"[IN MONEY,MATERIAL GOODS ETC,JESUS SAID WHERE YOUR HEART IS ALSO IS YOUR TREASURE,"LAY NOT TREASURE UP ON THIS EARTH",TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME",,IT SAYS TO FOLLOW HIM ,NOT HE WOULD FOLLOW US AROUND "BLESSING US WITH WEALTH AND EASY LIVING HERE ON EARTH!"] THE WORLD HATED HIM AND THE WORLD WILL HATE US IF WE ARE OF HIM! YOU JUDGE ME? YOU KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE SINCE 1971? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHO DO YOU FOLLOW? GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN!
JUST CURIOUS: HAS ANY BODY ON HERE CAME TO CHRIST FROM LISTENING TO THE PREACHING OF JOEL OSTEEN? OR DOES ANY BODY KNOW SOMEBODY PERSONALLY WHO CAME TO JESUS FROM HEARING THE PREACHING OF JOEL OSTEEN? WOULD REALLY LOVE TO HEAR THEIR TESTIMONY! JAMIE
I used to go to Lakewood Church for a short while after Joel took over. I quit going because I never heard the Gospel of CHRIST preached. After his appearance on Larry King where he wouldn't be pinned down as JESUS being the only way to GOD, I was glad I left.
I can't remember any instance where he dug into the Scriptures and taught on the WORD of GOD. It was mainly "positive thinking" talks and change of attitude messages. Neither he nor his wife, who is now referred to as a pastor there, has been to Seminary. That's not to say that you have to go in order to preach GOD's WORD, but, when the theology strays to putting emphasis on self along with "name it and claim it prosperity messages" and not on CHRIST, there is something wrong with the perspective that maybe Seminary could have straightened out. If you look at the ministries of JESUS, Paul, Peter, John, James, and so on, you don't see that type of thing preached or taught. What you do see is the message of "seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and all these other things will be added unto you". But those other things are not abundant earthly riches, they are your needs, and those needs will not be met until you put GOD first. We were put here to glorify GOD, not ourselves. And when we glorify GOD, HE meets our needs as well as drawing us closer to HIM. And that is where our joy and abundance of life is found, in HIM, not in the things of this earth. Why else would JESUS tells us to lay up our treasure in heaven and not on this earth? Sure, GOD may bless some of HIS children to be rich and famous if it glorifies HIM and works to HIS purpose, but that isn't the ultimate reason we are here. Again, we are here to glorify GOD. If that isn't the main focus in everything we do and have, if CHRIST is not our message, then you have to ask "is what we do and have from GOD?". Chances are it's not and we are being beguiled by satan.
Anyway, that's my take on it and I'm sticking to it.
In Matthew 7:13-14 JESUS says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." In Matthew 7:21 HE says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." JESUS also said in john 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Here is a portion of the transcript form Joel Osteen's Larry King appearance:
KING: What if you're Jewish or Muslim, you don't accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know ...
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They're wrong, aren't they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person's heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don't know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don't know. I've seen their sincerity. So I don't know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
CALLER: Hello, Larry. You're the best, and thank you, Joe — Joel — for your positive messages and your book. I'm wondering, though, why you side-stepped Larry's earlier question about how we get to heaven? The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and the only way to the father is through him. That's not really a message of condemnation but of truth.
OSTEEN: Yes, I would agree with her. I believe that. . .
KING: So then a Jew is not going to heaven?
OSTEEN: No. Here's my thing, Larry, is I can't judge somebody's heart. You know? Only God can look at somebody's heart, and so — I don't know. To me, it's not my business to say, you know, this one is or this one isn't. I just say, here's what the Bible teaches and I'm going to put my faith in Christ. And I just I think it's wrong when you go around saying, you're saying you're not going, you're not going, you're not going, because it's not exactly my way. I'm just...
KING: But you believe your way.
OSTEEN: I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.
KING: But for someone who doesn't share it is wrong, isn't he?
OSTEEN: Well, yes. Well, I don't know if I look at it like that. I would present my way, but I'm just going to let God be the judge of that. I don't know. I don't know.
KING: So you make no judgment on anyone?
OSTEEN: No. But I...
KING: What about atheists?
OSTEEN: You know what, I'm going to let someone — I'm going to let God be the judge of who goes to heaven and hell. I just — again, I present the truth, and I say it every week. You know, I believe it's a relationship with Jesus. But you know what? I'm not going to go around telling everybody else if they don't want to believe that that's going to be their choice. God's got to look at your own heart. God's got to look at your heart, and only God knows that.
All I can say is to check the Scriptures, check the Scriptures, check the Scriptures! And when you do, and ask the HOLY SPIRIT to guide you, GOD will tell you where to stand on this issue.