John Osteen, some love him, some hate him, some like me say live and let preach. My personal take is Proverb 30:8: “Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion.”
This article shares a bit about his vast empire. Osteen’s Lakewood Church, in Houston, is the largest in the United States, with 45,000 regular weekly attendees and 7 million more tuning in. His television show is the most-watched inspirational program in America and is seen in 100 countries around the world. He has sold 7 million copies of his two books, ‘Your Best Life Now’ and ‘Become a Better You.’ Podcasts of his sermons are downloaded 4.5 million times a month. He preaches to more than 15,000 people at a time in the basketball arena turned sanctuary that is Lakewood Church. His pulpit stands near the spot where Hakeem Olajuwon helped the Houston Rockets win two consecutive N.B.A. titles. But the Rockets, who have since moved across town, never put as many people in the seats as Osteen does.
In New York there was a guy called Reverend Ike. One of his core messages was on the supposed Scriptural topic— “The lack of money is the root of all evil”. He kept saying things like, if you have trouble handling money, send it to me. Osteen is far more slick than this, and in fact far more accountable. His ministry maintains public records and provides financial reports, and in fact he has not taken a salary since his book went mega-platinum. He has also reportedly signed an enormous contract for his second book with Simon and Schuster. He is then not a shister or a crook it would appear. His example seemsfar more beguiling than the obvious huckster. Wherein lies the problem then?
The problem is several fold, and it involves a fundamental replacement of what the Bible actually has to say about wealth, with what our culture says about wealth and prosperity. And of course when you preach a message that is heard as saying “God wants you rich” or is heard as saying “if you give generously to God (i.e. our ministry) he will repay you many times over”, then of course the implication is that the Gospel message is really all about us, and ways to get God to fulfill not merely our needs and desires but even our conspicuously consumptive dreams. But is God really a nurturer of a vision of life that says its all about me and my material success? Um, I don’t think so. I like the guy, I just don’t agree with everything he has to say. But here read the entire article here and if you haven’t thought about it already, do so.
Good post. I think Olsteen is probably doing more good than not. I say this because I’ve spoken to both Catholics and Protestants who have been burned by the church, they’ve listened to him and somehow found themselves returning back to church and faith. I’ve also heard Olsteen say himself that his job is to keep the message positive and not be people on the head, as we see on some channels.
The issue though is theology-though the gospel is goodnews, it not only encourages us but challenges us to things as well. The gospel is about joy and suffering. About losing so we can gain, about so much more than we often hear. It would be nice to hear this balance once in a while.
My question is (i don’t have an answer), in an information society, can we have this luxury of creating gospel niches?
So some might say: “i just preach on wealth” or some one might say “i keep it positive” or someone else might say “I preach on liberation & justice.”
This isn’t directly targeted at anyone in particular, but I think Dietrich Bonhoeffer was very prophetic when he voiced his concern about “cheap grace”. Namely the part about confession with out repentance. The idea of giving up our agendas and following a different path and kingdom. This doesn’t always include health and wealth and bliss. But it might require some struggle. If we’re telling people they can be all they can be without “carrying the cross” then something is wrong. But then again this message isn’t sexy and palatable.
Hey Jose
I agree with you that Osteen is probably doing more good than harm as it relates to bringing people back to the kingdom and his message is truth its just not balanced as you also mention. I believe that ministers of the gospel have to share the whole gospel not just the parts that are popular because we are the ones that will be held accountable for others and bottomline while there will be blessings there will always be cross carrying struggle as well.