The Gospel of "Feel Good Theology"

A week or so ago 60 Minutes did a segment on Joel Osteen. The title was "America's Most Popular Pastor" What does Mr. Osteen preach? Why does he draw so many people? We Christians are to discern all teachings, comparing it to God's Word the same way the Bereans did. What struck me most during the interview was Mr. Osteen's apparent lack of theological depth. One doesn't have to give a detailed comparison between John Calvin and John Wesley, but a little understanding would have been appreciated.

It is obvious Mr. Osteen's theology (if one can call it that) is Word Faith. Reading his books and listening to his sermons, his message is simple. Ask expecting to get. If you want something, think positive. The clips played have him saying right out that our words have meaning. If you think positive, BINGO! you can have what you think. (better job, pay raise, better life now etc)This of course works the opposite too. If you thinK bad things they also can occur. His message on giving is rather interesting as well. Rather than give because God wants us to give, he reduces giving to a forumula. To get what you want, simply give. God HAS to respond to you wishes if you give. Like other Word Faith Charismatics, he takes entire passages and verses completely out of context, making them mean something completely different that what the original authors meant for them to say.

The methodology of his church is Seeker Sensitive. For those unaware, the Seeker Sensitive movement focuses on people's felt needs. (think Rick Warren) These churches focus on what the church can do for you. As such, one will not hear sermons about suck sticky subjects as sin, judgment, repentance, the atonement, justification, faith, works, etc. If one listens to the broadcast one will see a smiling Mr. Osteen telling the reporter how the lights change colors with each song. This obviously is to create a mood, to heck with teachings, just work over people's emotions. I also noticed how completely scripted Mr. Osteen's church is. The songs are selected so the most can be gotten out of everybody's emotions. You won't hear anything about sin or repentence at his church. Those are too negative.

So, as Christians, should't we be happy in the Joy of the Lord? Why not be positive? After all, should the world see something different in us? Why am I and a host of others so hard on Mr. Osteen? Why can't we just "agree to disagree?"

We as Christians should be happy, but WHY are we happy? That is a question Mr. Osteen MUST answer. As Christians, are we always going to be happy? Let me tell all of you something, I wasn't the happiest person when my mother was suffering from brain cancer. Nor was I happy when I went through my divorce. Did I have God's reassurance? Yes, but I was not "positive" like Mr. Osteen asserts. As for blessings, yes, God does bless. Many times, however, it is not the way we mere mortals think we should be blessed. Mr. Osteen focuses on "Your Best LIfe Now" rather than "Laying up treasures in heaven" I have had times where God blessed me with material possessions, other times, it is spiritual blessings. We as Christians need to be open to either. God many times will say "no" not because he is mean, but because he knows what is best. He's not our "daddy" that spoils his kids the way WF teachers make him out to be.

Mr. Osteen also preaches only part of the Gospel. In the business of souls, part is as bad as none. Others have said it better than I have. He seems to think "God is love, love everybody, and if you want something from God, he will give it to you." That's pretty much it. Nowhere does he address man's sinful state, our total loss without God, the (just) consequences for our sin, what it took for man to obtain forgivemess for sin (Christ's death on the cross), man's need for repentence, and the result of man's refusal to trust Christ. I don't know about anybody else, but the realization that I'm born in sin and have a first class ticket to hell isn't something that is too uplifting. Only when I trusted in Christ was I able to rejoice, not because of some emotional mind trick, but because I KNEW my sins were forgiven. I can now say with John Wesley my heart was "strangly warmed"

I applaud Mr. Osteen's emphasis on giving and loving others. However, the Word Faith and Seeker Sensitive teachings in his church make these good points almost moot. Also, as stated earlier, this is only part of the Gospel. Without man knowing his sinful state and need for Christ, he is eternaly lost.

Part of the Gospel will send people to hell as much as none of the Gospel.

Here are some links on Mr. Osteen.

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/229-joel-osteen
Go down to and click on the Larry King Live segment. You will see what I mean when I say Mr. Osteen is lukewarm.

Here is the 60 Minutes broadcasst. http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3366025n