“You know, our message is about lifting people up, helping them fulfill their destiny, helping them to forgive in a tough time, how to make it through this life when life tries to push you down.”
– Joel Osteen on why he avoids controversial issues, like sin, wrath, repentance…
No, we’re not calling J-O a Christian leader, but many megachurch pastors are either silent or echoing these sentiments.
Christian Post reports:Â Joel Osteen on Why He Avoids Political, Social Issues: ‘It’s Not What I’m Called to Do;’ Says Message Is ‘Lifting People Up’
Joel Osteen, the popular 52-year-old leader of America’s largest protestant church, Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, bluntly revealed that the reason why he avoids speaking out on hot button social and political issues, such as same-sex marriage, is because he believes that’s not what he’s called to do as a pastor.
In a recent interview on WBUR’s “Here & Now” radio program Osteen, who was asked if he felt these hot button social and political issues are important, said: “I think they are important but I think everybody has their own calling.”
He further explained that “It’s not what I’m called to do.”
“I have friends who are very political. They’re pastors and that’s what their thing is. But I think sometimes, that the church world, we can take one issue and make it really, really big and it can turn people off where there are many bigger issues. That’s why I don’t like to be defined by one thing,” said Osteen last Monday.
“You know, our message is about lifting people up, helping them fulfill their destiny, helping them to forgive in a tough time, how to make it through this life when life tries to push you down,” he added.
Osteen emphasized that the biggest issues facing people he ministers to are concentrated in the marital, relationship and health arenas. One of the reasons that his church continues to grow while others lose members, he said, is because he focuses on the everyday issues affecting people rather than focusing on the controversial ones.
In a 2013 interview Osteen gave a similar response to Katie Couric on why he focuses on “everyday life issues” instead of controversial ones.
“I want them to know that God’s good, that they can move forward, that they can break an addiction, that they can become who God’s created them to be,” he said.
When asked about the “prosperity gospel” that he preaches, Osteen said he didn’t like the term.
“What it connotates is that you just talk about money,” he said. “I don’t do that, I don’t do that on purpose because so many people are skeptical of TV preachers to begin with.”He added: “Prosperity is having good relationships, having peace in your mind, being able to sleep at night. But I do believe God wants you to be blessed. He wants you to excel in your career. He wants you to go further than your parents. There’s a tradition that says you’re supposed to take a vow of poverty if you’re going to be a Christian, but I don’t believe that.”
By the way, Jeb Bush, had rejected whatever form of Christianity he alluded to, he's a Roman, I have family members that are Catholic, they were sitting in "church," when he came in to "practice" a few weeks back.
On a side note, I think we are all broken-hearted seeing how so many "leaders" have remained "mum" on this dark day. I never expected different from JO, but the silence is deafening. I'm sticking to my guns, I won't cease from praying, for our families, for us, and for the bride. God bless us all! We have dark days ahead, but be of good cheer, Jesus overcame the world.
Agreed concerning "mum." Even our pastor was reluctant to have a one-off sermon addressing this to reassure the congregation of our church's biblical position and instruct on how the Lord would have us respond and engage the culture concerning this. Thankfully, he changed his mind and the sermon will be this coming Sunday.
Please post how it turns out. This is a ploy by the enemy, shock them with the decision, go quiet till everyone forgets and then do according to what they have planned. In an upcoming election cycle, no slick politician wants to touch the hot potato, the built in scapegoat is SCOTUS, they all wash their hands like Pilate, while in their hearts approving the abomination. By the way, this comes from both camps. In my opinion, the "two" party system is a hoax, it was hijacked a long time ago, now there's no difference. Just the color of the suits. Notice as Putin has never left, neither have the Clintons or many faceless string pullers behind the curtain. You vote for either one, the outcome is the same, but with a different flavor to appease the sheeple. All we need now is an emperor.
Manny, the thing to remember is that we are not citizens of this country but citizens of Christ's kingdom. Weep not for America, but weep for those who refuse Jesus knocking. Time is fleeting and the harvest is not yet in.
I totally agree
I will weep for America…I have neglected to too long, but of course, not grieving as one who has no hope, but as one who knows the truth.
I realize that our government, and consequentially our laws, is a reflection of us. I am not saying that we are under the conditional cursing/blessing conditional Mosaic covenant that God contractually setup with the Nation of Israel, but God establishes certain governments for a reason.
It is a sad Day, this country….sad sad sad.
Yes! Thank you very much! I thought I misspoke!
Yes, true, but did they have a choice to follow Satan or not? Did not one third choose to follow and seal their own fate? Yes humans are different, that's not the point. Humans can be saved unlike demons, but they also have a choice to be unbelieving and hard hearted. Remember the parable about casting pearls? What would they do to you? Sometimes people know the truth and they just don't care, all you can do is pray for them, not much else. If they choose to be antagonistic and disrespectful of other what do you suggest is the proper course?
Manny, my response was specifically in reference to angels, people and the Gospel truth (i.e. that Christ did not come to save demons so their belief is irrelevant to the Gospel) and not to how you handle antagonistic and disrespectful unbelievers. What have you done wrong? Nothing as far as I see: Hope that clears it up. I was not criticizing you at all.
He won't engage in an honest debate, he's not looking for truth, if he was he wouldn't be doing what he's doing. My opinion. I'm sure if he wants different, he would ask. Not happening. I be he knows the gospel, he's heard the gospel, hearing and knowing doesn't mean believing. Demons know, and they shudder.
Manny, the angels of heaven have never been saved and demons cannot be saved so knowing/believing the Gospel is of little consequence to them; their fate is sealed and this they know/believe (Matt 8:28-29/ Jam 2:19). They don’t shudder at what they don’t believe; their fear is neither irrational nor unwarranted.
People are not in the same boat as angels or demons. People, because of volition, can know facts about the Gospel yet isolate those facts from scripture and suppress the truth in unrighteousness, exchanging the truth of God for a lie. So they can be always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. In this case they neither know nor believe the truth. Biblically knowledge is not the possession of information, but rather it’s to recognize and accept God’s claims. There’s an attitude abroad that faith is a synonym for weak knowledge and we all tend to add to that personally when we say “I know” something is true and change that in your phraseology to “I believe” something is true. That lowers certainty in the eyes of many. From what I see in scripture faith is not weak knowledge; to know is to believe and to not believe is to suppress, not accept, and not know the truth.
Perhaps you think I am nitpicking, I hope not. It’s just that while analogies can be proper and useful, a straight line comparison between man and other creatures is an area of contention for me. I don’t believe James was doing that ,in fact I see Jam 2:19 as a continuation of the ‘objector” James is quoting in 2:18.
Keep fighting the good fight I always enjoy reading your comments.
By the way, I agree with you, and thanks for the kind words!
"Father Stenson," is what's called a troll, he likes to bait people, the best medicine against a troll is to utterly ignore them, they want you to engage them. My advice is, leave them alone, don't bother answering.
Troll or not, you should think about the biblical response regardless and answer carefully.
That's not what he's called to do? He's called to lift people up? He doesn't preach the Blood, the cross, or repentance?
Then God doesn't use his preaching to save anyone.
Maybe father john was being sarcastic?
All my life I heard how amazing Kathrine Kuhlman was. Then youtube came out and I watched to see for myself. People would come in droves to the stage to repent and get saved. It was not her preaching, that was for sure. I never heard such jibberish, theatrical junk!! Truly it was Holy Spirit and not her… If anyone does get saved listening to Joel, it will be Holy Spirit and not him…and then they will eventually change churches!
Tim,
People can still come to Christ, even when the pastor is out of line.
Remember Philippians 1:15-20 (NASB)
15aSome, to be sure, are preaching Christ even 1from envy and strife, but some also 1from good will;
16the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the agospel;
17the former proclaim Christ aout of selfish ambition 1rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my 2bimprisonment.
18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice,
19for I know that this will turn out for my 1deliverance athrough your 2prayers and the provision of bthe Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20according to my aearnest expectation and bhope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with call boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be dexalted in my body, ewhether by life or by death.
very true. But it's the matter of sitting under the false teaching where the fruit is grown.
Agreed and "knowing them by their fruits" is what Matthew 7 is all about…false teachers.
Unfortunately, most sheep in the pews are too lazy or scared to be labeled "trouble makers" to ask for clarification from the pulpit or privately with their pastor, and even worse, too lazy to read their bibles to know falsehood from truth.
Dearest Amy,
I believe Mr. Osteen is doing a brilliant job in his work, and as was said in the Book of John 6:18 "Let the farmer tend to his fields, and the entertainer his proxy, and the pastor his lambs." If he was supposed to be preaching fire and brimstone to us, then he should not be an entertainer and should rather be a musician.
In the name of Christ,
Father John
Father John, Joel's teaching is not based fully in Scripture and it's not the full Gospel. He teaches a message of health wealth and prosperity that comes about by thinking good thoughts. Please show me in Scripture where this is supported. Jesus promised us we would be hated by the world as he was hated by the world. Joel is misleading a great number of people. The Lord is patient and desiring that Joel would teach the full truth but He will allow his deception to continue for a time. I pray that the Holy Spirit would convict Joel and he would repent of his false teaching and really love people by teaching the full truth.
Father John? I guess you haven't read these words of Jesus:- "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven." (Matt.23:9) No matter. Jesus commanded ALL His disciples (that would be all Christians) to preach the Gospel. The Gospel is NOT; 'lifting people up, helping them to realise their destiny', or any of the other nonsensical thongs Joel said. The Gospel is simply, that all men are born sinners and enemies of God and that Jesus died for their sins so that if they would believe on Him, they can be saved. To the extent that Joel (or anyone else) does not preach this Gsopel, they are DISOBEYING the clear commanment of Jesus Christ.
Father John, you're kidding right? That's a good one.
I assume "father" John is catholic- which explains his inability to discern truth from error. One must know the truth in order to recognize error.
John, I pray that you will seek the one true God through His only Son, the savior and the only mediator between God and man.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim 2:5
Did anyone look up John 6:18? Sounds more Shakespearean. I think he is quoting the book of Father John 6:18 and yes, meant to be sarcastic…
Did he ever say anything regarding the Supreme Court sodomy decision? Probably not. This man strikes me as slimy, doing the work of Satan, busy spreading heresy, and deceiving those that want to be saved, all the while smiling. God help those that have fallen under his spell, just as Jannes and Jambres.
Regarding "sodomy decision" remember that lesbians are included here, so it goes beyond just sodomy.
Yes I understand, I just don't feel like getting into the tidbits, I think the point is gotten. Homosexuals and lesbians, and by extension LGTB, whatever the acronym is!
Understood.
In a word, NO. From "Joel Osteen-Exposed" on Facebook: "Joel Osteen, the popular 52-year-old leader of America's largest protestant church, Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, bluntly revealed that the reason why he avoids speaking out on hot button social and political issues, such as same-sex marriage, is because he believes that's not what he's called to do as a pastor." He refers to issues such as these as "being political" and he says he doesn't want to "turn people off". Frightening.