Joel Osteen and the Right Way to Get People to Convert to Christianity
I’ve been thinking about this guy a lot, recently. As a person who no longer identifies with Christianity, I would say that this is pretty surprising.
Joel Osteen has been serving for the non-denominational Lakewood Church as co-pastor since 1999. His televised ministries have about 2 million viewers and has authored several books, some of them becoming bestsellers.
Instead of preaching that non-believers and sinners will go to hell if they don’t believe in Jesus (and in fact that belief trumps good deeds); Osteen tends to focus on daily trials and tribulations as well as focusing on God’s goodness rather than his wrath.
I like this guy.
I listen to this guy.
It seems that most Evangicals have a bone to pick with him. They criticized him for statements he made on Larry King in 2005 that those who don’t accept Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior could possibly go to heaven, too. He, unfortunately, took it back later on. Something in me says he did that for show, though.
They criticized him for not having formal theological training. Wait a minute, here. Did Jesus go to a seminary school? Why does formal education make one person a better preacher than another? Isn’t the point to get the “good word” out to as many people as possible? The guy is charismatic and he has a new approach to get people listening and interested in Christianity? Why do the Evangicals want to ruin a good thing?
I’m confused.
I don’t know about some Christians. It seems like they want to have their cake and eat it too. Not only that, they feel as though they are entitled to the whole the cake. How do you get new members into your church by continuing to preach to the converted while throwing the “you’ll burn in hell if you don’t believe!” to those who are not Christian? They’ve been doing this for hundreds of years, with quite a bit of success, but in recent times, as more people start turning away from this religion, a review of the Bible and a reassessment of beliefs may be needed. I guess this goes back to what I have been saying: (certain) Christians believe they have a monopoly on heaven and they believe that the system works much like their local high-end country club. If you’re not the “right” kind of Christian, you’re not getting in.
Osteen is a golden opportunity to convert people and the Evangicals, with their archaic belief system, have dropped the ball. If they call themselves “Christian soldiers”, Osteen is a good way of using gurilla tactics to spread the religion to some of the most unlikely of people.
Surely, I must be missing something.
There is so much wrong with this guy. Where to begin…
Scripture clearly says that sinners who do not turn to Jesus for salvation will be judged for their sins and yes, will go to hell. If Osteen teaches anything else, he has serious issues with scripture, which is the base for anything Christianity.\
Might I suggest that you like him because he doesn’t teach true Christianity, instead he teaches a feel good, do as you please, it doesn’t matter anyway version. Of course Christians will not want him to associate himself with the gospel, he is spreading lies.
We don’t need more people selling a twisted version of Christianity. The battle lines of this world are drawn, and don’t need to be blurred. Follow Christ, or don’t; but be careful that you aren’t following someone who claims to lead you to Christ, but is really leading you down the wrong path.
We can’t sacrifice the message to get people on God’s side. It doesn’t work that way. God’s word doesn’t change.
And why would you listen to ANYBODY who would compormise his views ‘for show’?
Posted 1 year, 5 months agoLet me start with a basic question: what is “true” Christianity? It seems to me that since there are so many sects and denominations of Christianity and people STILL can’t agree as to how the bible should be interpreted, that there is no “true” Christianity anymore, only what you think is “true”.
You are right, “god” probably doesn’t change, but the interpretations of what was supposedly said has.
Does Christianity teach you to love your neighbor, treat others as you want to be treated and better yourself and the world through good deeds? So what exactly is non-Christian about what he is teaching?
Oh, yes, the part about having to say that Jesus is your lord and savior (which he never said in any of his original teachings–he was just teaching Jews to follow the Torah in a new way). What could be a “feel good” version of Christianity is to say no matter how crap you were to other people, all you have to do is say you are sorry, say that Jesus is your savior, and *poof!* off to heaven you go. If you were a good person, but just don’t believe in it, then you get to “burn”.
If there was such a place as hell, let me say I would like to be the first in line if any deity is that vindictive. (Luckily, I’ve seen it’s not so we non-believers and former-believers choosing a life of self-responsibility are okay).
Thanks for your comments, though.
Posted 1 year, 5 months ago