After reading this brief article the answer to this question should be obvious. Joel Osteen, son of John Osteen, a former Southern Baptist pastor who became a Charismatic preacher in the late 1950s. John founded Lakewood Church on Mother’s Day in 1959. His church grew to 6,000 members with an active TV ministry, conferences, missionary support and food distribution before Joel took over upon John’s death in 1999. Joel had produced his father’s television programs for 17 years before succeeding him. He had only preached once in his life, the week before his father’s death.
Lakewood Church services are seen in over one-hundred nations and Osteen’s first book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, sold millions. His second book, Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day, topped the New York Times Best Sellers List with a first printing of four million copies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Osteen – cite_note-11
His popularity led to him being featured as one of ABC News’ “Ten Most Fascinating People of 2006,” and he was named “Most Influential Christian in America” in 2006 by the Church Report. This is very disturbing because he portrays a lukewarm attitude toward preaching, a method where he sparingly uses the Scriptures. This has been Osteen’s consistent elusive style, a lack of biblical conviction replaced with “politically correct” hyperbole.
It does not appear at all that his priority is to reach others for Christ. He has shown himself to be very wishy-washy in proclaiming the truth — that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. When he has had the opportunity to stand strong for the gospel, he has given vague answers that are not firmly rooted in Scripture. He is also known as “Mr. Feel Good.” He rarely, if ever, talks about the reality of hell and the lake of fire. Apparently that would be too upsetting for the populace and his mega-following.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy4:3, 4).
Osteen collected his last salary in 2004 ($200,000), but since his books went viral he has relied solely on their sale ( multiple millions). Making lot of money is not the issue. How faithfully biblical principles are applied when living and using large sums of money is the issue.
At some point the Osteen family moved to a $10.5 million mansion in River Oaks, while keeping their former Tanglewood residence, valued at $2.9 million. They are attempting to sell a vacant lot next to their Tanglewood home for $1.1 million The new mansion is situated on 1.86 acres and surrounded by an ornamental fence. It has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, three elevators and five wood-burning fireplaces, with a one-bedroom guest house and pool house. (Just enough amenities for Osteen to be classified as a humble servant of the Lord?)
Why does every televangelist and mega-church pastor live in a multi-million Federal Reserve note (FRN) mansion? If they believe their “God” blesses those who give to Him should they not give a generous portion of what their “God” blesses them with to the needy? Could Osteen live in a nice, modest house and settle for thousands of Federal Reserve notes in the bank instead of multiple millions, and give the rest to the poor and needy in his congregation?
Does Osteen and the rest of the televangelists truly believe they can live like kings because they have been blessed with millions of Federal Reserve notes? Do they believe the myriad of verses in the Bible commanding the rich to give to the poor do not apply to them?
Maybe Osteen and others like him need to study and preach a few sermons on giving to the poor. And start standing up for Jesus when they are given vast platforms to do so, instead of giving evasive answers about the gospel.
“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).
Notes
1. Joel Osteen Books and Ministry. www.christnotes.org/_joel-osteen.asp. Mathieu, Jennifer. Power House. HoustonPress News. 4.04.2002. www.houston press.com/2002-04-04/news/power-house.
2. Lakewood Church, Joel Osteen Ministries. About Pastors Joel & Victoria
3. “New Osteen Book at Three Million.” Publisher’s Weekly. 4.13.2007.
4. “The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006.” 20/20. ABC.
5. 1.2.2006.http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2716887. “The 50 Most Influential Christians in America.” The Church Report. January 2007. Christy Media, LLC. January 2007. www.thechurchreport.com/mag_ article.ph p?mid=875&mname=January.
6. www.trinityfi.org/press/osteen01.html6. Piers Morgan Tonight, January 26, 2011. 7. Pugh, Clifford. “After move to $10.5 million River Oaks mansion, Joel Osteen offers Tanglewood land for $1.1 million.” http://houston.culturemap.com/ newsdetail/07-04-10-after-move-to-river-oaks-joel-osteen-wants-to-sell-tanglewood-land-for-1.1-million.
8. “Income fit for a King: Joseph Prince and the Pastor’s Pay.” 3.31.2009. http://unsettledchristianity.com/2009/03/income-fit-for-a-king-joseph-prince-and-the-pastors-pay.