Comments on: Joel Osteen Answers His Critics
Tells Byron Pitts "We're Not Perfect"
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- Your assumption is that Christians already know the law and standards of God and have no need to be reminded of it. Is this really true?
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- Most Christians who criticize Joel already know about "fire and brimstone," so I don''t know why they think it''s necessary for him to focus on the reality of hell. The truth is that "The wages of sin is death, and the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Joel focuses on the "gift" of God, along with His amazing mercy and love. No one at Lakewood Church believes that they can sin without reproach. God''s judgement is clear, and we all know it. So those who criticize Joel need to take a serious chill pill. The Holy Spirit is alive and well at Lakewood, and He lets us know when we step out of line.
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- There is a public issue with Joel Osteen in the mainstream Christian ranks that can be easily put to rest. The issue is a performance-expectations gap. I believe most people in the mainstream Christian ranks who are criticizing Joel, really want to cheer for Joel. All they want to see is an effort by Joel to be true to the full calling and title of %u201CPastor%u201D which expands beyond a simple encouraging message %u2013 to one that includes a balanced presentation of the gospel %u201Cdoctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness%u201D (2Tim 3:16, 4:2). Joel%u2019s response is that he feels he is not called to expand his message beyond a simple message of encouragement. His mass following suggests there is no need for him to change his message. If this is what he feels he is called to do, fundamentally this is fine. However, to eliminate the public issue, he would have to modify his title from %u201CPastor%u201D to one of %u201Cinspirational speaker%u201D and modify the title of his organization from %u201Cchurch%u201D to that of %u201Ccommunity service organization%u201D. I think if he does this, all the public issues with Joel will be put to rest.
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- i''m gonna agree with joel. it says it right here in the bible! 1st corinthians chapter 2:
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony[a] of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human[b] wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - Reply to this comment
- i''m gonna agree with joel. it says it right here in the bible! 1st corinthians chapter 2:
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony[a] of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human[b] wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - Reply to this comment
- i''m gonna agree with joel. it says it right here in the bible! 1st corinthians chapter 2:
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony[a] of God. 2 Fo - Reply to this comment
- I believe that Joel Osteen is doing his right and perfect work ... he is teaching metaphysics to Christians ... just like Norman Vincent Peale. Each minister attracts their own and he has certainly done that. As for his Christian bias against non-Christians and gay and lesbians ... well, he still has some growing up to do ... but then so do so many of us.
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- SNAKES IN THE PULPIT
THE NEW BOOK THAT FOCUSES ON MEGACHURCHES SUCH AS T.D. JAKES, EDDIE LONG, JOEL OSTEEN, CREFLO DOLLAR
WWW.SNAKESINTHEPULPIT.COM - Reply to this comment
- Joel Osteen has been and is very helpful to me, my family and friends. God has changed me though Joel to become a better person and to overcome my addictions. I''ve never been happier and more helpful to othes.
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- Pastor Joel is misunderstood because people don''t understand. I invite you to attend one of our services live at Lakewood Church and see for yourself the wonderful fellowship shared by all the millions of christian people that attend Lakewood every Wednesday Saturday, and Sunday. I''ve never attended a church that makes you feel so loved. I was raised Catholic with a strong believe in God. It was the messages at Lakewood that helped me understand that I HAD A FRIEND IN GOD. Pastor Joel is a true messenger of GOD
Lakewood sponsors free events for families,kids, teens, young adults, and wonderful women / men ministries. The comments I get every Sunday is " WE CAN''T BELIEVE ALL THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN THAT ATTEND LAKEWOOD. While other churchs are lacking attendences of full families, Lakewood is full of families. The presence of the LORD is truly in Houston every Sunday at Lakewood Church. - Reply to this comment
- Pastor Joel is misunderstood because people don''t understand. I invite you to attend one of our services live at Lakewood Church and see for yourself the wonderful fellowship shared by all the millions of christian people that attend Lakewood every Wednesday Saturday, and Sunday. I''ve never attended a church that makes you feel so loved. I was raised Catholic with a strong believe in God. It was the messages at Lakewood that helped me understand that I HAD A FRIEND IN GOD. Pastor Joel is a true messenger of GOD
Lakewood sponsors free events for families,kids, teens, young adults, and wonderful women / men ministries. The comments I get every Sunday is " WE CAN''T BELIEVE ALL THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN THAT ATTEND LAKEWOOD. While other churchs are lacking attendences of full families, Lakewood is full of families. The presence of the LORD is truly in Houston every Sunday at Lakewood Church. - Reply to this comment
- Pastor Joel is misunderstood because people don''t understand. I invite you to attend one of our services live at Lakewood Church and see for yourself the wonderful fellowship shared by all the millions of christian people that attend Lakewood every Wednesday Saturday, and Sunday. I''ve never attended a church that makes you feel so loved. I was raised Catholic with a strong believe in God. It was the messages at Lakewood that helped me understand that I HAD A FRIEND IN GOD. Pastor Joel is a true messenger of GOD
Lakewood sponsors free events for families,kids, teens, young adults, and wonderful women / men ministries. The comments I get every Sunday is " WE CAN''T BELIEVE ALL THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN THAT ATTEND LAKEWOOD. While other churchs are lacking attendences of full families, Lakewood is full of families. The presence of the LORD is truly in Houston every Sunday at Lakewood Church. - Reply to this comment
- Think about how you react when someone directly tells you about yourself. Some crumple, some get mad, some improve,and some thank the people that made them aware of their weakness. I like Joel, John HaGee,Creflo Dollar,and the best one is on BBNradio.org is Dr.J Vernon McGee.He is with THE LORD but his message is like it is to be told. Erwin Lutzer is another but you have to listen to BBN Radio and INSP and TBN to REALLY be empowered BY GOD. Jack Van Impe and Perry Stone,Rod Parsley and Benny Hinn, TD Jakes,Copeland, Hagin,David Jerimiah. Joel is just doing what and how Jesus preached. Everyone is loved and given a chance...FREE WILL
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- I didn''t realize how many people Mr. Osteen has to answer on earth to. I thought he was serving God. I suppose in the end, God will sort out our denominatinal bigotry in the end and I''ll be glad that God will be merciful to His Children, even those who think they got it all together.
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- You cant just take bits and pieces of the bible that appeal to this new "don''t dare tell me what not to do" world we live in and toss out the rest that might "offend" some who want "milk toast" Christianity.
It''s either the whole gospel or none. The new testament has several passages where Christ makes references to the "lake of fire", guess what guys that''s HELL. If you "moderates" want to label that "fire and brimstone" preaching, then so be it!
Society changes, fads come and go. But GOD is eternal and. You can upgrade your cell phone, computer and car LOL. But what was wrong 2000 years ago, is still wrong today.
I don''t dislike Joel O. I think he''s responding or trying to respond to the critics that say "don''t offend at any cost, get em saved". That method of preaching is FLAWED for sure. If you toss out the "sin" message from preaching, you''ll have a generation of Christians thinking they have a blank check to praise god on Sunday, and act like the devil the other 6 days of the week.
For the REAL word of god, see John Hagee www.jhm.org - Reply to this comment
- Oops - website is
www.actasif.com
Brad Jensen - Reply to this comment
- Paul is a great teacher. I particularly like the part where he states the Old Testament is an allegory, not literal truth.
However, when you have Christ''s truth, you don''t need Paul''s explanations.
It seems to me that if I focus my attention on legalistic formulations, and use that to condemn my brother''s attempts to know God, I have departed from the spirit of Christ.
"What is that to you? Come follow me."
See acasif.com for more. - Reply to this comment
- Betty - God is most certainly good and nice, but you CANNOT forget that he is also utterly holy and just and cannot simply look over the sins of ALL men. God''s justice demands that it be paid for either by us or by a representative for the elect, which can only be Christ. Any "good deeds" that we do are only good in our eyes, but in God''s eyes they are tainted with sin and have no merit before him - we need the righteousness of another, again Christ! That is the gospel message - our sin imputed to Christ, Christ''s righteousness imputed to us. If you do not hear that from your preacher (or Joel Osteen) then the Biblical gospel is not being preached - its that simple!
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- 2 Timothy 4:3
I bellieve that was referring to preachers who teach people they can enter the kingdom of heaven thru their own goods deeds rather than relying on jesus alone. Joel Osteen has never claimed that in in his teachings of Gods word.
God Bless You! - Reply to this comment
- What is wrong with God being nice, my being nice and my acting nice? I was raised to understand that God is good and according to the Bible all that he created was good and he created man in his image and likeness therefore, man is good. If we live our lives as good and reflect God''s goodness and see the goodness surrounding us, wouldn''t the evil disappear because God never created it because all that He created was good? You can call it easy listening but I call it uplifting and motivational and we should have more of it in the world as there are too many naysayers to depress us if we listen to them and that''s when we allow evil to creep in.
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