June 8, 2008
Joel Osteen Answers His Critics
Tells Byron Pitts "We're Not Perfect"
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Play CBS Video Video Preacher Joel Osteen's Message Popular preacher Joel Osteen's positive message attracts crowds and has made him known around the world in books, speeches and televised sermons. Byron Pitts reports.
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Joel Osteen (CBS)
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And Rev. Horton goes even further: he levels the harshest charge of all, calling the Osteen method of teaching heresy.
"It is certainly heresy, I believe, to say that God is our resource for getting our best life now," Horton says.
"Because?" Pitts asks.
"Well, it makes religion about us instead of about God," Horton explains.
"There are a lot of people in this country, religious people, who consider your theology dangerous," Pitts remarks.
"I don’t know what can be so dangerous about giving people hope," Osteen says. "Causing people to have better relationships. I'm not leading them to some false God or something like that."
"Hear what some others have said about you: he’s diluting and dumbing down the Christian message," Pitts says.
"Sometimes you have to keep it simple and not make it so complicated that people don’t understand," Osteen says. "But I know what I'm called to do is say 'I want to help you learn how to forgive today. I want to help you to have the right thoughts today.' Just simple things."
"You know, you get people that wanna criticize, 'You’re not doing enough of this, enough of that.' Well, we're not perfect. But to have you know hundreds of people tellin’ ya 'You changed my life. I haven't been in church in 30 years.' Or 'You saved my marriage.' Not me, but God, but they’re telling me, but you know what? You can’t help but leave every Sunday afternoon…," Osteen says, getting emotional.
"Help me understand what’s happening right now Joel?" Pitts asks.
"You know, what it is, you just feel very - I told you I was a cry baby, but you just feel very rewarded. You feel very humbled, you know?" Osteen says.
"Humbled by your success?" Pitts asks.
"Humbled that you could help impact somebody’s life. I think - I don’t even - I don’t even know these people. And you know, and God's used me to help turn their life around or give them hope, you know? It’s very rewarding," Osteen says.
"You in awe of that?" Pitts asks.
"Very much," Osteen agrees.
Osteen keeps his life simple. His best friends are his family, and he spends most of his free time with them, especially his two children, Alexandra and Jonathan.
But from Wednesday to Saturday, he’s in his home office writing and memorizing his sermon. "I feel a responsibility more than ever now, you know, sometimes when I think about it Sunday in a few days and I gotta get back up here and feed everybody and be my best and inspire them and have some good stories, keep them listening, you know, it takes a lot of work, it takes diligence," Osteen tells Pitts.
You can see that same diligence in his workouts. Osteen can bench-press 300 lbs., which is twice his body weight. And on the basketball court, even in the simplest of pickup games, he is focused, determined and looking for help from above.
Joel Osteen is currently in negotiations with a major network to anchor a primetime reality series based on the inspirational themes of his Sunday sermons. The show will originate from Lakewood Church and tell the stories of ordinary people meeting extraordinary challenges.
Produced By Ruth Streeter
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See all 799 CommentsPeace and blessings everyone. :)
I had to laugh at this because the people that "hate" Joel Osteen are really saying: Lets
not give people "hope" lets tearing them down. Jesus held people spellbound for 3 days
were they did not even think about food and I don't think he was tearing them down.
Paul writes:
Philippians 1:15-18 "Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice."
When Rev. Osteen was asked about money I had to applaud his open and truthful reply. No matter where people go to church, it costs money to keep the lights on, roof from leaking, and the children''s programs running.
I have been in and around church most of my life. Yet sometimes you need to hear an uplifting word of encouragement from places you didn''t think possible, like a ''tv preacher''. I was just scanning the channels a year or so ago and came across Joel Osteen''s telecast. %u201CI don%u2019t watch tv preachers%u201D I told myself, but I had heard from my pastor that Rev. Osteen was pretty good. The message that Rev. Osteen delivered that day helped me regain the right perspective on life at that time.
Thank you, Joel, for letting the Lord use you touch someone as far away as Clinton, Indiana.
To denounce people for using their God-given gift is to denounce the God that equipped them with the gift. When will Chritianity stop picking on others in their ranks whom God uses because they are used differently?
There will be different gifts, different ways those gifts are used, but it is all for one purpose. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (KJV) says, "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."
The Apostle Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 9:22 (KJV), "...I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."
So there you have it. God gives different gifts to people, and they may use them in different ways but all for God''s purposes. Joel Osteen''s gift seems to be to uplift people and help them.
A Biblical message that preaches only "God wants you to be a better you" will certainly be attractive to the masses, but it does not follow scripture.
Jesus said "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Read your Bibles. Study them. Compare what God''s word says against what anyone says (Osteen or others), and learn to discern the truth.
Jesus spoke the truth, and the whole truth. Read the Gospels and judge the words of others against His truth.
You people at CBS have no shame.
I disagree.
Joel is not like the rest of the TV evangelist snakes like Robert Tilton, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Pat Robertson.
I like Joel Osteen because he teaches a positive message.
I listen to him every Sunday and I read his books.
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