Christianity today
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This gets a double updoot. This is 70% of the American church. Not just osteen. Carasmatic health and wealth gospel is the norm here in America. A small percentage of our nation is actually saved not just members of the larges social club they call the church.
Same in the UK :(
Gotta be honest. Talked to some people who followed televangelist. Those people freak me out. All thry talk about is how wealthy the church was and how other people dress, what they drive etc..
Joel Osteen? That not Christianity in America. That commercialized worship of the almighty dollar.
Yep. Hes is not Christian
Evangelist movement. He and the smaller churches that obviously wish they were like his, are what has co-opted and ruined the republican party. Strange bedfellows. Without them the Repubs won't win. They came together mostly on the abortion debate. Something of a Faustian bargain
Quality meme, although there is plenty of sincere practice in North America as well as anywhere else in the world. The church is not really a building or even a human institution.
Joel Osteen is a piece of shit.
Closed the doors of his megachurch to keep out victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Contrast "Mattress Mack" Jim McIngvale, who let people stay in his furniture store for WEEKS until they could get back home. Now that's a role model.
Inre Osteen - False. The church was open to those in need AFTER they ensured that it was safe due to potential flooding. He's also opened it in winter to help people get out of the cold.
https://www.newsweek.com/joel-osteen-lakewood-church-hurricane-harvey-houston-656783
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https://www.newsweek.com/hurricane-harvey-joel-osteen-lakewood-church-656250
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https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-osteen-church-texas-cold/factcheckpastor-joel-osteens-lakewood-church-did-open-its-doors-to-shelter-texans-fromthecold-idUSKBN2AJ1WP
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Be careful what you read. The people trying to destroy Christianity aren't going after Father Joseph across town and his flock of a couple hundred; they incessantly smear the huge churches with thousands in their flocks.
Yeah. Cuz they suck. Just like Walmart puts ma and pa groceries out of business, so does a mega church destroy real communities like the churches of old. Shits whack.
He just didn't those recently homeless, unwashed masses to dirty up his pulpit.
Joe Osteen's religion.
Mason
Correct.
It is hard to believe that man is still "in business". How have people not woken up to his scam???
The Bible says that in the latter days people will not endure sound doctrine but will seek teachers that tell their itching ears what they want to hear. They want to believe that if they do x and y all their earthly problems will be solved. Scam artists like Joel Osteen would cease to exist if there was no demand for them.
Absolutely...and I am a firm believer that we are in the last days of the latter days...the intensity of evil has escalated...they know their time is short. Thank God for sound minds that can comprehend sound doctrine...we are certainly becoming a minority and are truly a beacon for truth, which has become anything you want it to be. Praise Jesus...He is the Way, the Truth and the Life...
I agree - the end is very near. For those who have not accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, I urge you to do that before it is eternally too late. God bless you.
Theophila-Pretty sharp user name is it a variation of Theophilus from Luke?
It's the female version of the name.
Neat! God bless you!
Neat! God bless you!
Africa is the king of snake oil salesman, literally. The hyper prosperity Gospel is major over there.
Exactly
It's major here, too.
The last one was wrong in one point. There is no mention of where to send your money!
LOL!
False teachers are not Christian. They teach witchcraft and blaspheme God constantly, claiming He spoke to them outside of the Bible.
The original "no outside comms"?
Preachers tell the same stories to adults they told them in Sunday school. There's no growth unless you seek it. At least the megachurches get people off their ass, away from the local jokers, and into a faith-based community rather than a social club. What people do about their weekly serving of baby food once (and if) they decide to grow is up to them. My time in a large Pentecostal Church led me to seek a deeper understanding. My last church had fifty members but it was a college-level study of the Bible. I only left because of proximity, having moved 75 miles away. There's a nationally-known megachurch nearby. Went there a couple times but they were serving baby food. I was far beyond that at that point.
pssh... you think that's bad, don't ever look up kenneth copeland... my God what a scumbag...
That being said, I can say as a non-christian that there's good and bad among christian pastors, just like anybody else.
...just steer clear of the televangelist types... ¬_¬#
Why are people like Osteen not ostracized to hell? Serious question, can anyone explain?
Most people are followers, not leaders. Like sheep
I recently discovered the Justin Peters Ministries YouTube channel. Very good. Worth a look. In addition to his normal content he just started a daily bible reading feature where he just reads scripture.
https://www.youtube.com/@JustinPetersMin
I just saw an entire professional football team on their knees praying.
There is still hope.
Indeed. Its of course a very broad generalization. Africa and Asia do in fact have their own health and wealth faux-Christian organizations that are popular and fleece the sheep. They are a mixture of exported Osteen / charismatic / health and wealth hoopla church bizness from the USA, as well as a syncretizing of weak Christianity with local superstitions such as the folk Buddhism in Asia (placate muh Buddha and ancestors with incense and oranges to get rich and healthy) and indigenous witch doctor type spirituality in Africa (same idea, paying a charismatic spiritual goofball to secure good fortune with the gods).
Not disagreeing with this, but it seems the Church has collectively forgotten Isaiah 60 and 61. These are prophesies about life on earth before the second coming of Jesus.
It pains me how many Christian churches arent anything more than a social event.
I grew up in a church with ministers who wrote sermons with deep research going into the topic and including their references. And it made some days a bit dry, but hey get some snacks and fellowship afterwards if it was. It was a wonderful standard to set overall.
Derek Prince said those churches were like refrigerators: didn't stop the rot, just slowed down the process.
I wish you would have posted an image of the deceiver perched upon the Vatican throne. You know the one with devil spirits in the serpent temple.
That's not my Christianity. Return to Orthodoxy, which has NEVER changed. Our services are the same today as in 400AD!!
Sadly accurate. Woe to those shepherds who falsely lead the flock. May the Lord draw our nation back to Him in earnest, by whatever means.
"The Kingdom of God is power, not words."
I don't know who you're quoting, but John chapter 1 clearly states: in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Unlike TRUMP, Joel Osteen NEVER responds to people mocking and scoffing at him. The Lord God Almighty is his advocate. However, I must speak up to his defense as well! His family and ministry have been a huge blessing to ME and MY FAMILY. We are closer to God because of it. I challenge anyone here to actually LISTEN to some of his messages. Many JE haters that I have met have never once listened to an entire message?!? Few realize that he takes ZERO salary from his church and is the church's #1 donor. His income does not come from donations but from book sales and free youtube and sirius xm content. He does not need to work another day in his life. But he does because he is anointed by God and is reaching people every day for the Lord. PLEASE do not speak evil against the LORD'S anointed!
IMO there's a strategic reason why Trump responds to certain people mocking and scoffing at him.
I love TRUMP and I am glad that he hits back. i happen to think that he is anointed by God and serving a divine purpose as well. I was just pointing out the difference between 2 amazing men that get criticized ALL the time.
As far as Osteen responding to the jackals - well, he did do the interview with the ever-hostile Piers Morgan.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/joel-osteen-finally-gets-to-the-truth-of-sin-with-piers-morgan.html
No, Osteen is not Trump, personality-wise, and I wouldn't expect him to be. He's a pastor, not a brash business mogul like our beloved POTUS. He's said he's uncomfortable with the constant attacks on him and I don't blame him for not wanting to waste his time walking into every snake pit of attack dog marxists.
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Your other points are well-taken. While not my church, I've listened to a couple hundred of his sermons and what I see is as follows. He follows the Bible and preaches sermons from it, encourages his flock to read the Bible. Those who claim he doesn't follow scripture have not actually listened to him. He relates the Bible verses to modern day life and shows how it can help you through difficult situations. He encourages people and tries to increase their inner strength, especially to get through difficult situations. He encourages people to get to know God, to try and listen to Him, to draw closer to Him. He encourages people to help one another. Not once have I ever heard him ask for money as I have with some of the tithe-centric mega church pastors.
His detractors who don't know him because they haven't actually listened to him are very much like leftists getting "dirt" on POTUS - "He GASSED protestors in the park for a photo shoot!", "He ridiculed a disabled man!", "He colluded with Putin!", etcetera ad nauseum. There are Christians who think everything should be hellfire and damnation and they won't like him either. That's their prerogative to embrace that interpretation of the Word. Even Babylon Bee, who I like a lot, frequently ridicules Osteen. No, Osteen doesn't come out in robes and use frankincense and chant ancient hymns, but to claim he doesn't preach scripture is simply not true.
As I said, Osteen's church is not mine. While mine is steeped in much tradition and sermons are conducted in a far more serious manner, I'm not averse to listening to Osteen's sermons (and many other pastors' sermons as well). I think people need to be more careful in embracing the venomous attacks against some of these people spreading the Word. I replied to just one other anon, above, to point out one of the lies the marxist jackals told about him. I won't bother with anymore here because I've found the discussion of religion with those more fanatical is just not productive for any of us.
Thank you for this!
I've listened to Joel Osteen. While I don't know the man and can't condemn him, I will just state that he does not preach the Gospel of substitution and satisfaction in Christ. He teaches self-help and self-esteem. That may very well have caused you to believe you've been helped. But everyone is a sinner. We need a whole lot LESS self-esteem. Only when we've been brought into the dust and realize how wretched we are can we be brought to see our need for a savior, to look to Christ and to rest in all of his work. Only when we've had our self-esteem removed can we like the thief on the cross be brought to look only to Christ for redemption and salvation. We cease from STRIVING and looking to our works and thoughts to RESTING in His finished work for His people. I do not hear this message from Osteen. I hear do this and do that. Esteem yourself. Feel good about yourself. God wants you to have $$, etc.. And yes, I have listened to him. And I feel sorry for him, his ministry, and those that listen to him. He too needs to hear the truth.
He preaches the gospel (GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ) as accurate as anyone I have ever heard. I have not just been helped. I have been blessed and drawn closer to the Lord. Don't feel sorry for him or me. The world is full of corruption and evil... yet people feel the need to speak out against God's anointed. Feel sorry for those people instead.
Joel Osteen preaches a message
Of having your best life now
But does he speak of the true source
Of strength and power somehow
He tells us to focus on ourselves
To overcome and to win
But the Bible teaches something else
Of faith and grace within
For it is not of our own will
But of God's mercy and might
That we are made spiritually alive
And able to see the light
We cannot choose to follow Christ
Unless we're first given the power
It's not our decision or our strength
But God's appointed hour
So let us not get caught up
In the pursuit of worldly gain
But seek the Lord with all our hearts
And let his mercy reign
There is SO MUCH wrong in what you say. But I will keep it simple and share my testimony. God's awesome love, grace, mercy, power and favor have become real to me now more than ever before - and He used Joel Osteen to help draw me closer to Him. In fact, I am living my Best Life Now!!!- thanks to the Lord God Almighty. Thankfully God said "now is the day of salvation" and "whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" Than included me and anyone else reading this right NOW!!! BTW "Your Best Life Now" was the title of his first book. I think he has written more than a dozen since then. You gotta keep up!
I need to find a church
Fellowship. Exact church probably doesn't matter, but I don't want any QWERTY++ supporters
...and people get upset at me when I tell them they do not need Religion, they just need Yahweh.
Religion is control.
Yahweh is free of control.
Decide.