Over the past couple of weeks some very good friends and I have been having an ongoing discussion about televangelists and whether they are helpful or hurtful for the lost. It all started Easter weekend when I was flipping through the channels after Sunrise Service (yes I got up before the sun came up for once) and I happened upon Joel Olsteen. Over the past few months I have truly enjoyed downloading podcasts from various pastors throughout the US and across the world and listening to them when I drive, or walk, or just whenever I feel like it. So I decided to listen to Joel's message to see if I could harvest a nugget or two of solid wsdom.
During his message Joel told a story about a young couple who came to him and asked him to pray with them. They wanted him to pray that the furniture they wanted for their home would go on sale so they would be able to afford it. Now I thought that I was being set up for a great punchline with this story, but to my surprise, Joel said that he told the young couple that instead of praying for the furniture to go on sale that he would pray that God would increase their income so that they could purchase the furniture at regular price. Joel referred to this as being in "God's Overflow". I was speechless.
A few days after seeing this a friend of mine from Lexington and I were talking and he mentioned that he just happened to be flipping through the channels on Easter Sunday and caught part of Joel Olsteen's message. He started to tell me the story about the young couple. He too was amazed that this was the message that Joel was delvering. We discussed how wrong we both thought Joel was in his method and message.
We then included another friend of our's who lives in Augusta, Georgia. This friend had a completely different perspective on the situation. He said that he views Joel like a kindgarten teacher for Christians. He lays a basic foundation and makes the people feel comfortable with the idea of religion and Christianity. I then began to wonder what position was correct.
As I was debating this issue a very important point was brought up to me by my friend in Lexington. We may not agree with what Joel teaches and how he teaches, but he is bringing people to know the Lord, which is more than what I have done for the Kingdom. I felt very ashamed of myself for even engaging in such a discussion about a Christian brother and I think the following verses from Matthew Chapter 7:3-5 sum up what I have learned from all of this:
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
So instead of criticizing the ministry of someone whose heart I don't know, I have decided that my time will be better spent praying for those who come to Christ through Joel's ministry. I pray that they don't stop in Kindergarten, but rather that they continue learning and earn their M. Div. I also think that it is important for me to continue to ask God for wisdom and more importantly, humility.
So f you happen to see me walking around with my hands cupped over my eyes, just know that I am doing fine, but that I am working on dislodging the plank that has been there for a while.
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disclaimer: please dont judge any typographical errors, in keeping with the nature of the original post. also, where words are missing, do your best to insert what you believe are the right ones. try to get inside the text and really understand what the author intended. grapple with his thoughts, mine the depths of his amazing work. what you are about to behold is truly the work of genius. respect it as such. bow down to a tru pimp. naw, i'm just messing. i'm just in a weird mood i guess and there's an orange cup on my desk. you know how i get around orange cups. it makes me feel like i'm flying a helicopter underwater.
seriously now...
yeah. i feel ya bro. i do think we need to be careful about being judgmental. but....i do think as believers we have a responsibility to judge those within church. for pastors especially one command they are charged with is to protect the flock from erroneous teaching. ultimately, i guess, it comes down to what you believe about Osteen's message. i dont think my position would be one that opposes him as person, for he is made in the image of my God, but his message does concern me. further, to make a judgement like that i have to also be open to being judged with the same measure, and though i believe it would be difficult to hear, i would rather have people in my life pointing out to me where my theology is off base than to be teaching error.
now, and i've said this before, i do not think everything he teaches is wrong. i have heard him give a strong gospel presentation, and for that i rejoice. however, i simply cannot walk with, or encourage others to place themselves under his teachings concerning wealth and prosperity when my Savior told me not to even worry about what i will wear or what i will because my heavenly Father knows that i need these things even before i ask. though i certainly do at times find myself praying for temporal possessions, i cant commend myself for doing so. Nor can i claim to be living a life free of worrying about those things as Jesus commanded if they are the very subject of my prayers. so yes, i too have a plank. i pray for money and job security and personal comfort more than i take the names of my lost neighbors before the throne and plead for their salvation. this may be too idealized, (but such are our aspirations to be as Christians) but what if Osteen had told those parishioners trying to buy that furniture this:
"You know there's nothing with furniture, even nice furniture, and I hope God is pleased to give you more money so that furniture doesn't have to go on sale. But let's redirect our focus in prayer a little. The truth is, over time you could likely save up and purchase any furniture you want. But let's start asking God for things that we cant get off the shelf. Let's start asking for only those things we can get from His hands. Of course, everything comes from His hands, we recognize that, but he has reserved His prerogative to be the sole dispenser of certain things like His mercy and grace and Spirit. Like forgiveness of sins. Like provision enough for today. Like abundant spiritual life. Like rescue from temptation. Let's start praying into situations that are truly hopeless apart from God's intervention. Let's start praying for revival to sweep the sex trade business in Burma. Let's start praying for the Spirit to expose the darkness by blowing open the secret lives of teenagers. To save our lost friends at work and our neighbors. Let' start praying for the American Church to have as much vitality as they have money. Let's start praying for kingdom things. Let' search our hearts and beg God to help us distinguish between our own narcissistic and selfish hopes for our live and His dream for it. Let's really set on our minds on the Kingdom. Let's begin to seek God in prayer not just merely to get Him to grant our three wishes, but so that we may learn what it means to abide with Him, to walk with Him as Enoch walked. If after really try to set our hearts on these matters, we still cant settle for cheaper furniture or even afford lawn chairs, then come see me and I'll the check for you get whatever you want, because God knows I'm living in the overflow."
now i do not mean to suggest that Osteen personally have these things in his heart of hearts, but at least as the sermon about furniture goes, that's doesn't seem to be what was being proclaimed. though it may sound as such, i am really not an Osteen basher, i am just participating in the post here. i would actually love to be his friend, he could buy me really nice cigars. but i do truly hope God leads to a point where His teaching transcends things like furniture and wealth that here today and gone tomorrow. i hope God does the same thing in me, for He knows i am way too focused on perishing things.
anyway, this is just some what God has doing in my own life during prayer times lately. He is leading to beg of Him things I am utterly powerless to produce. my burden for a few lost friends has already exhausted my attempts to persuade them. now i find myself pleading with the Lord at least a couple times a week to flip the switch of regeneration in their hearts. for if He does not do so, nothing I can say will, though i trust i may just planting or watering seeds that someone else hopefully harvest. dang it, i bet it will be Joel Osteen. :) o well, to God be the glory!
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