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Joel Osteen, good or bad

Knotical said:
That is assuming his accuracy is that high.

Personally, I think he is just a motivational speaker who uses the bible to support his messages, which is very dangerous as it gives people the wrong impression about how God works. Say someone "converts" while attending one of Osteens events then starts going through a trial. They have no reasonable expectation as to how to deal with the trial as Osteen never addresses them in his messages.
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Not to say you are wrong about this just asking how you know.

It seems to me that if one knows how much God truly loves them that they will naturally turn to Him in times of trials and tribulation. Isn't that a natural instinct in all people to turn to someone we trust?
Even a tiny toddler displays this propensity in human nature. Who do they go to and cry for when they are hurt or in trouble, the mother that they know loves them.
If we don't naturally turn to God for help then we don't really know how much He cares for us.
 
Free said:
Chuck Swindoll.
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Ah, yes, Chuck Swindoll, one of my favorites.
I use to listen to him on the radio early in the morning on my way to work back the 80's when I first got saved.
He is certainly one of the all-time modern greats of Christianity.
Let's see, what did he say?

"The remarkable thing is that we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day... The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude...".

Sounds like Joel Osteen has been listening to Chuck Swindoll also.
 
Free said:
Chuck Swindoll.
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Hmm....Funny thing is many of these quotes are quite motivational. I never listened to this man but I like these quotes and in fact I think Joel Osteen would like them as well. They are very positive about our position in Christ, a position of grace and faith.
"God never asked us to meet life's pressures and demands on our own terms or by relying upon our own strength. Nor did He demands that we win His favor by assembling an impressive portfolio of good deeds. Instead, He invites us to enter His rest.”
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5139.Charles_R_Swindoll
 
allenwynne said:
Ah, yes, Chuck Swindoll, one of my favorites.
I use to listen to him on the radio early in the morning on my way to work back the 80's when I first got saved.
He is certainly one of the all-time modern greats of Christianity.
Let's see, what did he say?

"The remarkable thing is that we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day... The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude...".

Sounds like Joel Osteen has been listening to Chuck Swindoll also.
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Hardly a valid comparison. Take all of what Chuck Swindoll says and compare it with all that Joel Osteen says, and doesn't say. I could take a quote from the Quran or Book of Mormon and a similar one from the Bible, and then claim that the entire books are therefore essentially saying the same thing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pastor-rick-henderson/osteen-meyer-prosperity-gospel_b_3790384.html

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/232-joel-osteen-christianity-lite
 
allenwynne said:
I've always found Joel Osteen to be uplifting.
His first book was music to my ears.
I never judged him, I always looked for the positive, as he always taught.
If we choose to be negative, then it is easy not to like Joel Osteen.
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I think we have to judge or maybe a better word for it in this case is observe, to find out for ourselves whether or not to listen to a certain preacher/teacher. This very thread is about judging Joel Osteen. Some seem to favor him and some don't.
 
Deborah13 said:
Hmm....Funny thing is many of these quotes are quite motivational. I never listened to this man but I like these quotes and in fact I think Joel Osteen would like them as well. They are very positive about our position in Christ, a position of grace and faith.
"God never asked us to meet life's pressures and demands on our own terms or by relying upon our own strength. Nor did He demands that we win His favor by assembling an impressive portfolio of good deeds. Instead, He invites us to enter His rest.”
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5139.Charles_R_Swindoll
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Of course they're motivational. People don't like quotes that aren't, so you are not going to find ones about being in one's sin and their need for a saviour. And that is precisely the problem with Osteen--he makes people feel good, while ignoring what the gospel actually teaches. He's a motivational speaker, not a pastor. At least people will die happy in their sins.
 
Free said:
Of course they're motivational. People don't like quotes that aren't, so you are not going to find ones about being in one's sin and their need for a saviour. And that is precisely the problem with Osteen--he makes people feel good, while ignoring what the gospel actually teaches. He's a motivational speaker, not a pastor. At least people will die happy in their sins.
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:thumbsup
 
Free said:
Of course they're motivational. People don't like quotes that aren't, so you are not going to find ones about being in one's sin and their need for a saviour. And that is precisely the problem with Osteen--he makes people feel good, while ignoring what the gospel actually teaches. He's a motivational speaker, not a pastor. At least people will die happy in their sins.
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Now that's very judgmental, saying that people will die happy in their sins because they listen to the likes of Joel Osteen.
I believe God is his judge, not you.
Romans 13:8: NIV
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law".
Romans 14:4: NIV
"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand".
 
allenwynne said:
Now that's very judgmental, saying that people will die happy in their sins because they listen to the likes of Joel Osteen.
I believe God is his judge, not you.
Romans 13:8: NIV
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law".
Romans 14:4: NIV
"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand".
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In terms of right teaching, the Bible puts the onus on the Church, on believers, to judge. God will judge the individual but we are to judge what is being taught.

Of course there will be people who listen to Joel Osteen who are Christian, but I worry about those who come to believe in his version of Christianity, his false prosperity gospel. As Ravi Zacharias has said, "What you win people with is what you win them to." If people are being "saved" on the basis of feeling good and $$ floating around in their heads, with little to no idea why they needed saving in the first place, or with little to no idea of the person and work of Christ, then there is a significant problem.
 
reba said:
Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jud 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Jud 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.


Growing up in the 50s with a pentecostal family a bit of hell fire preaching was kinda there ... Often as a teen i would think ... if i do this and die where would i spend eternity ? kept me out of lot of problems...
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This verse almost always gets quoted as meaning the opposite of what it says. (One of the many pitfalls of reading only one translation... especially the KJV.) The bolded part means that, despite the fact that you might be fearful of how you are going to be seen by the "church" people for associating with even the drunks, thieves, and prostitutes.... (or that you might be susceptible to the temptation to join them) to wade right in where the "good" people fear to go, "loving" those lost souls back from the fire, exactly the very same way Jesus is always shown to be doing it.

21 Remain in God’s love as you look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you eternal life.
22 Show mercy to those who have doubts. 23 Save others by snatching them from the fire of hell. Show mercy to others, even though you are afraid that you might be stained by their sinful lives.

I keep repeating it..... Jesus never, ever tried to scare anyone into conversion by instilling a fear of Hades in them. (So where do we get the idea that we know better how to preach than He did?) Where did He go with the message? He went to the dregs of society, and was severely ridiculed by men for doing so... was eventually killed, because it ran so foreign to the way they thought those people should be treated. They would tell the sinner he was useless, and headed for Hell (As if ANY of us REALLY ever had to be informed of that), whereas Jesus told them of the father's love.
 
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Free said:
In terms of right teaching, the Bible puts the onus on the Church, on believers, to judge. God will judge the individual but we are to judge what is being taught.

Of course there will be people who listen to Joel Osteen who are Christian, but I worry about those who come to believe in his version of Christianity, his false prosperity gospel. As Ravi Zacharias has said, "What you win people with is what you win them to." If people are being "saved" on the basis of feeling good and $$ floating around in their heads, with little to no idea why they needed saving in the first place, or with little to no idea of the person and work of Christ, then there is a significant problem.
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I see what you are saying Free.
But I think the ministry of Joel Osteen is bigger than you or I know about.
So I put this 2 minute thing on here with Oprah because I thought Joel was taking a step in the right direction and clarified himself on some issues at the same time.
I feel this is reason to show him some support and enlighten people about him.
 
allenwynne said:
Now that's very judgmental, saying that people will die happy in their sins because they listen to the likes of Joel Osteen.
I believe God is his judge, not you.
Romans 13:8: NIV
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law".
Romans 14:4: NIV
"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand".
Click to expand...
I am sure glad that I will not be in Joel Osteen's judgment.God judges those more harsh that are teaching the word of God.
 
Free said:
In terms of right teaching, the Bible puts the onus on the Church, on believers, to judge. God will judge the individual but we are to judge what is being taught.

Of course there will be people who listen to Joel Osteen who are Christian, but I worry about those who come to believe in his version of Christianity, his false prosperity gospel. As Ravi Zacharias has said, "What you win people with is what you win them to." If people are being "saved" on the basis of feeling good and $$ floating around in their heads, with little to no idea why they needed saving in the first place, or with little to no idea of the person and work of Christ, then there is a significant problem.
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Good point Free. I read the book called "Not a Fan" recently and the pastor that wrote it said that the best sermon is the kind that will cause people to not want to come back the next Sunday. I think that he means the message he preaches is supposed to get people out of their comfort zones and to realize that being a follower instead of a fan will cause many to feel like doing this will interfere with their life. I know it has felt like that for me.
 
Willie T We get the idea of hell ( what ever one belief about what hell is hell is still fearful ) from the Scripture. The Scripture is the Word
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus spoke more on hell then any one else...
 
Free said:
Of course they're motivational. People don't like quotes that aren't, so you are not going to find ones about being in one's sin and their need for a saviour. And that is precisely the problem with Osteen--he makes people feel good, while ignoring what the gospel actually teaches. He's a motivational speaker, not a pastor. At least people will die happy in their sins.
Click to expand...

"God knows your value; He sees your potential. You may not understand everything you are going through right now. But hold your head up high, knowing that God is in control and he has a great plan and purpose for your life. Your dreams may not have turned out exactly as you’d hoped, but the bible says that God’s ways are better and higher than our ways, even when everybody else rejects you, remember, God stands before you with His arms open wide. He always accepts you. He always confirms your value. God sees your two good moves! You are His prized possession. No matter what you go through in life, no matter how many disappointments you suffer, your value in God’s eyes always remains the same. You will always be the apple of His eye. He will never give up on you, so don’t give up on yourself.”
― Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential

"Quit questioning God and start trusting Him!”
― Joel Osteen

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/55044.Joel_Osteen
 
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