Just how bad is Joel Osteen?
I don't care for Osteen. I think he waters down the Gospel. But, just how bad is he? I ask because it seems like there is some disagreement even among conservative evagelical Reformed-thinking people.
Michael Horton seems to think that Osteen is a false teacher. John Frame seems to disagree with that. Frame has been noted as asking concerning Osteen "Is he really that bad?"
Also, Mark Driscoll has a video on YouTube where he critiques Osteen, but even at that, Driscoll stops short of saying that Osteen is a heretic. In fact, Driscoll says that he considers Osteen to be a brother in Christ.
I find Osteen's statements concerning Mormonism very disconcerting.
What are some categories that we should consider when thinking about people like Osteen who teach false doctrine? Aren't all preachers preaching and teaching some mixture of truth and error? How much error is too much?
J.I. Packer's definition of a heretic is someone who doesn't preach repentance. I think that fits Joel Osteen. But, Osteen would see it differently I think. He would probably say that he is always telling people they need to change, therefore he is always preaching repentance when he tells people to "become a better you". But Michael Horton would point out (rightly I think) that because Osteen doesn't preach enough of the biblical Gospel, he is not preaching biblical repentance. He is simply moralizing. People need to understand that the motivation for living a godly life should be the grace that comes to us through the Gospel. They don't get that from Osteen.
In my opinion, Frame is off when it comes to Osteen. Even the pastor of the Pentecostal church that I grew up in realized that Joel Osteen was a false teacher.
What are your thoughts?
I don't care for Osteen. I think he waters down the Gospel. But, just how bad is he? I ask because it seems like there is some disagreement even among conservative evagelical Reformed-thinking people.
Michael Horton seems to think that Osteen is a false teacher. John Frame seems to disagree with that. Frame has been noted as asking concerning Osteen "Is he really that bad?"
Also, Mark Driscoll has a video on YouTube where he critiques Osteen, but even at that, Driscoll stops short of saying that Osteen is a heretic. In fact, Driscoll says that he considers Osteen to be a brother in Christ.
I find Osteen's statements concerning Mormonism very disconcerting.
What are some categories that we should consider when thinking about people like Osteen who teach false doctrine? Aren't all preachers preaching and teaching some mixture of truth and error? How much error is too much?
J.I. Packer's definition of a heretic is someone who doesn't preach repentance. I think that fits Joel Osteen. But, Osteen would see it differently I think. He would probably say that he is always telling people they need to change, therefore he is always preaching repentance when he tells people to "become a better you". But Michael Horton would point out (rightly I think) that because Osteen doesn't preach enough of the biblical Gospel, he is not preaching biblical repentance. He is simply moralizing. People need to understand that the motivation for living a godly life should be the grace that comes to us through the Gospel. They don't get that from Osteen.
In my opinion, Frame is off when it comes to Osteen. Even the pastor of the Pentecostal church that I grew up in realized that Joel Osteen was a false teacher.
What are your thoughts?