Just How Bad Is Joel Osteen?

[Rich Koster]

Osteen is a false teacher. He makes Scripture yield to his message rather making his message yield to Scripture.

Look on his webpage. They have a section entitled, "Did you say that prayer?" It is sickening. He is the modern day Finney.

Don't insult Finney

 

[Jared]

I heard Joel say in one of his talks that Billy Graham invited him to come and visit with him and Billy told him how much he appreciated the message of hope that he's bringing to the world.

 

[Rich Koster]

I heard Joel say in one of his talks that Billy Graham invited him to come and visit with him and Billy told him how much he appreciated the message of hope that he's bringing to the world.

Billy Graham has appeared with Robert Schuller and tipped his hand. I wouldn't invest too much in Billy Graham's stock as being a reliable source for teaching or judging the accuracy of another's message.

 

[rookie]

I heard Joel say in one of his talks that Billy Graham invited him to come and visit with him and Billy told him how much he appreciated the message of hope that he's bringing to the world.

Billy Graham has appeared with Robert Schuller and tipped his hand. I wouldn't invest too much in Billy Graham's stock as being a reliable source for teaching or judging the accuracy of another's message.

Agreed, he also said that he didn't think you had to know Christ personally to be saved....

 

[Weston Stoler]

I wanted to say a couple of things at this point.

First of all, someone mentioned Osteen being WoF-lite. I have used that term before to refer to people like him and Joyce Meyer, Joseph Prince, and Brian Houston (the pastor of Hillsong church in Sydney, Australia).

To be fair though, I think you could say the same of Rick Warren, Beth Moore, Louie Giglio, and Andy Stanley, all of whom are (as far as I can tell) soteriologically Reformed.

I think there is a vast difference though between the former and the latter. The former, for instance, all preach the prosperity gospel while the latter do not.

Also, for what it's worth, after having listened to numerous sermons from Joel Osteen, I honestly think he has a more biblical view of providence than Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar.

Don't get me wrong, he's still a heretic, but he doesn't say, like Copeland and Dollar, that God doesn't allow bad things to happen.

Also, I might add that although Copeland and Dollar are also heretics, they are not afraid to mention sin, hell, and the wrath of God like Osteen is.

---------- Post added at 12:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:39 PM ----------

BTW: When I say that Osteen has a more biblical view of providence than many of his cohorts, I do realize that he flip-flops between having a high view of the sovereignty of God on the one hand and having a high view of the sovereignty of man on the other hand. He talks out of both sides of his mouth.

I think this is a fair and reasonable look at osteen. I would rather my mother watch osteen then Dollar. However I would rather my mother watch piper then watch osteen lol.

 

[Rich Koster]

I would rather my mother watch a blank wall than Osteen, Dollar or any other WoF heretic.

 

[rookie]

I would rather my mother watch a blank wall than Osteen, Dollar or any other WoF heretic.

 

[Jared]

I think one of the most telling things about Joel Osteen is that some people who read Eckhart Tolle and Osteen see very little difference between the two. I read on Oprah Winfrey's website a few years ago some comments from some of the people who are part of her book club to that effect. They read Osteen and Tolle and see litle difference between them.

 

[FedByRavens]

Mark Driscoll is saying a lot of crazy stuff as well. He's always talking about sex, or something inappropriate. Just the other day he said that God gave him a vision of people having sex. Now i hear that he says Osteen is a brother in Christ. Does anyone else feel that Driscoll might be a heretic with correct soteriology?

 

[ThyWord IsTruth]

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-10 ESV)

He perverts the gospel of grace into one of health, wealth, and prosperity and seeks the approval of man. I think the words of Paul speak clearly enough.

The Mormons call themselves "Christians" as well. If the true gospel is not being preached as it is written in scripture then anathema! Their judgment will be greater because they perverted the truth and led many astray. If the gospel is watered down to a motivational speech or a purpose driven life centered on man and not centered on God, repentance and salvation is of the Lord; then how can it be from God? It is nothing more than a false religion just like Mormonism, the JW's or any other cult out there.

I don't hear the focus of any of these Wof preachers being "Christ and Him crucified". Probably wouldn't be too good for business.

 

[rookie]

Mark Driscoll is saying a lot of crazy stuff as well. He's always talking about sex, or something inappropriate. Just the other day he said that God gave him a vision of people having sex. Now i hear that he says Osteen is a brother in Christ. Does anyone else feel that Driscoll might be a heretic with correct soteriology?

More and more...I use to like his approach, but now some of the things he says....wow

---------- Post added at 07:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:55 AM ----------

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-10 ESV)

He perverts the gospel of grace into one of health, wealth, and prosperity and seeks the approval of man. I think the words of Paul speak clearly enough.

The Mormons call themselves "Christians" as well. If the true gospel is not being preached as it is written in scripture then anathema! Their judgment will be greater because they perverted the truth and led many astray. If the gospel is watered down to a motivational speech or a purpose driven life centered on man and not centered on God, repentance and salvation is of the Lord; then how can it be from God? It is nothing more than a false religion just like Mormonism, the JW's or any other cult out there.

I don't hear the focus of any of these Wof preachers being "Christ and Him crucified". Probably wouldn't be too good for business.

Yep, Creflo and Kenneth wouldn't be able to afford their multimillion dollar mission jets....

 

[pianoman]

Personally, I think it is all about the money for him. The better he makes people feel the more money he gets