Osteen . . . He's baaaack

[DMcFadden]

Just saw Joel Osteen on Fox and Friends.

His new book, Break Out tells you how to take the limitations off yourself. How do you do this? Well . . .

• Believe Bigger
• Consider God not Your Circumstances
• Pray Bigger Prayers
• Keep the right perspective
• Don’t Settle for Good Enough

Sounds familiar. Evidently Osteen has discovered the John Maxwell magic of repackaging the same stuff with a new title.

I'm gonna pass. Already read it in its more original packaging nearly 60 years ago . . .

 

[Steve Curtis]

 

[Bill The Baptist]

Somewhere in the book he probably quotes Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It always amazes me that prosperity types always quote this verse, and yet they never actually consider what happened to Jeremiah.

 

[DMcFadden]

If you don't want to stick with the "simple" Gospel, your major alternatives are moralism or mysticism (yeah, rationalism too, but it didn't alliterate with moralism and mysticism).

 

[Marrow Man]

Did he ever go away?

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Stuart Smalley V/O: I deserve good things. I am entitled to my share of happiness. I refuse to beat myself up. I am attractive person. I am fun to be with.

Announcer: "Daily Affirmation with Stuart Smalley". Stuart Smalley is a caring nurturer, a member of several 12-step programs, but not a licensed therapist.

Stuart Smalley: I'm going to do a terrific show today! And I'm gonna help people! Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and, doggonit, people like me!

Hello, I'm Stuart Smalley! Well, I'm still receiving some negative reaction from my show on Pee Wee Herman, titled, "There But For The Grace Of God Go I", and, I have to admit, it's not my best show.. but that's o-kay. I have to give myself permission to do a bad show every now and then. Okay.. for those of you who watch the show regularly, you know that I don't have guests, I always do the show alone.. and that's.. o-kay. But yesterday, my producer said, "Stuart, I can get you a guest that you would be insane not to have on the show." So I decided to take a risk - in life, you have to take risks - and, today we have a guest..and his name is Michael J. - I'll protect your anonymity. Michael is a basketball player for a professional basketball team. Well, that's very good, Michael, you should be very proud of yourself.

Michael Jordan: Well, thank you, Stuart. I am.

Stuart Smalley: Well, good for you! Good for you! Um, Michael.. I know there must be a lot of pressure for you to play very well, and I can imagine that the night before a game, you must lie awake thinking, "I'm not good enough.. everybody's better than me.. I'm not going to score any points.. I have no business playing this game.."

Michael Jordan: Well.. not really.

Stuart Smalley: Michael, denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

Michael Jordan: Well.. I do sometimes get a little nervous before important basketball games.

Stuart Smalley: I thought so. And that's.. o-kay. You're not alone. Believe me, I know what it's like.. laying there alone.. all those tapes rolling: "I'm a fraud.. tomorrow, I'm going to be exposed for what I am, a big imposter.. I just want to curl up and lay in bed all day and eat Fig Newtons."

Michael Jordan: Well.. something like that.

Stuart Smalley: Right. Well, Michael, those negative thoughts are your critical inner thoughts saying those things to you, and I want you to replace those negative thoughts with someting positive - a daily affirmation.

Michael Jordan: Affirmation?

Stuart Smalley: Yes. Now, look in the mirror. Come on, don't look at me. Only you can help you. [ Michael faces the mirror ] That's it. Say, "Hello, Michael."

Michael Jordan: "Hello, Michael."

Stuart Smalley: "I don't have to be a great basketball player.."

Michael Jordan: "I don't have to be a great basketball player.."

Stuart Smalley: "I don't have to dribble the ball fast, or throw the ball into the basket.."

Michael Jordan: "I don't have to dribble the ball fast, or throw the ball into the basket.."

Stuart Smalley: "Because all I have to do is be the best Michael I can be."

Michael Jordan: "All I have to do is be the best Michael I can be."

Stuart Smalley: "Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!"

Michael Jordan: "Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!"

Stuart Smalley: Now, don't you feel better?

Michael Jordan: Well, I never really felt bad!

Stuart Smalley: Michael..

Michael Jordan: No, it's true. Stuart, I guess pretty much of the time, I'm a very happy person. I mean, I'm a blessed person - God gave me the talent to play basketball, and I have been able to spread some of that talent, and some of that good feeling, towards everybody, to inspire other people, and help people achieve their dreams.

Stuart Smalley: I am just a fool.. I.. I don't know what I'm doing.. they're gonna cancel the show.. I'm gonna die homeless and penniless and twenty pounds overweight.. and no one will ever love me..

Michael Jordan: Stuart, that's just not true. I think what you say on your show can be very helpful to people.

Stuart Smalley: You think so?

Michael Jordan: Yes! Definitely! I just don't think it helps beating yourself up that way.

Stuart Smalley: You're right. It's just stinking thinking.

Michael Jordan: And, after all, this show is your dream. It's a good dream! You deserve to have dreams come true! [ Stuart nods ] Feel better? Would you like a hug?

[ Stuart and Michael hug ]

Stuart Smalley: Thank you, Michael.

Michael Jordan: Thank you, Stuart!

Stuart Smalley: You know what? I think this is the best show I've ever done. And you know what? I deserve it! [ turns to his mirror ] Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and, doggonit, people like me!

 

[Rich Koster]

More blab it and grab it in a pretty new wrapper. Satan doesn't come up with anything new, he just hires different marketing consultants.

 

[sevenzedek]

Who is Joel Osteen?

 

[Hamalas]

Who is Joel Osteen?

If you honestly don't know then count yourself blessed.

 

[Marrow Man]

And now Stuart Smalley is a member of the U.S. Senate.

 

[sevenzedek]

Who is Joel Osteen?

If you honestly don't know then count yourself blessed.

That was a jab at his harmful teachings. I know who he is.

 

[DMcFadden]

He played the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland . . . right?

 

[Somerset]

Serious question - is he the one known for using swear words in the pulpit? The name is sort of familiar but no more. I don't have anywhere near enough time to read a fraction of the top class authors suggested on the PB so no time for liberal types.

 

[Rich Koster]

Serious question - is he the one known for using swear words in the pulpit? The name is sort of familiar but no more. I don't have anywhere near enough time to read a fraction of the top class authors suggested on the PB so no time for liberal types.

No. Osteen is Mr. "aw shucks". Mark Driscoll is known as the swear word preacher. I don't know if he has overcome the pottymouth yet, but I've heard him cross the line in a few podcasts. I have unsubscribed from his feed for a couple of years now.

 

[JML]

Serious question - is he the one known for using swear words in the pulpit?

No. I believe you are thinking of Mark Driscoll. Osteen doesn't use swear words. He doesn't use God's Word either.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

Osteen doesn't use swear words. He doesn't use God's Word either

 

[Rich Koster]

Serious question - is he the one known for using swear words in the pulpit?

No. I believe you are thinking of Mark Driscoll. Osteen doesn't use swear words. He doesn't use God's Word either.

Actually, he does, but he has mastered the art of twisting it like a Philadelphia pretzel, as do all Word of Faith preachers

 

[Matthew Willard Lankford]

Mark Driscoll embraced TD Jakes, Rick Warren, Robert Schuller, and Joel Osteen as brothers. Apparently Driscoll believes they are all children of the same father...

 

[SolaSaint]

If you like the OP, then you'll really like this: Joel Osteen finally comes out on ‘gay’ issue

 

[THE W]

Who is Joel Osteen?

heresy spewing snake, avoid him.

 

[Free Christian]

Funny how some people look like what they are. I will admit that sometimes a person does not look like what they are and pleasantly surprise you. But Osteen to me looks like what/who he is!

 

[Somerset]

Funny how some people look like what they are. I will admit that sometimes a person does not look like what they are and pleasantly surprise you. But Osteen to me looks like what/who he is!

You really should not put posts like this up without a picture! I'm off to ask granny google what he looks like.

 

[psycheives]

Somewhere in the book he probably quotes Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It always amazes me that prosperity types always quote this verse, and yet they never actually consider what happened to Jeremiah.

Ahhhhh!!!! A pentecostal gave this to a woman I know and this woman took it as true and argued with me for months that this verse applied to her. Poor woman was so mislead. She wanted so much to believe in the prosperity gospel and avoid all trials/suffering in life. She tried to use this verse to say "God would never give her trials."

 

[DMcFadden]

Osteen is almost more of a "motivational speaker" with a Pentecostal religious shtick. However, given the fact that he does his thing as a preacher in a megachurch, he is hailed as a leading expert on evangelical Christianity much sought out by the secular media.

"Faith preachers" emerged (in part) out of American lower classes and the envy for all of the "stuff" of the "American Dream." Wedding aspects of Pentecostal theology to the American Dream, they proclaim a "gospel" that teaches that complete healing is in the atonement (therefore, continuing disease is present only when there is an absence of faith), God desires only material prosperity for his children (that God would "use" suffering is a deception of Satan), and most importantly, the doctrine of positive confession. Since God created the world by speaking it into existence, the key to making things happen is "speaking them" into being while believing that it will happen. Most of the problems people have come from allowing oneself to verbalize "negative confession" statements. Unlike Schuller and his "possibility" thinking, this view actually thinks that what you say WILL come true so you better be careful and only verbalize the things you aspire to happen.

Recently, even the VERY Charismatic Charisma magazine published a critique of the Faith teachers as follows:

1. They preach a “rights centered” gospel rather then a "stewardship centered" gospel.
2. Their dispensational belief precludes the role and importance of the Old Covenant in the New Covenant age.
3. They have a semi-gnostic dualism regarding their view of God.
4. Positive confession sometimes leads to dishonesty and superficial Christianity.
5. Their view on prosperity is only based on giving.
6. They have faith in their faith as a principle rather than it emanating out of the person of Christ.
7. Some pastors have modeled their church preaching after these “specialists” in the body.
8. It can put guilt and bondage on believers.
9. It can produce independent, narcissistic believers.
10. It is not connected to the cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28.

Osteen dropped out of Oral Roberts University during his first year and eventually took over the church his dad pastored. Now, he broadcasts to millions in over 100 countries, has a spate of NY Times bestsellers, preaches to thousands each weekend, and is featured on a lot of television morning shows as an "expert" on evangelical Christianity.

 

[Somerset]

Thank you Dennis, that is very helpful.

He looks like a good man to contact should I ever need some snake oil.

 

[Free Christian]

If you ever see him strutting around the stage when he is preaching putting on smiles, that's when you really see him! Yep, snake oil.
Some I have met like that are really deluded in thinking they are doing Gods work. But some I have met it was clear upon questioning that they knew exactly what they were doing, and it wasn't Gods work it was lining their own pockets. Making merchandise out of people. Like the Word says.

 

[Rayn]

Who is Joel Osteen?

If I can combine the evaluations of Michael Horton and Chris Rosebrough... a kind of deistic magician who believes you have the power to control the future with words. Seriously, his books are the equivalent of an extended fortune cookie.