Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen, wildly popular and somewhat controversial purveyor of the so-called Prosperity Gospel, granted an interview with Time magazine recently. The magazine assumed that perhaps some of the sheen of Osteen’s message might’ve lost some of its glint, what with the recession clinging tenaciously to most folks’ pocketbooks.
Not so. Attendance at his Lakewood Church in Houston is up 10 percent, and this spring he preached in a sold-out Yankee Stadium. His message sounds as relentlessly optimistic as ever.
These days there are so many things trying to pull us down, with the economy and the swine flu. I really think there’s something [that affects people] on the inside when somebody tells them, like I do, God’s still in control. He’s got good things in store for your life. And when you trust, when you believe, you can see amazing things happen.
I’ve always thought the Prosperity Gospel, as I understand it, was kinda bunk, and suspected that those who pedaled it were too pollyannaish for my taste. A quick trip through the New Testament will tell you, in no uncertain terms, that getting right with God doesn’t guarantee a life on easy street.
But, being the optimist I am, what Osteen says in this piece resonates with me. I believe its the height of folly to assume God will monetarily reward us if we’re good Christians. But I do believe that God cares for us and (all things being equal) likes for us to be happy. And I do believe he does have great plans for us — though the greatness is in the plan, not us.
But I gotta be honest with you — I’m not overly familiar with the Prosperity Gospel or what Osteen (or others) teach. Are any of you know a little more about this topic than I do? Fill me in, if you would. I’d love to hear from you.
Paul-
I agree with you. I wasn’t familiar with the Prosperity Gospel until I picked up one of Joel O’Steen’s books. I made it about a quarter of the way through and recycled it, because the recurring theme of the book was not only “if you have enough faith, God will reward you financially,” but, more, “when I was young I wanted a big big house and I prayed about it and God gave it to me.” I find that approach to faith problematic as you do.
I also agree with you that the excerpt from his Time interview sounds great.
Sorry to be of no help.