Okay…Let me say this: I think we need a Holy Spirit engagement with the culture around us. We need fresh and creative ways to impact American culture. That is, we need some POSITIVE, CONSTRUCTIVE work in the Kingdom. It’s not enough to point the finger at how many people/churches/authors are getting it wrong. We need to be inspired by Truth and motivated by Love to impact the world in which we exist.
But…I think the Church needs to do some house cleaning as well. I speak of cleaning out ideas and attitudes, not people. If the Lord wants to remove unfaithful leaders from the public eye, that’s his business. My prayer is that God will use people of influence to communicate from a heart inflamed with passion for his Word (Incarnated and Inscripturated). My desire is to see leaders who have proclaimed a false or faulty Gospel come to love the true Gospel, one that embraces God’s GLORIOUS proclamation that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
What we don’t need is our so-called leaders doing this:
SPECIAL THANKS TO RYAN PAZDUR FOR POSTING THIS CLIP ON HIS BLOG:
http://tentpeg.blogspot.com/
I definitely want to be fair to Mr. Osteen. I found this excerpt from a letter of apology he had posted on his website (the letter is no longer there). In it, he clarifies what was being said on the Larry King show. Osteen wrote:
“It was never my desire or intention to leave any doubt as to what I believe and Whom I serve. I believe with all my heart that it is only through Christ that we have hope in eternal life. I regret and sincerely apologize that I was unclear on the very thing in which I have dedicated my life.
Jesus declared in John 14; I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. I believe that Jesus Christ alone is the only way to salvation. However, it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to review the transcript of the interview that I realize I had not clearly stated that having a personal relationship with Jesus is the only way to heaven. It’s about the individual’s choice to follow Him.
God has given me a platform to present the Gospel to a very diverse audience. In my desire not to alienate the people that Jesus came to save, I did not clearly communicate the convictions that I hold so precious.”
I found this excerpt on a blog which takes Osteen’s message and ministry to task. That source was:
http://www.apprising.org/archives/2005/10/joel_osteen_smi.html
I certainly appreciate Mr. Osteen’s clarification. But I can’t help but be confused. As someone who is called to communicate the Gospel to wide audiences on a regular basis, as someone ordained to preach the Gospel, you would think he’d have a clear answer on these things and be able to communicate it as clearly as he communicates 7 Steps to Success and other such messages.
Administrator
June 16th, 2007
The biggest problem with this video is the caption which reads “Senior Pastor of Largest U.S. Congregation”. What does this say about the state of church in America? We live in tough times.
This is what happens when one begins sharing the gospel (or is forced into sharing the gospel) from the perspective of “knowing someone’s heart”. What does the historical reality of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection have to do with knowing someone’s heart?
This video is a great example of what can go wrong when we position the gospel from a weak pivot-point. Notice how Joel Osteen, when asked by Larry King if Hindu’s, Muslim’s or Atheists are going to heaven, shifted away from the beliefs of those religious groups to the individual hearts of the people within those groups. “I can’t know what’s in their hearts…only God knows”, Osteen said. That’s when Joel got himself into trouble. Instead of dealing with the true or falsehood of the belief system, he appealed to the importance of knowing the hearts of the individuals within those systems. What does that have to do with weather or not Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven?
Bottom line: Gospel truth is outside of us. The individual’s disposition (heart) toward the gospel does not make it true or untrue. Further, knowing weather or not a person believes the gospel doesn’t make the gospel any more or less true. Sharing the gospel from either of these pivot points can only end in confusion.
- Tony
Tony Woodall
June 16th, 2007
Exactly!
Administrator
June 16th, 2007
Nicely put, Tony. I like your use of the “pivot points” on the last line. Way to give a little cred to the admin.
Notice how much of the problem here has to to with the Christian faith being characterized as individual, subjective and feelings-based. It goes back to what Adam said back during Holy Week too. Very relevant.
Ah, Joel Osteen. The Wittenburg Door has been after this guy for years and his materialistic, self-help message.
How many times did he say “I don’t know” in that interview?
I know Larry King can be tough, but we need better than this. This guy is supposed to be a trained communicator and ambassador for the gospel. If an ambassador to a foreign country answered tough questions this way, he wouldn’t be around for long!
Mark
Mark L
June 18th, 2007
Using “pivot point” terminology is purely self-centered strategy…I’m trying to win another mug!
The real problem with Joel Osteen is that his core message, while containing some truth, isn’t the central truth of the gospel. His is a “God wants the best for you” message. That’s true. But that’s not why God saves us. His goal in salvation is for us to make much of Him! I think John Piper nails it with his assessment that modern American Christians have been spoon-fed a gospel in which they themselves are made much of. But in reality, God has redeemed a people unto Himself for the sake of His name and His glory.
Joel puts humanity being made much of at the center of his message.This is why his messages inevitably spiral down into a “10 steps to wealth” and “5 marriage tips for him and her” type application. We end up with a self-help Christianity bent on delivering to us all that God has for us in this world. God becomes our cosmic errand boy.
If God’s desire for me is the best that this world’s got to offer, I’m out on the Christianity program. Thankfully it’s not. Thankfully God has so much more in store for me. Himself.
To God be Glory!
- Tony
Tony Woodall
June 18th, 2007
Larry King wishes he had Charlie Rose’s mad master skills.
A. In The City By The Drink
June 19th, 2007
Hey All. Sweet stuff here. sorry it’s taken me a bit to get down to posting. I’ve been in Canada (fishing, …. really awesome).
I can only say DITTO. The Gospel in America has come to be equated with one telling line: God LOVES ME! On one hand, this is an incredible truth revealed to us in the Gospel. But it’s not the whole truth, or even the biggest part of Gospel truth, as Tony pointed out. What’s even worse is how the Gospel has come to be equated with the American Dream.
I was talking with a buddy on the way up to Wawa, Ontario and something hit me: We’re often presented with a spectrum of options, either pole represented by the monikers, “Liberal” and “Conservative.” Anyone who knows me realizes my leaning is towards the “conservative” end of that pole, theologically speaking. But as we spoke, I was struck by the reality that Christian Truth is always something that transcends the terms of debate themselves. The Gospel isn’t either “a message about how we’re supposed to love other people through social action” or “a message about how God really loves us a ton.” It’s a DRAMATIC, HISTORICAL ACTION on God’s part. It is a God the Father-God the Son transaction in which we have the pleasure of being incorporated. Hebrews 2 gets at this. i’ll be posting a sermon on this passage that I recently gave in the next week or two.
Anyway… What Larry King does with a closed fist, Charlie Rose does with a velvet covered brick.
Administrator
June 25th, 2007