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aemcpa
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Yes.
Why does Joel Osteen seem to be more of a motivational speaker than a preacher?
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ChurchSoldier
Guest
And you bring to point one of the unfortunate characteristics of many modern Christians. They are indoctrinated into a given set of beliefs with no acknowledgement that anyone else can have a call by God to further his Kingdom. It is unfortunate.
While Joel Olsteen teaches things outside Orthodox Christian teaching (as does Joyce Meyers) they would argue the Roman Catholic Church does as well.
I used to be of that sort. Until I realized God truly has called many people who aren’t like me and don’t believe in Orthodox Christianity in the same manner as I do.
Just because it is in the Church does not mean it’s good, and just because it’s outside does not mean it is not.
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FabiusMaximus
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Joel Olsteen has no formal training to be a pastor, so I wouldn’t consider him to be an actual pastor, I see him as a motivational speaker. He also doesn’t really preach on much other than the goodness of God. He rarely talks about sin or theology at all. And he considers Mormonism to be a Christian denomination.
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Isaiah45_9
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If you are a motivational preacher, then just say you are.
If you claim to preach the Gospel, then preach it. But make sure you preach it right:
Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel 7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
2 Corinthians 11:1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if some one comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough. 5 I think that I am not in the least inferior to these superlative apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.
7 Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God’s gospel without cost to you? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in want, I did not burden any one, for my needs were supplied by the brethren who came from Macedo′nia. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Acha′ia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12 And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
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ChurchSoldier
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No doubt. But God uses him to bring many people into a new or renewed Christian faith. Many have a passion for deeper faith ignited within them through which they are drawn into more ancient Christian traditions. Some are eventually led to Catholicism I’m sure.
If we wanted to look closely, I’m sure we could find Roman Catholic priests of the Liberation Theology bent preaching topics just as “interesting” and only mentioning sins as it relates to the power class. Yet some move into a deeper faith through that as well.
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ChurchSoldier
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No one is saying Joel Olsteen is an Apologist or Theologian. All I’m saying is God is using him. He can read Scripture as well and I am sure he is fully aware he will answer to God for his teaching.
Many of the same things which are being said of J.O. were also said of the early Apostles. Remember, Paul preached for 3 years after Christ called him before going to receive the Apostles approval. We don’t know how God is working through and in J.O. In Joel’s case, his father was a preacher under whose teaching he sat for several decades before he passed away and Joel took over.
There’s another widely known guy Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Seattle. Roughly 15,0000 weekly attendance and preaches straight Orthodox, Reformed theology. Little if any sugar coating in his messages. He too was called by God and is doing a great job bringing people to Christ in a pagan culture.
Not RC, yet bringing people to Christ and doing good work.
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Many of the same things which are being said of J.O. were also said of the early Apostles. Remember, Paul preached for 3 years after Christ called him before going to receive the Apostles approval. We don’t know how God is working through and in J.O. In Joel’s case, his father was a preacher under whose teaching he sat for several decades before he passed away and Joel took over.
There’s another widely known guy Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Seattle. Roughly 15,0000 weekly attendance and preaches straight Orthodox, Reformed theology. Little if any sugar coating in his messages. He too was called by God and is doing a great job bringing people to Christ in a pagan culture.
Not RC, yet bringing people to Christ and doing good work.
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4Squarebaby
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Because he fills a former NBA, basketball stadium four times every weekend. He is also not a fire and brimstone stylist and neither he or the Lakewood Praise Team wear robes
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robwar
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This is true, I remember Marilyn Hickey claiming she was annointed to be an apostle in the 1980s. Joel is cut from the same cloth and is the latest version of the Name it/claim it/faith/wealth and health. Yes there is an appealing positive persona but what he and Joyce Meyers and the rest of them do is reduce God to a giant candy machine, put in the right set of coins (faith) and you will get the goodies from God every time because you deserve them. Yes, God has wonderful things for us and plan for our lives but that happens when we take up our cross and follow Him.There are some of these guys who proclaim THEMSELVES as apostles!
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Isaiah45_9
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God is using him? In the same way God used Judas Iscariot betrayal?
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mary_bobo
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He is a motivational speaker, motivating people to donate to his ministry, thru which he lives very, very well. I don’t listen.
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Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
This does not speak well for ‘Catholic’ love and charity. Sadly, I have to say that had I known about this attitude I probably would not have entered RCIA.
You have no real idea who God calls.
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aemcpa
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Why do you think Christ founded a Church?
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HillbillyHermit
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I would say, have a look at the verses I quoted in this thread:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=784574
Not to say I agree with every thing the man says, but I also don’t agree with everything that Mother Angelica says. For example, in a recent episode of her show she said how people are lazy for not saying the Apostles’ Creed when starting the Rosary. Ummm…the Vatican site’s instructions on how to pray the Rosary don’t have it (it’s also mentioned in Blessed JP2’s letter), and neither does the Dominican manner. It doesn’t mean I think poorly of Mother Angelica, but to me it’s a good reminder that none of us, Catholic or not, knows it all.
I’ve watched a few Protestant preachers, still do, and say that we really have more in common than a lot of folks are willing to admit. Maybe Joel Osteen seems more like a motivational speaker at times, but the world is in dire need of Good News. I don’t think he’d be filling those large places he preaches at if the folks going there didn’t desperately need to hear what he’s sayin’.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=784574
Not to say I agree with every thing the man says, but I also don’t agree with everything that Mother Angelica says. For example, in a recent episode of her show she said how people are lazy for not saying the Apostles’ Creed when starting the Rosary. Ummm…the Vatican site’s instructions on how to pray the Rosary don’t have it (it’s also mentioned in Blessed JP2’s letter), and neither does the Dominican manner. It doesn’t mean I think poorly of Mother Angelica, but to me it’s a good reminder that none of us, Catholic or not, knows it all.
I’ve watched a few Protestant preachers, still do, and say that we really have more in common than a lot of folks are willing to admit. Maybe Joel Osteen seems more like a motivational speaker at times, but the world is in dire need of Good News. I don’t think he’d be filling those large places he preaches at if the folks going there didn’t desperately need to hear what he’s sayin’.
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pacloc
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If all it takes is a few people on the internet talking badly about Joel Osteen to discourage you from joining the Church, you will have bigger problems to deal with. You can not let people stand in the way between you and God, if they are right or wrong. Nothing any human can do should be enough for you to lose faith and love of God, which if you do enough searching will lead you to the Catholic Church, or maybe the Orthodox Church (their members seem to be even harsher on false teachers).
The way I see it is that people like Joel Osteen and others are doing very bad in being protestant from the Church, but that we are so far from the time of the Protestant Reformation, that this generation is less guilty of heresy, and more guilty of ignorance. So given the circumstance, they deserve to be treated as brothers, as long as they will keep searching and realize the Church they are missing. If they stay happy in their modern Christian lifestyle, then they will have to answer to God for not growing as the Bible in their hands tells them to. That is between them and God. The only sad part of the whole deal is that we could have all been in a better to help each other if we all were part of one religion, because we wouldn’t have preconceived hatred for each other’s beliefs. That is the sin of all Protestant religions, not just Osteen. But that just simply isn’t the current situation, so we have to make due in the most Christian way. The most Christian way fluctuates through the ages. At one time, hard opposition to false teachings was the way, to stop the disease, but now that the disease is rampant, it must be treated softer. Persuasion is necessary now.
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Gabriel_of_12
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Hi Holly3278; I have yet to listen to a tele-evanglist who can stand on his/her own theology without attacking the Roman Catholic Church.
Why is that these tele-evangelicals? are always trying to convince their audiences that they are right and convince the audience to believe them what they say about the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings are wrong?
Joel Osteen has tried to discredit the Roman Catholic Church with charity and without directly naming the Roman Catholic, but Joel Osteen is no exception to the rule.
I Like the way Joel Osteen’s charity works with that wonderful compelling smile of his… when he says,“come on now, ya know who Iam talking about”.
I will say this Joel Osteen is one of the greatest motivational speakers of our time who can motivate in a positive entertaining way to anyone, any business, any corporation with a Christian theme.
Peace be with you
Why is that these tele-evangelicals? are always trying to convince their audiences that they are right and convince the audience to believe them what they say about the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings are wrong?
Joel Osteen has tried to discredit the Roman Catholic Church with charity and without directly naming the Roman Catholic, but Joel Osteen is no exception to the rule.
I Like the way Joel Osteen’s charity works with that wonderful compelling smile of his… when he says,“come on now, ya know who Iam talking about”.
I will say this Joel Osteen is one of the greatest motivational speakers of our time who can motivate in a positive entertaining way to anyone, any business, any corporation with a Christian theme.
Peace be with you
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Nicea325
Guest
If you are in the dumps in regards to financial matters…he or Tony Robbins are the guys to listen to. But the Gospel? Olsteen is the not the best choice.
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Nicea325
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Renewed Christian faith? Wealth and prospertity Gospel?
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ChurchSoldier
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Do you have a reason God could not use these things?
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Nicea325
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Come again? Do you really believe an Infinite God,omnipotent is lacking something, where He requires or needs something tanglibe from us finite creatures?
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ChurchSoldier
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You seemed to be questioning that God could use a given type of presentation for spreading the Gospel. If you believe that I was just asking why you thought that.
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