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i will not be attending - i have had my fill of fiction for awhile but if i feel the need for imaginary stories and feel good rhetoric, i'll be sure to look up osteen.
nancy i have a question you can ask osteen ....
would he still preach if he weren't making millions of dollars - is he doing it for the kingdom or for his bank account ?

Yeah . . . . maybe, Buz. He SEEMS sincere, but one never knows these days. I hesitate to assign motives when I do not have the inside scoop; but of course, the big-money TV thing bothers me a lot too, espcially with such a superficial message. I guess I see Walmart as an appropriate site for the signing: mass marketing, mass ministry.

But the question always reverbs back to me: what am I doing for the cause of Christ in my world? Am I as dedicated?
The Spirit always points to the splinter in my own eye.

But that doesn't mean we don't have a responsibility to point out error and abuse. How wonderful would it be if Joel were preaching a solid biblical message with depth and power? Maybe someday TV ministries will come of age. Or maybe TV-ministry is an oxymoron. Time will tell.

Nikos: I share your hesitation about ascribing motives to people, and the mote in my eye is pretty big, admitedly. But given how long TV ministry has been around, I'm not hopeful, Nikos.

As for Osteen ... He had a chance to stand tall for the Gospel during his first Larry King interview, and reeled off a series of "I don't knows" to every basic question King asked him. It was absolutely pathetic. If a man who claims to have the call to preach the Gospel can't manage to get even the most basic aspects of it across when given the chance, I have to wonder aloud whether his calling is sincere, or if he's just one more in it for the money. The money alone would seem to augur for the latter, sadly.

And then there's his refusal to preach the Biblical message about sin. How can you preach Christ if you won't preach why He had to come in the first place? (Of course, he's of a word-faith background, which is the locus for much mischief in our faith ...)

So, I don't know what his motives are, but I've read enough of his words to know that it isn't even "Gospel Lite." It isn't Gospel at all. It's warmed-over humanism with a vaguely Christian patina, and that's simply false.

"It's warmed-over humanism with a vaguely Christian patina, and that's simply false."

Yes, Sam, I totally agree with you on all your points in critique of this man/brother? I was greatly saddened by the King interview and the specials they aired. What an incredible missed opportunity!

My point was specifically centered on whether he was strictly in it for the filthy lucre and power lust - or possibly basically sincere, but deluded. I guess I find it hard to believe that someone would be THAT deceitful. But you're right, he's been around long enough that certain conclusions can be drawn.

The Christian community has been beat up and manipulated long enough by TV charlatans. I just wonder what it will take to open people's eyes - persecution, American style? How did we get here? And it now looks like Congress is distrubed enough to enter the picture. That's all we need.

"It's warmed-over humanism with a vaguely Christian patina, and that's simply false."

Yes, Sam, I totally agree with you on all your points in critique of this man/brother? I was greatly saddened by the King interview and the specials they aired. What an incredible missed opportunity!

My point was specifically centered on whether he was strictly in it for the filthy lucre and power lust - or possibly basically sincere, but deluded. I guess I find it hard to believe that someone would be THAT deceitful. But you're right, he's been around long enough that certain conclusions can be drawn.

The Christian community has been beat up and manipulated long enough by TV charlatans. I just wonder what it will take to open people's eyes - persecution, American style? How did we get here? And it now looks like Congress is distrubed enough to enter the picture. That's all we need.