Osteen the Business Minister

Joel Osteen is working more on business, than being a minister. I found that his church has spent $90 million to renovate their church. Wow! When I think of that much money, I think about how many starving children could have been fed with that. Anyway, I found this quote from Osteen and thought you may find it interesting. “It's a message of encouragement. I always try to put a seed of hope into people's hearts. I'm not there to teach them doctrine necessarily, but to let them know that God is a good God, and has a plan for their lives. Hopefully, that will restore their faith, or draw them into faith. So I am absolutely trying to bring them to Christianity” (Osteen). I had difficulty finding much about the rules that we should adhere to as Christians, or what it truly means to be a Christian. I also found that Osteen was criticized by Larry King for not keeping his message clear. I agree that this kind of message is what Sider was criticizing.

“Meet the Prosperity Preacher.” 11 Oct. 2007. Business Week. 23 May 2005. <http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_21/b3934014_mz001.htm>.

We need to all remember what Christ taught us before we are led astray.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. ~ Acts 4:32-35