I've posted on this blog about the smiling, super-shiny phenomenon known as Joel Osteen, and have occasionally take a moment or two to check in on what the neo-televangelist is up to. Part of the reason is that he is entertaining, in a "did he really say that? And people believed it?!" sort of way. More importantly, his success, as both a preacher and author, indicate that there are quite a few people out there who want a Christianity that emphasizes self worth, self confidence, and self esteem while avoiding the negative vibe that comes with the Cross, sin, redemption, temptation, Satan, hell, and so forth.
Evangelical Melton Duncan, who is Director of Church Relations for Ligonier Ministries, has a must-read post about Osteen over Reformation21 (ht: Boars Head Tavern) that is both hilarious and insightful, based upon his experience attending a recent Osteen, um, service. A couple of snippets:
The story of Osteen’s success would be a fantastic story of God’s providence if he believed in such a thing. For years he watched the ministry behind a camera, editing and overseeing the development of media. In many ways Joel understood the ministry better than most because he was involved with it in a way that would one day be instrumental in its growth. He also learned a good bit about the charismatic and Pentecostal way of preaching because he listened to these messages everyday in a studio, editing them for television and radio.
Joel’s own sermons are not like those of his fathers (the late John Osteen). They strike me as the next generation of the Charismatic movement. They aren’t about experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in your life; they are just about encountering your feelings. He talks over and over again about your relationships with other people and in the end he doesn’t really ask you to do anything - except try to change. His language is a mix of manifest destiny and late night infomercial. If I had to characterize the 600 words “sermonettes” I heard I would say “Charismatic emergent, non-threatening, non-spritualized therapeutic language.” Maybe American Idol with Paula as the lone judge.
Never once did I hear the words Gospel, Jesus Christ, Trinity, Sin, Cross (except in Scripture songs sung by performers and in a video testimony played before the Osteens arrived in arena) ...
Joel Osteen is the slick and polished face of non creedal American Evangelicalism. Joel is youthful, exuding Opie from Mayberry, aw shucks Americana that is uplifting, believable, and even to this cynic, soothing. Joel Osteen is wonderbread.
A near perfect summation, I'd say, of a Christian preacher who is not Christian and does not "preach" anything of eternal (or temporal, for that matter) value. Yes, it is easy to point out the errors of someone like Osteen. But that shouldn't blind anyone to the fact that many people find his brand of Pseudo-Christian Bland Contraband so attractive and easy to ingest.
I work across from the mega-church of Joel and Victoria Osteen. Believe me, this feel-good service is attracting thousand of people to the Sunday and Wednesday service. Mix in a Hollywood-production service, Jim-Jones style of preaching and Opie-look of Joel Osteen, no wonder the new church is called mega-church !
Posted by: peter | Tuesday, February 06, 2007 at 01:45 PM
Sounds like a charismatic/neo-pentecostal version of a new wave Robert Shuler.
Posted by: Fr. Greg | Tuesday, February 06, 2007 at 03:02 PM
Reminds me of the pseudo-religious pop psychology of Norman Vincent Peale's Power of Positive Thinking. I heard when Osteen speaks in California, afterwards they all travel to the Redwood Forest in Burkingstocks, sing Kumbya and then affirm one another with a large group hug!
Posted by: RickP | Tuesday, February 06, 2007 at 03:31 PM
Interestingly, the press that publishes many of Osteen's titles is also now peddling a book by Legionary priest Father Thomas Williams -- a book which Publishers Weekly has noted has a "broad appeal," with an elementary mostly Scripture-based approach to the faith. With him on the cover, one wonders whether there is a specific effort to imitate the Joel Osteens of the world...
http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Progress-Becoming-Christian-Want/dp/0446580546/ref=pd_ts_b_77/104-1633891-2413526?ie=UTF8&s=books
Posted by: giselle | Tuesday, February 06, 2007 at 03:37 PM
I've seen this guy on TV. I kept waiting for the punch line.
Talk about the sizzle without the steak!
Posted by: les | Tuesday, February 06, 2007 at 09:33 PM
What Catholic preacher is currently bringing in crowds that rival Osteen's?
What can we do to ensure that Catholic preachers not only rival Osteen's crowds but outnumber and even draw from them?
Posted by: dmedici | Tuesday, February 06, 2007 at 09:42 PM
Pray.
Posted by: les | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 12:12 AM
"What Catholic preacher is currently bringing in crowds that rival Osteen's?
What can we do to ensure that Catholic preachers not only rival Osteen's crowds but outnumber and even draw from them?"
Substance, substance, and substance. Of course, we also need to work on the presentation department. But substance alone beats presentation alone, and presentation+substance beats presentation alone.
Posted by: Cristina A. Montes | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 02:01 AM
What Catholic preacher is currently bringing in crowds that rival Osteen's? What can we do to ensure that Catholic preachers not only rival Osteen's crowds but outnumber and even draw from them?"
John Paul II drew over a million in some of his audiences, as would any pope. Benedict's audiences at World Youth Day drew hundred of thousands.
But, good preaching is not necessarily about drawing crowd or preaching pop psychology, it is about conversion and changing hearts in a culture of death.
Posted by: Rick | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 07:44 AM
We may indeed have most all the substance as Catholics, but we're not very successful sharing it. Now Sheen could get it out to folks. But that wasn't recent. Protestants have scores of savvy communicators today with Osteen being one of those with a higher profile. Since Bishop Catholics have had many. There's.....and then there's...of course there's....Mother Angelica! Okay, that's one. The next one is...does Mother Teresa count?.....don't want to count the Berrigan brothers or that ex-Congressman ...let me think on this..
Posted by: cranky | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 08:35 AM
Never 'eard of 'im.
Posted by: Ed Peters | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 11:04 AM
I recently went to one of his services because my mother-in-law is a member of his church and a huge fan. One of the first things that struck me is that there are hardly any (maybe no) crosses anywhere -- very apropos considering his message.
I noticed that his upbeat message basically portrays God as a wish-granting genie: you decide what you want and if you pray hard enough and meditate on the right Bible verses he'll give it to you. It's sad because my mother-in-law always feels like she isn't holy enough or isn't praying the right way when God doesn't give her what she wants and remove all suffering and inconveniences.
His message works well enough on a short-term basis for living in suburban Houston, but it's not the sort of thing that would hold up well on a trip to Darfur.
Posted by: Jennifer F. | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 01:09 PM
More about the crowd-drawing thing: crowd-drawing should not be the only aim evangelization. Our Lord Himself did not water down his message even if it meant losing followers (for example, in the discourse on the Eucharist in the Gospel of John). And among the members of the crowds who followed Jesus, how many of them actually followed Him to Calvary?
I'm not saying that numbers aren't important. We're not only interested in saving many souls; we're interested in saving ALL souls. But it's not just a matter of physically filling up auditoriums whenever a Catholic preacher is going to speak.
Posted by: Cristina A. Montes | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 07:18 PM
Here's a worthy Catholic preacher: Fr. John Corapi.
I'd give almost anything, save my soul, to see a debate between Fr. Corapi and Joel Osteen.
It'd be a wipeout and the end of Osteen's "ministry." But you'll never see it because Osteen will never deign to place his slick schlock up against a real preacher's skill.
Posted by: Steven Barrett | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 08:41 PM
Totally agree re: Fr. John Corapi.
Shuler, of course, was highly influenced by Peele, but neither were infected with the "prosperity gospel" as Osteen apparently is. Prosperity gospel? You know, right-wing liberation theology.
Bonhoefer would be turning in his grave if he were not crying out, "How long, O Lord, how long?"
Posted by: Fr. Greg | Thursday, February 08, 2007 at 05:32 AM
Human nature being what it is, people will tend to be attracted to the "prosperity gospel". Just look at the enormous success of Wilkinsons's The Prayer of Jabez. The entire New Testament is a resounding hymn of obedience to Our Lord's authentic teachings on the value of redemptive suffering. These teachings are manifested and known by the authority of the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ. When a crucifix is not present is usually implies that the Crucified Christ is an embarrassing reminder of the Truth that is NOT BEING PREACHED.
Posted by: Brian John Schuettler | Thursday, February 08, 2007 at 06:00 AM
"Right wing liberation theology"! Love it!
Posted by: Nick | Friday, February 09, 2007 at 10:58 AM
We DEFINITELY need more priests who can preach the Gospel message like Father Corapi does. We need that standard for our priests to be the norm, rather than the exception!
Posted by: Chris | Friday, February 09, 2007 at 12:19 PM
We have many outstanding speakers in the Catholic Church. To name a few. . .Fr. John Corapi, Fr. Bill Casey, Tim Staples, Johnnette Benkovic, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Alex Jones, Rosalind Moss, Scott Hahn, Steve Wood. I suggest attending a Fullness of Truth conference--look at www.fullnessoftruth.org. Plus, listen on the audio archives on the EWTN website.
The American public wants to believe the road is easy and prosperous and problem free, esp, when they hear it from the pulpit.
Posted by: Potamiaena | Monday, February 12, 2007 at 07:27 AM
I like the odd ones, the underdogs in life. My wife got me into to American Idol a while back. This unusual fellow is a Christian and very, very Interesting guy. I hope he makes it to the top five at least because he has a lot we havent seen. His name is Chris Sligh. Below is an audio link which is the most Catholic song I have ever heard that was written by a conservative Christian. Please take the time to listen and if you watch AI vote for him.
The song is "Communion Song" and Chris Sligh wrote it. He is my families' American Idol Lets help him do good and as Chris Sligh put it, "Make David Hasslehoff cry" Please send this to any or all of your Christian e-mail lists.
http://www.worshipideas.com/CommunionSong_VocalDemo.mp3
http://chris-sligh.info/content/view/37/1/
http://chris-sligh.info/content/view/37/1/
Just click the play symbol Communion Song
Lord here we are We've come to be filled
Reached out our hands to received the blood you spilled
Humbly we bow here with hearts on display
To take of the Body that took our guilt away
And we come here yes we come
Take us in Here we are come in and know us
come take our hearts
This is all our hearts live for is...
Holy Communion...nothing more...nothing more
Lord here we are Naked in sin to taste of the wine
And be made clean again
Humbly we bow here to take of the bread
Bled forgiveness run like new oils on our head
And we come here yes we come
Take us in Here we are come in and know us
come take our hearts
This is all our hearts live for is...
Holy Communion...nothing more...nothing more
Lord Have Mercy ...Christ Have Mercy..
Lord Have Mercy on us (repeat 4 times)
Take us in Here we are come in and know us
come take our hearts
This is all our hearts live for is...
Holy Communion...nothing more...nothing more
Posted by: Badpacifist | Saturday, February 24, 2007 at 01:33 PM