JOEL OSTEEN interviewed on CBS last night

[SecretWarrior]

Originally Posted by Thad

NOoooooooo!!!! come on now

isn't his messages a little too "flowery" ??

and did you hear about his interview on larry king ???

He waffled on the issue of homosexuality. He would not come out and say it was sinful. instead, he didn't want to talk about it.


So much for "God using him"

[The Mrs]

Originally Posted by Sandra

We have sooo complicated things. He reaches people not with a fancy sermon, just by being real and down to earth. Kind of refreshing to me.
He is a wonderful person, God is really using him.

I agree with you Sandra...the few times I've seen him, he's impressed me with how real and practical he is.

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by Sandra

We have sooo complicated things. He reaches people not with a fancy sermon, just by being real and down to earth. Kind of refreshing to me.
He is a wonderful person, God is really using him.

I agree with that 100%.

[SoCaliUPC]

This is what I will say about Joel Osteen....

Basically, he is an inspirational speaker. There is nothing wrong with that. I don't necessarily prescribe to everything that he has to say...but we are all human and not everything (even those we agree with) do we agree 100% on.

I wish he would be more upfront with what he believes and what his convictions are.....but, we have Larry King and subsequent shows after that to say, from his lips, "My job is not to preach sin."

Saying all that...he is a motivational, inspirational speaker.

[Thad]

Originally Posted by SoCaliUPC

This is what I will say about Joel Osteen....

Basically, he is an inspirational speaker. There is nothing wrong with that. I don't necessarily prescribe to everything that he has to say...but we are all human and not everything (even those we agree with) do we agree 100% on.

I wish he would be more upfront with what he believes and what his convictions are.....but, we have Larry King and subsequent shows after that to say, from his lips, "My job is not to preach sin."
Saying all that...he is a motivational, inspirational speaker.

WOOOOOW~!~!~~!~!~!~!~!

He really said that???

dizzy, your comment on this is ????

[Thad]

I don't dislike him or have anything personal against him. I just find him to be boring and hard to listen to - it all sounds alike "you can make it"...
hard to believe so many people go and hear him every sunday when there are so many better speakers in the houston metroplex

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by Thad

WOOOOOW~!~!~~!~!~!~!~!

He really said that???

dizzy, your comment on this is ????

Like I said, for me, it is candy religion. I agree that he could be called an inspirational speaker, but it is from a religious standpoint, so.......????? I personally don't feel that there is anything wrong with listening to what he has to say. I leave the rest to the experts, LOL!!!

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by Thad

I don't dislike him or have anything personal against him. I just find him to be boring and hard to listen to - it all sounds alike "you can make it"...
hard to believe so many people go and hear him every sunday when there are so many better speakers in the houston metroplex

What are you trying to say Thad, you don't want me hearing anybody say that I can make it???? LOL!!

I see how you are!!!!

[SoCaliUPC]

Originally Posted by Thad

WOOOOOW~!~!~~!~!~!~!~!

He really said that???

dizzy, your comment on this is ????

Here is part of his comments from the transcript of his Larry King interview:

KING: Why are you a preacher?

OSTEEN: You know, I never was for 17 years. I worked with my dad there at the church. He tried to get me to minister. I didn't have it in me. I worked behind the scenes. I loved doing production and things. But when my father died, I just knew -- I don't know how to explain it, it sounds kind of odd, but I just knew down to here I was supposed to step up to the plate and pastor the church. And it was odd because I had never preached before. But I just knew I was supposed to do it.

KING: Did it come easily?

OSTEEN: It did. It came -- it came somewhat easily. I had to study. I was nervous. Still get nervous. But it did. I believe God gives you the grace to do what you need to do. And the great thing about it is the people were so loyal to my father. They wanted one of his sons to take over. And daddy had never really necessarily raised anybody up under him.

KING: What do the other sons do?

OSTEEN: Well, my brother Paul is a surgeon and he works with us there at the church. He gave up his practice to work with us and I have other sisters and brothers that work, as well.

KING: Is -- have you always believed?

OSTEEN: I have always believed. I grew up, you know, my parents were a good Christian people. They showed us love in the home. My parents were the same in the pulpit as they were at home. I think that's where a lot of preachers' kids get off base sometimes. Because they don't see the same things at both places. But I've always believed. I saw it through my parents. And I just grew up believing.

KING: But you're not fire and brimstone, right? You're not pound the decks and hell and dam nation?

OSTEEN: No. That's not me. It's never been me. I've always been an encourager at heart. And when I took over from my father he came from the Southern Baptist background and back 40, 50 years ago there was a lot more of that. But, you know, I just -- I don't believe in that. I don't believe -- maybe it was for a time. But I don't have it in my heart to condemn people. I'm there to encourage them. I see myself more as a coach, as a motivator to help them experience the life God has for us.

KING: But don't you think if people don't believe as you believe, they're somehow condemned?

OSTEEN: You know, I think that happens in our society. But I try not to do that. I tell people all the time, preached a couple Sundays about it. I'm for everybody. You may not agree with me, but to me it's not my job to try to straighten everybody out. The Gospel called the good news. My message is a message of hope, that's God's for you. You can live a good life no matter what's happened to you. And so I don't know. I know there is condemnation but I don't feel that's my place.

KING: You've been criticized for that, haven't you?

OSTEEN: I have. I have. Because I don't know.

KING: Good news guy, right?

OSTEEN: Yeah. But you know what? It's just in me. I search my heart and I think, God, is this what I'm supposed to do? I made a decision when my father died, you know what? I'm going to be who I feel like I'm supposed to be. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Not the end of the world if I'm not the pastor ...

KING: How about issues that the church has feelings about? Abortion? Same-sex marriages?

OSTEEN: Yeah. You know what, Larry? I don't go there. I just ...

KING: You have thoughts, though.

OSTEEN: I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don't think that a same-sex marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don't think abortion is the best. I think there are other, you know, a better way to live your life. But I'm not going to condemn those people. I tell them all the time our church is open for everybody.

KING: You don't call them sinners?

OSTEEN: I don't.

KING: Is that a word you don't use?

OSTEEN: I don't use it. I never thought about it. But I probably don't. But most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don't go down the road of condemning.

[Thad]

Originally Posted by dizzyde

What are you trying to say Thad, you don't want me hearing anybody say that I can make it???? LOL!!

I see how you are!!!!

lol!!! If you need the encouragement AND you are not getting it from YOUR church, well okay go on and listen to Joel Ambien Osteen lol lo l