#SayWhat?

Written by cycleguy on April 30th, 2019

I don’t normally do this type of post but it is one of those “I-just-can’t-help-myself” moments. Notice the title of the post and when I am done hopefully you will understand why I have chosen that title.

Like I said, I try to avoid this type of post but I have become passionately concerned about the Gospel. I remember once in a college class the professor was talking about one of the personalities and the issue of defending the Bible came up. The personality said, “The Bible doesn’t need defended.” So it may seem to be superfluous for me to write this post but I feel a very strong urge to write this. I guess some might see it as nit-picking where I don’t need to pick nits but I do hope you will see why.

I recently read an article written by Al Mohler entitled “Theology makes its way into the headlines again.” The rest of the title is a dead giveaway as to the reason for my post so I’m going to hold off on that. Edward Luce, who is the American editor of the Financial Times in London, visited Lakewood Church and then wrote about it in the pages of the Financial Times. His article was entitled “A Preacher for Trump’s America: Joel Osteen and the Prosperity Gospel.” Now you know…

I’m not going to comment on the article but I do want to share a few things that were in it and they are not political! They are insane. They are ungodly. They are heretical.

First, the insane. Luce writes, “With a fortune estimated at $60 million and a mansion listed on Zillow at $10.7 million, Osteen is hardly living like a friar. His suburban Houston home has three elevators, a swimming pool and parking for 20 cars, including his $230,000 Ferrari 458 Italia.”  {My comment:I guess the prosperity gospel has really worked for him! But that is insane! Asking people to sacrifice so someone can benefit? Nah doesn’t fly}.

Now for the heretical. Two things.

Paula White, another heretical prosperity guru (now married to Jonathan Cain the keyboardist for Journey) said, “Anyone who tells you to deny yourself is Satan.” Say What? What did she just call Jesus?

Mr. Osteen comes down to Jesus’ last words spoken by Jesus on the Cross, “It is finished.” And we are told that Jesus was not actually declaring His imminent death. In effect, said Osteen, Jesus meant instead, “The guilt is finished, the depression is finished, the low self-esteem is finished, the mediocrity is finished, it is all finished.”

Can I gag? Do you get that same lurching feeling? How, in the name of all that is holy and righteous, can two people get things so wrong? And they are not alone. I could name names but will choose not to.  And there is more to the Financial Times article, but this is enough. Make no mistake about what I am saying please! These are not godly speakers. (I cringe at using the word preachers about either one of them). This is pure, unadulterated heresy.

My questions are many but three stand out: why can’t people see this? Are we so biblically illiterate that we have no discernment? Why are we not speaking out against junk like this?

So…what do you think?

 

13 Comments so far ↓

  1. Lisa notes says:

    I haven’t read the original articles you mention, but from the bits you quote, I agree that it’s hard to match it up with the gospel. 🙁 I understand we all distort the gospel to some degree because of our humanity, but some ways seem more blatant than others. There are lots of things out there that make me gag, too. I’m with you, Bill.

    • cycleguy says:

      i agree Lisa. No matter how hard we try there will be times we don’t get it right. But these are too blatant to be a mistake.

  2. Linda Stoll says:

    Lord, have mercy.

    His church is a mess. But what else is new?

    May we make a difference, may we model something holy right where we are.

    Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

    • cycleguy says:

      I’m inclined to agree with you Linda. Unfortunately, people keep trying to use human means to try to get it back on track.

  3. Too many preachers/speakers tout a “feel good” gospel, and they are dead wrong. They are pandering to worldly ideas, and feeding their unsuspecting sheep a pack of lies. May God convict them!
    Blessings, Bill!

  4. Pam says:

    I totally agree with you Bill. We can not tell the difference between truth and heresy unless we know God’s Word and what is ACTUALLY in it!

  5. Woe to the ones who claim to be teachers and teach for themselves, woe to them. What a surprise they will have when they meet Him. I just was looking at some of those preachers incomes, their houses, cars, there are more foolish people in this world who follow them then I thought. Even in the jungles of remote place all it takes is for someone to come in and preach that garbage. It takes a lot of teaching to undo the harm done. You just keep preaching it brother, please, stand in the gap. give it to your church family as straight as you can, no apologize, no stepping back, no fear. When the men and women of God will not stand in the gap for truth, well we get what we got right now.

    • cycleguy says:

      Thanks for the encouragement Betty. I have always wondered how they get such a foothold in deprived Third World countries where prosperity is not seen. Where wealth is for the chosen few. As you say…they will be surprised I’m sure. As long as God gives me breath I have every intention of staying true to the Word.

  6. floyd says:

    We’re seeing the fulfillment of scripture written by Paul to Timothy in the second letter, 4:3.

    Indeed they are collecting teachers unto themselves to fulfill their own lusts.

  7. Ed says:

    I bet there’s a lot of corruption and deal making behind those closed doors. I would love to live in a mansion, but I would open the gates up for those who definitely need a place to live, etc…
    Personally I don’t follow televangelists. I think they are all crooks on the opposite side of Robin Hood.
    I’ve also seen a lot of normal every day Christians with the same Joel Olsteen smile, and it’s like it’s plastered on their faces like Jack Nicholson’s Joker.
    God is not mocked at all.. Whatever man sows, he will reap in the end!