![Pastor Joel Osteen. [Image via Pixabay]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/9/2/660x290/b_502x220x82/joel-osteen-and-the-prosperity-gospel-pixabaycom_1545125.jpg "Pastor Joel Osteen. [Image via Pixabay]")
The Christian community is drawing lines in the sand when it comes to the doctrine to Joel Osteen. A number of believers in Christ say his messages are uplifting, inspiring, and encouraging. Others point out that as a preacher of the gospel, he should be talking more about Jesus, and not promoting what they believe is a dangerous false message of prosperity.
Joel Osteen is the man people love to hate
Pastor Joel Osteen recently came under fire because he initially did not open his Lakewood Church during Hurricane Harvey. For that reason, his lavish lifestyle, a 10 million dollar home, and the doctrine of prosperity he teaches are being raked over the coals.
Osteen is literally being dissected like a frog by the secular world as well as his Brothers And Sisters in Christ.
There are news articles all over the Internet with headlines reading that Joel is the man people love to hate. The bottom line is the money. Joel Osteen is a good looking, charismatic young man with a lovely wife, who is a former Miss Texas. They seem to have it all: Money, fame, riches, notoriety and the largest church in America. Osteen's books have sold millions of copies so it looks like his doctrine is working, at least for him. This is where the problem comes in.
Most believers in Christ hold him to his word that a camel can go through the eye of a needle quicker than a rich man can enter heaven.
(Matthew 19:24), and that the measure of a man is not in the things he possesses.(Luke 12:15). There is also Matthew 19:21 where Christ tells a rich young man to sell all and follow Him. Ironically, the secular world rips Joel to shreds for the very same thing, News media constantly point out that Jesus was about helping the poor and not gaining excessive wealth for oneself.
Christ said we are to love everyone
Christ said we are to love everyone, so no one should be hating Joel Osteen, especially those among his Christian family. However, the Bible does say in Ephesians chapter 4 that works of darkness are to be exposed. Blaming the less fortunate for their own circumstances, or saying they did not try hard enough, or give a large enough donation to the church is considered by many mainstream Christians to be a work of darkness.
Others enjoy the pep talks they get every Sunday morning and say Joel's messages make them feel good.
The problem with that is that a preacher of the gospel is supposed to be preparing people for the afterlife when they meet Christ, rather than promising they can live their best life now in this world. Even so, a number of Christians continue to support Joel Osteen and purchase his products even though their lives have not changed. Their eyes are not on Christ but on the riches of the pastor of Lakewood church.
This is why their brothers and sisters are so alarmed. What is even more distressing is when secular news media can see that the prosperity doctrine is not in line with what Jesus said, but those serving Him cannot.
It is distressing to see Hurricane Harvey affecting many who attended Osteen's church, washing away all their worldly goods. Joel, however, lives far away from the disaster area and his possessions are in tact.
