Oh Really?

It wasn't my fault. It was on right after America's Funniest Videos the other night. It came on my TV screen and I didn't turn it off immediately like I should have. I was embarrassed but at least no one else was around. This is what I saw:


It was like I wanted to change the channel, but couldn't. It was mesmerizing. That is, until I realized I wasn't observing a church service. This was a positive attitude seminar with a motivational speaker.

Let's briefly examine the statements Mr. Osteen and his audience recite at the beginning of their meetings. I won't bother writing them; listen to it again if you can stand it. I will merely point out that each of the statements is absolutely true, except for one. Can you spot the impostor? It's sentence #5: "Today I will be taught the Word of God." I have actually listened to Mr. Osteen preach(?) and have heard nothing more than platitudes and sugar frosted feel good-isms. The fact that this fifth sentence is false makes it so that all the other ones are misleading and even dangerous. Does the audience know what the Bible says about them, whether saved or unsaved? Do they know exactly what the Bible says they have? Do they know for sure what the Bible says they can do? Not unless they're studying the Scriptures intently for themselves...and if they are, why do they go to "church" at Lakewood?

I'm certain I'm painting Joel's audience with a broad brush, but when I see those thousands of folks grinning and saying that they are "what the Bible says" they are and that they "can do" what the Bible says they can do, I don't think they're contemplating their depravity and utter helplessness apart from Christ. This little credo has man at the center, not the Savior.