60 Minutes Wrap

It was great to see Michael on 60 Minutes!  Just a couple of thoughts about the interview . . .

Out of nearly four hours of taping Mike got about 3 minutes of air-time.  Too bad that so much of that was spent watching Mike climb the stairs of my beloved Alma Mater (Westminster Seminary California).  I had hoped CBS would give Mike a chance to tell the audience about the true gospel, but then again we can't expect too much from CBS.  At least they gave someone (like Mike) a chance to respond.  What they did use from Mike was germane and to the point.  Did anyone else notice that Bryon Pitts looked like he was gonna hurl at several points while interviewing Osteen?  Obviously, he wasn't buying it. 

The gospel always seems to lose out in heavily edited interviews like this, especially when the guy not preaching it can cry on command and seems so sincere and bent on being positive, even if its "not his ministry" to tell people the truth about the human condition and what Jesus has done to save us from our sins.  If you are interested, there are some great resources dealing with Osteen's fluff "gospel" on the White Horse Inn webpage (Click here: osteen2).

On the lighter side, just so you know, Michael's already caught a fair bit of flack from his friends.  As one noted Reformed theologian pointed out, "Osteen’s theology may indeed be popcorn theology, but it appears that he can bench press more than Horton can."  Michael has already promised to spend more time in the gym and will challenge Osteen to a rematch.  Maybe the only Reformed guy who can currently out-bench Osteen is James White.

I also wonder if Joel hasn't been chuggin' down a few cans of Pat Robertson's famous Diet Shake.  Pat claims to leg press some 1000 lbs (if I recall).  That Joel Osteen can actually bench press 300 lbs was the real surprise of the interview.  Everything else was pretty much as I expected. 

It is also no surprise that thousands of people will flock to an arena to be enthralled with a light show on the ceiling, a pop concert, and to hear a dynamic message about how they can reach their potential.  Joel's very good at what he does, but it is an absolute shame that doesn't include preaching Christ and him crucified.  That makes him an "evangelist" without an evangel.  That Best Life Now drivel rings pretty hollow in light of eternity.  

Comments

[dlzr]

Scott Clark looks like he would be pretty strong. Never seen him in person, but that bald head makes him look tough. Besides he is from Nebraska, and those guys are country strong.

But I bet Osteen could not bench press all the books of Theology that Horton has read and studied.

[timinater]

With Osteen you get a better life now! Why wait until Heaven when what you can get or at least think your getting is the best that God can give now! Sounds too fluffy to me though. I need the true God to humble me and help me grow as a person as well as a Christian. When I get to Heaven I well get my Best Life as the Bible tells us no more tears, no more sickness, no more deaths.... so why do I care if life is difficult? I have a God who well never leave me nor forsake me. Through Christ he gives me the strength to endure the trials I well encounter.

Remember God is the Potter and we (Church) is the clay.

[Mark VPol]

From a real loving, heart-felt e-mail sent to us (WSC/WHM) this morning:

"[Dr. Horton] I just wanted to tell you you are an idiot. You don't know the first thing about Christianity."

By far the biggest thing people have been telling us is that Mike is just jealous of Osteen's "success" and that numbers (both in congregants and books) are the true judge of a preacher's success.

There have been a spattering of good, positive e-mails coming through, but for the most part they have been pretty sad.

[genembridges]

Just a note. Osteen said he can bench press 300 lbs, but, while the shot was too quick for me to get a count of the plates' values, I would point out that he was pressing on a Smith Machine, so he's not at all having to balance the bar. Also the bar is about 30 lbs. lighter on a Smith machine. Ordinarily, the bar is 45 lbs. (the size of the largest plates). If there was 300 lbs. worth of plates on that bar, we can automatically deduct 30 lbs.
I'll waive commenting about deception...

The best part for me, however: Lakewood Church is a "family business."

[Chris Sherman]

So Christ died to make me a better person? Gee that's comforting.

So if I get my best life now, what happens after I die?

Perhaps WSC could offer Mr. Osteen a scholarship to go to seminary to learn the other half of the story.

I think they should have played the theme to "Rocky" when Michael Horton ran up those steps. Did you see the blinding speed of his typing?

[David]

Christ is in our midst!

Thank you for this post. I deeply appreciate the work that you and the whole crew does on the WHI.

[PB]

No surprise that Dr. Horton's observation about "Christ and Him crucified" ended up on the cutting room floor. Anyone can talk about God and inject that Name with any meaning they want, it seems, but the Name of Christ is still so powerful (remember Peter healing the man at the Gate Beautiful!) that the world refuses to hear.

[L P Cruz]

The best part for me was when Dr. Mike said Osteen was preaching heresy. It is sad that it has to be said but if he did not say that then people will still be confused, a spade has to be called a spade.


LPC

[Paul]

James White could definately outbench Osteen. I worked out with him once back in 1996 when he did a conference in Chicago! But, Osteen just has to speak words of strength right?

[Raymond McPherson]

Haha. My friend and I were commenting about the interview and noticed some of the same things. For one, my friend was impressed with the massive amount of books in Horton's office. I also made the comment that both Horton and Osteen seemed to be examples of what they preach (jokingly, of course).

One of the funniest things we noticed is that Osteen didn't really know what to say when the reporter said that his building didn't look much like a church.


We also noticed that the reporter definitely wasn't buying Osteen's comments. I think that CBS should reverse the roles and devote a segment to Mike's ministry and see what Osteen has to say about it.

The thing that I dread the worst is that Osteen has a wife and two kids that he's influencing with this drivel. I wonder if his kids actually believe it or if they've ever heard the true Gospel preached (or if they've ever been able to read what the Bible actually says).

My friend was a little shocked that Horton actually used the word "heresy," even though he agrees. In his defense, I noted that Horton didn't just come out and claim that Joel's teaching was heresy just for the sake of saying it, but that the reporter asked him if it was.

[Erancal]

If you compare the clip of Osteen typing with that of Horton typing, you will see that Horton pwns Osteen in typing speed. And after all, isn't that the more important skill? I type every day. Rarely do I have the opportunity to lift 300 pounds.

[dvopilgrim]

Here's a comment from a missions elder of a PCUSA church:

"When I watched the program I thought that Dr. Horton had head knowledge, but didn’t have Christ in his heart."

And I'm so happy
So very happy
I've got the love of Jesus in my heart
Down in my heart
And I'm so happy
So very happy
I've got the love of Jesus in my heart.

[Jesse]

Are there any Reformed guys that could take Osteen in Basketball?

[Dr. Hambrick]

Gary Demar's a beast, he could bench press us all, and then shot put us.

[TC]

The interviewer and 60 Minutes are pawns folks. Bryon Pitts did his best skeptical and objective impersonation. The whole thing is a book promotion. The publisher advances Osteen $13 million on a book that has a record first run of 3 million copies. Simon&Schuster is the publisher. So? Simon&Schuster is owned by Viacom who owns CBS, CBS produces and promotes 60 Minutes. This was nothing more than a business machine shoring up their investment.

[GLW Johnson]

Kim
Osteen's claim to bench 300 lbs is very misleading because he is not using free weights but a pully system which, as it turns out, amounts to the equiv of about 140 lbs ! I am 57 yrs old and 6'3 and 185lbs and I'll take on Osteen in the gym and he can pick the equipment. Also, I challenge him right now to a quiz on Warfield's theology!

[Don't usually watch 60 min.]

So what's needed is a celebrity death match. Osteen against a reformed guy of our choosing. The match will be lifting, basketball, or typing.

BTW -- I can't examine anyone's heart to see if the love of Jesus is there. I can see his works, but I would have to watch him a lot longer than 3 minutes, and even then I am fallible and prone to misinterpretation. I am glad, it is not anything we are or have in us that will get us (or anyone else) to heaven but the Objective Love of Christ displayed in the Gospel. "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Cor. 5:21 -- I confess to being not very loving most of the time, but Jesus loved His own to death (His death). That's glorious -- He is worthy of praise from all people, and especially from justified sinners.

[aukmal]

...annual revenue - $40 million
...cost to renovate stadium - $100 million
...advance on book - $13 million
...Bryon Pitts' expression - priceless

OH I GET IT NOW, the message isn't health and wealth for me, it's straight up wealth for the entire Olsteen clan.

Another epic quote was the elderly couple at the book signing, something to the effect of, "...my wife is Roman Catholic and I'm Jewish, we watch your show every week!"

I think I'll take Pitts' lead and go hurl.

[Andrew Compton]

Did anyone else notice that in the clip following Osteen, Sheikh Mohammed, the guy who built Dubai, was asked why he built Dubai in 5 years when most people would make a project like that happen in closer to 20.

He responded (clearly he's been reading Osteen): "Why wait 20 years when my people can have it *now*."

Your best life now meets wealthy oil mogul!

[Andrew Alvarez]

Joel Osteen for the Power Team!