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

[Mississippi Mama]

Ligon Duncan could take Osteen any day! Bring! It! On!

[Chris Sherman]

I noticed the Roman Catholic and the Jew at the book signing too. I wasn't surprised that they were not offended by what Mr. Osteen was preaching. Sure was cute when she reached out and touched his cheek.

[Benjamin P. Glaser]

<i>But many theologians from mainstream churches find Osteen's message misleading and shallow.

"I think it’s a cotton candy gospel," says Rev. Michael Horton, a professor of theology at Westminister Seminary in Escondido, Calif.</i>

My favorite part is how CBS calls Dr. Horton part of the "mainline"...

[David A. Sanger]

The 60Min. piece on Osteen, Inc. made me sick. The American church's idolizing of celebrity and success leads it to condone a man who: 1. Is not "apt to teach" therefore is Biblically not qualified for ministry; 2. Because this man can not or will not preach Christ and him crucified is preaching ANOTHER GOSPEL (Gal 1:8-9). Therefore he should be condemned publically by all true ministers of the gospel. Please churchmen, let's stop coddling this stuff. Call it what you know it is and warn your flocks.

[zrim]

It would be interesting to see Horton take on the antithesis to "bubble gum" gospels, AKA "hellfire and brimstone." We get what's wrong with Shuller and Osteen already...how about the flipside? The Gospel is just as opposed to that. Sometimes I wonder if the implication is that the opposite is what is needed.

Zrim

[dan]

Jesse-

CJ Mahaney could also take Osteen in basketball!! Maybe he and Lig could team up against Joel and his co-pastor Victoria!

[Elias]

I never thought I'd say this but, you guys who call yourselves reformed Christians need some reforming. To accuse someone of "crying on command" is to call that person a liar. There is sin on this blog and you all are too blind to even see it.

[Brian NY]

Hoping that one day Joel will shed tears for failing to preach the gospel all these years, repent and then begins to proclaim the truth, the whole truth. I'm praying for him.

[tracikos]

Is it just me or did anyone else notice that the production quality was really bad? Don't have a TV anymore and haven't watched in a very long time but I don't remember 60 minutes being so cheesy.

The other impression I had was that Osteen is kind of effeminate and his wife a little, uh, manly. Did anyone else suck in their breath a little bit when she opened her mouth and spoke? Her voice is kind of deep. Freaked me out a little bit.

[anon]

"Effeminate", that was the word I was looking for. Pretty lights on the "church" ceiling. Crying on TV.

Be a man Joel! Preach the real Gospel. Let your wife have a seat in the congregation.

[walt]

Let's set a few things straight here.

First, Osteen was benching using the smith machine, so it doesn't count. Anyone can bench a lot with that.

Second, Pastor, those were real tears. He feels. <i>He feels</i>.

Third, the only way to settle the horton/osteen feud, as you all well know, is a cage match. Horton's girth will assure his victory. Trust me.

[walt]

Can we enable HTML tags here please????

[walt]

"If you compare the clip of Osteen typing with that of Horton typing, you will see that Horton pwns Osteen in typing speed"

Haha! Uber pwnage. good point.

[PB]

pwnage, huh? I thought that kind of code was only on www.corvetteforum.com
<grin>
Somewhat more seriously, taking shots at Joel is really like shooting fish in a barrel.

[zrim]

PB!

Consarnit! You stole my fish in a barrel point. I used to say "ducks" but those can fly away...maybe Joel is like a duck? Someone said if it walks and quacks like one...

Zrim

["lee n. field"]

I watch essentially no TeeVee anymore, so I really can't comment on JO himself.

I do want to put a plug in for this weeks related (periferally) WHI episode, Faith and the Gospel.

It's good.

[Charles S]

I'm surprised CBS did not edit Dr. Horton's use of the word heresy to describe Joel Osteen's theology.

[Sam]

I'm not sure why CBS cares about interviewing Joel, except for ratings sake. What did it amount to? Some critical light was shed on him with a cute wrap up at the end to verify what we already know: Joel is a nice guy.

No point was really made here - since the there was no truth presented, and anyone can say, to each his own. Dr. Horton was presented as dry, and Osteen got to show his misplaced sincerity with his tears.

It greives me deeply that while all this goes on, thousands perish without hearing the gospel, and men like Joel don't use the power they have to warn them.

[Chris Duncan]

Is Joel Osteen an unregenerate agent of Satan? (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

[Ivan]

this talk of taking on Osteen is funny.

I am now 44, but watching Osteen shoot b-ball, I am fully confident that I am a Reformed guy who could still take Osteen to the hoop!

I also would not mind telling him he is sincere, but sincerely a heretic who implicitly denies the sufficiency of Scripture and the sufficiency of Christ as Savior of Sinners.