Where Nothing Is Devoid of Industry
Industry. It’s defined as, “Commercial production and sale of goods.” Industry is always looking to increase its market. How can we sell more? How can we “enhance” the product to appeal to more people? How do we increase our profits? How can we out-sell our competitors?
So what happens when what you are producing and selling conflicts with the principles of industry? Can you have an entire commercial market revolving around something that is unchangable, not very appealing to most, and its only goal is itself - not for profit or eliminating competition? I think about the Christian music and publishing companies and how they must have started with the best of intentions but over time have had to alter their product to advance or even sustain themselves as a profitable business.
I wonder how much spiritual/theological accountability is involved in this industry? Does something just have to do with God or Jesus to make it’s way to the shelves of your local Christian bookstore - or even worse, just be family-friendly? There are several top sellers (Purpose Driven Life, Wild At Heart, Prayer of Jabez) that have no reservation about misquoting Scripture, ignore the ideas of repentance and Hell while promoting personal gain, and even contain some heretical views of God.
Sure, the books make some good points and they seem to help a lot of people, but how much distortion of truth are we willing to take before we as The Church actually say, “enough”? How many people are having their once Biblical view of God (theology) slowly chipped away by self-comforting, bits of spiritual untruth - like the world isn’t good enough at that already? Or even worse, how many are being introduced to the Gospel by Joel Osteen (currently #3 Best Seller at Family and a New York Times Best Seller) looking to gain “a more rewarding life, a better job, a stronger marriage, a happier home, more gratifying relationships with your family and friends” by trying this thing called “Christianity?” They will be quite disappointed to find out that the Christian life is not about their personal gain but daily “death” and sacrifice.
Think about it from the industry point of view, “Purpose Driven Life was/is a best-seller. Why not publish, Your Best Life Now?” My question is, “What comes next?”
June 17th, 2005 at 8:40 pm
Hmmm, when you said:
It made me think of this:
Tim Challies
June 18th, 2005 at 9:59 pm
Some out there might be saying, “Preach it brother” while others might be saying, “Now why is David slamming on this Joel guy?” I’m not slamming him personally but noting the progression of the market and how the evangelical church is selling itself out to the principals of industry.
While I was reading some other blogs, I ran across a text book example of someone defending Osteen’s ministry. Let’s take a look…
What could be so bad about that, right? Well let’s look at what this person wrote and where they place their faith. First, and this mainly an observation, she says she is following Joel’s doctrine and teachings - not Jesus’ or the Holy scripture. By her statement is sounds like since she started trying to be good, God has reacted in ways that she approves of. Secondly, and more importantly she says that if you do good things then you don’t have to worry about all that fire and brimstone stuff - a big turn off. This sounds more like the idea of our salvation occuring through actions instead of the saving grace of God - kind of a big part of the Christian faith. Finally she informs us that man is inherently good. Hmmm, the scripture says that man is inhernetly dead in his sin against God. Romans 3:10-12
In a recent sermon series we studied three areas where false teachers always get things wrong:
1. Who we are spiritually
2. How we know God personally
3. The identity of Christ
So far this response is suspect in 2 out of 3. Even with the best of intentions, seeing that the general public is so spiritually ignorant about what Christianity really is, it just seems very dangerous to be pumping things that seem so Christian and appeal to personal gain into Wal-Marts and bookstores across America.
June 21st, 2005 at 2:24 pm
It’s vital to consider what Joel thinks and that came through clearly in a Larry King Live program on June 20.05. The following are some sound-bytes with the link to follow to double check the context. Sorry for the length, but I actually cut out alot.
KING: But you’re not fire and brimstone, right? You’re not pound the decks and hell and dam nation?
OSTEEN: No. That’s not me. It’s never been me. I’ve always been an encourager at heart. And when I took over from my father he came from the Southern Baptist background and back 40, 50 years ago there was a lot more of that. But, you know, I just — I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe — maybe it was for a time. But I don’t have it in my heart to condemn people. I’m there to encourage them. I see myself more as a coach, as a motivator to help them experience the life God has for us.
KING: But don’t you think if people don’t believe as you believe, they’re somehow condemned?
OSTEEN: You know, I think that happens in our society. But I try not to do that. I tell people all the time, preached a couple Sundays about it. I’m for everybody. You may not agree with me, but to me it’s not my job to try to straighten everybody out. The Gospel called the good news. My message is a message of hope, that’s God’s for you. You can live a good life no matter what’s happened to you. And so I don’t know. I know there is condemnation but I don’t feel that’s my place.
KING: Because we’ve had ministers on who said, your record don’t count. You either believe in Christ or you don’t. If you believe in Christ, you are, you are going to heaven. And if you don’t no matter what you’ve done in your life, you ain’t.
OSTEEN: Yeah, I don’t know. There’s probably a balance between. I believe you have to know Christ. But I think that if you know Christ, if you’re a believer in God, you’re going to have some good works. I think it’s a cop-out to say I’m a Christian but I don’t ever do anything …
KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven. I don’t know …
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re wrong, aren’t they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God with judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
KING: How about issues that the church has feelings about? Abortion? Same-sex marriages?
OSTEEN: Yeah. You know what, Larry? I don’t go there. I just …
KING: You have thoughts, though.
OSTEEN: I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don’t think that a same-sex marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don’t think abortion is the best. I think there are other, you know, a better way to live your life. But I’m not going to condemn those people. I tell them all the time our church is open for everybody.
KING: You don’t call them sinners?
OSTEEN: I don’t.
KING: Is that a word you don’t use?
OSTEEN: I don’t use it. I never thought about it. But I probably don’t. But most people already know what they’re doing wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don’t go down the road of condemning.
CALLER: Hello, Larry. You’re the best, and thank you, Joe — Joel — for your positive messages and your book. I’m wondering, though, why you side-stepped Larry’s earlier question about how we get to heaven? The bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and the only way to the father is through him. That’s not really a message of condemnation but of truth.
OSTEEN: Yes, I would agree with her. I believe that…
KING: So then a Jew is not going to heaven?
OSTEEN: No. Here’s my thing, Larry, is I can’t judge somebody’s heart. You know? Only god can look at somebody’s heart, and so — I don’t know. To me, it’s not my business to say, you know, this one is or this one isn’t. I just say, here’s what the bible teaches and I’m going to put my faith in Christ. And I just I think it’s wrong when you go around saying, you’re saying you’re not going, you’re not going, you’re not going, because it’s not exactly my way. I’m just…
KING: But you believe your way.
OSTEEN: I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.
KING: But for someone who doesn’t share it is wrong, isn’t he?
OSTEEN: Well, yes. Well, I don’t know if I look at it like that. I would present my way, but I’m just going to let god be the judge of that. I don’t know. I don’t know.
KING: So you make no judgment on anyone?
OSTEEN: No. But I…
KING: What about atheists?
OSTEEN: You know what, I’m going to let someone — I’m going to let god be the judge of who goes to heaven and hell. I just — again, I present the truth, and I say it every week. You know, I believe it’s a relationship with Jesus. But you know what? I’m not going to go around telling everybody else if they don’t want to believe that that’s going to be their choice. God’s got to look at your own heart. God’s got to look at your heart, and only god knows that.
KING: When did you get into the preaching business? We saw that clip of you?
V. OSTEEN: Well, when Joel went through the transition after his father died, I just — he wanted me to take part in every service. So I do. I take part in every service. I do just a little encouraging piece. And then, this is my fourth Mother’s Day message to bring. So that was on Mother’s Day.
KING: Why do you want her in?
OSTEEN: Well, one, she’s fantastic. And you know, she just has so much to give. And two, I think it increases our whole reach, to be a team, to do it together. I mean, here’s some young people that are excited about God, and you know, there’s not a lot of women in the, you know, ministry.
KING: Were you always a believer?
V. OSTEEN: Yes, I was raised as a believer, yes.
If you would like to read the entire interview: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/20/lkl.01.html
June 21st, 2005 at 7:38 pm
Thanks for the link, what a crazy interview. It sounds like Joel doesn’t quite know what he thinks by the sound of it ‚Äî close to politician speak.