Recently Joel Osteen got my attention though I have known him for a while.
I was not bothered by him very much though I did not agree with what he preaches.
But I think I need to understand him better before I do any critiques. So I checked some criticisms on the web and the terms, “Prospertity Gospel”
From wikipedia —-
Prosperity theology (also known as prosperity doctrine, the health and wealth gospel, or the prosperity gospel) is a religious belief found among “tens of millions” of Christians centered on the notion that God provides material prosperity for those he favors. It has been defined by the belief that “Jesus blesses believers with riches” or more specifically as the teaching that “believers have a right to the blessings of health and wealth and that they can obtain these blessings through positive confessions of faith and the ‘sowing of seeds’ through the faithful payments of tithes and offerings.” In the words of journalist Hanna Rosin, the prosperity gospel “is not a clearly defined denomination, but a strain of belief that runs through the Pentecostal Church and a surprising number of mainstream evangelical churches, with varying degrees of intensity.
Prosperity theology emphasizes on God’s promised generosity in this life and the ability of believers to claim it for themselves, In a nutshell, God who loves you does not want you to be broke. Its message is based on John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abudantly.”
Criticism on Joel Osteen
1. by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
http://www.albertmohler.com/2006/03/30/prosperity-theology-with-a-smile/
2. Time magizine article, Does God want you to be rich?http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1533448,00.html
3. Christianity Today Web Blog
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html?id=38539
Well, what is my personal opinion?
I believe the prosperity that God promise is the contentment which you can get when you have Jesus Christ as your Lord and filled with his love that was shown on the cross. For those who are content with who God is and what God has done for you can live with more passion, thankfullness, deligence, sharing with others, dedication, all kinds of spiritual fruits. Then your life will be more likely rich, not just spiritually, but also finacially. But I think God does not guarantee finacial wealth.