Joel

Joel Osteen gets a lot of flack.  As a public figure, and especially as a pastor, he has invited public scrutiny through his message of provision, happiness and joy.  As a hippy Christian myself, I recognize one when I see one.  Most of the people who criticize him are other Christians who view him as not being entirely Biblical because his message is incomplete. Yes, they say, God IS love and happiness and joy and provision BUT He is also judge and wrath.  What about that, Joel?  As the leader, I agree that he SHOULD be evaluated to discern whether he’s worthy of being followed.  As a pastor, his words SHOULD be held up to a Biblical standard.  As a celebrity, he DOES have more responsibility because of how he influences our culture (my disdain for the LACK of responsibility celebrities can take is a whole OTHER essay but I digress).   All of these things are true about Joel Osteen but I would offer this:  God’s purpose in him may not be to provide the entire message but to be a bridge TO the message.  It was certainly true in my own life.

In 2008, the year leading up to my turning my life over to Christ, Buddhism was on the table as a spiritual option.  With my new age background, I understood it and it felt familiar.  In my internal compass, however, it didn’t feel complete and there were many aspects about it philosophically that didn’t feel like Truth to me.  My soul continued to search.  During that year, I happened upon Joel Osteen while flipping through the channels and his quiet, sweet delivery, along with his message of hope invited me to linger and sit with him for a while.  It was a change from my usual avoidance of religious channels or my normal mode of staying on a televangelist long enough to scoff before I found the show I was really looking for.  

In those days, I wasn’t just non-Christian, I was anti-Christian.  I viewed Christians to be judgemental hypocrites and many of them were some of the most hateful people I knew. (Like I’ve said before, there are jerks in every community.)  I was very vocal about my disdain for the Bible, even when it was a book I’d never actually read.  I felt great satisfaction when I’d see a Darwin fish eat a Jesus fish on the back of someone’s car.  When a friend offered to have a short Bible study at the beginning of our play group’s  Mom’s Night Out, I vehemently opposed it and was angry she would even suggest bringing religion into a fun night out.  I wasn’t just non-Christian, I was ANTI-Christian.

Even in the midst of that, I WOULD sit with Joel.  Over the next year, catching the last few minutes of his sermon turned into an entire show. That turned into, “Honey!  I’ll talk with you in a minute!  I’m at church with Joel!” and that turned into showing up to a Joel event in Jacksonville the same few days I was there for my sister’s wedding.  The end of that night turned into, “Okay, God, I’m not promising anything but I’ll show up to church on Sunday”.  That Sunday was January 4^th, 2009 and, well, the rest is history…

I have since stopped watching Joel.  Not because I dislike him or believe he’s a bad pastor but because as a maturing Christian, I recognize there is MORE to the message than what he offers.  There is opportunity for growth BEYOND what he preaches on TV.  But he did give me my first step and I believe that’s exactly how God used him in my life. I don’t think I’m the only one.

When our newest pastor came to our church, I connected with him right away.  By this time, I was already fully committed to our church. I’d found my home, my faith family and it was where I felt safe in developing who I was in Christ.  I loved the pastors and leadership.  What this newest pastor offered, however, was a checkered past.  THAT was a journey I could relate to. I became attached to his themes of redemption as he introduced who he was to our congregation.  It got to the point where I would pick up a bulletin before service to see where he was preaching.  That went on for a few months.  One Sunday morning, I went through my usual routine and got settled in to hear our new pastor speak.  In the middle of worship (our music time), however, I felt God pressing into my heart, “Leave.  You’re going to the sermon across the street.”  It wasn’t an audible conversation but a real internal struggle started to take place.  “God, I’m already settled and I want to her this message” and He would press in again. “Leave. You’re going to the sermon across the street.”  God has a way of making me feel restless until I do what He wants me to do so begrudgingly, I picked up my things and made my way to the other side of our campus to the sermon across the street.  During that walk, God really stopped me in my tracks.  “Did you come for Me, or did you come for him?”  Since then, I just settle into a building and I listen to whomever God sends.

Joel Osteen is not the POINT, God is.  Joel is but one CELL in the BODY of Christ.  There is a place for him.  Of course he’s not the entire picture but not any one of us is.  His message is of LOVE and let me tell you, THAT is not only the greatest commandment, it’s a door.  It’s for people like me who didn’t grow up knowing about a loving God I could have a relationship with.  There are millions of people like me who need a first step and I think that’s what Joel is. 

Since January 4^th, 2009, I have opened my Bible and read its contents.  I continue to study.  At this point, I KNOW there is more to my journey than the message Joel preaches.  If you are a Christian who gets in the Word at all, you know there is more to our history, more to the gospel, more participation than what Joel has to offer.  So, God has anointed many pastors, each with their own flavor and story that, hopefully, will speak to someone’s deepest need.  Your journey may not end with the pastor you began with, maybe it will.  I just know that when I needed encouragement and a first step, God put me in front of Joel, and I will always be grateful for the part he’s played.