An Appeal to Joel and Victoria Osteen by Michael Brown

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/45340-an-appeal-to-joel-and-victoria-osteen

Pretty solid I think.

Good. But I am curious if these "open letters" ever really get read by the people they are addressed to?

Good point KJ but if he doesn't read it it is because he simply refuses not to, much to his loss.

Well, in all fairness to Osteen, he probably won't read it because 1) he will never hear about it and 2) he probably doesn't know who Dr. Michael Brown is and 3) even if he does know who Dr Brown is, they probably don't run in the same cirlces, so... why would he really have reason to care?

Guys like Osteen probably tend to be very insulated. He only knows about things like this if he already has a predefined reason to care, and know about such things.

We would probably have a revival tomorrow if Osteen got on TV and said he's been wrong about a lot of things... so, we can definitely pray

People like Joel are not governed by God but by board of people who govern his Church activities. They want to please as much people as possible in their message so that they can earn more. It is all business, the same business that Jesus chased out of God's temple with a whip. Now to Joel to come out of it will be to lose all the income that the board makes, he will not be allowed to do it.

First of all I have heard him in an interview that he had no understanding of Sin during his early Church service and he recently started learing about sin. To me if a person has no conviction of Sin then he is not born again. How can an unconverted person like him be a minister? The momement he understood the reality he should have quit the ministry. But he was casually saying that he is learning. Which means he is unwilling to lose all the fame and money.

The video that became viral is a clear reflection of their man centered Gospel. Their mistake is not just to preach it but to embrace it in their own personal life. This only got reflected in that message. He has to pay a huge price to come out of this mess and embrace the true God centered Gospel. But I doubt he is willing and even if he is the board will not let him do that.

Whats the point of putting a letter to a couple in public format? Why not just write an article lambasting them for their unbiblical comments?

Does it make it appear more biblically correct that you are coming to them directly by making the 'letter' to them, so you are not gossiping or slandering them, and expressing that 'I write as a friend wanting to help, not an enemy wanting to hurt, and everything I write, I write out of love for God, love for you, and love for the church and the world?'

And then in then go on to correct them in a nationally syndicated Christian magazine.

Does anyone else think that this is a little odd?

I find so many things odd with this letter. I did not read it completely but based on what I read the writter wants them to preach the full Gospel to their Church. He also acknowledges that what they preach is a man centered gospel. The point addressed here is what is being preached. Instead the point to address is their personal salvation. It is clear from their understanding of Gospel that they are unsaved people. So first warning should be to leave your ministry and run away for your personal salvation. Save yourself first. It is better to enter kingdom of Heaven without a ministry than to enter hell leading your congregation.

How can the writer expect them to preach full Gospel when they have never experienced it? This it self is Odd. Do you think Jermaiah would have written such a letter to the false prophets of his time. A letter in love? As far as I remember he rebuked them that you will die in a year.

Well said Sree.

I can't imagine Jeremiah writing a letter to Hananiah implying that he just needs to do better in his preaching.

Michael Brown writes this rebuke out of the right spirit of love and a genuine concern for Joel and Victoria Osteen.

I have been to the old Lakewood Church many times to hear Joel's dad (John Osteen) preach, and I believe that if John could come down from heaven and have a heart to heart talk with his son, he would say: "Joel, get back to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Mike

I agree with King Jimmy, I wonder if it will ever get read by those who actually NEED to read it! The Osteens are so well protected that I seriously doubt it. And that's what comes from getting that big. It's sad really.