Lakewood church

ND4SPD · 07-18-2005, 8:34 PM

Caught this on CNN TV tonight

Wow is all I can say!

http://www.lakewood.cc/site/PageServer

Custom900 · 02-19-2006, 10:52 PM

I'm just curious to know what is "WOW" about Joel Osteen's Church.
I like the guy - I respect him - I have a few CD's that Cindy Ratcliff has made with Lakewood's Choir. However, I still ask, what drew you into posting this?

seamus · 02-20-2006, 10:46 AM

ND, I think whatever page you linked to changed.

luvtolean · 02-20-2006, 11:56 AM

I'm betting the "wow" part is the billionaire empire "Preacher Joel" has built for himself.

Red Rider · 02-20-2006, 12:26 PM

Any idea what the church's revenues are? Just curious how much he's pulling in. I bet he (will) pass ol' Jim Baker in terms of "contributions"...

Heavy-Dee · 02-20-2006, 12:28 PM

Words cannot describe how much I hate organizations like this. The level of Groupthink is astounding. And to think that it is pawned off as "God's work" makes me want to break something.

HD

TAZ · 02-20-2006, 1:43 PM

Much to my horror, my wife is reading one of Osteen's books. Her uncle gave it to her...said it changed his life. I had to spend a couple hours recently listening to him (the uncle) tell stories about how he now spends a large portion of his day "asking for God's favor" for small and simple things...like getting a good parking spot at the mall or realizing the ketchup he went to buy was on sale today. And he actually believes that when he finds a good parking spot (nevermind that he circled the lot for five minutes), it's because God was rewarding him for asking.

Whatever...

phobiaphobe · 02-20-2006, 1:50 PM

I'd expect God to have more important things to do. Like talk to Warren Jeffs.

Heavy-Dee · 02-20-2006, 2:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAZ

Much to my horror, my wife is reading one of Osteen's books. Her uncle gave it to her...said it changed his life. I had to spend a couple hours recently listening to him (the uncle) tell stories about how he now spends a large portion of his day "asking for God's favor" for small and simple things...like getting a good parking spot at the mall or realizing the ketchup he went to buy was on sale today. And he actually believes that when he finds a good parking spot (nevermind that he circled the lot for five minutes), it's because God was rewarding him for asking.

Whatever...

Dear God,

Please help me to remember to breathe.

Love,

Heavy-Dee

seamus · 02-20-2006, 2:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

I'm betting the "wow" part is the billionaire empire "Preacher Joel" has built for himself.

That setup is just redonkulous.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taz

And he actually believes that when he finds a good parking spot (nevermind that he circled the lot for five minutes), it's because God was rewarding him for asking.

I asked God for the PowerBall numbers but he said he already gave them to some guy in Nebraska. Speaking of that, anyone heard from Chain lately? He didn't have a heartattack after picking all the numbers, did he?

BizJetGuy · 02-20-2006, 3:46 PM

Lakewood is where the Houston Rockets played until they built the Toyota Center downtown.

These "Megachurches" are popping up everywhere around Houston. I'll keep my opinions about the revenues and congregations to myself.

Custom900 · 02-20-2006, 3:47 PM

Should the Church be poor?????????????????????

C'mon guys, if a track was built with all the extremities we would exhault it. Make trips to it. We would devote money time and sweat to it in order to keep it going.

Lakewood is a prospering Church because it reaches out to people. People give, yes, but they give out of a desire to, not because they are forced to.

And I doubt very seriously that Joel sees the income that the Church does. That would be unrealistic. Does the money go into seeing a great layout of facilities? Sure it does, but at the same time this Church is reaching out to millions around the world with more than just a message of Christ. They are feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, etc.

Just because you don't agree with something does not make it wrong.

By the way, I would rather attend a Church that had exceptional facilities rather than attend in a building that was falling apart.

phobiaphobe · 02-20-2006, 3:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heavy-Dee

Dear God,

Please help me to remember to breathe.

Love,

Heavy-Dee

It WORKED! GOD BE PRAISED!

phobiaphobe · 02-20-2006, 3:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Custom900

Should the Church be poor?????????????????????
....

Yes.

Custom900 · 02-20-2006, 3:51 PM

Phobe, I think I'm gonna have to make a trip to Grattan, if for no other reason to meet the mastermind behind the statements.

It's scary - you remind me................................................ .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ............of me

ConqSoft · 02-20-2006, 3:53 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Osteen

Quote:

Critics have decried his lifestyle as "lavish" pointing to the fact that he lives in a house valued at over $2.5 million, in the same neighborhood as former President George H. W. Bush. Osteen also owns two Porsche sports cars.

Critics have also commented on his lack of formal theological training (he spent one semester at Oral Roberts University before returning to Lakewood to start its television ministry, and only preached one sermon before becoming pastor).

BizJetGuy · 02-20-2006, 3:54 PM

Isn't he living tax-free because he's "clergy"?

luvtolean · 02-20-2006, 3:54 PM

I don't have any problem with a group building an exceptionally expensive facility.

Other than one thing.

Religions in general take money from members who hope it will help them to get something, that may or may not exist, in the afterlife.

I have no problem with that really.

I buy lottery tix knowing I'll probably never win the jackpot, but it's a great fantasy for a buck.

Gambling or donating to a church are OK to a certain extent. But I've known people that gave money to churches to the point it was destructive to their lives. I think this is terrible. And shame on any church that takes the money.

And I also think after looking at the megachurch sites and watching some of the "Jim and Tammy Faye Baker" crap on TV, that these megachurches have taken the art of pulling people's money out of their pocket to an incredible level.

phobiaphobe · 02-20-2006, 4:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Custom900

Phobe, I think I'm gonna have to make a trip to Grattan, if for no other reason to meet the mastermind behind the statements.
...

Won't do you much good, I won't be there. But if you want to come to western Canada I'll buy you a beer.

Way I see it, salvation is a lucrative business. Some businesses are more successful than others.

bwhip · 02-20-2006, 4:22 PM

I like the quote from the founder of our own church, who reportedly said "We build churches to worship God, not to worship churches."

sheepofblue · 02-20-2006, 5:29 PM

DISCLAIMER: I AM BIASED

However rather than a preacher living in a $2.5 million house I prefer to admire folks like Mother Angelica and her organization

Custom900 no a church should not be poor, nor rich. If he has nice facilities for teaching and spreading the word, good. If the broadcast equipment is state of the art, great. However I think the preacher should earn a decent living not live in a mansion. For instance if he lived in a $500K house the extra $2M could be invested. At 5% return it would earn $100K a year. Reinvest 10% as an inflation hedge and use the 90% to give scholarships to worthy children or others entering into the spreading of the gospel

To each their own I am not him.

Scout · 02-20-2006, 6:13 PM

Don't let religion get in the way of your own personal salvation.

You're only responsible for yourself. God won't accept "But there were so many hypocrites."

Every day you procrastinate, is another day you're living in His grace.

There are many people in Hell today, who used to think Hell didn't exist.

Now, send me a million dollars.